Over the past month, torrential rains have made life difficult in many places within Pennsylvania Southeast Conference. Probably hit the hardest – again – are parts of Schuylkill Association. So the clean-up continues. So does helping with the emotional and spiritual care of the residents. On Wednesday, a team of pastors from the area, including Claude Schach, Jason Stump, and Maureen Duffy-Guy, provided spiritual and emotional care. Among the continuing needs are hygiene kits, clean up buckets, and school kits. Buckets and kits can be dropped off at either:
- St. Peter’s UCC, 277 S. Tulpehocken Street, Pine Grove (contact Pastor Jason Stump to schedule: pastorstump@gmail.com or 757-630-6577)
- Trinity UCC, 446 E. Grand Ave., Tower City (contact Rev. Maureen Duffy-Guy to schedule: mduffyguy@hotmail.com or 570-952-5474)
Help is needed this Saturday, Aug. 18 at St. Peter’s UCC – Tremont (57 Spring Street) to help muck out the basement and prepare the church for worship this Sunday. Volunteers can come anytime after 8 am. Claude Schach is the pastor.
Northern Berks county was also hit hard in the Hamburg area, including First UCC, Darryl Hamm, pastor. Our help is needed on Sunday, Aug. 19 at 12:30 pm, at the church at 76 S. 3rd Street, Hamburg, to throw things out, tear out some walls, and carry debris from the basement. On Monday, a professional cleanup company will begin the rebuilding process. Shovels would be helpful, dress in waterproof shoes and old clothes.
If your church is experiencing flooding and there are needs in your community, please contact Rev. Karl Jones, PSEC Disaster Coordinator, at 570-617-4018.
Our brothers and sisters in Penn Northeast Conference are also experiencing flooding. The three counties most affected are Bradford, Susquehanna, and Columbia. Shelters were set up yesterday in several locations. A tool trailer from the Ohio Conference is on its way to Montrose, which will be a staging area for the response. Along with the trailer are 200 clean up kits.
For more information on how your church can help, please consult the PSEC webpage. (Updates on current flooding are available on the News page. Also, check out the Disaster Response/Volunteer Resources section.)
