Disaster Relief
Episcopal Church offers prayers, resources on Gulf oil spill disaster
[July 6, 2010] Prayers and liturgical resources focusing on the Gulf oil spill disaster are available from The Episcopal Church: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/119103_123121_ENG_HTM.htm .
Michael Schut, Episcopal Church Economic and Environmental Affairs Officer, gathered the resources as Americans look to prayer and healing for the damage that has occurred.
“The disaster in the Gulf of Mexico brings into focus our calling as a church and a people of faith,” Schut says. “As time passes, I have heard more and more cries of grief in response to the Gulf oil spill disaster. The grief is a good sign – it reveals the depth of our connections to the people, the families, the pelicans, the ocean’s waters, the turtles. One of our calls is to provide worship, theology, time, openness and space to nurture these connections. And when we grieve, we are called to provide a place and a context for healing.”
Among the prayer and liturgical resources are:
- “For the Beauty of the Earth”: A Christian Vigil in Thanksgiving and Lamentation for Our Planet Home from St. John’s Episcopal Church in Charlotte, NC
- National Council of Churches’ “Prayers for the Gulf”
- Litany for the Deepwater Horizon Disaster created by the Mission of St. Clare
- “A Lesson from the Gulf Oil Spill: We Are All Connected,” commentary from Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, first published in the Huffington Post
- “Addicted to Oil and the Love of Life,” a sermon by Schut
Also available is a link to the Episcopal Public Policy Network to add voices to those speaking up for more effective policies related to the disaster.
For more information contact Schut at mschut@episcopalchurch.org.
Episcopal Relief & Development Supporting Gulf Coast Communities after Oil Spill
On April 20, 2010, an offshore oil rig exploded and sank, killing 11 people and causing a massive oil spill that is threatening states along the Gulf Coast. Episcopal Relief & Development is working closely with Episcopal Community Services of Louisiana <http://www.ecsla.org/> (ECSLA) and their partner Bayou Grace Community Services <http://www.ecsla.org/> to reach affected coastal communities in Louisiana’s five-bayou parish of Terrebonne.
In many areas, fishing grounds and oyster beds have been closed because of oil contamination threats, leaving those who earn a living from fishing, shrimping, oyster harvesting and other related businesses without the means to support their families. There has not yet been an emergency food stamp program established in the Terrebonne region, southwest of New Orleans. Due to the 10-day waiting period for the standard food stamp program, families cannot get critical assistance when they find themselves in need. In addition, many families do not have the necessary information to make informed decisions about taking out loans or accepting financial settlements related to the spill.
“We’re working to leverage our existing ministries and connections in the region to reach people who are falling through the cracks,” said Katie Mears, Episcopal Relief & Development’s Program Manager for USA Disaster Preparedness and Response. “This is happening because they can’t access sufficient resources, whether because of transportation challenges, lack of information or uncertainty about the different avenues they might pursue for assistance.”
Critical support will include distributing grocery cards that can be redeemed at local stores, gas cards for those who must travel to reach stores and distributing food items directly from the Dulac Community Center. In addition to food assistance, volunteers will provide legal assistance, pastoral care and information referrals both at the Bayou Grace office in Chauvin and with the help of an ECSLA vehicle. The RV will travel through the area on a set schedule, bringing information to those unable to travel to Chauvin.
“Episcopal Community Services of Louisiana is proud to support the resilient and hard-working residents of our fishing communities, whose livelihoods and very way of life are so gravely threatened by this disaster,” said Nell Bolton, ECSLA’s Executive Director. “As the long-term implications of the spill begin to sink in for all of us, we know that the Church needs to be a steady partner through these challenging times. ECSLA is also fortunate to be in partnership with Bayou Grace, with whom we share many values and whose local networks are invaluable to being able to reach the people most in need of our help.”
“By helping to meet basic needs for food, providing information and pastoral care and offering guidance to address legal questions, we’ll be able to assist families and communities in the face of ongoing anxiety and financial hardship,” said Mears. “It will be extremely effective to tap into the existing network of churches and community centers in the area, because leaders connected with these sites already have a good understanding of the people in need in their communities.”
To learn more about Episcopal Relief & Development’s work or make a donation, please visit www.er-d.org <http://www.er-d.org/> or call 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts can be mailed to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058.
Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States and an independent 501(c)(3) organization. The agency takes its mandate from Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25. Its programs work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Together with the worldwide Church and ecumenical partners, Episcopal Relief & Development strengthens communities today to meet tomorrow’s challenges. We rebuild after disasters and empower people by offering lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.
Contact: Tyla Fowler
(800) 334-7626, ext. 6311
Parishioners from Hickory Neck Toano reach out to help the people of Haiti (click this link to learn what one of our parishes has done to help.)
About Haiti
The 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti January 12 destroyed the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Thousands of Haitians lost their lives and up to a third of the population has been displaced. Relief is flowing to this impoverished nation, but it’s hampered by damaged roads and ports, disrupted communications, and few public services.
Many agencies, including the Episcopal Relief and Development, are sending in supplies and professional aid workers to address immediate needs and assess the longterm rebuilding of the nation. Financial support is needed now-and it is the most effective way we can make a difference for Haiti. The contributions to Haiti are imparative for the rebuilding of this country. You can help.
What can we do in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia?
Make a gift to the Haiti fund of Episcopal Relief and Developme nt
Raise awarness of the needs of Haiti and the institutions that are crucial to that country’s recovery, a primary one being the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.
Use the bulletin inserts prepared by Episcopal Relief and Development to encourage your congregations to help Haiti.
Bulletin inserts from Episcopal Relief & Development are available in both Spanish and English. http://www.er-d.org/BulletinInsertsCT/
Place a link to Episcopal Relief & Development on your congregation home page. http://www.er-d.org/
Consider encouraging your church to partner with a Haitian congregation. Contact the Partnerships Office of the Episcopal Church for informaiton.
Contribute to other support ministries: Chlorination kits that can be sent to Haiti are available. Please see http://www.christepiscopal.org/HaitiWater.html
Pray continuously. Here are some prayers that may help you in your congregations: (Written by clergy in Southeast Florida): http://chipstokesblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/litany-in-response-to-earthquake-in.html or Prayer for Haiti
Communications:
- Message from the Presiding Bishop
- Message from the Bishop of Southern Virginia
- Message from the Archbishop of Canterbury
- A video is also available on Episcopal Relief & Development’s Haiti Crisis page, along with a letter from the Rev. Lauren Stanley on behalf of Bishop Duracin. Please continue checking that page for up-to-date information: www.er-d.org/HaitiCrisis.
- The Wall Street Journal has posted a video about the work Bishop Duracin and the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti are doing in Port-au-Prince: http://online.wsj.com/video/haitian-church-steps-in-during-wait-for-aid/147A5CEA-4AC2-4BA0-83E0-B24724B2D65A.html
Other information:
U.S. State Department toll free phone number for inquiring about family in Haiti : 1-888-407-4747
Map of Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Episcopal Life Online news reports
Episcopal Relief and Development news reports
HoldingHaiti Blog by Mallory Holding, Young Adult Service Corps missionary in Haiti
Haiti background, Republic of Haiti
Population: 10,033,000
Languages: Creole and French
Area: 10,714 square miles (size of the state of Maryland)
Capital: Port-au-Prince, population 2.3 million (metro area)
Government: Republic
President: René Préval
GDP: $11.57 billion
Per capita GDP: $1,317
Education: literacy rate is 65.9%
Religion: Roman Catholicism (80%), Protestant (16%), Afro-diasporic (4%)
Episcopal Diocese of Haiti - facts released by The Episcopal Church:
The world continues to watch after a devastating 7.0 earthquake destroyed much of Haiti, with the death toll mounting each day. The Episcopal Church and Episcopal Relief & Development responded immediately. The following fact sheet will assist in your continued reporting of the Haiti earthquake.
Please continue to check the special Haiti page for updated and additional information. http://www.episcopalchurch.org/haiti.php
Facts:
The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is part of The Episcopal Church. http://www.egliseepiscopaledhaiti.org/
The Rt. Rev. Zache Duracin is Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti. He is unharmed; his wife suffered an injury to her foot.
The Episcopal Church in Haiti has lost a cathedral, convent, Holy Trinity Complex, College St. Pierre, and a Jubilee Center.
