Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is our denomination’s disaster response and refugee program. Living their motto “Out of Chaos, Hope,” PDA is on the ground whenever and wherever there is a natural or human-caused disaster, working with local congregations and mission partners to support those who have been impacted by the disaster, and to stay as long as needed to get people back on their feet. In the past year PDA responded to disasters in 13 states, Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Cameroon, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Israel, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Puerto Rico, South Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine. PDA’s core budget is funded by One Great Hour of Sharing and designated gifts like our January Special Offering. Our prayerful donations, both great and small, witness to the healing love of Christ and show communities in crisis that they are not alone. Thank you for your support of this offering, a blessing for the recipients; and for the volunteers who give so much of themselves to help others in the name of Jesus.

Many thanks to Carol Baldessari for sharing her musical gifts in concert on September 17th on a lovely warm early autumn afternoon in our outdoor Labyrinth.