I’m sorry this update is rather late. We had a full day of church Sunday and I had a full day of catching up on some things at home Monday (read, among other things, paying bills).
While I’m off subject anyway, let me recommend that you see the movie ‘Fireproof’. I would have pushed it pretty hard except for the intervention of Ike. It’s the well done story of a marriage in trouble so deep that nothing could save it - except Jesus. Bring tissue!
Back to Ike response: We had a pretty good day of helping last Saturday. We worked with EFCA Crisis Response crews in Pearland, taking a tree off a man’s house, and also in the Taylor Lake area. Ted Trela led a crew working on a home in Kemah. Steven Yowell led a crew cleaning up for Tom Morrow’s mother in LaPorte, and Doug Breaux led a large crew in Shore Acres, gutting the house of Tom Morrow’s grandparents. Shoreacres was very hard hit in the storm, and most of the homes had two to four feet of water in them.
Because of Rick Cousins’ story in The Galveston Daily News, we have a number of new contacts. We will be trying to organize response with some of those contacts this week and expect to have another solid day of helping Saturday.
Abbie and Tim Rask will be bringing down a crew from the church they attend in Dallas.
Men, if you were planning to go to Bible Immersion Camp please put the new dates (March 6-8, 2009) on your calendar, and let us know if you are available to help either in Galveston (Friday night, sleeping on the island, and Saturday) or locally (Saturday).
By the way, if you have a late afternoon or evening available during the week, or even a whole day, e-mail or call and we’ll try to attach you to an EFCA crew working in the area.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Men's Bible Immersion Camp Re-scheduled
Dear Brothers in Christ,
After significant prayer and consultation with the elders, we've decided to postpone Men's Bible Immersion Camp. The good news is that we have already consulted with the Davis family on a date and have re-scheduled the camp for March 7th, which is a beautiful time of year to be at the farm. Please put that date on your calendar.
Several factors contributed to the postponement. One was that I have had very little time to prepare the materials, which are crucial to the success of the camp. The second and more important one was that it just didn't seem right to take 25 able bodied men and boys out of town at a time like this when we have such a great opportunity for ministry to others.
In fact I have spoken to Mark Lewis and he can take as many of us as are willing to Galveston on Friday afternoon. We would work that evening, spend the night in a house or two that he has lined up (not flooded!) and work again Saturday, returning Saturday night. Please let me know if you are interested in this work.
I know many of you were really looking forward to the Bible Immersion Camp, as I was. I'm trusting that God will still bless through it at the re-scheduled time.
In Him
Bob
In fact I have spoken to Mark Lewis and he can take as many of us as are willing to Galveston on Friday afternoon. We would work that evening, spend the night in a house or two that he has lined up (not flooded!) and work again Saturday, returning Saturday night. Please let me know if you are interested in this work.
I know many of you were really looking forward to the Bible Immersion Camp, as I was. I'm trusting that God will still bless through it at the re-scheduled time.
In Him
Bob
A note about the plan for Saturday, September 27
I just wanted to confirm that unless you have a specific place you already know you are going to help, you should come to the church at 8:30 a.m. in order to be assigned to a team for helping. We will be doing both brush clearing and cleaning out houses, so come with heavy shoes, long pants, gloves, and masks if you have them.
Preparing for a helping Saturday
We’re looking forward to a good day of helping people tomorrow, Saturday, September 26th. We’ve line up a number of needs that can be met if we have enough people available:
- helping the Olsons, if possible with their need to store possessions and move from the house
- helping in Shore Acres, where we know of a number of families with both tree and flood issues.
- helping in places like Pearland and Sagemont where isolated needs may lead to new ministry.
- continuing to help on Galveston island and at other points south of our area.
To meet those needs we hope God will provide ten or so folks from Grace Bible Church, a number of Crisis Response teams, and a lot of Trinity folk.
In a couple of cases we need a little more detail in order to scope out the need. Here are some questions we’ll be trying to answer today. If you can reply by comment to the blog or by e-mail to Iva (ivaf@trinityfellowship.net) it will save some phone calls:
Sally (Olson) - what can most effectively be done for you on Saturday? Do the needs in Shore Acres still exist?
Wendy (Allen) - is this need still there? What is your mother-in-law’s address?
