Sorry for being so long reporting back, it's been a busy week . . . and month. I finally reached my breaking point yesterday and have to take some time off this weekend . . . does this blog count as work???
While I can't list all of the relief activities out there, here are some of the TN Conference churches and "UMC Neighbors" Early Response Teams that have been at work since last weekend: Vance Tague (Columbia District) working with Columbia 1st, Dickson 1st, Trinity (Murfreesboro) and his churches in Linden (Humphrey's Co.?); VA Conference ERT (Hickman and Humphreys Co.); St. Marks (Murf.), Loretto, KY ERT (Bordeaux in Nashville); SW Arkansas (Donelson in Nashville); Mansfield, IL ERT, Dallas, GA ERT (Cheatham Co.); Baltimore/Washington Conf. ERT (Dodson's Chapel, other assignments from Cumberland District); Pleasant View (in Cheatham Co. helping coordinate local volunteers and teams possibly from Brentwood, Lutheran Disaster Response from Spring Hill and others); Holston Conf. ERT (Smith and Jackson Co.); 2nd Columbia District food/supply drive for Hickman Co.
On the volunteer housing front, a few developments. Antioch (Nashville) and a church in the Cumberland District are hosting Americorps teams who have expressed great gratitude for our partnership with them. The General Board of Discipleship has made an empty home/office available for us to host volunteers (up to about 18). Currently, we have a small group from NECHAMA (Jewish Relief) staying there who have their own volunteers and also help coordinate Americorps teams working in Davidson and Cheatham Co. We will be looking to construct bunk beds and provide some hospitality support as we move to rebuilding later this summer. Hermitage and McKendree Village have made arrangements for an unused wing at McKendree to be available to host up to 24 volunteers. Cedar Crest Camp has made lodging available at half price for cleanup teams working the next couple of weeks before summer camping starts.
Patty Smith is working on a weekend Christian experience for children aimed at helping children in areas affected by floods. We'll be looking to offer/replicate this experience in all interested churches. I'll let her tell everyone more about that as it comes together.
We are getting around to many churches and community meetings to help connect resources with ongoing needs, but beginning to focus on how we can help communities oraganize and collaborate for the Long Term Recovery. As definitive LTR groups develop, UMCOR will be partnering to provide Case Management training, Spiritual/Emotional Care training, and grant funding.
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