Congregational Response
Caring for a community’s most vulnerable involves special consideration in times of natural disaster, particularly in the case of a cataclysmic earthquake. In such an event, vital infrastructure like power and water usually go down, along with communication land lines and mobility. In addition, cultural barriers, lack of resources, political marginalization, and fear of institutions adds layers of challenge for many. What does it mean for the Church to bear witness to a God of refuge?
The CEPA Project
The Congregation-based Earthquake Preparedness & Awareness (CEPA) Project, supported by the FAITHS program of the San Francisco Foundation, brought six congregations in the Mission District together to consider the above question, and receive education in organizational preparedness and community preparedness. In partnership with the Red Cross, and San Francisco CARD (Community Agencies Responding to Disaster) and the fire department, the congregations convened and offered training classes for the community. See the Photos
From our latest newsletter…
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Last Spring’s Health Day at Willie Brown College Preparatory Academy was our last. The school’s closure at the end of the 2010-2011 academic year marked the end of our church’s first exploration into neighborhood ministry. As I reflected on our six-year partnership with the Wellness Center at Willie Brown, I began to see how it had formed our view of partnership."