The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is “love in action.” Its ministry around the world touches thousands of people’s lives every year who have been impacted by natural or human-made disasters. They are often the first group to arrive with support, aid, and assistance, and often the last to leave.
That’s what members and guests at Community UMC in Crofton, Maryland, heard from a trio of guest speakers on UMCOR Sunday, March 30.
Your gifts on UMCOR Sunday helps support the foundation for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to share God’s love with communities everywhere.
Jim Cox, UMCOR’s Executive Director, was joined by Thea Becton, Director of Disaster Response for the Baltimore-Washington Conference, and Charlie Moore, a member of Community UMC and the Treasurer of UMCOR. Moore served as the emcee the morning and offered the invitations to the other speakers to come.
UMCOR Sunday is one of six special Sundays with an offering in The United Methodist Church. UMCOR Sunday donations go to support the administrative costs – such as salaries, travel, and office expenses – of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). It’s also a day set aside in the church calendar to raise awareness of the tremendous work and ministry UMCOR does around the world.
“What a wonderful day,” Cox said after worship, helping to pack cleaning kits. “I’m energized. UMCOR has a lot of work ahead of us. It was great to fill some buckets and talk to the people and be part of that mission and be connected to it. I’m very grateful.”
During his talk at the church, Cox highlighted the impact of funding cuts to the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID. As a result of those recent actions, he said, relief organizations such as UMCOR are feeling the pinch.
“It’s real unfortunate that that foreign aid money is going away,” he said. “The churches are going to be called upon to do more. The U.S. government played an important role in things like global health and food aid. Now that it’s gone away, where are people going to look to next?”
Cox noted that the UMCOR leadership will be gathering to work on a strategy to address these concerns.
The Baltimore-Washington Conference, she said, is just starting on a goal to pack 10,000 kits of all types, she said, and the event at Community UMC was a great start.
As the worship service drew to a close, Moore – the UMCOR treasurer since last fall -- said he could feel the excitement for UMCOR. He noted how UMCOR not only helps after natural disasters, but human-made, too.
After worship, 110 church members and guests gathered in Fellowship Hall for a meal of rice and beans, chicken legs, “fufu” (West African sticky dough), and soup, preparing themselves to put love in action by assembling and packing 50 cleaning kits and 50 hygiene kits.
Ethan Sydney, 13, was one of 14 confirmands helping to assemble hygiene kits along with their mentors, said that he was doing that in addition to making a financial gift.
Courtney Bundy, Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries at the church, helped plan an assembly line for the confirmands and made the day part of their six-week series of lessons.
excerpt from a story by Rev. Erik Alsgaard, Freelance writer, Baltimore Washington Annual Conference
One of six churchwide Special Sundays with offerings of The United Methodist Church, UMCOR Sunday calls United Methodists to share the goodness of life with those who hurt. Your gifts to UMCOR Sunday lay the foundation for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to share God’s love with communities everywhere. The special offering underwrites UMCOR’s “costs of doing business.” This helps UMCOR to keep the promise that 100 percent of any gift to a specific UMCOR project will go toward that project, not administrative costs.
When you give generously on UMCOR Sunday, you make a difference in the lives of people who hurt. Give now.
