Ways Churches Can Respond After A Disaster

"The Church is the only institution that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its

members.

– William Temple, former Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury

In all honesty, this statement by William Temple may be a tad of an overstatement, but that does not negate the truth of his words. The Church is one of many institutions that exists for the benefit of others, particularly those who are not its members. So when a disaster impacts a community, the Church does not only think of its own members and property, but is deeply concerned about the wellbeing of the entire community.

We have witnessed this unfold over and over again across the Synod. Churches that fling open its doors to serve as a cooling center and Red Cross shelter after storms knock down trees and electricity during an extremely hot weekend. Churches cooking and serving meals around the clock for emergency responders and displaced neighbors during an unprecedented wildfire.

Left: St. Andrews Presbyterian Church of Lake Charles, LA distributed cleanup buckets and hygiene kits after widespread flooding impacted the community in May 2021. Right: Grace Presbyterian Church of Round Rock, TX served free dinners to tornado survivors and gathered donations from area restaurants to give away gift cards as well.

If you haven’t done so already, talk to your church leaders about ways your congregation is able to and willing to respond after a disaster that serves the broader community. Will your church:

• Convene: Allow local emergency management, disaster response agencies, VOADs (voluntary agencies active in disasters), and volunteers to use the building as a meeting space or resource/supply distribution site. Gather as a church when it is safe to do so.

• Connect: Reach out to church partners and networks (e.g. ministerial alliances, Scout troops, campus ministries) to assess needs and/or opportunities to serve together. Share pertinent information through church communication channels.

• Be present: Acknowledge disasters that occur in your community through your church communications and social media. Reach out to survivors and impacted groups with warmth and compassion. Listen with empathy.

• Pray: Offer opportunities for communal prayer. Create spaces for the grieving. Invite chaplains and faith leaders to provide care, liturgy, and worship that names despair and points to hope. Recognize milestones and anniversaries of major events.

• Feed: Gather around tables and share meals with impacted individuals and disaster responders. Distribute grocery store and restaurant gift cards to survivors, especially after feeding groups leave the community.

• Shelter: Offer hospitality to responders, volunteers, and displaced neighbors. Serve as a cooling/warming center. Join long term recovery groups focused on supporting vulnerable neighbors who want to remain in the community.

Use these handouts or have it ready whenever your congregation is ready to discuss and discern how God is inviting you to respond after a disaster.

Resource Document: “Ways Churches Can Respond After A Disaster.” Click on the images to download in English, Korean, and Spanish.