Prayer, OGHS donations sought for states that have declared winter emergencies
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 2/23/21)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies is urging all concerned citizens to pray for residents of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, who are under declarations of emergency because of conditions resulting from severe winter storms beginning Feb. 8. In all three states, many residents have been left without heat, power and safe drinking water for weeks. Deaths have resulted from freezing temperatures.
ABHMS staff have been closely monitoring the situation and communicating with regional executive ministers and other partners in all three states, expressing concern and support for them. The Rev. Dr. Alberto Martinez, pastor of Iglesia Christiana Hispana Americana in Orange, Texas, was without electricity for more than 36 hours. The Rev. Dr. Gregg Hemmen, executive minister of American Baptist Churches of the Central Region, says that Oklahoma has been experiencing rolling blackouts. The Rev. Dr. Chum Awi, pastor of Chin Baptist Church, Lewisville, Texas, hosted three families at his house because of power outages. Likewise, other Chin families with electricity were hosting those experiencing power outages.
In addition to prayer, American Baptists can show support by making donations to One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS). Donations to OGHS can be made online, via your church or with a check payable to American Baptist Home Mission Societies and mailed to the attention of Kim Wilkins (kim.wilkins@abhms.org or 610.768.2413) at American Baptist Home Mission Societies, 1075 First Ave., King of Prussia, PA 19406. Please write “OGHS-Cold Wave Disaster Relief” on the memo line of your check.
One hundred percent of your OGHS donations are allocated to the Cold Wave Disaster Relief efforts; no donated funds are retained by American Baptist Home Mission Societies for administrative costs.
One Great Hour of Sharing is administered by the World Relief Committee of the Board of General Ministries of American Baptist Churches USA. The committee facilitates American Baptist emergency relief, disaster rehabilitation, refugee work and development assistance by establishing policy guidelines and overseeing distribution of the annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering received by churches.
American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists to promote Christian faith, cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and bring healing and transformation to communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.
American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse faith denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.
