The devastation of Hurricane Katrina has been called the worst disaster of its type in the history of the United States. Hurricanes Rita and Wilma followed within two months. This webpage is designed as a means for our church family to easily access current information about the needs of the Hurricane Katrina survivors and evacuees and about related opportunities for giving to them and serving them. This information includes the needs of local evacuees, the needs of evacuees displaced around the continent and the needs of the survivors who remain in the affected Gulf region. Particular attention will also be directed towards our brothers and sisters belonging to damaged PCA churches and impacted by this disaster. Many people are hurting. This is a unique opportunity for us to share God's love and concern.
The Missouri Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America called a disaster response meeting Thursday evening, September 8th, at the Kirk of the Hills Church at 12928 Ladue Road (at Mason). These volunteers and representatives of area PCA churches gathered to discuss the need for a united response by churches and their members within each Presbytery. Organizers included Pastor David Stain of Spring Hill Church and Elder Fred Martels of the Kirk. The Missouri Presbytery will be organizing a Disaster Response Committee made up of three persons and supported by subcommittees. Pastor Stain strongly emphasized the need for constant, fervent prayer. He also indicated that financial giving is especially critical at this time due to the mounting expenses of the response and direct support to our missionaries Ron and Judy Haynes, who are now at work in the Gulf. The need to raise awareness of a new website at www.pcarelief.org was encouraged to apprise people in our church and denomination of the most up-to-date needs for prayer, giving and service. Lastly, he explained that we would only achieve a united effort by banding together to form several Disaster Relief Teams within our churches and between churches. The Missouri Presbytery is currently supporting the denomination's disaster response efforts in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Lord willing, there will not only be a unified effort between area PCA churches but these teams may be able to coordinate our response with other West St. Louis County houses of worship, the City of Chesterfield and St. Louis County Government. Several West County churches are providing training sessions for disaster response volunteers. As we learn of these training opportunities, we will post this information on the CPC website.
We will try to update the CPC web page with the most current information on this very dynamic, fluid situation.
The primary informational website of the PCA is www.pcarelief.org
If you are a disaster survivor, you can contact our church office at (636) 394-3337 to inquire about receiving assistance. We can counsel you, evaluate your situation and try to minister to your needs. You may also contact us by email at DisasterRelief@chespres.org.
Donations may be made to the hurricane relief effort either by credit card through this site at www.pcarelief.org or checks may be made out to MNA Disaster Response, designated for Hurricane Katrina Relief in the memo portion of the check. Please mail checks to MNA, 1700 N. Brown Road, Suite 101, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043 or simply made out to CPC and designated "Katrina" on the memo line of the check.
Other related PCA websites:
Helpful information on charitable giving:
By Gods grace so far...
CPC people have worked out at the Gumbo Annex facility to prepare it for evacuees.
CPC people have volunteered to help with a local charitable housing group.
A CPC person has served as short-term missionary (one-week) with the Hurricane Katrina response of Mission to North America near Jackson, Mississippi.
We have met with other concerned West County church leaders and officials.
CPC people have received Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training to learn how to promptly and effectively respond to disaster situations.
We have obtained several items of donated furniture (now in storage) and supplied additional furniture to evacuees.
We obtained at least three prayer requests/pleas for donations to evacuees.
CPC promoted a mini-drive (through 9/15) to supply goods to a family driving down to Florida to donate to evacuees (this announced at 2nd Monday Missions & Women's Ministries).
We have also forwarded money as a church directly to people impacted by the hurricane and who are ministering to them.
We started planning for a Katrina donation drive with a local charity (now postponed until evacuees arrive in greater numbers).
CPC is providing financial support to Ron & Judy Haynes, Disaster Response Missionaries with Mission to North America, and Desire Street Ministries, formerly located in New Orleans, LA.
CPC helped provide household goods for a displaced family of seven from Jefferson Parish (near New Orleans) staying in Covenant Seminary housing.
Coordinating CPC's Katrina Relief Effort: Mark Epps, Deacon.
Phone: 636.527.6732
E-mail: DisasterRelief@chespres.org
Websites for General Katrina Information:
With the back seat removed to make room for a circular saw, tools, and luggage, ten people boarded the church van for a day-long drive to Biloxi, Mississippi. Their goal was to assist in the renovation of homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. While acquainted, the team members did not know each other well.
There is nothing like a long trip in the church van to deepen relationships! To the team's surprise, their registration forms at the PCA Rescue Center( actually the church building) asked them to give their nicknames! Nicknames? Nobody had a nickname. Roberta Stanek was designated Chairperson of Nicknames. As they got to know each other on a deeper level, the team bonded. The team now included Sleepy Cutter, Mild Sue, Supermom, Oli, Pappa G., Si, Reb, Java Julie, Mudman, Dewey, and Gangsta.
Each day began with showers at 5:30a.m. in outdoor stalls which were recently constructed by the church. Breakfast was served from 6:30a.m. to 7:00a.m., lunches were packed, and then the team was on its way to the work site. The CPC team's project was renovating a house damaged by flood waters. This involved ripping out no longer dry walls and linoleum flooring, replacement, and removing debris from the front yard. Return to the center was at 5:30p.m., with dinner at 6:30p.m. "The food was great!" At 7:15p.m. everyone gathered for devotions. John Coveyou and Mark Henderling were leaders one night.
By 9:30p.m. the workers were ready for bed(bunk beds and air mattresses were provided on two floors of the center). There were 70 people from various churches, with 140 people present during the day. "If we had this many people here every week, we would get caught up on our work requests in a month," stated the site director. According to one team member, there will be needs far into the future. The devastation is hard to imagine.
Grant Butler, whose children gave him money for the trip as a Christmas present, experienced shock as he came back home to find a Christmas tree and all the comforts of his life in St. Louis. "I have a new appreciation for God's enduring love," he says. Roberta Stanek found that the experience "taught her to be more compassionate toward other people." Her daughter, Rebecca, was impacted by the people who had lived through the damage and was glad that she could help them start over.
The director of the team was Mark Epps. Other team members were John Bilhorn, Grant Butler, John Coveyou, Mark Henderlong, Julie Huthsing, Marcelle Scannell, Roberta Stanek, Rebecca Stanek, and Sue Wild.
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