While flood damage in Ellicott City, MD recently drew national attention, residents just a few miles away in the Beechfield neighborhood of Baltimore were also ravaged by the May 27 storm. Providentially, the community surrounds the Stillmeadow Evangelical Free Church. And also providentially, soon after Pastor Michael Martin came to lead the church last year, the congregation started praying for renewal for their transitional Baltimore neighborhood.
Certainly a flash flood was not expected nor wanted, but P. Michael recognized the strategic moment. He shared, “This storm is pushing our intimacy with our community 2-3 years down the road in a matter of days”. on Memorial Day, the first day after the flood waters receded, P. Michael saw many families coming out of their flooded homes, so he headed to a nearby store, loaded up on really good ground beef, plus all the fixings, and headed back to the church to start feeding the neighbors. But the best part, is that the neighbors did not just come to eat, but took over the preparations and cooking, such that the church, in partnership with their neighbors, fed over 200 people.
But that’s just been the start. The church, in the midst of 150-200 flooded homes, has become the central hub for all the governmental and community services for the flood victims. P. Michael said, “Christians need to present and available to the city”, and he’s been and plans to continue to demonstrate this practically.
Since well before the storm, Michael has been partnering with two other churches in the community to engage the neighborhood. The idea is be THE Church, seeking Kingdom growth and demonstrating Unity. So these three pastors are intentionally integrating their response efforts.
And they have a disciplemaking focus to ministry, including the flood response. Michael understands that the flood recovery may well extend into late 2019, and plans for Stillmeadow to be engaged not just physically, but to also have a very intentional focus on caring for people’s emotional, relational and spiritual needs, walking with the community for the long term.
It’s also quite evident that Pastor Michael and the Stillmeadow EFC family will need outside assistance to help their community recover. And since we, as the EFCA, are “Better Together”, we can too help:
PRAY for:
- Miss Connie and hundreds like her as they start the long road of recovery;
- Wisdom and energy to sustain Michael and his partner pastors as they seek serve their neighbors;
- The Holy Spirit opening doors for Gospel transformation amid caring relationships.
SERVE:
Email crisisresponse@efca.org if you can serve as staff, or to send a team from your church, immediately, or in the future. Currently, volunteers are needed the next 3 weekends: June 9-10, 16-17, and 23-24, but still contact us if you have availability after these dates.
GIVE:
Give to the flood recovery outreach and crisis response needs through ReachGlobal’s ‘Flood Response Account’ 21709-39908:
Or make checks payable to EFCA, referencing “Flood #39908” in the memo line, and send to:
EFCA
901 East 78th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55420
ReachGlobal Crisis Response 