Bill and Ellen Matten, Pennsylvania Central Conference CDCs

Home Congregation: St. John’s UCC, Boalsburg, Pa.
Conference Disaster Coordinators
Pennsylvania Central Conference
CDCs for more than 10 years
 
Bill: In our working lives, Ellen and I both traveled the world – she serving in the U.S. government and I in the U.S. military. We both grew up in the UCC and have a strong commitment to serve others. We were co-managers of the Pennsylvania Central Conference church camp and conference center.
 
When Katrina hit, we knew we wanted to help, especially with our academic and vocational background. Later we were Partners in Service at Back Bay Mission and assisted recovery across the country after other disasters. During the isolation of the COVID pandemic, we have kept sharing information with our networks about ways to support disaster recovery in the United States and beyond.
 
We’re helping mentor the new York County Long-Term Recovery Group, mostly virtually but on March 14 we attended an in-person meeting, the first for us in a long time.
 
Ellen: Our faith tells us we need to do disaster response, if we believe God loves everyone and that everyone is our neighbor.