St. John’s UCC in Emmaus will play a meaningful role in strengthening our conference-wide disaster response efforts. Randy and Irene Kraft, who chair the church’s Missions Committee, shared the good news that the 260 emergency hygiene kits assembled by the congregation last summer are now ready for delivery to the Mission Central warehouse in Mechanicsburg. This facility has become the primary hub for disaster‑response supplies in the Northeast, replacing the former Church World Service depot.
Rev. Gary M. Barraco, pictured here, serves as the Keystone Conference Disaster Response Coordinator. He recently visited St. John’s to pick up the completed kits, which will soon be stored until they are deployed wherever disaster strikes. Each kit represents a small but powerful act of care—practical items that restore dignity, offer comfort, and remind survivors that they are not alone.
This partnership between local congregations, Mission Central, and the Keystone Conference reflects the best of who we are: people of faith working together to meet urgent needs with compassion and readiness. St. John’s commitment to hands-on mission continues to ripple outward, touching lives far beyond Emmaus.
