One Great Hour of Sharing offering ‘essential’ to aid work, exec says
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The Rev. Paul Dirdak |
Jan. 6, 2005By United Methodist News Service As
soon as news of the tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean hit the
airwaves, the United Methodist Committee on Relief responded. "Being
there" is UMCOR’s priority. On behalf of the United Methodist Church,
UMCOR provides relief wherever catastrophe strikes. Coordinating efforts
with faith-based partners around the world, the agency rushes to
disaster areas with aid such as food, clothing, shelter and medicine.
After immediate needs have been met, UMCOR stays to help survivors
rebuild. As
of Jan. 6, United Methodists had contributed more than $1 million in
online gifts to support relief for survivors of the Dec. 26 tsunami.
Money continues to pour in, and every dollar given to "South Asia
Emergency — UMCOR Advance 274305" goes directly to aid for the affected
region. The same is true for all other UMCOR Advance giving. Such
100 percent giving is possible because UMCOR’s administrative costs
come from other, undesignated sources, including the annual One Great
Hour of Sharing offering collected in local churches. "The
heartbreaking disaster that has devastated our sisters and brothers in
Asia and Africa underlines that the One Great Hour of Sharing offering
on March 6 is absolutely essential to UMCOR," said the Rev. Paul Dirdak,
the agency’s chief executive. "UMCOR
receives no World Service funds or any other apportionments," he said.
"United Methodists’ gifts to this special offering keep UMCOR’s delivery
system in place so we can respond quickly and effectively to disasters
such as South Asia." Gifts
to One Great Hour of Sharing underwrite UMCOR’s costs of doing
business. Gifts over and above those used to cover administrative costs
are channeled where they are most needed — to assist the most vulnerable
people whose need is greatest. The administrative costs equal 2 percent of the relief agency’s total budget, according to UMCOR. "Jesus
promised to be with us always, ‘to the very end of the age,’" Dirdak
continued. "Jesus extends this call to United Methodists to ‘be there’
as well—to be the hands and heart of the church wherever people are
suffering. Gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing, channeled through UMCOR,
enable our great church to answer that call." Information about UMCOR programs is available at www.umcor.org online. One Great Hour of Sharing resources can be ordered by calling, toll free, (888) 346-3862, or going online to www.UMCGiving.org/ss. Donations
to UMCOR’s "South Asia Emergency" relief work can be placed in local
church offering plates or sent directly to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Drive,
Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Designate checks for UMCOR Advance #274305
and "South Asia Emergency." Online donations can be made at www.methodistrelief.org. For credit-card donations, call (800) 554-8583. News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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