A benefit concert is in the works for spring or summer 2010. Please watch for more information.
In January of 2007, the task force commissioned the Rev. Jane Bearden to work with our partner, the Church of the Redeemer in Biloxi, Mississippi and with the Diocese of Mississippi. Jane writes a blog where you can read stories of her experiences working in the area and develop a full understanding of how valuable her work is.
Read the Rev. Jane Bearden’s report (attachment) on the conclusion of her two-year residency at Gulf Coast partner Church of the Redeemer in Biloxi, Miss.
A new task force is forming for the next phase of recovery on the Gulf Coast. Aside from the ongoing hammer-and-nail work, it is time to consider “what next.”
We know there were lives and homes that were unearthed during Katrina, but along side of the visible damage, we saw issues of racism, classism, prejudice, and cultural tensions that also rose to the top of the swell. How do we engage ourselves in these issues? What would people on the coast like to do about these issues and is there a place for us visitors in these discussions? How do we work and walk with our new brothers and sisters of the gulf coast and not allow for the same-old-same-old to return at the expense of some people in the community?
If you have ideas, we would like to hear them; please send them to gulfcoast [at] diomass [dot] org.
Of course, donations are always welcome: click on the link and select "Katrina/Gulf Coast Relief" where it asks how you would like your gift to be used. However, you can also take action. Many parishes are now taking on mission trips to the Gulf Coast. Volunteers are needed to clean out and rebuild houses, serve meals and perform other services as needed. Contact the task force or the Rev. Jane Bearden if you would like a speaker to visit your parish or you want help with organizing a trip; also see the attached planning guide.
For other possibilities, check out Rev. Jane's suggestions.