News Updates and Forms

American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) issues a call for prayers and financial donations for those across the Central United States, from Texas to Wisconsin, who were ravaged by recent weather. Since Friday, April 26, tornadoes, flash floods and severe winds have resulted in lives lost, devastated property and widespread power outages.

Reports coming late April 28 have identified Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa as the hardest-hit states. Four people, including an infant, in three different Oklahoma communities have died, and one person in Iowa was killed.

The Rev. Lisa Harris Lee, ABHMS director of Healing & Transforming Communities, said: “We lament the news of death, injury and destruction caused by tornadoes in recent days. We are communicating with ministry leaders in the states affected as they work to appraise the apparent and less visible impacts of the tragedy.”

The Rev. Dr. Gregg L.J. Hemmen, executive minister of American Baptist Churches of the Central Region, confirms that flooding has affected homes and churches in southeast Kansas. Similarly, the Rev. Dr. Greg Mamula, executive minister of American Baptist Churches of Nebraska, relates that communities of church members have been “impacted by the storms.” Both pastors acknowledge that a comprehensive damage assessment will take time.

Through One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS), your donations are directed to the designated disaster within weeks and often for years following the event as neglected needs emerge. All your gifts will make a difference in the lives of people we may or may not know and show the love of God where and when it is needed most.

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 the distribution of the annual OGHS offering received by churches.

Donations can be made through the WVBC by marking your check or remittance form “OGHS – Spring Tornadoes.” You can also give online by clicking the button below and choosing “OGHS” in the drop-down.