Resources for 2009 Week of Compassion Offering Now Online

Where is Your Treasure, is the theme for the 2009 Week of Compassion Offering. Week of Compassion has several materials available to help you and your congregation promote this important offering which goes to help those dealing with poverty, hunger and disaster both here and around the world. To access the Leaders Guide, go to this link.

Where is Your Treasure?

Where is your treasure?

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

For God, we are treasure: “You are children of the Lord your God. ... the Lord has chosen [you] to be his people, his treasured possession” (Deuteronomy 14:1-2). One of the gifts of being God’s children is that sometimes we are called to be “treasure tenders” for God. We are invited to tend God’s treasures beyond our congregation by participating in Week of Compassion.

Life can be tough at times. Hurricanes, tornadoes and tsunamis smash communities to bits. Wars and ethnic conflicts shatter the very foundations of life, shoving people out of their homes and countries. Persistent hunger, poverty, lack of education, and ill health shrivel the life and dry the spirit. The current economic crisis right here at home leaves us all feeling a bit uncertain.

But we can do something to respond! Through Week of Compassion, we gently and effectively care for God’s treasures. By sharing some of our earthly treasure—our money, our time, our energy—decisive aid can be sent when disaster strikes. Refugees receive help as they rebuild their lives. We help people help themselves through education, health care, tools, seeds, and resources to improve community infrastructure.

And the sharing is mutual. When we care for people, we can be transformed by experiencing the presence of God. Seeing what others (or we ourselves) have lost, we are reminded what matters most in life. Seeing what others live through, we are inspired to live courageously. Seeing that new life is possible, our hope rises.

Our treasure is doing God’s will, loving God, and loving God’s treasured people, so we all “may take hold of the life that really is life” (1 Timothy 6:19b). Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

May you find your treasure, and your heart, by sharing resources and changing lives with a generous gift to Week of Compassion.

Please join us in sharing your treasure February 15 and 22, 2009.

Week of Compassion: Sharing Resources. Changing Lives.

www.weekofcompassion.org

(317) 713-2442

The Latest From Week of Compassion on Hurricane Ike

Response to Ike's Devastation Begins

Millions of people from the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast all the way up to Ohio and Indiana remain without power in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Communities in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana are facing the kind of devastation that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita left behind just 3 years ago. More than 50 deaths have been blamed on the storm, tens of thousands of people have been displaced, and property damages have already exceeded $10 billion.

Week of Compassion continues to gather resources to respond to needs within impacted Disciples congregations and to support wider community relief and recovery efforts. WOC is working closely with the Coastal Plains Area office of the Christian Church in the Southwest to contact local pastors and congregations, but communications and travel in the Area remain a challenge. Here is a very preliminary report to date:

Beaumont, First: Downed trees, damage to Meditation Walk, members' homes damaged

Freeport: Damage to the roof, minister's home, members' homes; extent currently unknown

Galveston, Central: Some water damage, but still standing! Members are scattered and information is still being gathered; some are still in Galveston.

El Redentor and Renovada Sion: Playground destroyed, some roof damage and water entry. Members' homes mild to moderate damage

Houston, First: Flooding in education Wing and sanctuary

FCC, Katy: Relatively minor damage to the church; roof & water entry. Members' homes similarly affected

Iglesia Cristiana Shekinah (housed in FCC Katy): Members' homes minor damage

Houston, Memorial Drive: Trees and debris, some water. At least one member's home seriously damaged by multiple trees falling into the house

FCC, Pasadena: Church and members have mild to moderate water and roof damage

Port Arthur, First: Moderate damage to the church. Associate Pastor Scott Miller reports that those who got new roofs after Rita kept theirs and those who had not will now need new roofs.

FCC, Orange: Several feet of water in the church; at least four members with significant damage

Taylor Lake CC: By some miracle, they have no water in their buildings, but some of their members have serious damage.

FCC, Texas City: Education wing roof peeled off, additional damage caused by water entry. Members with similar damage.

The Woodlands: Trees down all over The Woodlands, so some members' homes will have sustained damage

Lake Charles, LA, First: Church facilities ok, but perhaps as many as 50% of the members have water damage to their homes.

