CT CONFERENCE GATHERS TO PLAN KATRINA RELIEF

HARTFORD--Attendees filled Asylum Hill Congregational Church's Dean Room on Wednesday, September 7th, as they met to consider ideas for a united effort by the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ to aid the survivors of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the Gulf Coast of the United States last week. During the two hour meeting, the participants heard presentations about conditions in the affected area and some existing effective relief strategies. They shared word of ministries in which their local congregations had already engaged, and suggested additional resources and service agencies.

At the end of the evening, the group identified six focus areas for Conference attention:

• Support for Back Bay Mission, whose ministry to the poorest of the poor in Biloxi, Mississippi, suffered a severe blow with damage to its buildings and the loss of its support infrastructure;
• Work on Housing and Shelter issues, which may include welcome of survivors to Connecticut as well as support for housing projects as they rebuild in the Gulf region;
• Establishing a relationship with a Partner Church or churches in the affected area and supporting their ministries;
• Coordination of Work Teams to help the rebuilding--these teams will initially work in areas affected by earlier disasters, such as last year's hurricanes in Florida, and will work on the Gulf coast when they are ready for it;
• Advocacy for the poorest of the poor, those who need the most help and so seldom receive it;
• Fundraising: As the wealthiest state per capita in the nation, Connecticut has a special ability and opportunity to provide the most efficient help available: hard cash.

Attendees were able to identify the areas in which they might best contribute. The Conference will continue to solicit volunteers; watch this web site for further information about how to volunteer. For now, notify Associate Conference Minister for Wider Church Ministries Jim Morgan at jimm@ctucc.org.

Worship began the evening, including a stirring performance by Hurricane Andrew survivor Steven Mitchell, Asylum Hill Church's Minister of the Arts. Senior Minister Gary Miller prayed powerfully with the trumpet, playing two familiar hymns with the bittersweet sadness of New Orleans jazz. Conference Minister Davida Foy Crabtree closed the evening with a powerful prayer for all those who suffer and all those who serve.