The Episcopal Church’s three missionaries who were in Haiti are all accounted for – Mallory Holding, Jude Harmon, and Oge Beauvoir, who is the dean of the Theological Seminary, along with his wife Serette.
The Diocesan offices are located in Port-au-Prince.
Episcopal Relief & Development has disbursed emergency funding to the Diocese of Haiti to help meet critical needs such as food, water and shelter for those affected.
Donations can be made to Episcopal Relief & Development by calling 800-334-7626 ext 5129. https://www.er-d.org/donate-select.php .Episcopal Relief & Development has a four star rating on Charity Navigator and meets all 20 standards of the Better Business Bureau.
Bulletin inserts from Episcopal Relief & Development are available in both Spanish and English. http://www.er-d.org/BulletinInsertsCT/
Haiti is the largest and fastest-growing diocese in The Episcopal Church. There are over 83,000 Episcopalians in Haiti. (Source: The Episcopal Church Research Statistics http://www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/2008_Table_of_Statistics_of_the_Episcopal_Church.pdf)
There are 97 Episcopal churches in Haiti. We are in the process of ascertaining their status; updates will be posted on the Episcopal Church Haiti page: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/haiti.php (Source: The Episcopal Church Research Statistics http://www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/2008_Table_of_Statistics_of_the_Episcopal_Church.pdf)
This number reflects 115 congregations and communities of faith (Source: 2009 Episcopal Church Annual)
In 2008, the diocese celebrated over 200 child and adult baptisms, and over 700 child and adult confirmations. (Source: The Episcopal Church Research Statistics http://www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/2008_Table_of_Statistics_of_the_Episcopal_Church.pdf)
There are over 200 Episcopal schools with more than 6000 students (Source: The Episcopal Church Research Statistics http://www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/2008_Table_of_Statistics_of_the_Episcopal_Church.pdf
The following is from Rob Radtke, President of Episcopal Relief & Development
Haiti: The Three “Rs” of Disasters
It is important to remember that all disasters have a life cycle: “The Three Rs of Disasters.”
Right now, we are in the “Rescue” phase. All hands are on deck to save lives and property. This phase involves finding and treating the immediate medical needs of survivors and stabilizing ongoing hazards, such as shifting buildings. As such, it is best left to the heavy lifters – government and military search and rescue teams. These groups also have heavy equipment that can clear roads and debris, as well as large specialized operations with mass distribution systems that have pre-positioned warehouses. The “Rescue” phase typically lasts a week, but with the extraordinary logistical hurdles being faced in Haiti, it may take longer.
The next phase is the “Relief” phase, where the focus is on creating temporary safe and sanitary conditions. As I saw in Katrina, the church is often one of the first places people go to seek assistance and shelter. We have already heard that in rural and outlying areas around the earthquake zone, existing clinics are seeing patients who have been able to get out of Port-au-Prince. Some of these clinics are expanding patient care to schools and church buildings. The “Relief” phase typically lasts a few months.
Finally, we get to the third and final phase: “Recovery.” During recovery the emphasis shifts to restoring services, rebuilding houses and buildings, and returning, to self-sufficiency. The Diocese of Haiti has a very large and vibrant social infrastructure and we fully expect that Episcopal Relief & Development will be there for the long haul supporting their important and vibrant ministries.
The challenge of the “Recovery” phase is that most of the television cameras have moved on, but the human suffering has grown. It is a chronic state, not a crisis. However, it is the phase that Episcopal Relief & Development and its partners excel at, because we work with churches that are part of the communities and know the needs best and how to meet them. This phase will last years. The unmet needs in a place like Haiti – which already struggles with immense, chronic poverty – will be monumental.
Right now Episcopal Relief & Development is focused on preparing for the “Relief” phase and securing the resources for the “Recovery” phase.
For more information on the Haiti earthquake and on Episcopal Relief & Development’s response, please visit www.er-d.org/HaitiCrisis.
Website: http://www.egliseepiscopaledhaiti.org/
Diocesan address:
Address Haïti : Eglise Episcopale d’Haïti, BP 1309, Port au Prince, Haïti
Address USA : c/o Lynx Air, P.O. Box 407139, Fort Lauderdale, 33340, USA