06/17/2020 - It’s Hurricane Season: “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit.” - Luke 12:35
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefHurricane season 2020 has begun; amidst the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice we ...
Blogs
Blogs
05/26/2020 - Not One Is Lost
By: Charles Ericson - Disaster Relief Justice and Witness"Our goal and mission should be to ensure that no one among us is lost." — Rev. Chuck Ericson
05/22/2020 - Tips for Pastoral/Spiritual Care in Nursing Homes During Quarantine
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster Relief Justice and WitnessAs a faith community nurse I can relate to pastoral concerns around providing spiritual care during the pandemic. We are used to being with a person or family during ...
05/13/2020 - Bottom Line: Maintain Your Health - Mind, Body, and Spirit
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefAs we all focus on trying to prevent the spread of COVID 19, caring for our general health and well-being is sometimes neglected. Mental health concerns, chronic disease ...
05/13/2020 - Pediatric Healthcare During the COVID 19 Pandemic
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefExperts are learning more every day about the novel coronavirus. There are two issues to be aware of that impact parents and children in particular. While it was once ...
05/01/2020 - Ideas for Supporting Mental Health and Faith Formation in Children: A Guide for Parents
By: Wendy Parker - Disaster Relief Faith Formation and Christian Educationby Wendy Parker As the world and this country struggle to cope with the upsetting and ...
04/24/2020 - What do Worry Time and a Good Meltdown Have to Do with Well-Being?
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefHour, by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month… how long will it take for life to return to some kind of normal or new normal? The federal, regional, and local ...
04/17/2020 - Domestic Violence: What You Need to Know
By: Deborah Ringen - Disaster ReliefAdvocates for people experiencing and surviving domestic violence agree that abuse related to physical distancing is on the rise. Calls to domestic violence hotlines have...
04/17/2020 - Mental Health and Suicide Awareness and Resources
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefEveryone in the world is experiencing the COVID 19 pandemic to varying degrees depending on your geography, but we all are undeniably experiencing change, uncertainty, ...
04/08/2020 - How to Care for Someone who is Sick with COVID-19
By: Deborah Ringen - Disaster ReliefFor many of us the Coronavirus pandemic has meant preparation, hand washing, covering your cough, social distancing, changes in daily routines of life. For some it has ...
04/03/2020 - Wear Face Coverings, Not Masks, in Public
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster Relief Justice and WitnessExperts are speaking out in favor of a public advisory to wear protective face coverings when in public. They emphasize maintaining physical distancing, keeping our hands...
03/29/2020 - What’s Next in the Pandemic: Phases of Disaster
By: Don Remick - Disaster ReliefIn this moment, we will either confirm that we are irrelevant or we will demonstrate that we are essential.
03/25/2020 - Communicating Coronavirus: Best Practices for Churches
By: John Hargrave - Disaster ReliefThis isn't the first time humans have faced a pandemic. After studying previous outbreaks like SARS and Avian Flu, the World Health Organization put together a thick ...
03/25/2020 - Communication: Messaging and Media in this phase of Pandemic
By: Don Remick - Disaster ReliefAs we are Staying Home and Staying Safe we are discovering new ways of being church. And we are discovering again the most essential elements of being the Body of ...
03/25/2020 - Loving our Neighbor as Ourselves During a Pandemic: Stop Stigma
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster Relief Justice and WitnessAre you feeling scared, sad, disappointed, concerned you may become ill with COVID-19? Are you watching the news or scouring websites to find out how many new cases have...
03/18/2020 - Lessons From Ministry in the Midst of a Disaster
By: Matthew Crebbin - Disaster ReliefBeloved Colleagues in Ministry, This is a message I wish I didn’t have to write. I do not want to know what I know. Because I learned my lessons about disaster ministry ...
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01/14/2020 - Updates from Puerto Rico, Australia and others
- Disaster ReliefWe have seen the news of ongoing disaster challenges around the globe. And folks have been wondering how to respond. We received an update from our UCC National ...
10/28/2019 - Three Things I Wish Every Church and Pastor Knew About Being Prepared
- Disaster ReliefFriends, every fall emergency services focuses on disaster preparedness and fire prevention. For years I have spent part of my ministry in the field of Disaster ...
11/21/2018 - California Wildfires
- Disaster ReliefWildfires have become a regular plague for the people of California. The year began with sweeping fires in January. More lives and homes were lost in July. And now the...
