November 21, 2013
Early this month, World Renew Disaster Response Services (DRS) introduced our new Disaster Preparedness website, which you can find at worldrenew.net/prepare-disasters. This site was created to help churches and families be better prepared for unexpected disasters. The site is presented in a very easy to use format, and yet provides access to the vast wealth of information that is available on the internet. Topics include:
- How to assess the risk of experiencing different kinds of disasters in your home town.
- Simple steps you can take to minimize damage and injury from a disaster.
- How to prepare your church and congregation for a possible disaster.
- How to help your community when a disaster strikes.
- How to develop a family disaster preparedness plan.
- The best way to help prepare children for a possible disaster (by Sesame Street).
Information that can be accessed through the site is provided by partners in the US and Canada, such as the American Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross, Easter Seals, FEMA, the Canadian Government, Sesame Street and the US Geological Survey, just to name a few.
Preparedness is one of those things we don’t want to think about until it’s too late! So, I encourage each of you to go to our new website and explore… seriously consider how it can help your family be more prepared for the unexpected. And, speak to the leadership in your church, and encourage them to explore the site. Every church should have an emergency response and disaster preparedness team. Our new site will provide a great tool for such a team to develop an effective disaster plan. If your pastor or one of your elders or deacons would like to learn more, feel free to have them call me at 800-848-5818.
Another thing that we are asking our DRS volunteers to be prepared for is DRS Sunday for 2014 – it’s just around the corner! On Sunday, March 2, 2014, our US Christian Reformed Churches are scheduled to take an offering for DRS. This can play a big part in helping us meet our annual fundraising goals, so we’re asking that all of our volunteers get involved! As we do each year, we would like to make it a real DRS Sunday, green shirts and all. And, you can get involved by helping with the planning: encourage your church to schedule an offering, help us arrange for a speaker, and plan on wearing your green shirt. Our Canadian churches are not included in the March 2 offering because of a scheduling conflict, but we ask that our Canadian volunteers also get your church involved and plan a DRS Sunday event some time in 2014.
Once again, thank you for what you do! It’s our privilege, as staff and volunteers, to work together in God’s kingdom to continue the work that Jesus began 2,000 years ago. DRS has been called by Him to bring help to communities in North America who have suffered through disaster, and without our volunteers, that work would not be possible. So, thank you!
In His Service,
