(Editor’s Note: Ruling Elder Arklie Hooten is the Disaster Relief Coordinator for the Presbyterian Church in America’s Mission to North America committee. This update was released Tuesday morning.)

The recent tornado in Joplin, Missouri has impacted our PCA congregation, Christ the King. The storm has killed more than 140 people making it the most deadly tornado in my lifetime. More than 12,000 buildings here have either been destroyed or significantly damaged, including many schools and the local hospital.

Mission to North America Disaster Response has been invited to coordinate the response to this latest disaster and we are in the process of establishing a long-term worksite here, but we need your help. I am on-site here in Joplin, working with Pastor Reed Dunn and Christ the King leadership. Yesterday at worship Pastor Dunn preached from Psalm 51:8, “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.”

The congregation and visitors heard the truth that God is not caught off guard by tragedy…He plans it, and He will use this latest disaster for His glory and for our good. He said that God’s plan consists of two parts; In part one God summonsed the wind to do His bidding and in part two, He is asking the Church to respond with Christ’s love.

At this point we are confident that our response will be long-term. As expected, the closest PCA congregations have already sent us volunteer teams including those from Little Rock, Fayetteville, Rogers and Tulsa, and have already assisted 11 families.

Covenant Presbytery has a long and deep tradition of answering the call to help congregations in need nationwide. Now is the time to assist them. We anticipate that we will begin mobilizing traveling week-long volunteers very soon, as soon as we can insure proper access, safety, and establish an adequate host site. Consider forming a volunteer relief team and joining in the relief effort here. If your church cannot participate in this way, perhaps your way of service would be to support those who do have the flexibility to respond now.

Please pray that the Lord will comfort our church family in Joplin and provide for them. Pray that God will provide PCA members with strengthened faith and opportunities to serve fellow believers; pray also for God’s people as they serve others in these communities, demonstrating the Gospel through Spirit led acts of mercy. “Pray……that our service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there….” Romans 15:31. Pray for MNA Disaster Response staff and local church officers as we work together to coordinate the PCA response, that God will equip us with Godly wisdom.

We also ask you to prayerfully consider how the Lord would have you participate in these efforts. If you are capable of bringing a team in the coming weeks, please register by clicking here.

Prayerfully consider a financial contribution. MNA Disaster Response, Christ the King PCA and Covenant Presbytery are together formulating a strategy for a long-term response. Gifts will be used for relief operations, to meet the needs of any PCA families who are affected, and to provide resources for PCA people to serve others in the community. Let us wrap our arms around our family in the loving nature of our Savior Jesus Christ. To contribute online to these relief efforts, please click here, or you may mail checks with that designation to MNA, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 101, Lawrenceville GA 30043.

Serving you with my whole heart,
Arklie Hooten
PCA / MNA Disaster Response Director

[Editor’s note: One or more original URLs (links) referenced in this article are no longer valid; those links have been removed.]