Letter from Rev. Kristen: Helping with Hurricane Helene Relief

Hey Church Family,

 I know that many of us have been grieving over the devastation and loss of life that Hurricane Helene has brought to Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.  Some of the stories and pictures coming out in the aftermath of the storm are truly horrific, and many in the region are struggling. 

In our greater Anglican family, there are churches like Redeemer Ashville who are hosting worship services without power and water, while at the same time doing what they can to care for their community.  Similarly, the Vine Anglican church, a church west of Ashville, is seeking to help connect their community to needed resources, while they themselves pick up the pieces all around them.  And, unfortunately, there are also many other churches in our Anglican family and in our greater Christian family who are in similar situations.

With this all happening, some of you may be wondering if there are ways for us to help, and yes there are!  While there are many organizations doing good work at the moment, one of them I wanted to commend to you is the Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF), which is the relief arm of the ACNA.

Currently, the ARDF is working on the ground to get much needed resources to communities who need it.  They are doing this in a number of ways, including giving Go Grants to churches who want to drive supplies and resources into the region.  For example, Christ Church Montgomery has just sent a trailer to North Carolina to get supplies to The Vine Anglican.  (And by the way, I know the priests of both Christ Church and the Vine, and so it is wonderful to see these caring connections happening.) The ARDF is also working in other ways, for example creating teams of volunteers who can go into the region to help in the ways that are most needed. 

ARDF is a great organization, and their grassroots efforts make a difference all over the world, and I know they are already making a great difference in the communities most affected by Helene.  So, if you would like to assist in their efforts, you can click on the link below.  You’ll have an opportunity to find out more about what ARDF is doing, as well as to donate, volunteer, and read stories about our Anglican brothers and sisters in the aftermath of this storm.

Thanks in advance for your compassion and care!

Blessings,

Rev. Kristen Yates