October 13, 2022
Dear Pastors,
Greetings in the Majestic Name of Jesus Christ! Hoping you and your families are doing well.
It has been approximately two (2) weeks since Florida was hit by one of the worst hurricanes America have seen in many years. Hurricane Ian has ravished the sunshine state leaving behind mass destruction and flooding in its wake. Schools, homes, small businesses, and places of worship have been flattened. In speaking with Bishop Scott Gillum, State Overseer for Florida, he mentioned that he was able to see up close the damaged church buildings, the hurting people, and other buildings completely destroyed.
Our Church family and their communities in Florida are greatly in need of our prayers, but also our financial assistance. The month of October is a time when we focus on Mission support around the world. However, I would like to make an appeal for Mission at home with the present need for help in Florida. I would like to encourage each Pastor to appeal to your congregation for a special offering that will be sent to the Mid-Atlantic regional office that can be sent to Bishop Scott Gillum from our region to the State of Florida to help the hurting and displaced people in that region.
Let us remind ourselves of Jesus’s words, “For I was hungry, and you fed me, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in, I needed clothing, and you clothed me, I was in prison, and you visited me... I tell you the truth when you did it to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me” ( Matt 25: 35-36, 40). Let us minister to the least of these, which refers to those in a variety of needy situations, they include the hungry, thirsty, impoverished, the sick, and other conditions in Florida.
May God continue to bless us richly as we seek to show the love of Christ to our brothers and sisters.
Thank you for your prayerful and financial support for the hurricane survivors in the sunshine state of Florida.