Disaster Updates - United Church of Christ

With UCC grant, conference supports clergy mental health in pandemic

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 11:16:12 -0500

Both ordinary and extraordinary, the stresses on pastors and hospital, university and military chaplains during the COVID-19 pandemic are enormous. So the Indiana-Kentucky Conference United Church of Christ is pioneering ways to help clergy cope, using support that includes a UCC COVID-19 Conference Recovery Grant.

Meet UCC Volunteer Ministries volunteer Gail McAfee

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 17:38:04 -0500

The Rev. Gail McAfee is currently serving as a UCC Volunteer Ministries’ volunteer in North Carolina. She was brought in to provide mold remediation following Hurricane Florence. Why does she volunteer? “That’s what I was taught to do," she said. "I was raised by pastors and was taught to respect all people, regardless of their current status in life. Everyone is just as important as the person wearing the suit.”

In typhoon-prone Philippines, recovery from Ambo begins as new storms hit

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Sat, 31 Oct 2020 16:32:30 -0400

In the Philippines, UCC Disaster Ministries is aiding recovery from Typhoon Ambo/VongFong as new storms hit diverse areas of this nation of islands. Typhoon Goni/Rolly is on track to make landfall on Luzon Sunday morning (Nov. 1). Just a few days ago, Typhoon Molave killed 22 people in the Philippines.

Deadline extended for COVID-19 grants for conferences

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 17:50:26 -0400

The deadline for United Church of Christ conferences to apply for the UCC COVID-19 Conference Recovery Grant has been extended by two weeks, to December 14, 2020.

Staff changes on the UCC's Global H.O.P.E. team

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 13:47:00 -0400

Just announced: staff changes on UCC Wider Church Ministries' Global H.O.P.E. team, which includes Disaster, Volunteer and Refugee ministries and Sustainable Development. Rev. Joshua Baird starts Nov. 16 as Global H.O.P.E. team leader. Rev. Phyllis Richards Oct. 30 wraps up as acting team leader and resumes work as Program Associate for One Great Hour of Sharing. Barbara Baylor ends her special assignment Oct. 31. Diane Dicken retires Dec. 31.

Health supplies for Lake Chad Basin, West Africa

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 15:08:37 -0400

Despite complications of ongoing conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic, an ecumenical project with $10,000 in support from UCC Wider Church Ministries through the ACT Alliance succeeded in distributing cholera prevention kits and hygiene supplies to 600 vulnerable households in Africa’s Lake Chad Basin area, highly prioritizing people with disabilities.

Volunteer engagement, disaster response positions open at UCC

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 16:39:23 -0400

United Church of Christ National Ministries has two open positions on the Global H.O.P.E. (Humanitarian. Opportunities. Progress. Empowerment.) team of Wider Church Ministries - Minister for Volunteer Engagement and Minister for Disaster Response and Recovery. The application close date for both positions is November 20, 2020.

An update on Hagibis recovery in Japan

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 13:17:45 -0400

UCC Disaster Ministries last year granted $10,000 for CWS Japan to help 1,000 vulnerable families without support mechanisms recover from Typhoon Hagibis, which struck central Japan in October 2019, forcing millions to evacuate and killing at least 80 people. The recovery effort is now complete.

UCC Disaster Ministries' $50K more for Puerto Rico

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 15:20:00 -0400

UCC Disaster Ministries has invested close to $820k to date in Hurricane Maria recovery in Puerto Rico, including $50k just authorized for roof repair once the COVID-19 lockdown ends. From 2018 until March 2020, 542 UCC volunteers restored 121 Maria-damaged roofs and performed other repairs. Pending: repairs following #earthquakes early in 2020. No damage is reported yet from more earthquakes this week.

2020 Hurricanes - UCC Disaster Ministries Responds

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 10:00:00 -0400

2020 is acting according to predictions that it would be a particularly heavy hurricane season.

