Churches in Hawaii Help Those Displaced by Volcano

Churches in Hawaii Help Those Displaced by Volcano | [View online]( [Give Now]( Advertisement [Local Church Outreach Newsletter]( [CT Pastors]( [Join for Free]( [More on Outreach]( Wednesday, May 16, 2018 Churches in Hawaii Help Those Displaced by Volcano At the time I am writing this, 60,000 gallons of flammable lava have erupted from Kilauea, destroying 36 structures and 26 homes, and displacing over 2,000 people in Pahoa on Hawaii’s Big Island. The New York Times [describes]( the devastation to a normally sleepy community: The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island unleashed havoc when the earth split open, lava spewed hundreds of feet into the air and molten rock [swallowed streets]( in a residential neighborhood. [Providing Housing and Showers]( Thankfully, churches in Pahoa have [sprung]( to action: At Puna Baptist Church in Pahoa, Hawaii, 10 member families have had to evacuate their homes and two of those homes have been destroyed by lava, associate pastor Rob Thommarson told BP. "What we've done immediately is try to help all the families get into some immediate emergency housing," said Thommarson, himself among the evacuees. "Everybody is staying with family, friends and church members." It seems the most immediate need is housing for the displaced. One way local churches are helping is by [providing]( mobile showers: The local Big Island Baptist Association's mobile shower unit has been moved onto Puna's parking lot and likely will begin serving residents early next week. I was encouraged by the readiness of Puna Baptist Church and other churches in Pahoa. According to the New York Times piece, it is rare for Kilauea to erupt near this housing community. The lava under the service typically flows in another direction. Though residents were warned, few took it seriously, but these churches were ready anyways. [Ready for Disaster]( Disaster readiness is vital for churches, says Jamie Aten, columnist for Church Law and Tax and a disaster relief expert at Wheaton College. In a piece for CTPastors.com ([3 Disaster Relief Myths that Compound the Devastation]( he writes: Don’t think of disaster ministry as an “extra.” It’s part of the church’s DNA. A great way to begin, even if you are reading these amidst being evacuated from your community, is to start by thinking of ways to pivot the ministries that God has already blessed in your church. If you have a strong children’s ministry, begin there. Does your church already deliver meals to the elderly? Then that’s where your church should start. Of course the capacity for churches to engage a disaster depends on the size, resources, and other factors. When I pastored a small church in Illinois, we couldn’t create a ton of programs, but we were able to lend money and volunteers to existing relief efforts whenever disaster struck. I’d be curious how your church prepares for potential crises in your community. Email me. Offer Notes before the Sermon? Last week we asked pastors what you do with your sermon notes. I thought Steven Cole, Pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship in Arizona had an interesting approach. He posts his full manuscript online before the service for members to download I do a full manuscript each week and make it available both online and in print before the service. Many grab the manuscript and follow along with me as I preach (I can hear the pages turning when I go to a new page). I don't read it, but I've gone over it enough times that with a few glances down at what I have highlighted, I know where I'm going so that I rarely deviate significantly. I do it face up so that I don't need to turn over pages. Some have asked me at times whether I even use the manuscript while I'm preaching (which makes me happy that they think so!). [Daniel Darling] [Daniel Darling] [Daniel Darling](mailto:outreach@christianitytoday.com) Advertisement [One Church Is Standing Up to Local Government ]( Sponsored by Alliance Defending Freedom [One Church Is Standing Up to Local Government]( Under RLUIPA, churches have the same rights as theaters, health clubs and cafes, but a town in Maryland had a different interpretation. Fortunately, the local church stood its ground. www.adfchurchalliance.org More from CT Pastors [5 Purchases Your Church Should Make Before Its Next Splurge]( [5 Purchases Your Church Should Make Before Its Next Splurge]( The new coffee bar can wait. These things can’t. Gisele Kalonzo-Douglas [Read More]( [Inspiring Tales of Spiritual Motherhood]( [Inspiring Tales of Spiritual Motherhood]( 5 pastors honor the women who nurtured them for ministry. 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