Monday October 3, Updates

MISSION MEMO

To: Pastors and Churches in the Presbytery of East TN
From: Disaster Response Office
Regarding: Katrina Relief Efforts Update
Date: Monday October 3, 2005

1.We have had people in Presbyterian churches ask how to get their college age students signed up for a trip who may not be going to UT. – Get to the web site and download an application and E-mail your intentions to Rick Kulhman at bighooah@aol.com. Then be at the meeting at UT campus this Wednesday, October 5, at the Panhellenic Building on Cumberland, in the Alpha Delta Pi room on the second floor, at 7:30PM. The meeting will help all students (UT students or students from another college ) who wish to go on the October 13-16 work trip complete their applications (a notary will be there) and get geared up for the weekend trip. If you are going on this first of the Whirlwind Tours you need to be in attendance at this meeting!

2. Deadline to sign up for the fist trip October 13-16 is 7:30PM Wednesday when the above meeting starts!

3.We have raised almost $5,000.00 to date for the trips and need to encourage churches and individuals to continue to raise funds for the trips. Transportation and food are the key costs for the trip but we need to buy things like dust masks, surgical gloves, hand cleaner and no end of little things to make sure we have what we need when we arrive on site. PLEASE encourage your sessions to put together a special fund raiser or offering for the use of these trips and send the proceeds to the Presbytery Office marked clearly Presbytery Mission Work Trips. One church has a $10,000.00 challenge going, another is having a BBQ, a third is offering 1/3 of the proceeds from their fall festival. There are lots of things you can do. --- Thanks to all who have already done!

4.We are still looking for:
-Medical people, doctors or nurses to go along on the trips and patch up the scrapes and bumps that are inevetable on a trip like this. Hospitals are open in the area for serious stuff but we need to be able to help with the little stuff.
-Trucks and vans to transport food and materials, a refrigerated delivery truck to transport and hold the food would be great!
-Bobcats and similar equipment to help move junk.
-Light hand tools that can be used for the college trips. Shovels, crowbars, hammers, sledges, pry bars and similar tools. Bring them to the Presbytery office and we will get them to the workers.

5.Update on costs for volunteers: Students are being asked to pitch in $30 to help pay costs for the 2 college trips. Volunteers going on the November and December All Presbytery Trips will be asked to donate $100.00 each. As funds come in from the churches we may be able to drop the costs per person, but be prepared to help with costs. (Hot tip- get your church to have a potluck supper to help pay your way)

6.Start getting your applications in for the November and December trips so we will have a look at the numbers. Applications are available through the link on the Presbytery homepage.

7.All our trips will be going to the Golf Port, Biloxi Mississippi area. We are talking to people in those areas who are working for the Presbyteries and General Assembly disaster teams, they are really excited about our arrival and are getting housing, food preparation areas and work lined up. God is blessing our work and things are falling into place.

NOTE: The response Presbyterians from all over our Presbytery has been wonderful. Many people are getting on board and helping plan even if they can’t go with a trip. Please say thanks to those who are already helping and encourage people to get on board, the energy and memories from these trips are already and certainly will fuel many forward steps in individual faith journeys and in the journey we all share as members of the Presbytery of East Tennessee. Praise the Lord and pass the tools!