09/26/2018 - Comfort and Children
By: Rachel Bickford - Disaster Relief Faith Formation and Christian EducationWhen it comes to emergency or disaster situations, once we know our families and pets are safe we are left to think about what we need to bring with us to either a friend...
09/26/2018 - Youth Mental Health First Aid
By: Estelle Margarones - Disaster Relief Faith Formation and Christian EducationSeptember is national Preparedness Month and your Disaster Resource and Response Team invites you to consider the implications of emergencies and disasters on children, ...
09/18/2018 - Resilience
- Disaster ReliefThis month is Disaster Preparedness month. You will find another great resource here: Disaster Resiliency (PDF) written by Judy O'Donnell. And we have seen that ...
09/11/2018 - Disaster preparation: here it comes -- again
- Disaster ReliefFriends, It has been a year since hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. And, as I write this, hurricane Florence is bearing down on the mid Atlantic coast with 2 more ...
08/28/2018 - Blessing the backpacks? Include an emergency contact card!
By: Lucy Costa - Disaster ReliefSeptember is Preparedness Month and your Disaster Resource and Response Team brings you a wealth of resources. As we head back to school and back to church, we offer you ...
07/17/2018 - When Tragedy Strikes, Churches Respond
- Disaster ReliefFriends, As I write this, the local news this morning is leading with a story of a police officer killed in the line of duty in Weymouth this past weekend. Officer ...
07/12/2018 - Keeping Watch – How Vigils Can Prepare Us for the Next Chapter
By: Jessica McArdle - Disaster Reliefby Rev. Dr. Jessica McArdle [The first Passover] was a vigil held by the Lord…to bring God’s people out of the land of Egypt.~ Exodus 11:42 Then Jesus said, ‘My soul is ...
07/02/2018 - Could Your Church be an Emergency Shelter?
By: Steven Aucella - Disaster ReliefDuring the Winter 2018 storms, a well-known disaster response organization reached out to local churches to see if any of them could offer shelter accommodations to about...
05/01/2018 - An Update from the RICUCC Disaster Coordinator
By: Barbara Gregory - Disaster ReliefBarbara Gregory (middle) with Amanda Sheldon, Program Associate for National Disaster and Refugee Ministries and Zach Wolgemuth, UCC Disaster Ministries Executive Since...
05/01/2018 - CrisisCleanup.org Connects Churches with Post Disaster Cleanup Opportunities
By: Estelle Margarones - Disaster ReliefIt's the time of year when many cities and towns sponsor town-wide clean-up days. Our ...
05/01/2018 - How to Balance Hospitality and Church Security
By: The Parish Paper - Church Growth and Vitality Disaster Relief StewardshipWhen Jack picked up his car after repairs at the local dealership, he noticed instructions securely taped on the main desk where all customers could easily read it. "What...
03/27/2018 - FEMA and Financial Aid for Churches in Federally Declared Disaster Zones
- Disaster ReliefRecently, our federal government extended the assistance from FEMA to houses of worship in federally declared disaster zones. FEMA typically comes in to these disaster ...
03/13/2018 - Extreme Weather, Power Outages, Disaster Symposium: MACUCC Disaster Resource And Response Team Shares Valuable Information
- Disaster ReliefThree recent storms caused major disruptions all over Massachusetts. The extreme weather ...
03/05/2018 - And There Came the Sound of a Rushing Wind
- Disaster ReliefThis past weekend a winter storm ('Riley' by name) exploded into a hurricane force Nor'Easter. Wind recordings topped out at nearly 100 MPH in some areas. That wind ...
01/30/2018 - Safe and Secure
- Conference staff Disaster ReliefPsychologists will tell us that one of the most basic drivers of human behavior is the need to find safety and stability. And churches are perceived as sanctuaries ...
01/05/2018 - FEMA Expands Public Assistance Eligibility to Include Houses of Worship
- Disaster ReliefFriends, A new policy has been adopted by FEMA that relates to houses of worship. Formerly, when a disaster was declared for a region the federal resources through FEMA ...
11/07/2017 - Thanks for the Buckets!
- Disaster ReliefThe last few months have been an overwhelming time of natural disasters. Several severe storms struck the gulf and east coast with hurricanes at their highest level. ...
10/17/2017 - Can Flames Compete with Tweets?
- Conference staff Disaster ReliefOverwhelm: It seems to be a common word these days. News is full of stories that tap deeply into our compassion and concern. But they are so full of emotion that it ...
