How to Promote the Appeal In Your Congregation

Careful planning is the key to sharing the story of the Katrina Church Recovery Appeal. Follow the steps listed below and check each task as it is completed. Be sure to divide responsibilities. Involve persons of all ages.

Prepare prayerfully

• Pray for God's guidance and for heartfelt giving. Remember the people who will experience God's love because of your church's generosity.
• Check Interpreter (English), el Interprete (Spanish) and United Methodists in Service (Korean) as well as the Web site, www.umc.org/churchrecovery, for stories and other information pertaining to the appeal. Share findings with your congregation.
• Cooperate with other United Methodist churches in getting out the word about the appeal. Share the costs of Internet, newspaper, radio, television, billboard and transit advertising. Perhaps your conference communications office would assist you.
• Provide opportunities for personal growth and learning through Bible studies, classes, discussion groups, ecumenical activities, prayer and public witness across age, gender, race and socioeconomic levels.
• Explore opportunities to assist persons displaced by Hurricane Katrina who now live in your community. Although immediate needs probably have been met, persons in your congregation may be able to assist with counseling, education, employment and other long-term concerns.
• Contact your annual conference office to learn about individuals and groups from your area who have traveled personally to assist in Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. Tell how United Methodist involvement is making a difference. Explain what could happen if more resources were available.
• Invite someone who was affected personally by Katrina or who has volunteered in recovery efforts to present a "minute for mission" for worshipers, church school classes and other groups.
• Deliver a sermon highlighting the Katrina Church Recovery Appeal. Emphasize the importance of the appeal. When you tell how gifts are used, people will begin to recognize how much more we can do together as a connectional church.
• Sing "Stand by Me" (No. 512, The United Methodist Hymnal). Ask adult, youth and children's choirs to lead the congregation in truly experiencing what it means to be "the church together."

Give faithfully

• Copy and distribute the "Giving Calendar" and suggest that individuals and families set aside a certain amount each day to help in rebuilding churches and communities affected by Hurricane Katrina.
• Obtain statistics related to your congregation&s giving. If members already have given to the Katrina Church Recovery Appeal, continue the good work and strive toward an increase. If not, allow members the opportunity to nurture God&s family by giving to the appeal.
• Set a fund-raising goal for your congregation.  Send a letter from the pastor or church treasurer to all members, and, perhaps, enclose a plain offering envelope.  Set a realistic goal for the offering--we suggest $5 per member--and challenge members to reach that goal.  Forward donations, identified as "Bishops'  Appeal 818-001," to the conference treasurer.
• Invite members to donate directly via credit card online by accessing the official denominational Web site at www.umc.org/churchrecovery.
• Remit gifts promptly to your annual conference treasurer. As soon as possible, tell members the total given for the appeal. Thank the congregation for their generosity.