Samaria Update—September 2005

This periodic update is designed to help churches that have    embraced the Acts 1:8 Challenge be aware of resources from the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Use them as your
church plans and implements its strategy to be involved in
reaching North America for Christ. Previous editions of the Samaria Update available here.

Ways to Involve Your Church in Katrina Relief Efforts

Southern Baptists are responding in historic ways to help hurting people following Katrina’s devastation of the Gulf Coast.

Already, more than 6,000 trained Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers from 36 state conventions have provided more than 3.6 million meals to people affected by Katrina in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Even more Southern Baptists are housing evacuees across the United States.

Your church can get involved in Katrina relief now through Southern Baptist Disaster Relief  and the special Adopt-a-Church and the Houses of Hope initiatives.

Trained Volunteers Needed to Serve in Affected Areas

Trained Southern Baptist volunteers are being deployed during initial relief efforts in the region and plans are being made to establish the infrastructure for long-term relief. Trained volunteers should contact their state Baptist convention (visit www.sbc.net to find your state convention) to volunteer. Untrained volunteers will be needed in months to come once the situation stabilizes. Check www.namb.net/dr and www.thebridge.namb.net for updates.

Churches wanting to receive disaster relief training or desiring to identify evacuees who have been relocated to their area may contact their local American Red Cross chapter.

Assist Sister Churches through Adopt-a-Church

Hundreds of Southern Baptist churches were damaged or destroyed by the hurricane, according to initial estimates. Adopt-a-Church is a plan for Southern Baptist congregations across North America to adopt sister Baptist churches badly damaged or destroyed by Katrina for a commitment of one to two years. The initiative suggests partnering churches assist affected churches by sending missions and construction teams to help in recovery and building, provide care packages, take up a special offering, offer training teams to encourage and strengthen staff leadership skills, and assist pastors by replacing ministry libraries lost or damaged. A commitment of 12 to 24 months is requested, or however long it takes for the affected church to get back on its feet.

Southern Baptist churches and individuals may now register online at www.namb.net to assist Katrina victims through Adopt a Church.

Help Families through Houses of Hope

Houses of Hope gives Southern Baptist members and churches the opportunity to minister to displaced Katrina victims directly. Churches or individuals are asked to provide temporary housing for Katrina evacuees with an initial commitment of 30 days. The initiative suggests churches work together to rent an apartment or house for evacuees, use vacant missionary housing, campers, motor homes, travel trailers, gymnasiums, or work with local hotels to provide housing. More details are available here.

Medical Personnel Needed

If you have medical personnel in your church who would like to volunteer to help in Katrina efforts, call the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 1 866 528-6334 or visit www.os.dhhs.gov. Medical volunteers also are being coordinated through the American Red Cross.

Spiritual Help for Katrina Victims through ERC

Already, hundreds of Katrina victims have called the Evangelism Response Center (ERC) spiritual help line (1 800 JESUS 2000) during this crisis.

The Evangelism Response Center exists to share the gospel and pray with people over the telephone and Internet.  Respondents contact the ERC by phone and Internet after seeing the ERC telephone numbers and Internet addresses on TV ads and programs, through radio ads and programs, print ads and articles,  billboards, and so on.

The ERC provides a network of volunteers throughout North America who have been trained to communicate the message of Jesus Christ to people by telephone and Internet. 

If individuals in your church have been trained as Telephone Encouragers or Internet Encouragers and can assist with ERC disaster-related calls, now is the time for them to do so.

ERC training opportunities are held periodically in state conventions, associations, and some churches for individuals who would like to be trained. Call (770) 410-6383, e-mail erc@namb.net, or visit www.erconline.net for more information.

Give to Support Disaster Relief Efforts

Responding to one of the worst disasters in U.S. history will be costly. Contributions to offset direct costs of the disaster relief response may be sent to state conventions, associations, or churches responding to the effort, or to Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.

Individuals and churches may donate directly to assist Southern Baptist Disaster Relief by calling 1 888 571-5895, online at www.namb.net, or by sending to the North American Mission Board, P.O. Box 116543, Atlanta, GA 30368-6543. Checks should be payable to the North American Mission Board with “disaster relief” in the memo line.

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