In the year following
the Gulf Coast hurricanes, six different mission work groups
from the Presbytery of Central Nebraska responded to the disaster.
These trips had a powerful impact on the participants, not only
in the great losses they encountered, but also in the development
of their own spiritual lives.
In late 2006 and early 2007, Central Nebraska experienced
its own great losses from an ice storm that caused fifty-seven
counties in Nebraska to be declared disaster areas. In the midst
of the tragedy, some wonderful things happened. In one case
two basketball teams from disaster areas were invited to play
in the home city of a third team. Somewhere else a construction
company loaned equipment and staff to its own city so that downed
trees and branches could be cleared before a forecasted snowstorm
struck. People learned a new term, “electricity envy,”
when those excited about the return of electrical power recognized
their good fortune caused agony for friends who had not yet
been so blessed. This has been a different kind of learning
experience. Instead of being those who gave, Central Nebraskans
received from others. The logo for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance,
“Out of Chaos, Hope,” came to life when thousands
of dollars from generous donors to One Great Hour of Sharing
were suddenly coming to help with Central Nebraskans’
urgent needs.
The presbyteries of Central Nebraska, Homestead, Missouri
River Valley, and Prospect Hill have engaged in conversations
about how two, three, or four presbyteries might minister together
more effectively rather than separately. A joint Self-Development
of People Committee has been created with three of the presbyteries,
and a grant made in 2006 involved sharing funds from the three.
The hope is that the fourth presbytery becomes a part of this
work. Their resource centers remain in conversation about how
they might work together, and joint staffing and other shared
ministry opportunities are being considered further.
The Presbytery of Central Nebraska has 41 churches with 6,409
members. |