Week of Compassion is also supporting a major Church World Service appeal that is covering not only Ike but also Hurricanes Dolly, Fay and Gustav. CWS has dispatched Emergency Response Specialists to Louisiana and Texas to work with local partners to distribute kits, blankets and other material aid and to assist the coordination of local faith-based, community relief and recovery efforts. CWS has a second and similar appeal to support relief and recovery efforts in the hurricane-stricken Caribbean. Texas Disciple and CWS staffer, Don Tatlock, is coordinating the delivery of relief aid to partners in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.

Urgent Need for Donations

Your help is needed. Prayers of solidarity and concern for hurricane survivors are important, especially as so much of the news is dominated by news from Wall Street and the election trail. Designated gifts to WOC are needed and can be made online by clicking on the link below or sent to WOC, attn: Elaine Cleveland, P.O. Box 1986, Indpls, IN 46206. Church World Service has issued an urgent appeal for kits, especially hygiene and baby kits, clean-up buckets and blankets. Volunteer work groups are needed. The Disciples Mission Station at First CC, Lake Charles, LA, is ready to receive groups. Office of Disciples Volunteering Director Carl Zerweck will be in the area next week to assess our mission station at Pt. Arthur/Beaumont and to look at possibilities for a new station(s) in the Houston area. ODV has information and is scheduling groups for trips now for another November Habitat Build in Beaumont and for Phase II of the Disciples Hurricane Recovery Initiative through December 31, 2009.

Donate to Week of Compassion

Johnny Wray @ Noleridge Christian

IMPORTANT-- Please announce this event at your July 27th and August 3rd Worship Services. It would also be appreciated if you could include it in your next church newsletter.--Thank you.

JOHNNY WRAY, ADMINSTRATIVE DIRECTOR-WEEK OF COMPASSION
August 9-10
Noelridge Christian Church 7111 C Ave. NECedar Rapids, IA

Mark your calendars for this very important event! It is a rare opportunity for us .
Johnny Wray, Administrative Director of the Week of Compassion, the relief, refugee and development ministry fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), will be at Noelridge Christian Church on Saturday, August 9th at 7 P.M. for an evening of relaxed conversation. What a great opportunity to get to know more about Week of Compassion and the impact we can make in the world! Johnny will also be preaching at both services on Sunday, August 10th @ 8:30 and 10: 30 A.M. and will host a conversation during the Fellowship Hour between the services.

Thank you for helping us get the word out on this important function.

The Noelridge Christian Church Outreach Committee

WOC Leader to Visit Iowa

JOHNNY WRAY

WEEK OF COMPASSION

August 9-10

Noelridge Christian Church

Mark your calendars for this very important event! It is a rare opportunity for us.

Johnny Wray, Administrative Director of the Week of Compassion will be at Noelridge Christian Church on Saturday, August 9^th, for an evening of relaxed conversation. What a great opportunity to get to know more about Week of Compassion and the impact we can make in the world! Johnny will also be preaching in both services on Sunday and will host a conversation during the coffee fellowship between the services.

Mission Stations to Open in Iowa

The week of August 3, 2008, Disciples Volunteering will begin operation of a Disciples Mission
Station in Iowa to respond to the massive flooding there. This work is a partnership between
Week of Compassion, Upper Midwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ),
congregations serving as mission stations, and Disciples Volunteering.

At this time, three congregations (Noelridge Christian Church, Cedar Rapids; Marion Christian
Church; and First Christian Church, Coralville, will serve as mission stations, and two other
congregations may soon join them. Work groups are currently being scheduled by Disciples
Volunteering for the period of August 3 - November 16, 2008. Each mission station will be
managed by a Disciples Volunteering Mission Station Manager.

To schedule a work week, please contact Anne Marie in the Office of Disciples Volunteering at
(888) 346- 2631 or amoyars@dhm.disciples.org. If you have questions regarding the recovery
efforts, please contact Carl Zerweck, Director of Disciples Volunteering at (317) 289-5061. A
limited number of WOC partner grants are available.