Joanna (Rask) - do you have addresses for the needs in San Leon and Galveston?
Debbie (Walters) - do you have names and addresses for the needs on Tiki Island?
Please pray that God would allow us to effectively help a few of the many people still devastated by Ike and battling fatigue and discouragement.
- helping the Olsons, if possible with their need to store possessions and move from the house
- helping in Shore Acres, where we know of a number of families with both tree and flood issues.
- helping in places like Pearland and Sagemont where isolated needs may lead to new ministry.
- continuing to help on Galveston island and at other points south of our area.
To meet those needs we hope God will provide ten or so folks from Grace Bible Church, a number of Crisis Response teams, and a lot of Trinity folk.
In a couple of cases we need a little more detail in order to scope out the need. Here are some questions we’ll be trying to answer today. If you can reply by comment to the blog or by e-mail to Iva (ivaf@trinityfellowship.net) it will save some phone calls:
Sally (Olson) - what can most effectively be done for you on Saturday? Do the needs in Shore Acres still exist?
Wendy (Allen) - is this need still there? What is your mother-in-law’s address?
Joanna (Rask) - do you have addresses for the needs in San Leon and Galveston?
Debbie (Walters) - do you have names and addresses for the needs on Tiki Island?
Please pray that God would allow us to effectively help a few of the many people still devastated by Ike and battling fatigue and discouragement.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Thursday Morning Update
This blog is only a little over one day old, and we already have many needs listed. Yesterday morning at church I personally spoke to people about three new major needs.
One of those was from a man we've occasionally supported with benevolence over several years - buying him a tank of gas or a food card at HEB. He and his wife and daughter evacuated to Dallas in his old blue truck and came back Sunday after the storm to find a large oak tree had crushed the trailer they own in Pasadena. The tree is still there and all their possessions are still inside. They have no money and no insurance.
We hope that many Trinity people, along with some folks from Grace Bible Church and EFCA Crisis Response will be able to work on Saturday (September 27) to start meeting some of these needs.
One way you can help us help is to print out the EFCA Work Request Form and get people to fill it out so that we have permission in advance to work on their houses, etc. Please be aware, however, that filling out the form does not guarantee that we will be able to help - we can only do what God gives us the resources to do.
EFCA Crisis Response
I did not get a chance to get an update from EFCA Crisis Response yesterday, so at this time I presume there will be one team in our area, probably working in Taylor Lake, but that could change later this morning when I talk to them. We will post changes as we learn of them.
Update: Mark indicates that Shelby and Bob from EFCA Crisis Response will be working in Joanna's neighborhood today.
Update #2: If you want to leave a comment - a need or your availability - just click on the 'number of comments' line below and you will be taken to a form. If you do not have a Google account you can select 'name' or 'anonymous' and you will be asked to type in a random confirmation 'word', which keeps the blog from getting spammed.
One of those was from a man we've occasionally supported with benevolence over several years - buying him a tank of gas or a food card at HEB. He and his wife and daughter evacuated to Dallas in his old blue truck and came back Sunday after the storm to find a large oak tree had crushed the trailer they own in Pasadena. The tree is still there and all their possessions are still inside. They have no money and no insurance.
We hope that many Trinity people, along with some folks from Grace Bible Church and EFCA Crisis Response will be able to work on Saturday (September 27) to start meeting some of these needs.
One way you can help us help is to print out the EFCA Work Request Form and get people to fill it out so that we have permission in advance to work on their houses, etc. Please be aware, however, that filling out the form does not guarantee that we will be able to help - we can only do what God gives us the resources to do.
EFCA Crisis Response
I did not get a chance to get an update from EFCA Crisis Response yesterday, so at this time I presume there will be one team in our area, probably working in Taylor Lake, but that could change later this morning when I talk to them. We will post changes as we learn of them.
Update: Mark indicates that Shelby and Bob from EFCA Crisis Response will be working in Joanna's neighborhood today.
Update #2: If you want to leave a comment - a need or your availability - just click on the 'number of comments' line below and you will be taken to a form. If you do not have a Google account you can select 'name' or 'anonymous' and you will be asked to type in a random confirmation 'word', which keeps the blog from getting spammed.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
EFCA Crisis Response Plans
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Crisis Response expects to continue working in the Norman's neighborhood. If you would like to help, call the church for more details.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Crisis Response expects to work in Timber Cove (Taylor Lake). If you would like to help, leave your name on this blog, email ivaf@trinityfellowship.net or call the church for more details.
