Crisis and Emergency Management and Preparedness for the African-American Church Community

In these challenging times, the resident population served by the predominantly African-American church demands and deserves specific attention in order to preserve the uniquely cohesive nature of the African-American community. While this work is specifically focused on one local church community, there is a shared hope among church members, clergy, civic and lay professionals, and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology that this project will serve as a model for success beyond its local audience. This work was conceived to help mitigate growing environmental and social concerns beyond traditional emergencies--such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, severe weather, and power outages--imposed upon communities already strained by economic and social inequities. This book is designed to provide guidance on crisis and emergency preparedness by offering an example of how a church or similar institution may undertake the task of setting up an appropriate emergency planning structure for its congregation and community. This work summons religious organizations to be proactive in emergency preparedness. Recognizing the insufficiency of government resources and defining disaster theologically as a spiritual problem, Urquhart argues that the church's welfare depends upon crisis and emergency management preparedness. Providing a plethora of disparate ideas and assorted biblical texts, he contends that Crisis and Emergency Management and Preparedness is consistent with the church's mission as sanctuary. The potential value of his project lies in calling awareness to such structural deficiencies and initiating conversation among ecclesiastical and government officials in devising appropriate survival strategies. --Jerome Clayton Ross, Pastor, Providence Park Baptist Church, Richmond, VA Disasters and emergencies are occurring at an alarming rate, and no community or individual is immune from the devastating effects. George Urquhart provides a proactive tapestry of preparedness, response, and recovery. The positive energy generated by Urquhart compels an even greater motivational force to understand and prepare for disaster response by faith communities. With an uncanny sense of inquisitiveness, George outlines how not only the African-American church, but also all faith communities can more effectively respond to the inevitability of life's challenges. Recognizing that churches are in a unique position to respond by demonstrating the love of God in the time of disaster, he calls on the church to prepare for and establish hope by galvanizing the community to meet the challenge. --Jonathan Barton, General Minister, Virginia Council of Churches, Richmond, VA George Urquhart holds a DMin from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. He is the pastor of the Plank Road Baptist Church and is Special Programs and Project Manager with the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Emergency Management. He is the author of a publication titled Personal Liability and the Willingness of Public Officials to Serve (1980). Pastor Urquhart and his wife Jeanetter Maxcean reside in a farm community near Waverly, VA.