ABSTRACT
The subject of responding to disasters in different church traditions allows us to consider the active and important part churches play within their communities. Afro-Caribbean congregations have been an important component of many communities within the United Kingdom for several decades and are most often the place where individuals have felt a sense of belonging and acceptance. The vibrant worship, dependency on God’s promises of help within scriptures, belief in the power of prayer and a collective worldview promotes an environment where many seek refuge in times of trouble and distress. Historical experiences of tragedies and disasters often inform our responses to current events, and this can be observed within Afro-Caribbean congregations that have generally been borne out of experiences as immigrants being ostracised by congregants within churches with predominantly white congregations on coming to the United Kingdom and the historical events of slavery. Although, like many congregations, there have been changes in terms of the demographic, attendance and what is expected from the church and its leadership, Afro-Caribbean congregations are still, through the collective and unique way of being, finding ways of responding to various traumatic events that are experienced by individuals and the whole community. This chapter seeks to discuss various elements incorporated in managing such experiences.
