In October, our Monthly Prayer Focus was on Disaster Recovery, and during the month we mentioned that we were working on connecting with a C&MA church in Puerto Rico to partner with them in recovery.

There are 63 C&MA churches in Puerto Rico, as well as an extension campus of Alliance Theological Seminary (ATS). The island of Puerto Rico, their economy, these church properties, the people who make up these churches, and the neighborhoods they are located in were devastated by the hurricane. The road to recovery is long and hard, but there are also many opportunities to offer hope and love in the name of Jesus.

If you’ve ever been to Puerto Rico, the island is much different now because of the destruction. If you want to gain a good overview of the condition of the island, check out the video from C&MA President John Stumbo’s visit to Puerto Rico here.

We’ve made contact with the Theopolis C&MA church in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. They are excited and encouraged about us partnering with them in these days. The church is pastored by William Pacheco. Their facility did not experience much damage, but many homes around them did. They only recently regained electricity in their area. Pastor William shared these 3 prayer requests with us:

For their school, Theopolis Christian Academy, and the teachers and students. They need to maintain enrollment, but many people are leaving the island for the states. This will make it harder for the school to continue functioning.
They have teams that continue to go out to help the people next to them and in other communities. They want to be able to continue doing the work needed around the church and in the neighborhoods.
Please pray for the people that still don’t have electricity or water, who have health problems, who lost their home, etc.

We’ve also made contact with the extension campus of Alliance Theological Seminary in the San Juan area. They are the leading seminary on the island. They have experienced extensive damage to their facility (roof, carpet, windows, etc), but are thankful that there was very little damage to their books and other education materials. That being said, they need to meet an $80,000 deductible before their insurance will kick in, and they are also facing an enrollment crisis after starting the academic year with record enrollment.

Many of the Alliance districts have already sent money to sustain the district office in Puerto Rico. One of the poorest Alliance churches in Africa has sent $1000 to provide relief to those in need in Puerto Rico.

Not only are we calling you to partner in prayer, but we also want to rise up in love to bless our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico financially. To that end, we will be taking a special offering on Sunday, 26 November, in both services to send to Puerto Rico for both the Theopolis Church and the ATS extension campus. Please begin asking God how He would have you participate in an above and beyond way. The people of the C&MA have a long tradition of rising up and giving sacrificially when needs arise. May we embrace that tradition and give to bless these brothers and sisters as they not only work to get back on their feet, but help others get back on their feet in the name of Jesus. Digital giving is available as well (choose Puerto Rico), especially for those of you who will not be in the service that weekend.

Thank you for praying and for giving to bless and love these brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico who have suffered much.

Pictures of the Theological Seminary in San Juan

Here are a few pictures of some of the damage to the Alliance Theological Seminary Extension in San Juan (STPR).

12/7/17 Update on the Offering:

Thank you for giving so generously. $11,208 has been collected and is on its way to both the seminary and the Theopolis Church in Mayaguez. Thank you for rising up in love.

On December 14, we received a thank you email from the Theopolis Church in Mayaguez regarding our gift. They are very appreciative and are praying for First Alliance as we pray for them. They hope to send us some pictures soon.

12/21/17 Update from the Theopolis Church in Mayaguez

We've received some pictures from the Theopolis Church of some of their damage. It was not extensive, but they continue to have concerns regarding their school and its enrollment as people leave for the states, making its continuing functioning more difficult. They also continue to seek to minister to the needs in the community around them. Check out the pictures, as well as the brief video greeting from the church.

Facing the Holidays after bereavement...

When you’re grieving the death of a family member or friend, you may dread the holiday season from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. Thoughts of social gatherings, family traditions, and obligations leave you anxious and overwhelmed. Your sadness can seem unbearable. You may wish you could skip these next two months and go straight to the routine of the next year—but you can’t. What can you do to lessen your stress and loneliness?

Holidays trigger tough emotions

You can start by learning what emotions are normal and to be expected when facing the holidays without your loved one. “If you’re feeling overwhelmed as this holiday season approaches, that’s very normal,” advised psychologist Dr. Susan Zonnebelt-Smeenge, whose husband died. “You’re probably wondering how you’re going to handle this and are unsure of what course to take. I want to assure you that you can get through these holidays, and hopefully you can even find moments of joy.”

