Parish Resources for Post-Sandy Sunday

Parishes and Clergy,

Here is a list of resources you can use to help respond to the needs of the people in the pews on this post-Sandy Sunday, when emotions are heightened and there may be lots of new faces.

People who made it through the storm unscathed might be more willing than usual to give what they are blessed to still have, to help others.  People who have had their homes and lives destroyed might be more willing to receive aid of the spiritual sort as well as the physical sort. Here are a few ways our parishes can pay close attention to these sensibilities, and make some good of this disaster.

• Share Bishop Wolf's Letter with your parishioners on Sunday, at coffee hour, in your email newsletters, on your websites, however you think is best to get it to them.
• Be extra ready to welcome any new visitors you get this Sunday. Make sure your congregations are ready to engage new people, and welcome them into the family in this difficult time. If you have a welcome team, it might be worth shooting them an email so they are extra on their toes this Sunday. If you don’t have a welcome team, it might be worth shooting an email to the whole parish to get a couple one-time volunteers who will just make a point of talking to visitors.
• In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, some of our more fortunate parishioners might be thinking about helping with Hurricane Sandy relief. Let’s give the folks who are thinking about contributing a little reminder and some direction about where to do so.
• Let people know they can Donate to Episcopal Charities to help with relief in RI, through RI agencies. To learn more contact Peggy Amatore 401-274-4500 x23
• The worst Damage has been in NY and NJ. To donate financial aid to those areas, Episcopal Relief and Development is a great option. ERD has even created a bulletin Insert you can download here, which might be good to include in your bulletins for a few weeks.
• For those wanting to help with their hands, Serve Rhode Island is looking for volunteers for clean up and re-building. Try organizing a group from your parish to volunteer, as some people might be more likely to do so if they have friends to work with.

Blessings in this time,
Ruth Meteer
Communications Director
The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island