By Danny Howe, Jim Fetzer, and Bill Campbell

As Hurricane Isaac moves north and leaves behind a trail of destruction and despair, Holston is preparing to respond through our disaster response mechanism already in place.

Holston currently has a stockpile of 500 Cleaning Buckets ready to ship upon request from UMCOR. As soon these buckets are sent, we will have a plea to the local churches to replace what we send to our neighbors south of us. You have responded so magnificently to those in the Johnson City District and at Buffalo Mountain Camp who were recently affected by significant flash flooding, and we are pleased that again we will be able to respond very quickly when UMCOR requests cleaning buckets for those in the path of Isaac.

In the immediate aftermath, churches and individuals can begin to respond to the need by providing financial assistance through UMCOR Advance # 901670 for U.S. Disaster Response.

See "How you can help Hurricane Isaac survivors" (UMCOR, 8/30/12)

Jim Fetzer has notified all of the Holston Conference Early Response Teams and Spiritual and Emotional Care Teams to be available so that if and when Holston is asked to respond with teams, we will be able to mobilize and move very quickly. Currently, UMCOR and UMVIM are awaiting word from those conferences affected by Isaac as they begin to assess the damage and determine immediate response needs.

Bill Campbell, Holston’s UMVIM coordinator, is staying in touch to know if and when long-term volunteer teams will be called from Holston and to what location they might be called. We will keep you updated as we learn of these needs, both for UMCOR-trained Early Response Teams and for long-term UMVIM teams from our local churches.

May we all be in prayer for those affected by this storm as well as those in its northward path. May Holston continue to partner with God in healing those who are broken through the efforts of the United Methodist Church.