Amy Gopp Informational Tour on Week of Compassion

From Associate Regional Minister Don Hiscox:

AMY GOPP – WEEK OF COMPASSION
INFORMATION SESSIONS

We are pleased to announce that a series of informational meetings
has been created featuring Rev. Amy Gopp, Associate Director of Week
of Compassion. These dates immediately precede the School for
Congregational Learning, at which Rev. Gopp will be the keynote
speaker. The intended purpose of the meetings is to give opportunity
for those folks who might not be able to attend the SCL to learn
first hand of the exciting work our gifts are helping to accomplish,
including flood and tornado relief right here in the Upper Midwest
Region.

In order that proper arrangements can be made, please RSVP
reservations to the email provided for each location.

Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 9:00 AM at First Christian Church, 900
Lincolnshire Place, Coralville, IA 52241. Telephone 319.337.4181.
RSVP to disciple.sec@xwires.net

Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 12:30 PM at First Christian Church, 119
A. Avenue East, Oskaloosa, IA. 52577 Telephone 641.673.4671. RSVP
to linda.wolf@wartburg.edu
(Reservations are required for the lunch that will be provided and
paid for by a free will offering.)

Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 6:30 PM at Exira Christian Church, 201
East Main, Exira, IA 50076. Telephone 712.268.5498 RSVP to
godspad@iowatelecom.net

Friday, August 22, 2008 at 9:00 AM at First Christian Church, 611
Clark Avenue, Ames, IA 50010. Telephone 5150232-5766. RSVP to
fccames@fccames.org

Friday, August 22, 2008 at 12:00 Noon at Capitol Hill Christian
Church, 3322 East 25th Street, Des Moines, IA 50317. Telephone
515.266.6283. RSVP to chccsecretary@gmail.com Please bring your
own brown bag lunch.

Urgent Need for Mission Station

From Associate Regional Minister, Don Hiscox:

As you may know the Office of Disicples Volunteering, Week of
Compassion, and the Region are jointly creating a Disciples of Christ
Mission Station in Cedar Rapids.

And we have an urgent need!!! Please see below a message from Doug
Miller, minister at Noelridge Christian Church in Cedar Rapids.

We have a need for a truck – ¾ ton or larger – and a driver to
transport a trailer from Kansas to Cedar Rapids.

The mission station in Pratt, KS (which was established following the
tornado in Greensburg, KS) will be finished with their shower trailer
very soon, and that trailer needs to be transported to Cedar Rapids
shortly after July 19th.

The trailer is NOT a gooseneck trailer – it is 31' in length.

Reimbursement for travel expenses (gas, lodging, etc.) is available.

Please contact the Noelridge Christian Church if you can do this.

telephone: 319-393-9532
email: seniorminister@noelridgechurchdofc.com

Many thanks for your help!!!

Blessings,

Doug

Update on Cedar Christian

The report below is from Bill Gardner, interim pastor at Cedar
Christian Church in Cedar Rapids. (For some of you who have received
the link to the pictures of the damage of the church, below is the
corrected link.)

Please continue to keep these folks in your thoughts and prayers.
Their's will be a journey of faith, to be sure. May God continue to
richly bless all of us, especially those who have suffered tragedy and
devastation in their lives.

To the Christian Church in the Upper Midwest,

At the Cluster 5 Pastors' Picnic held on Monday, June 16, atCenter Point, several of those present wanted to know the assessment ofdamage at Cedar Christian. At that time we had not entered thebuilding. Since then I have been in the building and this is my assessment, which is general and in no way a cost assessment or professional.

The flood of 2008 reached 7 feet high inside the Cedar ChristianChurch educational building. This meant it covered virtually everythingon the first floor: furnaces, water heater, copiers, 3 computers,printers, all file cabinets, all furniture in 3 offices, book cases, 3metal desks, carpeting - including stairways to the second floor, allair conditioning motors, walls and woodwork.

The sanctuary basement (fellowship hall) was flooded to groundlevel and plaster, ceiling, and ducts are down. The flood water hasdrained and it is no longer flooded. All furnaces, water heaters,stoves and refrigerators were also flooded. Many lower windows werebroken under the weight. All pans, dishes, etc. are covered with dirt.Cabinets are damaged. It should be added that river mud and sewage wasinside, as well as outside, the buildings. The sanctuary carpet at thefront was covered with about 9 inches of water, as were the first fewrows of pews. The floor is uneven.

