| Volunteers wanted Volunteers in Mission are being sought to remove tree stumps and other debris in La Plata and the surrounding area, which was hit by a tornado April 28. Those interested in volunteering should contact Kathie Evans at (301) 643-6027 or (301) 645-0509. The rebuilding of LaPlata UMC continues. While the education building, which was devastated in the storm, is expected to take a year to rebuild, contractors estimate that the sanctuary may be completed by the end of September, said the Rev. George Anderson. For any additional information about the recovery efforts, contact Associate Council Director Sandra Ferguson at (800) 492-2525, Ext. 431, or sferguson@
bwcumc.org. | Expert on disaster response leads training in La Plata BY KATHRYN LEIGHT
UMCONNECTION CORRESPONDENT Disasters happen. How should churches respond? That was the topic that internationally known expert George S. Everly Jr. sought to answer at an ecumenical training event June 21 at Grace Lutheran Church in La Plata. Everly, chief executive officer of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. and a senior representative to the United Nations, spoke to approximately 30 area church leaders, many of whom are still involved in recovery efforts following a deadly tornado in April. Clergy are an underutilized resource in disaster response, Everly said. However, when they are used, they sometimes forget the essential importance of self-care. The first rule in crisis intervention is to take care of yourself, said Everly, who also suggested pastors use their sermon time to speak about issues that their congregations need to address. Perhaps the pastor may even need to use that time for two-way communication with the congregation, rather than delivering a sermon, he said. In addressing their congregations, pastors need to know that there are normal and abnormal traumatic responses. In the absence of facts, the human brain makes up answers. Give them the facts, Everly said. Once everyone is clear on the facts, pastors should talk about normal psychological reactions, including sorrow, fear, feelings of loss and even anger. The Rev. Edward Voohaar, pastor of LaPlata UMC, said he experienced all these reactions in ministering to the community that was struck by a tornado April 28. While it is important for congregations to gratefully acknowledge the mercies they have experienced, it is equally important for them to mourn the losses they have suffered. This will allow feelings to be expressed rather than suppressed, Voorhaar said. Recovery is a process, not an event. It is about the rebuilding of peoples lives, not just buildings. According to Voorhaar, even after homes are rebuilt, people still have some rebuilding to do within themselves. According to Joyce Derby, a clinical psychologist who helped coordinate the event, in order for congregations to be prepared in advance of a disaster, they must have trained individuals who are prepared to respond as needed. Everly recommends that congregations develop an all-hazards plan for dealing with any form of disaster. We know it is often not a matter of if, but when, it happens to us, said the Rev. Mary Jane Coleman, district superintendent of the Washington East District. The bottom line is function, Everly said. Disasters, while we may never forget them, do not have to take over our lives. It is astounding how resilient those associated with faith seem to be. |
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