UMCOR Sunday 2023

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Planning for Disaster Response Victories

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  Planning for Disaster Response Victories Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator In most sports, the coach prepares the team for a game by developing a plan. This blueprint outlines the strategies and tactics to which players will adhere and execute during competition. Using a plan clearly defines roles and responsibilities, establishes goals, and guides the team toward success. When disaster strikes, it is equally important to have a plan and allow God to bless it for success. This was particularly evident when major flooding swept through the Clarks Summit area (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District) on September 9 th , catching many people off guard. As a result, nearly 300 individuals and/or families in and around this community just outside Scranton found themselves wondering how to address their wet basements and damaged property. And, when the call for help went out, the response to meeting this need mirrored the work of a well-practiced team entering competition. In th
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Commentary: In the Master’s Hands

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Commentary: In the Master’s Hands Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator I remember attending the Pennsylvania Farm Show a few years ago and viewing the butter sculpture on display in the Main Hall. I was always amazed at how much time and effort went into creating these dairy displays. The sculpture for the 2023 annual show took fourteen days to create and, the sculptors spent that time creating their masterpiece in an enclosure cooled to a temperature between 50 and 60 degrees. It’s quite a contrast to the artists at outdoor festivals whom I’ve watched create ice or wood sculptures in a fraction of that time, in very different conditions, using some very rudimentary tools. In both instances, the result was a wonderful piece of art. God works in much the same way. Sometimes it takes Him years to sculpt us into a masterpiece. He pulls away the layers slowly and methodically to give us our spiritual shape. Other times, He is very capable of transforming our lives overni
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Sitting at the Crossroads of Life

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Commentary: Sitting at the Crossroads of Life By Douglas Hoy, Disaster Response Coordinator Have you ever found yourself sitting at a crossroad in life, wondering what to do? You know you can’t just sit there. You need to make a decision. Does your life’s path require you to continue in the direction you are traveling? Maybe you need a clear change in your circumstances and need to consider turning left or right. Or, are you so far away from your starting point, that returning to the familiar might be the best option. These crossroads in life can take many forms and cause us to struggle. Fear, sadness, anger and grief begin to creep into our lives. And, when these emotions begin to take over, we lose sight of our destination or the path to it. Margaret Benefiel states In her book, Crisis Leadership , that it is at this point we should “sit still long enough and be quiet” and allow God to do amazing things around us. Resist the urge to forge ahead under the assumption that the road we a
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