Response to Hurricane Harvey

Photo of the Texas National Guard, from Wikipedia

From Pastor Tim Phillips

People will no doubt be wondering what they can do to be of help to the people of Texas and Louisiana.  This is what got sent out on FB:

The crisis in Texas and Louisiana is only beginning.  Many of us are trying to figure out how to be helpful as an extension of our prayers.  All indications are that the needs will continue for some time. 

We have tried to make contact with our friends Brook Stanford and Kirk Johnson who live in Houston and have also reached out to the pastor of Covenant Church in Houston, one of our sister Welcoming & Affirming Baptist Churches.  Paul Roby, David Bloom, and Jim Singletary all have connections with Covenant and we have heard from the pastor, Laura Mayo, that while their building has sustained relatively minor damage, many of their families have been forced out of their homes. 

​We will be finding ways to support the Covenant family.  In the meantime, we recommend gifts online to: www.cwsglobal.org/Harvey.   This is the same organization that manages the One Great Hour of Sharing offering we take annually to support efforts on behalf of those living through a disaster like this.  Please hold those we know and the hundreds of thousands we don’t in your hearts and prayers.


From Keith Ervin

The tragedy in Houston gives us a new, sobering occasion to reflect on how climate change is disrupting people's lives right now, right here in the United States. The task before us is to face reality and hasten the transition to a clean-energy economy that will address the growing peril to this and future generations.

I hope Seattle First Baptist Church members who haven't previously thought much or done much about the climate crisis will consider attending Faith Action Climate Team's October 28 conference, "Love at the Crossroads: Climate and Social Justice." The day-long event will feature a keynote address by powerful Tulalip Tribes climate activist Deborah Parker, an interfaith panel and about 20 workshops on the intersection of climate and social issues.

Mount Zion Baptist Church is hosting the conference. (Thank you, Patricia Hunter and Georgia McDade!)  I'm on the planning committee for the event, and the social justice arms of SFBC and Bet Alef are supporting it with cash contributions.

Click here to view a flyer for the event.

The flyer will be updated when the registration site goes live sometime in the next few weeks. The event also has a Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/events/1574648875933402/

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