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May 13, 2008
Newsline Special: Disaster Response

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN RESPONDS TO MYANMAR CYCLONE; STAFF MONITOR NEEDS FOLLOWING STORMS IN CENTRAL US, EARTHQUAKE IN CHINA

A second grant of $35,000 from the Emergency Disaster Fund of the Church of the Brethren is in process to support the work of Church World Service (CWS) in Myanmar following Cyclone Nargis.

Denominational staff also are monitoring how the Church of the Brethren may take part in disaster response following the earthquake that hit China yesterday, and the severe storms and tornados in the central US this past weekend.

Donations are being received to the Emergency Disaster Fund in anticipation of further grants responding to these disasters. Congregations and individuals may contribute to Church of the Brethren disaster relief work by sending donations to the Emergency Disaster Fund, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

The death toll from yesterday’s earthquake in China has now exceeded 12,000 in Sichuan Province, according to the official Xinhua News Agency, in news reports this morning. The reports said that more than 18,000 people were still buried in debris near the epicenter of the 7.9-magnitude earthquake.

More than 20 people were killed on May 10 by severe storms and tornadoes that destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes across the mid-south United States, according to a report yesterday from Disaster News Network. Most deaths were in northeastern Oklahoma and southwestern Missouri. Affected areas included the towns of Picher and Quapaw, Okla.; Newton County, Mo., near the town of Seneca; central Georgia south of Atlanta; and Bentonville and Stuttgart, Ark.

In Myanmar, the disaster relief support given through CWS is reaching those in need, the agency said yesterday in an e-mail report. The Church of the Brethren has already released a $5,000 grant toward the CWS effort in Myanmar, with funds from the Emergency Disaster Fund.

"Local organizations are distributing food, water, and emergency shelter supplies purchased in country throughout the affected areas," CWS said. "Myanmar (Burma) still has open land-trade routes with Thailand and India that allow for the importation of supplies, meaning local markets still have commodities available."

The CWS Asia-Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand, is organizing the response to the Cyclone Nargis among faith-based, nongovernmental organizations that make up the Action by Churches Together (ACT) International Alliance.

Initially, CWS is providing emergency relief assistance--water (including purification supplies, bladders, and tanks) and shelter (tarps and blankets) supplies to assist some 3,000-4,000 families. In collaboration with IMA World Health, CWS also is providing basic medicines and medical supplies to equip clinics to treat some 100,000 people for up to three months.

CWS said it is uniquely suited to respond to the crisis in Myanmar because of its 60-year history of engaging local organizations to meet humanitarian needs. "CWS is appropriately licensed by the US Government to provide financial help to Myanmar (Burma)," the report added.

"Now is the time to support local organizations who are on the ground providing much needed urgent assistance to cyclone survivors," CWS said. "ACT-supported local organizations are already responding through the distribution of rice, clean water, and temporary shelter items.... It is critical that we ensure that this major disaster does not turn into ongoing catastrophe."

An update on Cyclone Nargis from CWS, dated May 12, reported that the official death toll is now almost 29,000, with 33,000 missing, but various estimates put the number who have perished as a result of the disaster at some 100,000. As many as 1.9 million people need emergency assistance.

Stan’s the Man!
By Mary Mueller

We had the privilege of celebrating two milestones with Stan Barkdoll while he was with us volunteering at the Hurricane Katrina recovery project in Chalmette, Louisiana. Not only did he turn 79, he also marked this as his 50th trip with the Brethren Disaster Ministries.

I talked with his wife, Hazel over the phone about his many years of service. She told me that Stan started volunteering around 1980. He was the Brethren Camp Manager in Michigan then, and he went to White Falls, Texas his first time out. I don’t think she mentioned them all, but Hazel listed the states Stan has served in … Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, North Dakota, Tennessee, Kansas, North Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Florida, Nebraska, Ohio, and Louisiana!

Photo Credit: Mary Mueller Stan Barkdoll (center) recently returned from his 50th disaster response trip.

For many of his years as a volunteer, he was also a pastor. Hazel says, “He would preach at the church on Sunday and get in the car and drive to the disaster site. At the end of a week of volunteering, he would drive back to the church in time to preach.”

