wfn.org | Disciples among appointments to CWS Domestic

["Communication Ministries" <wshuffit@cm.disciples.org>]

Disaster Responders
Date: April 11, 2002
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
E-mail: news@cm.disciples.org
Web: http://www.disciples.org

Contact: Chris Herlinger, cherlinger@churchworldservice.org

02a-28

NEW YORK -- In a landmark change, the Church World Service
Emergency Response Program (ERP) has announced the
appointment of five full-time staff members who will
respond to disasters in the United States. Among those
appointed are two Disciples ministers, the Revs. Lura J.
Cayton, Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Thomas Hart Davis,
Augusta, Kan.

Cayton has worked as a volunteer disaster resource
consultant for CWS and as coordinator of disaster recovery
for the Oklahoma Conference of Churches since 2001. She has
most recently served as senior minister of the Capitol Hill
Christian Church, and is a former board member and
treasurer of Interfaith Disaster Recovery of Greater
Oklahoma City. She helped coordinate response during last
year's tornado in Cordell, Okla. Cayton will begin her
full-time assignment later this summer.

Davis has served as disaster response consultant for Church
World Service since 2000 and responded to the natural gas
explosions of Hutchinson, Kan., in January 2001, while
employed with the Wichita Hospice. Prior to that, Davis
served as pastor of the Augusta Christian Church. He also
served as director of the Augusta Area Flood Relief Aid
Committee following a November 1999 flood, and supervised
coordination of an intense recovery effort that lasted
three years. Davis joined the team April 1.
Assisting the five full-time Disaster Response and Recovery
Liaisons (DRRLs) will be up to 15 contract individuals who
will work on an "as needed" basis.

The change marks a new era for the Emergency Response
Program, which up until now has relied on the work of a
network of volunteers for responding to domestic disasters,
said ERP Director Rick Augsburger.

"This is an exciting development for the Emergency Response
Program," he said. "The new structure should improve the
already strong paradigm for our domestic disaster response
ministry and continue to propel the program into the future
of the ever-changing disaster response and recovery
environment."

The need for change has been prompted by increasing demands
being placed on ERP volunteers for increased time
commitment, professionalism, and the need to pursue
advanced training. The "true" time and energy commitment
required to coordinate, monitor, and follow-up effectively
in domestic response to disaster requires a new structure
for the ERP domestic program, Augsburger said.

"The work of our volunteer network has propelled CWS into
the Domestic Disaster Response community as an invaluable
source of guidance and support for faith groups in both
emergency response and preparedness," he said.

Others appointed to the full-time positions are: Joann
Hale, Buffalo, NY, United Church of Christ; the Rev. Peter
J. Van Hook, Salt Lake City, Utah. Episcopal Church; and
Lesli S. Remaly, Miami, Florida, United Church of Christ. 

The contract "on-call" Disaster Response and Recovery
Liasions are: Will Rabert, Tennessee, United Church of
Christ; Dan Grimes, Virginia, Presbyterian Church (USA);
Neil Molenaar, Washington, Christian Reformed World Relief
Committee; Charles Moeller, North Carolina, Lutheran
Disaster Response; Ellis Wykstra, Michigan, Christian
Reformed World Relief Committee; Lynn Spencer, United
States Virgin Islands; Rafael Moreno, Puerto Rico; Dick
Eskes, California, Christian Reformed World Relief
Committee; Cherri Baer, Kansas, United Methodist Committee
on Relief; Art Jackson, Massachusetts, Christian Reformed
World Relief Committee; Christine Iverson, Kansas, Lutheran
Disaster Response; Kimberly Schuler Hall, California, 
Church of Latter Day Saints; 

The change to a new system has been made with the full
support of the CWS ERP Executive Committee, which, along
with ERP staff, felt it was becoming increasingly clear
that relying on a network of volunteers no matter how
dedicated and hard-working -- had built-in limitations,
given new pressures and demands in the field.

The ERP has often stretched "our volunteer network to its
capacity - and sometimes beyond," said Linda Reed Brown,
ERP Associate Director for Domestic Response, who called
the change "charting new territory for the faith community
as it faces increasing demands in disaster response."

Reed Brown, a former DRF, knows first-hand how challenging
the role of a domestic disaster volunteer can be. "As a
volunteer I could have spent 100 percent of the time for a
job that was being asked of me," she said. "We're excited
that an opportunity has arrived to recognize the work of
experienced and professional disaster responders."

In announcing the changes, Augsburger thanked the many
volunteers who have worked on behalf of Church World
Service in disaster response.

He said the change to a team of full-time disaster liaisons
and contract "on-call" individuals is the natural
culmination of 20 years of hard work and commitment by many
CWS-ERP volunteers and is a tribute to their hard work.
"The work of our volunteer network has propelled CWS into
the Domestic Disaster Response community as an invaluable
source of guidance and support for faith groups in both
emergency response and preparedness," he said. 

He added that the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), the American Red Cross and other government and
voluntary agencies look to the faith community to take the
lead in forming long-term recovery organizations that
address unmet disaster-caused needs.

Over the past 20 years, it is estimated that more than 100
persons gave significant amounts of time to volunteer on
behalf of CWS for the good of disaster-affected
communities. The last consultant network included
volunteers from 30 states and represented 12 faith groups.

"There are not adequate words to express CWS' appreciation
for their many gifts," Reed Brown said, "nor is it possible
to recognize the work that has brought both the demand and
the support for such a dramatic change."

Disciples' Week of Compassion is a major supporter of the
CWS Emergency Response Program.  For more information
contact: Johnny Wray, Week of Compassion, Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ), PO Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN.,
e-mail: johnnywray@ecunet.org.

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