From the Rev. Stephen Harding
Diocesan Disaster Response Coordinator
sharding@mindspring.com
Update #12
Friday, November 9, 2012, 9:00am
Good morning –
As far as I can tell, yesterday’s northeaster came and went, leaving the diocese cold but unscathed in terms of property damage; an increase in trees down; and some power outages – we were lucky. Many thanks to all who opened their churches and parish halls to their community and kept them warm.
Tomorrow is Saturday – eleven days since Hurricane Sandy made landfall. If you or members of your congregation can give part of your weekend to volunteer on Staten Island, please use the Volunteer Sign Up Form on the Diocesan website. Indicate Staten Island and which day you can help. We will do our best to find an existing group that you can join. In addition to our parishes, please see yesterday’s Staten Island Live for ways to help.
I am working to find out how you and your congregation can help in Brooklyn or Queens. Theirs will be an ongoing need for some time. If you can help them, please use the same Volunteer Sign Up form on our website and indicate Brooklyn or Queens. I will get you their contact information.
This link to yesterday’s SIlive.com’s article is courtesy of Fr Roy Cole at St John’s, Staten Island. It provides a good explanation of the challenges facing Staten Island, what is needed and the ways you can help.
Update: There is no known damage from yesterday’s northeaster in the diocese, other than more trees down.
NYC: Staten Island: the Staten Island clericus, particularly Chuck Howell and Roy Cole, are doing an exceptional job in serving their parishes and their communities. The approach on Staten Island seems to be ‘pitch in and help’ at the moment, rather than a unified coordinating system. Manhattan: The Church of St Mark’s in-the-Bowery will continue its outreach to its community today. Region II: power seems to be coming back on and staying on; roads are being cleared. Mid-Hudson: no changes from yesterday.
Stories: many parishes are doing wonderful things in their communities to help. A lot of what you are doing is what the Church does best. When you have the time, please write the story of what your congregation is doing to serve your congregation and your community and send it to Nicholas Richardson at nrichardson@dioceseny.org so that we have a record of the response of the diocese to these two storms.
Food Collection: This Sunday’s collection is for food to restock the food pantries in the diocese.
Eleven days since landfall. We have accomplished much in a short amount of time. Some parts of the diocese are back to normal, other parts are getting there, and some parts are discovering that normal will have a new meaning. This will be a sustained operation for parts of the diocese, for our neighboring dioceses, and for our region. There is more work for us to do.
Thank you for everything that you’re doing.
God bless you.
Stephen+
