Lynnfield church group to help with tornado rehab

LYNNFIELD – A team from Centre Congregational Church in Lynnfield will be traveling to Joplin, Mo. this August to participate in the rebuilding effort for the city that was hit by a devastating tornado last May.Barbara Langill, the trip’s organizer and church director of Christian education and youth ministry, said the church’s team is part of a larger disaster recovery volunteer program organized by the United Church of Christ, of which the Lynnfield church is affiliated.Prior to the trip, which will be from Aug. 12 to Aug. 18, Langill said the team will fill out forms listing any helpful skills.”So if we have a lot of painters, they might give you more painting jobs,” she said.So far, 15 people have signed up for the trip, including four high school students, Langill said, and there is space for 20 people to attend.Langill said church officials decided it would be a good opportunity to give the whole church a chance to participate in the mission trip. For the past four years, just the church’s youth group has gone to New Orleans to volunteer in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she said.Michael DiGiorgio, a 38-year-old Reading resident, said he signed up for the trip because he wanted a more active way to get involved in a charitable cause.”I keep telling myself I’m going to join Habitat for Humanity and give more than just money, actually give some time,” he said. “And this opportunity fell in my lap, and there’s no excuse why not to do it.”High school student and 16-year-old Lynnfield resident Mia Sievers said compassion drove her to join the trip.”It sounds like they needed help. My heart went out to the people down there,” she said.Langill said the trip is being paid for through a combination of fundraising, money from church donations and contributions from trip attendees.”We try and split it that way so it’s not too hard on any one thing and people don’t get tired of us fundraising, we hope,” she said. “Most people are happy to give for that.”Centre Congregational Church Pastor the Rev. Dennis Bailey said he does not know whether he will go on the trip, but the decision will be based on whether 20 people end up attending. The focus for the trip, he said, is giving rather than thinking about getting something out of the visit to Joplin.”I think the idea is that whatever we gain is extra. We are going there to give of ourselves, and that’s the primary mission. But the fact is, when you go and help somebody like this, your life is changed,” he said. “Whether you choose to have it changed or not, you’re witnessing this hardship that other people have been through that is beyond our imagination.”Sarah Mupo can be reached at [email protected].