We did not have flood insurance as we weren't in a flood plain.We are several blocks from the 500 year flood plain, besides. Also,FEMA funds are not available, except for loans. In addition, the churchhas 3 rental houses that will have to be dealt with, plus the Wee CareHouse is damaged. Crossroads Mission and preschool programs cannot continue, for now.

Some positives: We met that Sunday following the flood at FirstChristian Church of Cedar Rapids. Our secretary, Linda Jandik, has setup an office there. All church records that we can salvage from theflood will go there. The email to use for now is Pastor Fred's, as heis taking over July 1. His email address is:firstchristian@ispwest.com. First Christian's address is 840 ThirdAvenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403, c/o Linda Jandik (Cedar's secretary).

We have heard from a few former members who want to help.$1,000 has been received from Week of Compassion via Don Hiscox/RegionalOffice. Those members evacuated have, or will, receive a check fromWeek of Compassion.

Any written response would be a great boost for morale at Cedar!

Sincerely,
J. William (Bill) Gardner
P.S. Check website photos of damage at www.flickr.com/photos/CedarChristian

Gratitude for Week of Compassion Giving

The following message was received from Liz Woodward, pastor of First
Christian Church, Cedar Falls, Iowa regarding the Week of
Compassion...

"Delivering the WOC solidarity checks has been an amazing
experience. Each and every family is overwhelmed with gratitude and
humbled by the strength and support of the whole church. One man
tired to say "thanks" this morning in worship...we simply cried
together. There are not adequate words to express this
congregation's gratitude. We are truly blessed to be a part of God's
family known as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ.) I only
wish the words carried the depth of gratitude and thanksgiving felt
by this congregation. Liz"

Feelings of gratitude and thanksgiving are being experienced in over
a dozen congregations across the Upper Midwest Region, and in our
neighboring Regions of Illinois/Wisconsin, Indiana, Mid-America, and
perhaps others.

Initial estimates are still incomplete regarding monies that will be
needed by Week Of Compassion to provide the long-term presence that
will be needed. We have begun receiving offerings - for the $50,000
challenge - for Week of Compassion, and words of appreciation for
your expressions of generosity are not able to convey the gratitude.

I look forward to receiving your most generous gift - and any
offering provided by the congregation with whom you worship -
designated for Upper Midwest Regional disaster relief.

God's blessings on you!!!

A Pastoral Letter on the Midwest Floods

From Regional Minister, Richard Guentert:

A Pastoral Letter of Presence and Encouragement

As I write this note the National Weather Service has issued alert number 528. The rains and the rampant threats of flooding across various parts of Iowa seem to just continue unrelentingly.

As your Regional Minister I want to assure you that my heart goes out to those who have been the casualties of those flood waters. Likewise I have received phone calls and communications from other Regional and General church leaders across the denomination.

In a phone call to me yesterday, your General Minister and President, the Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, offered her attention and prayers as she is mindful of our situation. She wants you to know of her personal concern as we struggle with this disastrous event.

Businesses and churches have been inundated in varying degrees of seriousness in those run-off and lower lying areas areas – as have residences. People have been heartbroken as they watch treasured places of residence and work be submerged by the engulfing waters. Farmers are helpless as they watch seeded crop lands be submerged by the muddied and swollen streams.

The death of four scouts and the hospitalization of 40 others who were fellow campers put an exclamation point on a season of tragedy and sorrow for many families in this Region.

Many volunteers and community workers are exhausted – mentally, physically and psychologically - as they have worked valiantly to address the emergency and safety concerns of residents. Many have worked hard but lost the battle to the forces of nature. Many will continue to battle the elements, in striving to preserve as much as possible of what remains after the flood.

Community leaders, disaster relief workers, and denominational church leaders are already giving attention to those relief efforts that will need to follow on the heels of the flood when it finally subsides. Pastors have called the Regional Center wondering about volunteer work teams that can be organized to go into those areas following the aftermath. I’ve had similar inquiries from Regional Ministers in the surrounding Regions.

The Region and the Week of Compassion personnel have already been in touch with each other about relief monies to help in some of these arenas. Help will be forth-coming from them as we get clearer assessments about need.

