Special Report:
Brethren congregations, individuals, and groups continue tsunami relief efforts.

Many Church of the Brethren congregations, individuals, colleges, and other Brethren groups have been raising money and material donations to aid survivors of the Dec. 26 tsunami in Asia, through the General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and Emergency Response/Service Ministries program. Since the beginning of the year the EDF has received $764,521 in donations.

Following is a compilation of the latest of these efforts:

First Church of the Brethren in Wichita, Kan., voted to send $25,000 to the EDF, depleting the congregation's reserves built up from an extended period of time without a pastor, according to the Western Plains District newsletter. "The congregation had been counting on these reserves to match their income to their new budget for the year, which goes beyond their present level of giving," the newsletter reported. "We commend them for their vision and seeking to be faithful to God's claim upon their lives."

Mountain View Church of the Brethren in Boise, Idaho, held a community fair Feb. 12 to raise money for tsunami relief. "God be praised!" reported pastor David McKellip. "We had a great turnout from the community and moved a huge amount of second-hand stuff. Sold over $80 of donuts and chili. The silent auction went very well.... It looks like when everything is in, we will raise over $2,000." Information tables featured Church World Service and its CROP and Blanket Sunday programs, Heifer International, Habitat for Humanity, World Relief, A Greater Gift (SERRV), and Ten Thousand Villages.

Easton (Md.) Church of the Brethren youth held a Tsunami Fast for 30 hours Feb. 25-26, reported Jody Gunn. The funds raised by sponsorships were donated to the EDF. "Last year the group raised $1,000 for World Vision and decided to change their recipient organization for 2005," Gunn said. The youth began a juice and water fast after lunch Friday and broke it with a light supper Saturday. A work project during the weekend lock-in was assembling Health Kits. "They hope other youth groups in the Church of the Brethren will participate in a fast to aid survivors of the tsunami," Gunn said.

At Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren Jennie Reist, a recent college graduate, asked about the possibility of going to Asia to assist personally with relief efforts. "Since this wasn't an option," reported Lititz moderator Jim Gibble, "she was encouraged to collect relief kits. Jennie delivered the kits to Church World Service at New Windsor. This was her first visit to the Brethren Service Center. Also more than $5,000 has been raised to support the efforts of the General Board." The Lititz congregation and community embraced the project, according to the "Lititz Record Express." Many individuals and families in the church, as well as Sunday school classes, families from the church's Toddler Gym, the Friends Club from the ALIVE program, and even a local fifth-grade elementary school class helped collect and assemble Health Kits for tsunami victims as well as Emergency Clean-Up Kit buckets to help disaster-devastated areas in the US. "It would be wonderful if the kits wouldn't all fit in my car," Reist told the newspaper.

Many other congregations collected Gift of the Heart kits as well, notably Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren, which delivered 3,612 Health Kits to the Brethren Service Center as of Feb. 1 and was planning to put together 400 more.

Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren in Glen Arm, Md., which usually makes about 700 Gift of the Heart kits every year, by mid-February had assembled 875 kits and delivered them to the Brethren Service Center. After hearing about the tsunami, "money came in, supplies were purchased, and we met three times to assemble kits," reported Marian Bollinger. "One Sunday, folks stayed after worship for soup and salad (contributed money towards kits) and then assembled 200 kits. It was great to see 35 or 40 persons having so much fun working together and helping others around the globe."

The Pathfinders at Panther Creek Church of the Brethren near Adel, Iowa, sent 37 Health Kits and three Medical Kits. "We have a good start to meet pastor Peg's challenge to send 100 more kits by Easter," they reported in the church newsletter.

Among others collecting kits were Staunton (Va.) Church of the Brethren, which placed a notice in the newspaper inviting the community to contribute to its kit collection; Polo (Ill.) Church of the Brethren, which worked with several individuals as well as other churches and area businesses to donate 609 kits; Freeport (Ill.) Church of the Brethren, which stationed drop-off barrels for Health Kit donations at two sites in town; and the four Church of the Brethren congregations in the mid-shore region of Maryland--Easton, Denton, Fairview, and Ridgely--which will collect items for Health Kits through April 1, unless the need then is still critical in which case the project will continue.

In Southern Pennsylvania District, Marsh Creek Church of the Brethren in Gettysburg, Pa., responded to a Jan. 2 challenge from pastor Joel Nogle to make and contribute 100 kits. By Jan. 16 the church had donated money and necessary items for 295 Health Kits and delivered them to New Windsor, reported district staff Georgia Markey. The Gettysburg youth also hosted a pancake breakfast to raise a love offering for Medical Kits. In addition, Carlisle (Pa.) Church of the Brethren collected 165 Health Kits; Bermudian Church of the Brethren in East Berlin, Pa., collected 105; Newville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren collected 54; and Shippensburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren collected 47. Mission Central of Mechanicsburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren collected 148 kits and Emergency Clean-Up Kit buckets.

McPherson (Kan.) Church of the Brethren also was challenged to provide 100 Health Kits. After two weeks, the congregation had more than doubled that number, collecting 206 kits. The junior high and senior high youth assembled the kits and donated many of the bandages and ziplock bags, and bought more supplies for incomplete kits. An anonymous donor committed to pay the $1 handling fee for each kit, to go to Church World Service to cover shipping costs.

At least two Church of the Brethren districts have contributed corporately to the denominational effort. Some 60 congregations in Virlina District collected donations totaling $62,210.60 as of Feb. 25. In West Marva District the Disaster and Relief Committee sent $5,000 from local emergency disaster funds.

"The North Manchester community and Manchester College collected an amazing amount in just one month for the Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund," reported Jeri S. Kornegay, director of Media and Public Relations for the college. A note from college president Jo Young Switzer said that another round of student donations was held on campus, in addition to that reported in Newsline on Jan. 21. Along with $2,884 from Dexter Axle, a North Manchester company that matched donations from its 220 employees, and gifts from North Manchester neighbors and members of the college community, the effort coordinated by the college came to a total of $9,631. "It's pretty common for the people in the plant to step up and help people when there's a need," noted Dexter Axle plant manager Pat Mulroy. The donations were forwarded to the Church of the Brethren for its support of Church World Service relief work for the tsunami victims.

Please send any further news of Church of the Brethren efforts for tsunami relief to cobnews@aol.com.

Source: 03/02/2005 Newsline
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