Crisis Response is also working hard on Galveston Island this week.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
We expect to have several teams working again this Saturday, including a return group from Grace Bible Church in Houston. Don't miss this chance to show God's love in a practical way. Indicate your availability by leaving a comment on this blog or sending an email to ivaf@trinityfellowship.net
Crisis Response expects to continue working in the Norman's neighborhood. If you would like to help, call the church for more details.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Crisis Response expects to work in Timber Cove (Taylor Lake). If you would like to help, leave your name on this blog, email ivaf@trinityfellowship.net or call the church for more details.
Crisis Response is also working hard on Galveston Island this week.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
We expect to have several teams working again this Saturday, including a return group from Grace Bible Church in Houston. Don't miss this chance to show God's love in a practical way. Indicate your availability by leaving a comment on this blog or sending an email to ivaf@trinityfellowship.net
First Post: The Communication Plan
Dear Extended Trinity Fellowship Family
The purpose of this blog (and associated e-mail) is to lay out a relatively simple way to coordinate Ike needs with our responses. I want to sincerely encourage you to read what follows and help us by identifying needs and letting us know when you are available to help
In Christ,
Bob DeGray
Pastor, Trinity Fellowship
Communication System:
Trinity people and other locals who know of needs, wish to volunteer or have donations can make them known in three ways:
1. Comment on the latest entry at TrinitymeetIkeneeds.blogspot.com
2. E-mail Iva (ivaf@trinityfellowship.net) cc me (mail@trinityfellowship.net)
3. Call Iva at church (281-482-0577) or as a last resort, me (281-787-7130)
Iva will attempt to keep a running spreadsheet of needs and volunteer availability. She will put any that come in by phone or e-mail on the current day’s blog entry. Based on projections from Mark Lewis and Bob DeGray, she will attempt to contact volunteers and confirm where you can help.
Each morning around 3:00 a.m. we will update this blog and send out an e-mail (to Trinity News rather than Trinity Prayer) to tell you where work is being done. For many this will confirm where you are headed that day, if anywhere. For others it will allow you to decide where to help on a more spur of the moment basis.
For example, I will blog and e-mail that we are again planning a major day of helping this Saturday. People will volunteer by one of the three methods. Iva will get back to them and either confirm that they should meet at church at such-and-such a time or go someplace else directly.
I hope this system will keep us somewhat coordinated. Please feel free to visit the blog, TrinitymeetIkeneeds.blogspot.com and review all the postings and comments.
The purpose of this blog (and associated e-mail) is to lay out a relatively simple way to coordinate Ike needs with our responses. I want to sincerely encourage you to read what follows and help us by identifying needs and letting us know when you are available to help
In Christ,
Bob DeGray
Pastor, Trinity Fellowship
Communication System:
Trinity people and other locals who know of needs, wish to volunteer or have donations can make them known in three ways:
1. Comment on the latest entry at TrinitymeetIkeneeds.blogspot.com
2. E-mail Iva (ivaf@trinityfellowship.net) cc me (mail@trinityfellowship.net)
3. Call Iva at church (281-482-0577) or as a last resort, me (281-787-7130)
Iva will attempt to keep a running spreadsheet of needs and volunteer availability. She will put any that come in by phone or e-mail on the current day’s blog entry. Based on projections from Mark Lewis and Bob DeGray, she will attempt to contact volunteers and confirm where you can help.
Each morning around 3:00 a.m. we will update this blog and send out an e-mail (to Trinity News rather than Trinity Prayer) to tell you where work is being done. For many this will confirm where you are headed that day, if anywhere. For others it will allow you to decide where to help on a more spur of the moment basis.
For example, I will blog and e-mail that we are again planning a major day of helping this Saturday. People will volunteer by one of the three methods. Iva will get back to them and either confirm that they should meet at church at such-and-such a time or go someplace else directly.
I hope this system will keep us somewhat coordinated. Please feel free to visit the blog, TrinitymeetIkeneeds.blogspot.com and review all the postings and comments.
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