March 1, 2005
One Great Hour of Sharing: Electronic Resources Can Interpret This Offering
A print-friendly worship service and an "e-poster" from UMCOR's web site can quickly become your centerpiece for receiving the One Great Hour of Sharing offering this Sunday, March 6. Remember, UMCOR receives no World Service funds. All our administrative expenses are covered by this annual offering. That's why the offering is so critical - it enables us to dedicate 100 percent of your "second-mile" gifts to the Advance project you select. So act now! Download and print the online resources if you don't have other interpretive materials on hand. And then be sure to receive the offering. Your gifts answer Jesus' call to "be there" for others.
South Asia: Generous Donations Will Underwrite Long-Term Recovery
Donations of $15 million will give UMCOR's long-term tsunami recovery work in South Asia a significant boost. The new figure, released on February 23, includes funds from all sources - credit cards, checks sent directly, and money channeled through United Methodist annual conferences. "We are extremely pleased, but we are not surprised," said Roland Fernandes, treasurer of the General Board of Global Ministries. "United Methodists are known for their generosity in times of great human distress." InterAction - whose international nongovernmental organization membership includes UMCOR - reports that private contributions to its member agencies will soon pass the billion-dollar mark.
UMCOR is profoundly grateful for all gifts received so far. Though some "first responders" have closed their appeals for the Indian Ocean region, UMCOR encourages additional contributions to undergird rebuilding efforts that will continue for years to come. One hundred percent of all donations to UMCOR Advance #274305 will benefit the South Asia Emergency.
United States: UMCOR Monitors California's Severe Weather
Areas of California burned in 2004 by wildfires are, in 2005, most vulnerable to mudslides. Dozens of homes situated below unstable hillsides in an eight-county area from San Luis Obispo to San Diego have been evacuated. UMCOR emergency officials are monitoring the situation. You can assist with disaster response and recovery in the United States through your generous contributions to UMCOR Advance #901670, Domestic Disaster Response.
United States: Join the Blue Tarp Gang - Help With Hurricane Recovery
If you're planning a mission trip this spring or summer, consider joining the "blue tarp gang." You can help speed roof replacement all over Florida and other regions devastated by last year's multiple hurricanes. Thousands of volunteers are needed to do the "heavy lifting" of rebuilding roofs, walls, and interiors for homes in the Southeast. Blue tarps - temporary coverings for damaged roofs - dot the countryside all over the region. Much work remains in areas of Alabama as well. UMCOR's volunteer hotline will act as a clearinghouse for the many sites that need volunteers. To find out where the needs are greatest and obtain a local contact, please call toll free, 1-800-918-3100. Or let your generous contributions go for you - please give to UMCOR Advance #982410, Hurricanes 2004.
UMCOR provides emergency relief in many areas of the world. To find out more about UMCOR's ministries, please visit umcor.org. You can donate to any project by placing a contribution in the offering plate at a local United Methodist church; by sending a check to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068; or by calling 1-800-554-8583, where credit card donations are accepted. UMCOR is exempt from tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and qualifies for the maximum charitable contribution deduction by donors.
And, please pray for those who are hungry, displaced, sick or in poverty because of these and other natural and human-made disasters, and for the workers who minister to them.