Let me encourage all Disciples across the Region to make over and above gifts to Week of Compassion – designated/anotated for the Iowa Flood Relief effort. Those can be sent to the Regional Church Center, Box 41217, Des Moines Iowa, 50311-0504, if you are desiring congregational credit for your gift. They will be forwarded in a timely manner to the Week of Compassion for this specific useage.

In the meantime, what can we do? We can live-out the very vision around which we have gathered in this Region for a number of years: We are “Disciples together, sharing in the fullness of God’s Table, for the Blessing of All!!” Now is the moment to demonstrate the depth of what those words really, really mean!!!

1. We, can lean on each other. The community relationship we experience with friends, family, and neighbors means everything in such moments.

2. As “Disciples Together” we can render thanks for the health and well-being of family and friends. Possessions may be lost, but the gift of “life and breath and being” means that there is always “possibility and promise” for starting over again.

3. We, as “Disciples Together” can Pray. Give thanks for the life-sustaining faith that was imbedded in your hearts and souls in the most formative moments of your life. (You may want to re-read – and pray – that powerful testimony to faith and hope that is recorded in Romans 8:18-38.)

4. We, as those who are “Sharing in the fullness of God’s Table” can gather in worship to sing together, to pray together, to hear the word together, to be sustained by Communion together. Therein is the spiritual sustenance that will buoy us sufficiently to endure the immediate circumstances.

5. We, as those who exist “For the Blessing of All” can hear God’s word of encouragement from Romans 5:3-5. “. . . ³We also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

6. And we, as those who exist “For the Blessing of All” can share our resources, our time, our energy, and our monetary blessings through the Week of Compassion, to help our less fortunate brothers and sisters.

In the meantime, know that your Regional and General church is walking alongside you and holding you close in their thoughts and prayers as well.

May God bless and strengthen us each one for the journey!

Dr. Richard Guentert,

Regional Minister and President

Christian Chruch (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest

Seminarian for Upper Midwest Region in Bosnia

From Week of Compassion:

Today, WOC Directors Amy Gopp and Johnny Wray are being joined by another group of Disciples seminary students on a ten day mission trip to the Balkans. This is the fourth such trip WOC has offered Disciples seminarians; it is an excellent opportunity to give up-and-coming pastors and church leaders a firsthand look at how Disciples dollars respond to disasters, assist the uprooted, support invaluable community-based development projects, and strengthen vital peace-building and reconciliation efforts as part of post-war reconstruction – all done through a remarkable network of ecumenical and local partners.

Under the auspices of the Church World Service Balkans Office, the delegation will visit WOC/Disciples-supported programs and projects of CWS and its local partner, the Foods Resource Bank, as well as the “Build A Village” project in Grahovo, Bosnia – a project, strongly supported by Disciples, that may well serve as a model for future CWS development work throughout the world.

Members of the delegation include Fay Barnes, Lexington Theological Seminary; Clint Collins, Phillips Theological Seminary; Bekah Cypert, Brite Divinity School; Adam Frieberg, University of Chicago Divinity School; Nona Hodder, Christian Theological Seminary; and Ryan Motter, Vanderbilt Divinity School. The delegation will return home on June 23.

Report from Cedar Rapids

From Regional Associate Minister Don Hiscox:

I've just learned that yesterday evening (Thursday, 6-12-08) the
Cedar Christian Church building, in Cedar Rapids flooded. As of this
afternoon (at about 5:45 Friday), I learned that the basement of
Cedar CC is full of water, and because they can't get in to see the
building, they don't know whether or not the sanctuary has taken on
any water. They will be worshipping with the First Christian
congregation this coming Sunday, according to Fred Darbonne, pastor
of First Christian.

I've also just received the following note from Barbara Appleget,
Chair of the Pastoral Search Committee for Cedar Christian Church...

