Texas National Guard soldiers arrive in Houston, Texas to aid citizens in heavily flooded areas from the storms of Hurricane Harvey. Image by Lt. Zachary West, 100th MPAD

On Sept. 9, 2017, churches across the North American region of the Seventh-day Adventist Church will collect a special offering to support the relief efforts of Adventist Community Services (ACS) after millions in Texas and Louisiana were impacted by the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Harvey. A flyer has been prepared to announce this special offering — links to downloadable files are below.

Adventist Community Services volunteers in Texas begin prepping supplies for flood victims. Image by Sherri Watts, ACS assistant director, Texas Conference

Hurricane-force winds and rain and resulting floods displaced thousands of people from their homes and damaged or destroyed countless buildings when the record-setting storm made landfall on Aug. 26. ACS, along with its partner, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), is responding to the needs of those affected by this once-in-a-lifetime storm. ACS is providing clothing, personal care kits, cleaning supplies, and emotional and spiritual care as an immediate response. ADRA is providing funding to ACS as they work directly with local partners responding to the needs in their communities. Through this combined effort, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is serving as the hands and feet of Jesus to the communities of southwestern Texas and Louisiana.

In an update on Aug. 29, the Adventist ACS team in North America stated that they are “so grateful to those who are willing to help out; however, volunteers are not needed at this time due to the limited access to affected areas and inadequate safety precautions. Once the rains have subsided, we will have more information on how to provide assistance in the recovery phase.”

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America asks for church members to pray for the people of Texas and Louisiana and give to this special offering.

CLICK HERE for a JPEG to share a flyer on social media. This file may also be printed to share with others.

CLICK HERE for a PDF to print and share in church bulletins.

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