After he retired from part-time pastoring in 1995, he figured he had time to be a disaster project director. He and Hazel took the training and have served together many times since 1996.

I especially enjoyed Stan leading us in singing the blessing before the evening meals … does anyone else besides Stan know how many tunes you can sing the Doxology to?

His strong yet gentle presence is an asset on any disaster site. To give you an idea of how hard he works, these are the things Stan did this week: he worked on installing laminate floor and interior trim in one house, helped repair flashing on a roof of a second house, started the soffit and fascia repair on a third house, and worked on a variety of punch-out items on still another house. He does this all with grace and good humor as though it is the standard week for any 79-year-old retired pastor!

Stan Barkdoll is an inspiration to us and gives us a goal to aspire to!

(Mary Mueller, along with husband John, is Regional Project Director for BDM in Louisiana.)

March 17, 2008

A conversation with . . . Bob Schnepp

Brethren Disaster Ministries encourages its volunteers to get involved in other local or national charitable organizations so that they can address human need even when they're not busy with BDM projects. As shown in this piece published by the Gladwin County Record, Bob Schnepp is doing just that.

To view the story, go to:
http://www.gladwinmi.com/index.php?story_id=50584

March 10, 2008

Church of the Brethren Called to Partner with New Orleans Churches

When Hurricane Katrina pummeled the Gulf Coast in August of 2005, all aspects of normal life were devastated, including the faith community. Nearly three years later, many churches, particularly in the hardest hit areas of New Orleans, are still struggling to regain their capacity to carry out their ministries. Pastors are attempting to function with depleted resources, while the social problems in their poverty-stricken communities have mounted higher than ever.

The Church of the Brethren is one of six denominations and three ecumenical organizations that have joined together in the National Council of Churches working group called Churches Supporting Churches (CSC). The goal of CSC is to help 36 congregations in 12 predominantly African-American neighborhoods that have been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

The mission of CSC is to “Restart, Reopen, and Repair or Rebuild the Churches in order for them to be agents for Community Development and to Recreate their Community.”

Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM) and the Brethren Witness/Washington Office are representing the Church of the Brethren on the CSC national working group. Phil Jones, director for Brethren Witness, has been a resource for the peace and social justice issues that CSC is facing and has been endeavoring to find partner churches within the denomination.

Zach Wolgemuth, associate director for BDM, has helped provide some resources for long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts, as well as exploring the possibility of responding to the rebuilding needs in CSC church neighborhoods.

Congregations are being called on to become “Katrina Church Partners” by adopting churches that have been affected and making a commitment to support their efforts to rebuild for at least a year. There is still a great need to get more Church of the Brethren congregations to establish a partnership with some of the affected churches.

Unitversity Baptist and Brethren Church, in State College, PA, recently partnered with St. John’s Baptist Church, a CSC church in New Orleans. Dale Roth, member of the State College congregation, reported, “At this time our church's Women's Mission Fellowship is inquiring as to the needs of St. John's so we can determine how best to support that church. At a minimum, they want to establish prayer partnerships with women at St. Johns.”

Roth had the opportunity to worship at St. John's Baptist and visit with their Senior Pastor, Rev. Donald Boutte while was working at the BDM disaster recovery project in Chalmette, La. last February. He learned through Rev. Boutte that “there is great need for expertise with mental health counseling, as many people suffer with depression as they continue to recover from Hurricane Katrina. This is an area that some at the State College church may be able to assess.”

For more information on how you or your congregation can establish a partnership with a New Orleans church through Churches Supporting Churches, please contact:

Brethren Witness/Washington Office
337 North Carolina Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Phone #: 1-800-785-3246
E-mail: washington_office_gb@brethren.org
www.brethren.org/genbd/washofc/ChurchesSupportingChurches.html

February 25, 2008

Brethren convert trailer to house volunteer rebuilders

When the going gets tough, the tough get creative. This News Virginian article tells how volunteers from Shenandoah District solved a volunteer housing shortage in Chalmette, Louisiana, where Hurricane Katrina recovery is only about one-third complete. View story

February 13, 2008

Emergency Disaster Fund issues $53,700 in grants
(Excerpted from Church of the Brethren Newsline, Feb. 13, 2008)

Five grants issued by the Emergency Disaster Fund send assistance to Kenya following rioting and violence, along with grants to Bangladesh, the south-central US following storms, and continuing support for Brethren Disaster Ministries rebuilding projects. The Emergency Disaster Fund is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.

