Disaster Recovery / Baptist Rebuilders

An introduction to disaster relief training session was provided in April at Ridgedale with about 30 volunteers attending.   Since the disaster relief response needs have been lower this year, the Hamilton County disaster relief units have been able to help locally with World Changers, Christian Motorcycle Association, and other events.  To help organize this support, a Disaster Relief Coordinating Council was formed with 22 representatives from about 10 churches attending the first meeting.  Out of this meeting, key contacts were established at each of the churches with trained volunteers to help with callout notifications.  Also, the list of trained volunteers in the association was updated.   A chainsaw team from Dallas Bay and Ridgedale did respond to Nixa, Missouri after the severe ice storms last January.

    An exciting development occurred this summer with Bob Neely from Oak Street volunteering to lead a Disaster Rebuild Ministry in the association in conjunction with Baptist Builders of Tennessee.  Projects are planned to meet local needs as well as ongoing rebuild projects in the Gulf Coast and New Orleans areas.  The need is still great in the continued recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

    The Men’s Ministry Director served as Treasurer of the Southeast Tennessee Volunteers Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) and participated on the Missions and Ministry Team.  He also attended TBC training at Brentwood for Associational Men’s Ministry Directors. Disasters come in all sizes, and so should our response to them. Needs and mission opportunities range from a neighbor’s clogged sink through rebuilding homes, churches and lives in national disaster areas. The Rebuilding ministry’s objective is to help member churches share resources, members, and missions among themselves to enable appropriate, timely responses to a disaster whenever and wherever it occurs.

    Rebuilding missions offer great opportunities for church youth and adults to work together for the glory of God. Unlike the Disaster Relief Ministry, there are no training, age or member requirements to participate, and missions can be scheduled and planned in advance. Last year, the Southern Baptist Convention moved the Rebuild Ministry from Disaster Relief to its Baptist Builders Ministry to emphasize the difference.

    This ministry’s success depends on good communications between the HCBA and member church’s rebuild ministries. Two major objectives for 2008 are to develop an active web page on the association’s website and a ministry database of teams, resources, contacts and planned mission trips, sponsorships ($$ donations), materials, equipment. The HCBA rebuild ministry should:

• Promote rebuilding as an ongoing, long-term ministry, until the job is finished, and as a follow-up ministry to existing  disaster relief and recovery (immediate, short term) missions.      
• Make it simpler, and easier, for a rebuild group to volunteer away from home.
• Encourage and assist member churches in coordinating mission needs and opportunities in their community, county, state and nation
• Make a rebuild team’s time more productive, and rewarding, by preparing the way prior to their arrival.
• Make it easier to find rebuild  mission opportunities for out-of-state groups and individuals who want to contribute.
• Provide pre-visit planning support and follow-up.
• Match those who want to help with those who need it.

    Future plans include developing seminars and training materials to help organize and manage church, community, and HCBA rebuild ministries. We can and should learn from each other. Several HCBA churches already have dynamic, successful rebuild ministries. We are asking them to share their methods and systems with the rest of us. Individuals from churches without a rebuild ministry can participate and learn from member churches who do.