Delegation to Survey Needs in Damaged Areas

CHICAGO, IL (September 26, 2005) - A delegation representing various ministry areas of the Evangelical Covenant Church are en route to Louisiana and Mississippi as part of a fact-finding mission that will help provide direction for continued relief efforts to victims of recent storms.

Jim Sundholm, director of Covenant World Relief, says the trip will enable the denomination to better direct help to poor individuals and churches that might otherwise "fall through the cracks" in the coming months and years. The denomination then will be able to coordinate with Covenant churches in sending money and volunteers to where they are most needed.

"My goal is to identify the different regions that need various kinds of assistance, including those that can host work crews," says Sundholm. He stresses that the process of providing ongoing assistance will be a long-term one and will continue for at least three years.

Others making the trip, which is scheduled to conclude Thursday, include Kurt Miericke and Garth Bolinder, superintendents of the Southeast and Midsouth conferences respectively.

(Editor's note: Stan Friedman, staff writer for Covenant Communications, is accompanying the delegation and will be providing periodic update reports on the group's progress.)

While recovery efforts continue from the recent hurricane activity, others celebrate new life that has emerged from past storms. The re-dedication of the First Covenant Church building in Vero Beach, Florida, stands as one witness to the truth that there can be new life after the storm - and as a testimony to what can happen when people from across the country work together.

A special service and an evening gathering were held on September 17 in the wake of Katrina's destruction and as Rita bore down on the Gulf Coast.

First Covenant's building had been heavily damaged by two hurricanes last year, but a determined effort by congregants and assistance from Covenanters as far away as Michigan and California has made the building even better, says pastor Tristan Hohler.

"When you see through the property (redevelopment) and the people how God puts things back together stronger than what they were before - it's just awesome," says Hohler. Congregation members gathered Sunday to celebrate what God had done. Superintendent Miericke spoke as part of the weekend activities.

Covenanters across the country continue to help those displaced by Hurricane Katrina:

Portland, Oregon: The relationship between a member of the Irvington Covenant Church and a coworker improved while working together to help evacuees and prepare for more to arrive. To read more of that experience, please see Healed Relationship.

Houston: A teacher from New Orleans whose family had been helped by Faith Community Covenant Church gave her testimony to the congregation recently and told them how grateful she is for their support. On Friday, September 16, she had been told to return to New Orleans to get ready to start teaching again. When she thought that still was a possibility, she told the congregation she was entrusting them with the care of her elderly mother. "I think everybody felt the joy and the weight of that," says Pastor Paul Meador. He added the woman did not return as scheduled because the mayor had told residents on September 19 not to return. Instead, she made reservations at a Dallas hotel to escape Hurricane Rita.

Hope Covenant Church along with many other churches in Houston canceled services prior to last Sunday. "It was easier for everybody if they knew we weren't going to be having services," says Anne Smith, the church's administrator.

Silverhill, Alabama: The youth of the Evangelical Covenant Church initially intended to raise money for CHIC 2006 by sponsoring games at the community's Heritage Day Festival, but they decided to donate the money to help Katrina survivors instead. The church also continues to serve one meal a week at the local shelter, which is housing a number of families who lost their homes in other communities. Members also are supplying three shelters with needed items, visiting hospitalized evacuees, assisting family members to locate relatives and providing school uniforms for children entering the public school. Pastor Jesse Adams says Covenanters from across the country have donated money to help with the assistance. Covenant pastor and well-known Christian musician Jim Black performed during the festival (top photo). The lower photo shows one of the eager recipients of a face painting exercise as part of the community festivities.

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