10/10/2017 - Bringing Spiritual Care to Storm Victims in Florida
By: Fred Meade - Disaster ReliefDisaster Resource Team member Fred Meade has been called by the Red Cross once again, this time to provide spiritual care to Hurricane Irma victims in Florida. His daily ...
10/03/2017 - Shaken
- Disaster ReliefI am shaken. There are times when words are not adequate. There are times when emotions run so deep and painful that any attempt to express them with words could unleash ...
09/29/2017 - What on Earth is Happening?
- Disaster Relief EnvironmentThe earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it ~ Psalm 24:1 Hurricane Harvey produced a level of rainfall and flooding that "hasn’t ...
09/20/2017 - Hurricane Update: Do You Have Ice?
- Disaster ReliefSlowly, camera crews have gotten into the islands following the devastation of Irma. There were damaged (and many unlivable) homes and debris everywhere. And the power, ...
09/12/2017 - Where will Jose Go?
- Disaster ReliefAt this point it seems unlikely that it will make landfall. BUT, there is a worst case scenario that it could strengthen and then make landfall in New England.
09/11/2017 - Disaster Update: How to be Helpful
- Disaster ReliefPsalm 57:1 “Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by.”...
09/06/2017 - Hurricanes Highlight Disaster Preparedness Month
- Disaster ReliefDear friends, It's a sad coincidence that there's heightened awareness of disasters right now, during Disaster Preparedness Month. We are aware of the devastation ...
09/05/2017 - What's Next for Survivors of Harvey
- Disaster ReliefIn the spring of 2010, eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island were hit by two storms. Each delivered over a foot of rain. We worked for over two years following those ...
08/31/2017 - Offering Spiritual Care in Post-Hurricane Texas
By: Fred Meade - Disaster ReliefNOTE: Disaster Resource & Response Team member Fred Meade recently returned from Texas where he was deployed with the American Red Cross to provide disaster emotional and...
08/30/2017 - Helping Out in the Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey
- Disaster ReliefThe news reports continue to tell the story of unimaginable devastation following the flooding rains of the hurricane. The images move us at that deep place within our ...
08/29/2017 - A Letter from the Conference Minister
By: Kent Siladi - Disaster ReliefColleagues: The news from the devastation in Texas continues to unfold in tragic ways. As members of the United Church of Christ we have always been committed to ...
07/20/2017 - Disaster Preparedness
- Disaster Reliefby Estelle Margarones September is Disaster Preparedness Month and your MACUCC Disaster Resource & Response Team encourages you to dedicate a Sunday in September to ...
03/08/2017 - Tornado Season Starts Early
- Disaster ReliefTornado season started much earlier than usual and we already set a Massachusetts record for the first tornado in February. Weather forecasters herald this as the ...
02/27/2017 - Contributions Being Accepted for Conway Church Damaged by Tornado
- Disaster ReliefFrom the MACUCC Disaster Resource Team Friends, You may have heard and seen pictures of the damage from a tornado that touched down in the Conway region of our ...
12/08/2016 - Top 10 Church Emergency Preparedness Procedures
- Disaster ReliefAs we approach the end of the calendar year, we’ll find ourselves with lots of “Top 10” lists. Ours doesn’t look back, it looks forward! Your Disaster Resource Team ...
10/05/2016 - Hurricane Matthew touches us all
- Disaster ReliefIt’s been a while since we’ve seen a Category 5 hurricane. And unless you’ve been there you really can’t imagine what 150+ mile an hour winds can do. Haiti can tell ...
09/02/2016 - Hurricane Hermine strikes
- Disaster ReliefAs we woke up this morning (Friday, September 2nd) Hurricane Hermine has come ashore it Florida and made its way across the state. It is hard to believe that this is the ...
08/16/2016 - UCC Disaster Response Depends on Wider Mission Giving
- Disaster Relief United Church MissionFriends, A half dozen years ago New England had two back-to-back storms each of which dumped a foot of rain into our area. We became familiar with the work of helping ...
07/29/2016 - Preparing for Hurricane Season
- Disaster ReliefFriends, Each season of the year has its own possibilities for disasters. We are about to enter the peak of the hurricane season. While this is predicted to be normal ...
07/01/2016 - When Charity Brings Anything But Relief
By: The Parish Paper - Disaster ReliefJuly 2016—Volume 24, Number 7 Copyright @ 2016 by Cynthia Woolever Is it possible that our best intentions can do more harm than good? Sadly, ...