"I haven't been down there (to the church building) myself to see
because they are asking people to stay away but one of our friends
was pretty close the other night and reported that there were three
vans parked in front of our church and the water was up to the roof
of those vans. I talked with Pastor Bill (Gardner, interim pastor)
and we are pretty sure the basement has water in it, along with the
Multi Purpose Building, our Wee Care Shop, etc. No one could have
known this was coming...even the 100 year flood plain wouldn't have
gone this far out I don't believe...we have a lot of work to do and
some difficult decisions ahead of us. First Christian has invited us
to worship with them on Sunday so the prayer chain is going to alert
people that we won't be having church in our building. The Cedar
River crested today at a little over 31 feet but it'll be a while
before we can get in to assess the damage. It's difficult to get
around Cedar Rapids. There are so many roads closed and all the
bridges over the river, of course, are closed. The I-380 bridge is
still open so maybe we can get to First Christian Sunday morning. I
understand Des Moines is also having water problems...I pray they
aren't as destructive as Cedar Rapids. So many people lost their
homes...It's so sad...."

A Week of Compassion solidarity grant will be going out to the Cedar
congregation this coming Monday.

It's great news that the rivers are cresting in places like Des
Moines and Cedar Rapids, but those folks who live down stream still
have lots and lots of water coming their way, so the crisis is not
over by any means.

Please keep the entire congregation of Cedar Christian Church and of
First Christian Church in Cedar Rapids and all those folks who live
downstream in your thoughts and prayers.

Week of Compassion Appeal Update

Yesterday, Don Hiscox asked Disciples in the Upper Midwest to raise $50,ooo to supplement funds given to the Region by Week of Compassion to help those affected by the floods and tornadoes in Iowa and Minnesota. I wanted to leave you with an update: a Disciple in Minnesota (whose chooses to remain anonymous) sent $500 to help with the relief efforts!

We thank God for the gererosity of this Minnesota Disciple. The challenge from Don still remains:

I challenge the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest
in the next ten days to raise at least $50,000 in new money as gifts designated
to the Week of Compassion for Upper Midwest Region flood and tornado relief. My
wife, Karen, and I have just written our personal check...I'm going to ask the
congregation where we worship to at least match our gift.

Please consider donating what you can.

Urgent Appeal for Week of Compassion

From Associate Regional Minister, Don Hiscox:

This an update and an appeal!!!

Week of Compassion has wired $12,000 to the Upper Midwest Region for distribution to persons impacted by the floods and tornados while Johnny Wray and Amy Gopp, Director and Assistant Director of Week of Compassion respectively, are out of the country on a working mission trip.
These grants can best be described by the email I received yesterday from Johnny Wray...

"I leave for an extended working trip to the Balkans tomorrow (Thursday) and
will be out of pocket pretty much most of June. Week of Compassion is going to
place funds with Don Hiscox in the regional office to respond to our churches
and members affected by the floods. We don't have precise protocols but flexible
guidelines which include what we call solidarity grants (anywhere from $100 -
$250) for impacted Disciples families and then where there are extentuating
circumstances (i.e. major damage, no insurance, family illness,
unemployments,limited resources – those kind of things) we've made grants of
$500, $750, $1000 even higher – but all this is based on the counsel and
discretion of the pastor. Also, we do like to support any community responses
the congregation is supporting."

So far, $6,950 has been distributed to four communities and/or families in the form of either solidarity or extenuating circumstances grants...Hugo, MN (tragic death of a small child in a tornado); Corning, Iowa (severe community flooding); Waterloo, Iowa (six families in the congregation have lost their homes); and Mason City, Iowa (one family in the congregation has lost their home)...

And we all know that this is just the tip of the iceburg!!!

And so, my appeal...I challenge the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest in the next ten days to raise at least $50,000 in new money as gifts designated to the Week of Compassion for Upper Midwest Region flood and tornado relief. My wife, Karen, and I have just written our personal check...I'm going to ask the congregation where we worship to at least match our gift.

Will you please join us by writing your check today, and by promoting this fund raising appeal in the congregation in which you worship?

Many, Many Thanks...and May God bless you richly!!!

Reporting Flood Damage

Dear Friends,

I am reposting this as a reminder to contact Don Hiscox at the Regional Office if you learn of congregations that have been affected by the recent flooding in Iowa. Please keep the people of Iowa in your prayers.
-Dennis Sanders

From Associate Regional Minister Don Hiscox:

Please...if you know of persons in DoC congregations...or towns where DoC congregations exist...or of other emergency needs...Please let me know as soon as you possibly can.Johnny Wray, Director of the Week of Compassion, has asked for this information so that small, emergency grants can be issued by WoC.