When you know what to expect, you won’t be rendered helpless as holiday events trigger unexpected emotions. Make a point to spend time talking with people who have experienced a past loss and have already been through a holiday season without their loved one. They can help you have an idea of typical emotions and emotional triggers to expect. These people can also provide much-needed comfort and support.

Creating a holiday plan will help

Another important step in surviving the holidays is to create a healthy plan for the coming season. “Planning does help you to have a little control, even when you feel totally out of control,” said Dr. Zonnebelt-Smeenge. A healthy plan involves making decisions in advance about traditions, meals, time spent with others, holiday decorating, gift-giving, and commitments.

You will likely not have the energy or the interest in doing as much as you have in past years. Decide ahead of time which invitations you’ll accept, and let the host or family member know that you might leave early. Consider whether your decorating will be different this year: perhaps a smaller tree or simpler ornaments. If you cook or bake, cut back.

Make a list of every holiday tradition you can think of, from music to presents to outings. Then decide which traditions will be too difficult without your deceased loved one, which traditions you’d like to maintain, and what new traditions you can start this year.

Communicating with family and friends

What’s also helpful in facing the holidays is to communicate your specific concerns and needs with your family and friends. People in grief are often tempted to put on a mask and pretend things are fine, especially over the holidays. “I didn’t want to put on a damper on anyone else’s joy,” shared Mardie. “So I put on a happy face and tried to be the sister, the daughter, the aunt, that everybody wanted to see. Putting on that happy face was a heavier burden than I was emotionally able to carry at the time.”

Your friends may want you to “cheer up” and “have fun,” when that’s the last thing you want. Others will avoid you because they don’t know what to say and don’t want to make you feel worse. Some family members will give you wrong advice in a misguided attempt to help. All of these people likely mean well, but will only end up hurting you if you don’t communicate what you truly need from them.

As difficult as this may be, it’s important to tell people what they can do to help and what they are doing that isn’t helping. And if you don’t have the energy or inclination to talk to people face-to-face, then write your thoughts, concerns, and needs in a letter or email. What’s important is that you are being honest and gracious in your communication.

In describing the first holiday dinner after she was widowed, Dr. Zonnebelt-Smeenge said, “It seemed like no one wanted to talk about my husband. I kept waiting for somebody to bring up [his name]. After a while I couldn’t stand it anymore. I excused myself and left and bawled all the way home. Later I decided maybe they were waiting for me to decide if it was okay to talk about him; maybe they were afraid if they said anything, they’d make me feel worse. From that time on when I went to an event, I found a way to let people know I wanted to talk about him and I wanted to hear their stories.”

So where can you find out what emotions to expect over the holidays, how to create a healthy plan and how to communicate with family and friends these coming weeks?

“Surviving the Holidays” seminar on Saturday, November 11, 2017.

A GriefShare Surviving the Holidays seminar, held Saturday, November 11, 2017 at First Alliance Church in Toccoa, GA (located at 220 Alliance Drive across from Wal-Mart) from 9:30-11:30 am, offers practical, actionable strategies for making it through the holiday season. At this two-hour seminar, you’ll view a video featuring advice from people in grief who’ve faced the holidays after their loss. You’ll hear insights from respected Christian counselors, pastors, and psychologists. You’ll receive a Holiday Survival Guide with practical strategies, encouraging words, helpful exercises, Q/As, and journaling ideas for daily survival through the holiday season

At GriefShare Surviving the Holidays, you’ll enjoy a holiday brunch as you meet with other grieving people who have an understanding of what you’re going through. They won’t judge you or force you to share, but will accept you where you are and will offer comfort and support. “When I went to GriefShare,” said Marion, “I realized there are different ways to grieve.”

Your holiday season won’t be easy; your emotions may ambush you and suck you under at times. But you can choose to walk through this season in a way that honors your loved one and puts you on the path of health and healing.

To register or find out more about GriefShare Surviving the Holidays, visit www.toccoagriefshare.com or contact First Alliance Church at 706-886-5948 or office@firstalliancetoccoa.com.