Insights from in and around the association
UBA Voices
Storm Season's Here! Are You Ready?
When disaster strikes, the Church must be prepared to minister to those inside and outside its walls. Here’s our plan.
Please Help in the Aftermath of Hurricane Delta
Of all the named storms in 2020, only one briefly touched Florida, while four have hit Louisiana. Churches must rise up to address gaps in the system. Our friends in Lake Charles specifically need our help still, so here are some updated ways to serve them.
Don't Forget Louisiana—A Hurricane Laura Update
You probably remember the time after Harvey—when the news cycle moved on, the first volunteers tired out, and so much work remained. This seclusion is even more palpable in Lake Charles, where power and water are just now being restored and the disparity between served and underserved neighborhoods is becoming clear. Let’s remind our Cajun neighbors that we’re in this together.
2020 Continues: Hurricane Season
Coming as a shock to no one, 2020 is living up to forecasts for being one of the busiest storm seasons on record! Should a significant hurricane hit Houston—this year especially—there will be a palpable sense of hopelessness in the city. The Church must be prepared to minister to those inside and outside its walls.
Willing + Able: How Will Your Church Respond When Disaster Strikes?
If we know anything about disaster relief, it's that preparation for relief must take place long before a disaster strikes. That's why Houston Responds has developed The Willing & Able program to help congregations prepare for disaster and coordinate their response with other congregations in their community. Learn more about how your church can be prepared to act when disaster strikes.
Prepare, Pray, and Party—Resources for Reopening Well
As churches begin to reopen in the coming weeks, we support leaders making decisions to remain online as well as those reopening their church buildings—assuming necessary precautions are being taken. Our churches are represented in each of these camps. But now our attention turns to how a church can prepare for a true celebration with all its people.
Make It Matter—How Collaborative Innovation Helped Provide Durable, Safe Homes
Over 20 years ago, Lynette Francois had the vision to be a blessing over houses and lands spread out across the world. At the time, she wasn't really sure what that meant or even where to start. Over the years, however, God brought the right situations and the right people to work together to impact Haiti. Now, Make It Matter Inc is demonstrating God's love by building durable and safe homes for those in need.
Here's the Plan for Storm Season
‘Tis the season that no one wants to talk about: hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—pronounced “Noah,” ironically enough—issued its 2019 major storm forecast, calling for an average year. That means 2-4 major hurricanes. Of course, we’re praying that none of those of major storms make landfall in our beloved Houston area, but if they do, we want to capitalize on some of the lessons we learned from Harvey. And we're asking all our churches to join us.
Your Summer To Do List
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear someone say, “Summer in Houston”? Summer for our churches can mean all kinds of things: mission trips, church camps, VBS, just to name a few. It can also mean different routines or a degree of informality—maybe even preaching in shorts! Whatever your summer may look like, here are a few events and considerations to keep in mind as we head into this season.
UBA's Top 10 Articles of 2018
2018 has brought a lot of things our way: heavy losses, exciting possibilities, and hard discussions. Likewise, our blog also had a lot of fascinating and pertinent articles for the year. As we prepare for what God has in store for 2019, we'll first pause to remember and celebrate the top 10 articles of 2018.