I just learned that the town of Corning got flooded pretty badly...no one in the church family was injured or had loss (other than some farm crops lost)...but the town lost all its school-owned vehicles...the pizza hut was flooded out...as were a number of homes of village residents...

Please let me know of situation about which you are aware...thanks!!!!

You can email Don at dh@uppermidwestcc.org.

Highland Park CC, in DSM needs assistance

From Associate Regional Minister, Don Hiscox:


It has just been reported to me that there are numerous folks who are members of the Highland Park Christian Church in Des Moines who need assistance...please see Gail Holcombe's note below...if you can help, please don't hesitate to call them...

From Rev. Gail Holcombe, Minister of Health, Highland Park Christian Church:

I am currently assisting church members to pack up and evacuate their homes in Saylor township (north of DSM...in an area that might be impacted when the emergency spillway finally gives way)So much help is needed to prepare for the flooding that will arrive on Wednesday.Anyone knowing folks that can help with the above efforts TODAY (Tuesday) are urged to call Highland Park Christian Church 515-244-3182.

Flood Damage - request for information

From Associate Regional Minister Don Hiscox:

Please...if you know of persons in DoC congregations...or towns where DoC congregations exist...or of other emergency needs...Please let me know as soon as you possibly can.Johnny Wray, Director of the Week of Compassion, has asked for this information so that small, emergency grants can be issued by WoC. I just learned that the town of Corning got flooded pretty badly...no one in the church family was injured or had loss (other than some farm crops lost)...but the town lost all its school-owned vehicles...the pizza hut was flooded out...as were a number of homes of village residents...Please let me know of situation about which you are aware...thanks!!!!

You can email Don at dh@uppermidwestcc.org.

Two Longtime Disciple Leaders Leaving Posts

From Disciples News Service:

Longtime Disciples Leaders Announce Plans To Step Aside

Editor’s Note: Please note the corrected headline. Johnny and Deborrah Wray are not retiring, but are leaving their positions at the end of the year.

(Indianapolis, Ind. - DNS - May 30, 2008) - Two longtime general ministry servants have announced their plans to step aside so that they can spend more time together.

Johnny Wray, director of Week of Compassion since 1992, and Deborrah Wray, a development officer with the Christian Church Foundation since 1992, will leave their positions at the end of 2008.

The couple wed in 2002, and desires to spend more time together in less travel-dominated fields.

"Johnny has done a tremendous job in connecting Disciples with the poor, the victims of war and natural disasters and those who have been oppressed," said Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President. "He has been the face of Week of Compassion, and he has served the church well."

During his tenure, Week of Compassion has become one of the church’s most well-known ministries, providing emergency funding and humanitarian aid through church partnerships around the globe, every day.

"The past decade and a half have been the most fulfilling and rewarding years of my life," Johnny Wray told the Week of Compassion Committee. "But I believe now is the time for new leadership at the helm of WOC, and Deb and I look forward to returning to our place in Mississippi."

John Richardson, chair of the Week of Compassion Committee, said: "We respect Johnny’s desire to spend a greater amount of time on his farm with family. People around the world have been blessed by Johnny’s ability to raise money and then ensure that it gets to those in need. His name will forever be linked to the Disciples of Christ ministries of disaster relief, political or economic crisis, and the ministries of self-help and development to lift the poorest people in the world out of poverty, hunger and injustice. He has connected the individuals in our local church pews to the needs of the whole world."

His wife, Debbie, will leave the Foundation as the vice president serving donors and congregations in an area that stretches from Illinois to New York and into the Northeast.

"The church has been blessed by Debbie’s faithfulness, attentiveness and leadership," said Gary Kidwell, Foundation president. "Her passion for the ministries of the church is unwavering, and her love for the church helped her play an important role in connecting Disciples donors with their passions."

"This was not just a job for Debbie - this has been ministry."

Kidwell said Darwin Collins, who had been announced to join the Foundation staff in the fall, will assume sole responsibility for the Great Lakes Zone after Debbie leaves. "We are grateful that there will be some significant time for the two people to overlap so that our services to donors and congregations in that area will be seamless," Kidwell said.

