Now that many of us who have been affected by the 2024 Hurricanes are beginning to get our lives back together, with restoration, relocation and reconstruction of our homes and church facilities, there is one other “r” that we need to consider: Renewal. We’ve all been through a lot, and even those of us whose homes were spared still suffered the emotional impact that witnessing our church families’ pain has caused.
The pastors in our area Conference have not been immune to this pain, with some having gone through the same or even worse, and as a Conference we want to reach out to provide a safe space to remember what happened, begin to process our grief, and look forward to a brighter, more well-prepared future.
With that in mind, our Suncoast Conference churches have banded together to offer Calm Between the Storms: Healing, Hope and Resiliency. This workshop will be held on February 1 from 9:30 – 3:30 at First Baptist Church, 1900 Gandy Blvd. N, in St. Petersburg.
We will gather with county disaster leaders, chaplains trained in trauma response, and synod leadership to worship and pray together, to seek God’s healing from our experiences of loss and uncertainty, and to explore ways we can be better prepared individually and as a church to face the next storm.
The day will begin with registration and refreshments at 9:30, followed by prayer and then a presentation from a member of the Pinellas County’s disaster response team. Following that will be a presentation by Pastor Rick Malivuk, “Resiliency After Trauma.”
The day will include lunch, followed by a guided discussion on “Creating an Action Plan,” and will conclude with worship including Holy Communion and an opportunity for healing prayers.
The workshop is free and a free-will offering will be taken to cover the expenses for lunch and to offer a donation to First Baptist for their generous hospitality. If you are interested in attending, it is very important that you register using the QR code below so the organizers will know how many to provide lunch and refreshments for.
Your pastors are excited about this opportunity to not just process all of our emotions from this experience but also to be better prepared as a church family for when the inevitable next storm comes. There is power in dealing with our grief, and there is power in preparation for the future. Please join us in registering and attending this event, which is a wonderful gift from our area churches, united in Christ’s love.