An additional grant of $19,700 aids Kenyans following post-election violence, responding to an expanded Church World Service (CWS) appeal for displaced people. The funds continue support for the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is providing emergency food to 15,000 displaced people, as well as additional services, household items, blankets, and psycho-social counseling.

A grant of $15,000 continues support for a Brethren Disaster Ministries project in Minnesota following flooding. The project in Rushford, Minn., is repairing and rebuilding homes of flood survivors. The grant pays for volunteer travel, food, and housing expenses, as well as tools and equipment. Previous allocations to this project total $5,000.

A grant of $10,000 to CWS follows a devastating cyclone that struck Bangladesh. The funds will help assist 25,000 people with emergency food, clothing, temporary shelter, and the creation of job opportunities.

A grant of $7,000 responds to the numerous tornados and violent storms that swept through six states in the south-central US in early February. At least 55 people were killed, claiming more lives than any single disaster in the US since Hurricane Katrina. The funds will help CWS make material shipments, deploy staff, and give financial support for longterm recovery groups.

A grant of $2,000 responds to a CWS appeal following a previous massive storm system that brought heavy rain, flooding, and tornado activity to parts of Indiana, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi. The money will help pay for blankets, hygiene kits, and cleanup buckets, and will support longterm recovery groups.

Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source.

February 12, 2008
WINK News

John and Mary Mueller were recently featured on WINK News, their hometown news station in Cape Coral, Fla. The Muellers serve Brethren Disaster Ministries as regional project directors working on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Louisiana. WINK had picked up the recent USA Today article on the Muellers and paid them a visit. Check out the video report here:

http://www.winknews.com/news/local/15510117.html#.

February 12, 2008

BDM Supports Tornado Relief

Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM) is supporting tornado relief efforts in the central/southern United States through a $7,000 grant from the Emergency Disaster Fund. The violent tornado outbreak swept through six states on February 5-6, killing at least 59 people in Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Alabama, the deadliest tornado system since 1985.

In the wake of the storms, Church World Service has issued an appeal for support to its ecumenical partners, including the Church of the Brethren. CWS relief efforts include material aid shipments consisting of blankets, hygiene kits and clean-up kits; deploying staff to assist with training and project development; and financial support for local long-term recovery groups.

BDM staff have been in touch with denominational representatives in the affected regions to gather information and offer assistance.

Children’s Disaster Services has been monitoring the situation. In addition, high winds and dry conditions have fueled wildfires in Virginia. Judy Bezon, CDS associate director, says she is “in the process of offering child care to the many assistance centers that are opening in the impacted areas of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia.”

January 23, 2008

Butler Chapel AME Church Knows how to Celebrate
By Glenn E. Kinsel

The weekend of January 18-20, a delegation of about two dozen Church of the Brethren persons made their way to Orangeburg, S.C. for the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the dedication of the new Butler Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church building.

Butler Chapel’s original building was one of the many destroyed by arsonists in the rash of church burnings in 1995 and 1996. With funds from the National Council of Churches as well as from other sources, and with the help of 300 volunteers working under the direction of Brethren Disaster Ministries, a very beautiful and useful new building was constructed, debt-free.

However, the celebration was much more than a focus on their attractive building. The building is simply a tool for all that is taking place in that facility aimed at promoting dedicated discipleship.

The whole three-day event proclaimed a significant message of common faith and purpose as two very different yet very like denominations merged to thank God for what has happened at Butler Chapel. While the Sunday morning sermon provided the major message, there were hundreds of “messages” seen and heard as greetings, hugs, warm embraces, tears of joy, and expressions of “Brotherly and Sisterly love” that amounted to a foretaste of heaven.

From the moment we stepped inside the church doors on Friday evening until we departed on Sunday, the Brethren were treated as honored guests. There were carefully worded name tags, gift bags filled with all sorts of goodies, program booklets that even included names of all who assisted in the construction, door prizes, and plenty of delicious food.

