Deadliest tornado in U.S. history strikes 'close to home' for Relief Organization

Monday, May 23, 2011


An EF4 tornado cut a wide swath through Joplin — a southwest Missouri community — on Sunday night. At least 116 people were killed and entire neighborhoods were flattened.

“There was no time,” one survivor told our team in Joplin today. The woman then explained how she and dozens of others hid in a church’s hallway. “When we heard the roar of the tornado, we knew we were in trouble.”

Will you partner with us in our response by donating today online? Donate Here

Today, search and rescue personnel combed through piles of rubble looking for survivors. Children worked side-by-side with their parents sifting through what remained of their homes under pelting rain. Some couples could only cry and hold each other. On one house someone spray-painted on the brick façade: Lee is now with Joe — a reference, it seems, to the resident’s death.

Thousands of families in Joplin are hurting tonight. Some have lost loved ones; thousands have lost their homes, possessions and businesses. It’s heartbreaking, but it also provides an opportunity for the nation to come alongside the residents of Joplin to give them hope.

Joplin is less than 75 miles from Convoy of Hope’s World Distribution Center in Springfield. Many of the residents in Joplin are friends who have supported Convoy of Hope over the years as we have responded to disasters in the U.S. and around the world.

Now, it’s time to give back!

Convoy of Hope will do everything in its power to help the people of Joplin recover from this tragedy. But we need your help. Please consider a generous donation today.

Already, we have sent teams and truckloads full of food, water and supplies to Joplin. In the coming days we will do even more.

Friends like you make it possible for Convoy of Hope to respond to desperate cries for help when disasters strike. Your gift today will enable us to continue to say, “Yes!” to families in Joplin and around the world.

God bless you,

Hal Donaldson

President, Convoy of Hope

Copyright Convoy of Hope © 2011 All rights reserved.

Rebecca St. James Takes Tour of Mega-Churches Across America

BRINGS NEW WORSHIP MUSIC TO WILLOW CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH -- CHICAGO AREA, MAY 28-29TH

NATIONAL "MEGA-CHURCH" TOUR GIVES GRAMMY-WINNER A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE NEW WORSHIP MUSIC MORE PERSONAL





Nashville, TN (May 23, 2011): In the era of instant ‘down-loadable contact,’with the music of favorite artists,Grammy® Award winning Christian singer, Rebecca St. James has been on a unique cross country course of personal connection with her audiences to present the new worship music from her recently released CD I Will Praise You (Reunion/Provident Label Group).

Since the CD's April release, St. James has taken her new music from I Will Praise You and her passionate heart for its presentation directly to the platforms of America’s churches -- including high visibility appearances at a series of the country’s largest “mega churches” where she has been presented as a specially featured guest artist during worship. The ambitious ‘mega’ tour schedule will bring her this coming weekend -- May 28-29th to the Chicago’s area's Willow Creek CommunityChurch.

Willow Creek, with six unique satellite regional campuses around the Chicago area that have grown from the original South Barrington, Illinois campus planted by founding pastor Bill Hybels, is the third largest church in America with weekend services averaging 24,000 worshippers.

At the Willow Creek services this coming weekend, Rebecca will be part of an extended worship service at the South Barrington campus for services scheduled Saturday at 5:30 P.M. and Sunday at 9:00 A.M. and 11:15 A.M.

In the midst of her presentation at churches,large and small, St. James is vocal in her appreciation of every opportunity her focus on worship has brought. “Every church body and audience has its’ own personality and culture,” she notes, “so it’s really interesting to be a part of a new worship experience with unique ‘bodies’ of believers all over the world. I love the fact that worship is so interactive. When a group of believers collectivity sing of their love for Jesus and enjoy His presence together, it’s a taste of heaven.”

“Rebecca’s concert and ministry among us was absolutely outstanding—a huge encouragement in faith and discipleship…I encourage any church to partner with Rebecca and her team in this vital ministry…”

Notes like those above from Dr. Rick Booye, Sr. Pastor of Trail Christian Fellowship in Eagle Point, Oregon are a constant source of encouragement to the singer and best selling Christian author and indicative of her reach extending far beyond even the bigger platforms such as the one in Chicago this weekend.

I Will Praise You, produced by Mark A. Miller (Casting Crowns) and St. James' first album release for the Provident Label Group, offers listeners an intimate invitation to come inside her heart for worship. "The album is very personal to me as I wrote songs for it that related to things I have been personally learning in my own walk with God," notes Rebecca. "I am singing songs from it that are especially close to my heart."

Newly married in April, Rebecca continues a busy schedule of special events at both churches and as a national spokesperson for pro life at a 2011 series of speaking/performance appearances at Crisis Pregnancy appearances around the country. An appearance earlier this month on Fox New Channel’s Hannity came just days after she returned from her honeymoon –a sure signal that Rebecca St. James will remain an outspoken media voice for Christian faith and values issues in the weeks and months to come.

Her new I Will Praise You CD continues to connect with listeners as does St. James' current radio single from the album –the title track song.

For more information on Rebecca St. James May 28-29th appearance at Willow Creek Community Church resource:
http://www.willowcreek.org/home1.aspx

Resource Rebecca St. James online: www.rsjames.com