The Office of General Minister and President, in consultation with the Week of Compassion Committee, will appoint a search committee to seek Johnny Wray’s replacement.

The Christian Church Foundation is a general ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) devoted to helping Disciples make a difference through planned gifts and permanent funds that undergird church ministries. To find out more about Christian Church Foundation, visit: www.disciples.org/ccf/

To learn more about Week of Compassion, go to: www.weekofcompassion.org

Concerning Relief and Response in Parkersburg

From Regional Minister Richard Guentert:

The following information is forwarded from Rev. Brent Cantrell of Central Christian Church in Waterloo. (SEE BELOW)

Also, be reminded that monetary donations can be funneled through Week of Compassion and specificed for Parkersburg, IA Relief. (We've already received the first monies for that purpose from Washington Christian Church.

Dr. Richard Guentert

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News on the situation in Parkersburg…

WEBSITE: www.butlercoiowa.org

I believe a Daily Newsletter will be published. They are trying hard to keep communication as clear as possible.

RADIO: A special frequency is set up for Butler, I believe its 530AM.

VOLUNTEERS

All volunteer efforts are being coordinated by the Butler Sheriff's Office 319-267-9111. They will assign projects. When you come into town, go to the United Methodist Church, located just north of the blue water tower on Florence Street. All volunteers are to log in with the Sheriff's Office (they are great guys). FEMA keeps track of hours, and this affects some funding. Logging in helps the town!

(Rev. Betsy Piette is pastor of UMC. She lost her home and all her belonging in the tornado, and is doing a great job of hosting the thousands of volunteers being funneled through her church—the church sustained damage…but miraculously survived in the midst of devastation all

around! The church is just east of the highschool, and north of the highschool.)

Volunteers--be as self-sufficient as possible. Bring first-aid kit, wear boots, gloves, bring supplies. Food is available at AMVETS, but you may want to have your own cooler and snacks as there can often be lines (that move quickly…but they are still lines.)

WORSHIP SERVICES

All churches will be having their services in their sanctuaries this Sunday! Please be praying for them.

FOOD PANTRY

Northeast Food Bank is putting together food boxes at Waterloo and then they are being distributed in town. This will be non-perishables.

More to be coordinated, and I'm sure will be in place by Friday as far as food donations. Watch website and TV for more information! Barbara Prather is Executive Director of NE Food Bank. HELP will be needed to man the food pantry once it is in place.

FEMA

All residents need to register with FEMA 1-800-621-3362. (7am-7pm CT) Pastors who receive their packets should fill out the small business forms for themselves too (yes, really) Everyone should register...sometimes damage doesn't emerge till after the deadline has passed.

SHELTER

Shelter is located at the middle school. If volunteers wish to stay overnite they need to coordinate it with the school 319-347-6621.

COUNSELING

Grief counselors can contact the school, 319-347-6621

MEALS

Meals are being served at Amvets. This is a central location. If you like cooking, point that out when you call the Butler Co at 319-267-9111.

AMVETS

Meals, snacks, water, sodas. FEMA office is located here. Outside a place people can charge cell phones. A good place to go to make connections—along with the Sheriff’s table at the United Methodist Church north of the water tower.

CLOTHES

At present they are asking for no clothes (there are already plenty of donations). There may be a need for new underwear (in packaging), hygiene items, socks. Watch for appeals on TV or website.

SENIORS

Those 60 or older may receive help from Hawkeye Valley that will help with rental deposits, grocery vouchers, insurance deductibles.

TORNADO FUND - A foundation has been set up through Lincoln State Bank, Any donations to "Tornado Fund" will be used to help the town.

DEBRIS REMOVAL

This is the biggest issue right now... once a resident has cleared his/her property of personal items and hazardous waste, he/she can put a stake in the front yard that says removal is ok.

A WAY TO HELP. Removal takes place from the front...and residents need help getting things up and out!!! You will need the right equipment, gloves, and trucks. (Like I need to tell you this!) Residents have total permission to remove debris if they find people to help. Look at the website to see the hazardous waste and debris guidelines (www.butlercoiowa.org)

THURSDAY we sent volunteers home, it was unsafe to operate machinery, and there was shifting in some of the walls with the rain. This was decided and coordinated by Butler County.