Hurricane Katrina Disaster Response Summit Meeting

Mission to North America in conjunction with the Mississippi Valley Presbytery hosted a meeting Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005 at the Brandon Presbyterian Church to gather disaster response leaders to begin strategizing and formulating plans for the PCA and northern Mississippi relief efforts. Fred Marsh along with Ron Haynes (PCA Disaster Relief Director) presented a status report of existing conditions and information and stated that we need to think of this not as a short term problem but as something we will need to be involved in for a long term. It is a huge task to mobilize the people of the PCA to assist in the aftermath of such destruction.

One of the most significant issues before us at the present time is locating our congregations, pastors and members to assess the situation and figure out how we can meet their needs. As far as structuring our denominational response, Ron and Judy Haynes are actively working to establish satellite sites as home bases for future operations. The most likely staging areas would include Jackson (initially), Hattiesburg, Picayune, and Biloxi or Mobile.

There are hopes to form a triangle within the affected hurricane regions, that the surrounding presbyteries will come together to support the sites closest to them (communication, staffing, logistics, meals, teams, etc.) as they are able. As soon as these satellite hubs can be selected and set up, then volunteers will be able to come and serve. Volunteers need to understand that the hardship level for volunteers is going to be high since areas are without power, water, etc. A list of things volunteers will need and a list of supplies will be posted on the MNA Disaster Response website soon.

Connectionalism, integration, combined efforts and resources will be key to our having the greatest impact. This task is going to demand lay leadership involvement on a variety of levels. It was stated that one possible solution to the evacuees would be for closer presbyteries to serve as communication/shuttle hub for helping evacuees find refuge in shelters set up by other presbyteries or churches to draw more on denomination wide resources. Several churches have already offered to help in this area.

Mississippi Valley Presbytery expressed its intentions to be a supporter of denominational efforts, to consider hosting a summit of leaders of our denomination, to work with other Presbyteries, to be a primary supporter of the Hattiesburg satellite site, to forming a special leadership group to suggest more specific plans at a called meeting of presbytery in upcoming weeks, to communicate the need for financial support on various levels, and to ask churches to begin collecting items needed for future efforts.