By J.A. Buchholz

LAKELAND — The Florida Conference Disaster Response Committee is reorganizing after a prolonged financial deficit forced the dissolution of the conference’s full-time disaster response coordinators, the Rev. Bill and Lisa Rhan. Their positions will end Dec. 31.

Even though the conference will no longer have full-time disaster response coordinators, it does not mean the conference will lose its focus on disaster preparedness or response, according to the Rev. David Harris, chairman of the Quick Response Team, a task force that operates within the disaster response committee.

“Disaster relief is mandated by the ‘Book of Discipline,’ ” said Harris, pastor of Mims United Methodist Church in the Melbourne District. “Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker is committed to disaster relief and we will in no way allow this to slow down or hinder this ministry…Relief is so important because as we are there in the midst of crisis assisting these people they become open to having the church become a part of their lives.”

In order to maintain that focus Harris said district disaster relief coordinators, pastors and conference staff will have increased duties in the event of a disaster.

“There is an opportunity for much more involvement from a number of people,” he said. “Roles will be shared.”

The Rev. Dr. Larry Rankin, director of the Conference Council on Ministries’ Missions ministry team and disaster response efforts, said the quick response team is working to determine how disaster relief will be organized in the future.

“We will continue because we know there is a great need for this ministry,” he said.

The reorganization is taking place because the conference can no longer afford to fund the coordinator positions, according to the conference’s Council on Finance & Administration (CF&A).

Dr. Randy Casey-Rutland, the conference’s treasurer, said through the end of September the conference had spent nearly $640,000 more than it had received. He said CF&A is using a small amount of accumulated undesignated funds from previous years to stay afloat.

The financial shortfall is due to a significant reduction in giving across the board in nearly all categories, Casey-Rutland said. Compounding the problem is a prolonged decrease in giving over the last several years that has created a rippling effect, impacting all areas of staff and ministry, including the Rhans, who each earn $25,000 per year from the conference.

Now, the conference is searching for ways to save money.

The Rhans have been working as “10-10-10” missionaries with the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM). The “10-10-10” ministry is a mission program developed to assist annual conferences in establishing missionary ministries and positions within the boundaries of the annual conference. It is a partnership between GBGM and annual conferences to identify new and innovative mission initiatives for an exploratory term of service of no more than three years. Annual conferences assume responsibility for any program costs following the initiatory term, and the annual conference provides program support funds for the site and the missionary.

Bill Rhan said the depot he and his wife have been operating as part of their responsibilities is a way for thousands of people to enter the mission field and assist disaster victims at their greatest time of need.

“This is an organized and effective ministry,” he said. “We work like a well-oiled machine. If we aren’t here, people may look for outside agencies to send their supplies to. The nearest depot…is in Louisiana and North Carolina.”

Harris said the conference is in the process of securing a new location for the conference’s depot.