11/16/2015 - Violence in Paris: Feeling Helpless
By: The Rev. Jim Tilbe - Disaster ReliefWhen a horrific attack occurs anywhere in the world we all react. And we all suffer. The reactions of our hearts, minds and souls are many and sometimes jumbled. We are ...
09/21/2015 - Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Disaster ReliefSeptember is National Preparedness Month and this blog on carbon monoxide is part of a series corresponding with the Federal Emergency Management Association’s weekly ...
09/14/2015 - A Wind Storm Stops Only for Jesus
- Disaster ReliefSeptember is National Preparedness Month and this blog on Hurricanes is part of a series corresponding with the Federal Emergency Management Association’s weekly themes ...
09/03/2015 - A Lesson from Lot: In Case of Fire...
- Disaster ReliefSeptember is National Preparedness Month and this blog on Wildfires is part of a series corresponding with the Federal Emergency Management Association’s weekly themes ...
09/02/2015 - Build Your Ark Now: Prepare for a Flood
- Disaster ReliefSeptember is National Preparedness Month. Each week, your MACUCC Disaster Resource Team will share blogs corresponding with the Federal Emergency Management Association’s...
06/22/2015 - Be Prepared for a Church Emergency
- Disaster ReliefThis past week we were deeply impacted by the news of the deaths at the AME Emmanuel Church with emotions that range from shock to frustration to cynicism to rage. It's ...
04/13/2015 - Gunshot Interrupts Easter Vigil
- Disaster ReliefIt happened in Pennsylvania just days ago. Sadly, disturbing events do happen in and around churches. Over the last few years, there have been a broad range of incidents ...
03/18/2015 - Take it from Noah (and NOAA): Be prepared for a flood!
- Disaster ReliefSunshine and milder temperatures lulled us into believing that spring weather would arrive with the season. We'd just begun to catch our breath from the relentless winter...
03/09/2015 - It's been a long winter... how is your church doing?
- Disaster ReliefA little over a week ago our Conference staff sent out an email to all our churches checking in on the impact of the winter. We had been hearing of some challenges with ...
02/17/2015 - All that snow has to go...somewhere
- Disaster ReliefWith the unprecedented amount of snow that we've recently received in the Commonwealth, the following is important information for church leadership to consider. The ...
01/08/2015 - Disaster Resource Training for Pastors
- Disaster ReliefEarly in my last church ministry I began working with the town's fire department as chaplain. I quickly became involved in a county-wide team that provided Critical ...
11/05/2014 - Faith in Times of Disease: A Reflection on the Church's Response to the Threat of Ebola in the US
By: The Rev. Jim Tilbe - Disaster ReliefSimple steps to keep yourself and your congregation healthy.
04/30/2014 - UCC Disaster Ministries' Response to Tornadoes
- Disaster ReliefUCC Disaster Ministries responds to recent tornadoes in the U.S.
04/22/2014 - A request for prayers from Korea
By: Wendy Vander Hart - Disaster ReliefDaniel Lee, who served at the former All Peoples Church in Belmont, sent the following request for prayers for the victims of the ferry disaster in Korea.
03/27/2014 - Prayer for the Anniversary of the Marathon Bombing
- Disaster ReliefFriends, This Easter season marks the anniversary of the bombing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. There will be many ways in which people and churches may be ...
02/06/2014 - Going Off the Grid: What do you do when the power fails?
- Disaster ReliefFEMA issues guide to preparing for power loss.
11/19/2013 - Do not grow weary of giving generously to urgent needs
By: James Antal - Disaster ReliefAlthough disaster seems to come after disaster, and we may feel the burden of continued response, we do well to remember the words of the Apostle Paul, when he wrote, "So...
06/25/2013 - The White House is Calling
- Disaster ReliefWhite House, UCC release guides on local church disaster preparedness, emergency operations.
05/21/2013 - Responding to the Oklahoma tornadoes
- Disaster ReliefIt would be hard to miss the images and stories of the impact of the tornado that swept through Moore, Oklahoma. They weigh heavy on hearts and souls. And those who have...
04/18/2013 - I Love to Tell the Story - 25 Times
- Disaster ReliefOver the years I have worked in disaster long term recovery and with critical incident stress response teams. In the training I have learned a rule of thumb from a couple...
05/18/2012 - Volunteers needed for disaster relief in Binghamton, NY
- Disaster ReliefVolunteer groups are needed in Binghamton, NY, to help with disaster relief due to severe flooding in September of 2011.