Western Wildfires Keep People on High Alert

Phyllis Richards — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 14:28:00 -0400

More than 70 large fires have burned more than 4 million acres in 11 U.S. Western states, destroying homes, forcing evacuations and taking lives. At least 35 people have been killed. UCC members and congregations are in the middle of it all.

Being community together: UCC steps up after Iowa derecho

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 10:00:00 -0400

Three United Church of Christ congregations were in the high-impact area August 10 when a hurricane-strength "derecho" swept across Central Iowa. Even as they dealt with the derecho’s damage to their churches and homes, pastors and members stepped up to help their communities. And as word spread through social media of the destruction, the broader UCC (local, conference and national) stepped up to help.

Ministering in destruction's wake: an Iowa pastor's story

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 09:47:00 -0400

On August 10, 2020, Central Iowa suffered a powerful "derecho," with winds clocked up to 140 miles per hour. As soon as this veritable hurricane on land had passed, UCC pastor the Rev. Kate West in Belle Plaine was out to survey the damage and check on her members. The next day, she was at the center of the relief operation, organizing sack lunches and other supplies.

September is Disaster Preparedness Month

Phyllis Richards — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 22:25:00 -0400

For many, a large hurricane like Laura, marks the height of the disaster season. But September only marks the half-way point to the end of hurricane season on November 30. In recent history we have seen many examples of major hurricanes following each other: Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, and more recently Harvey, Irma, and Maria. We must not let our guard down. In fact there are currently four storm systems in the Atlantic.

UCC rallies support for derecho response in Iowa

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 16:52:00 -0400

The derecho that hit central Iowa unexpectedly with damaging winds on August 10 was similar to a Category 2 hurricane. Winds clocked as high as 140 mph cut a 50- to 100-mile swath from Des Moines to the state's east. More than 90 percent of buildings in Cedar Rapids were damaged. Four people were killed. Read how the UCC is responding at the local, conference and national levels.

CWS, UCC resuming kits ministry - carefully

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 13:18:00 -0400

Looking for hands-on ways to help people affected by COVID-19, hurricanes and other disasters? Consider assembling CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets and CWS Hygiene and other Kits – packets of essentials that make a world of difference to people in times of need. Get guidelines here for safe assembly in groups or at home, and news of CWS's reopening of "Safe Depots."

UCC sends initial contribution to recovery after Beirut explosion

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 13:14:00 -0400

UCC Disaster Ministries has begun its response to the tragic August 4 explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, with a $10,000 contribution toward a multifaceted program to meet both physical and psychosocial needs created by the blast. That funding was requested by the Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue, a long-time Global Ministries partner, to help provide food, rent and other essentials to 200 families made homeless in this disaster. The ministry also belongs to the ecumenical ACT Alliance, which is charting a major response.

Beirut Explosion Response

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 09:51:00 -0400

On August 4, 2020, an explosion at the port in Beirut, Lebanon, sent shockwaves across the city, shattering windows as far as 25 km (15 miles) away from the blast site. This tragedy occurs amid political and social tension, the COVID-19 pandemic and Lebanon's worst economic crisis in a century. These crises in Lebanon have left the country under-resourced and less able to respond to other major disasters. Assessments are still underway and the UCC stands ready to assist. Your prayers and contributions are welcome!

UCC Disaster Ministries supports COVID response in India, Bangladesh

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 16:22:23 -0400

UCC Wider Church Ministries is helping vulnerable families in Southern Asia cope with COVID-19, including day laborers idled by the pandemic-related shutdown, farmers and fishers unable to market their produce, disabled persons, ethnic minorities, widows and the elderly in Bangladesh and daily wage earners locked down at home and returned migrants in India.

UCC helps Middle East partners meet COVID-related needs

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 14:50:00 -0400

UCC Disaster Ministries is helping to support international partners working in Syria, Egypt and Lebanon to meet needs created or worsened due to COVID-19. These partners have long records of service among some of the world’s most vulnerable people – people already struggling to survive displacement, impoverishment and marginalization. UCC approved funding for the following projects before the tragic explosion in Beirut, which further complicated that city’s fight to contain COVID-19.