One highlight of the event was the music workshop, where the Brethren joined the special celebration choir and learned how to do church music the lively AME way. They call it “botheration,” but it became ethereal to all of us who attempted the process.

The delegation of Brethren included acting General Secretary, Mary Jo Flory Steury; General Board members Russell Betz and Terrell Lewis; BDM staff members Roy Winter, Judy Bezon and Jane Yount; volunteer staff Glenn and Helen Kinsel; several of the project directors who functioned so ably during building construction, John and Marianna Baker, Stanley Barkdoll, and Earl Dohner; former BVS’er Torin Eikler; a number of volunteers; and even some other interested Brethren supporters.

It is the hope of all who attended that the relationship between the two denominations can be nurtured. This 300th anniversary year for the Brethren is the right time to begin.

(Glenn Kinsel is a BDM staff volunteer who helped with volunteer coordination for the building project and with promotion of the anniversary event.)

January 15, 2008

Katrina volunteers come to stay
USATODAY

Long-term regional project directors John and Mary Mueller, among others, were interviewed for an article on Hurricane Katrina recovery appearing in USA TODAY on January 15, 2008.

Says John: "Living here has really given us an appreciation for what we have. I challenge anyone who thinks their life stinks to come and live in a FEMA trailer for a year. That'll give you some perspective."

View full story by Korina Lopez at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-14-katrina-volunteers-main_N.htm

December 19, 2007

BDM Welcomes New Employee

On Monday, December 17, Brethren Disaster Ministries welcomed LethaJoy Martin to her new position as Program Assistant for Children's Disaster Services. LethaJoy is beginning a new career with us after having worked at Maryland Public Television for 22 years. She has a degree in Broadcasting and Business Administration from Anderson University.

LethaJoy is active in her church - has held several positions there and currently works with their missions program. She is an officer in the local chapter of "Good Bears of the World," raising money to purchase teddy bears, which are given to organizations for abused women and children, hospitals, fire and police departments, disaster victims, etc.

Welcome, LethaJoy!

December 14, 2007

Volunteers “Rock” in Minnesota

Larry Ditmars finds Minnesota climate a "delight." Photo submitted by Larry Ditmars

This past August, remnants of Tropical Storm Erin produced major flooding in southeastern Minnesota, damaging about 1,500 homes across six counties. Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM) worked closely this fall with the Northern Plains district to coordinate a short-term project to enclose homes so that they can continue to be worked on during the cold winter months.

“Working in this climate is a delight,” remarked Larry Ditmars, volunteer from Western Plains District. “I can add shirts or jackets if I get cold. I have worked most of this day, which started out at minus one Fahrenheit, in my T-shirt. Almost all of our work is indoors where the furnaces are up and running. I don't have to wipe the sweat from my eyes. It is the most comfortable disaster project I believe I've ever worked on.”

Ditmars shared a note from some youngsters who sent supplies for disaster survivors that said, “You guys ROCK! That is so cool that you are helping these people through this hard time. You are so thoughtful. We would love to do what you’re doing someday!”

Sue Brand, a flood survivor, thinks BDM volunteers “rock” too. She wrote in an email, “We want to thank you for sending these wonderful ‘Angels’ to our rescue…Trying to rebuild on our own was just overwhelming and would have taken us so, so much longer! We have been trying so hard to get back into our home as soon as possible; otherwise, it would have been spring before that happened. Right now, we see ourselves back in there by January! All due to the help of all of these very generous, hard-working, wonderful people!”

For the remainder of the winter, this project will operate on a week-by-week basis as volunteers are available. “There is much need here in Rushford,” Ditmars said. “Sixty homes still have major damage and are uninsured. Many others, perhaps as many as two hundred have sustained minor damage.”

For more information about volunteering in Minnesota this winter, send an email to BDM_gb@brethren.org, or call Brethren Disaster Ministries, 800-451-4407.

December 4, 2007

Decorators use talents to rebuild hope for hurricane victims
By Chris Sholly, staff writer
Lebanon Daily News

Kelly Meyer and Brenda Stahr enjoy helping people decorate their homes. The two friends met through their church, Palmyra Church of the Brethren, a number of years ago. View full story at www.ldnews.com/business/ci_7612395