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A tornado hit a small southern town, prompting United Church of Christ (UCC) congregations to look for clean-up resources. Meanwhile, UCC summer camps are preparing for the new season, offering young adults volunteer opportunities. The continuing conflict in Ukraine underscores the need for financial contributions to assist displaced families through the ongoing UCC Ukrainian appeal.
The UCC Global HOPE team has launched a quarterly email newsletter to provide resources for these and other initiatives. Andrew Long-Higgins, Global HOPE Team Leader, explained the newsletter's purpose: "The intent for the Global HOPE newsletter is for it to be a resource where congregations can easily find quick links to current and new volunteer opportunities, disaster grants, and financial appeals."
The newsletter will feature links from the Disaster Response and Recovery Ministry and Volunteer Engagement Ministry teams, as well as other national ministries within UCC. Long-Higgins noted, "Because of the intersectional nature of the work we do, links to other UCC national ministries, such as links to action alerts from the Washington D.C. team, will be included." He emphasized that this will help the wider church connect with ongoing efforts across the organization.
Long-Higgins mentioned that responses to disasters encompass hands-on actions, financial support, and advocacy for government assistance and policy changes to mitigate climate-related disasters. He stated, "Not everyone is in the position to physically volunteer, be in touch with their elected officials, or are able to give financially. We want to provide options." He remarked that there's a strong desire within the church to engage actively in current issues.
The newsletter's first edition introduces the Global HOPE team members: Long-Higgins as Team Leader since 2024, Katie Howe as Minister for Disaster Response and Recovery since late 2023, and Danielle Hickman as Minister for Volunteer Engagement since 2024. A search for a Refugee and Migration Minister is ongoing.
To receive future editions of the Global HOPE newsletter, interested individuals can sign up online.
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