In 1916, a 26-year-old Darley Hiden Ramsey submitted a motto for the newly commissioned town seal of Asheville, N.C. His choice, levavi oculos meos in montes, “I lift my eyes to the hills” was taken from Psalm 121. Scholars consider…
Talking about politics
“No one is talking about politics.” I saw this assessment of the communities responding to the utter devastation of Hurricane Helene and noted the takeaway was people could put aside differences in crisis. Being able to work together despite differences…
First Baptist Erwin, Tenn., among those hard-hit by Helene
Like many congregations affected by Hurricane Helene and its remnants, First Baptist Church of Erwin, Tenn., emerged from the storm determined to do whatever it could to help its battered community. But even as they jumped headlong into fundraising and…
In Helene’s path, churches swing into action with relief ministries
People and institutions of faith from Florida to North Carolina are kicking into high gear to help the victims of Hurricane Helene even as they struggle assessing the human need and the scope of physical damage. Even in the most…
An entire city with no water doesn’t fit the playbook for disaster relief organizations
When the capital city of Mississippi had no running water for an entire week, government agencies came to the rescue with water distribution outlets, but some of the major faith-based disaster relief organizations were nowhere to be found. Why? The…
CBF, ABCUSA, Lott Carey and others assessing needs for long-term tornado relief work
State and national Cooperative Baptist Fellowship organizations are raising funds and planning long-term recovery operations in response to the tornadoes that rampaged across the Midwest and South over the weekend, killing nearly 90 people, including at least 74 in Kentucky….
CBF’s new disaster response coordinator brings diversity of experiences to the job
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s new domestic disaster response manager sees a direct correlation between helping communities recover from catastrophes and helping society recover from systemic injustice. Both missions require clergy, church leaders and congregations to build relationships that transform strangers…
With in-person disaster relief work curtailed due to COVID, Louisiana volunteers came up with a new idea
A record 2020 U.S. hurricane season combined with the COVID-19 pandemic has created an additional population of victims: eager and skilled disaster-recovery volunteers prohibited from traveling to assist devastated communities. Many of them are members of American congregations with long…
In Lake Charles: Help needed after two hurricanes in six weeks
Being hit by two hurricanes in six weeks has stretched the spiritual and emotional health of many in Lake Charles, La., to the breaking point, according to faith leaders engaged in disaster recovery there. The coastal city was slammed by…