What is your church doing to help the Tsunami victims?

[cally]

My church collected funds.

[Kat45]

1. All of the "loose money" donations in the plate went to that cause.

Now this wasn't a second "special" collection, this was the church's regular (and only) collection at our service Sunday. Although we're a poor church, the decision was made to give Sunday's collection to help the Tsunami victims. There was also information in the bulletin for those interested in making further donations on their own.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Encouraging people to donate to Episcopal Relief and Development

which can work through local churches, especially in southern India, Burma, Sri Lanka, and other former British colonies.

[RevCheesehead]

3. We have our own relief agency: UMCOR

United Methodist Committee on Relief, which is used world-wide and nationally for various situations.

I believe they are an extension of, or work with the WCC's agency... um, I forgot the name... but it's an ecumenical effort to get help, fast, to the people who need it.

I'm so glad the UM's are part of a connectional system.

[boomboom]

4. separate fund

We've set up a separate fund for giving. Our church has an average of $800,000 per week to the general fund. This will do a lot of good

[cally]

5. $800,000??? per week

How big is the church? That's amazing.

[boomboom]

6. Average attendance is around 20,000 weekly

Three campuses. There's actually 40,000 members, but obviously not all attend regularly. I noticed the weekend of Dec. 18-19 total contributions were $1.7M. Annual budget is about $38M. Big church, but feels smaller cuz of bible studies, etc.

[Kat45]

7. What denomination is it, or is it one of those new churches

that don't belong to any denomination? (I always assumed that all the huge churches are fundie or evangelical churches, but maybe not?)

[boomboom]

8. Baptist eom

[Cuban_Liberal]

9. We had special collections.

We had collections for Catholic Relief Services, the Red Cross and UNICEF.

[Cuban_Liberal]

12. Update:

The parish totals were:

Catholic Relief Agency--- $11,973.54
Red Cross--- $ 3,378.10
U.N.I.C.E.F.--- $ 5,651.69

Not bad for a bunch of farmers.

:D

[AngryOldDem]

10. Other than prayer intentions, not much

I am hoping that the archdiocese will have a special collection or something here very soon. That has been done elsewhere.

I'm heading up Catholic Relief Services' Operation Rice Bowl in my parish again this Lent, so at least indirectly we'll be helping. At least I hope people feel so moved to take part.

[boomboom]

11. Heard this morning....

after last week's call, our spontaneous contribution to our relief fund was $200,000. That's pretty great above our regular tithe, the same day. We also have some church members over there to determine where we can help most. How cool is that???

[UrbScotty]

13. They had a second collection for Catholic Relief Services. (nt)