THE BRIEFING | Hurricane Sandy pummeled the East Coast early this week, killing 40 people in the region (and more than 60 others in the Caribbean), and desolating some of the nation’s largest cities.

In New York, the storm flooded subway stations and forced a two-day closure of the New York Stock Exchange. As the wind and rain subsided, pastors began the work in checking in with their church members, hoping for good news and looking for ways to help.

Freeman Field, on staff at the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association, reported damage to one New York City church, Graffiti Church on the Lower East Side, and said others are still calling in with reports.

“…We are still hearing from our pastors about needs…. We know of two families specifically who had their apartments flooded out – one in Brooklyn from Park Slope Community Church, the other in Jersey City from Gallery Church,” Field wrote to Baptist Press in an email. Read the full story.

Other Hurricane Sandy news:

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief starts long-term relief effort on East Coast
(Baptist Press)

What Jesus might say about Sandy
(Christianity Today)