SECC Responds to Asian Tsunami Disaster

[Adventist News]

SECC Responds to Asian Tsunami Disaster

The Southeastern California Conference (SECC) is recommending that pastors invite their congregations to collect a special offering on Sabbath, January 22, to assist victims of the Asian tsunami disaster. We would be thrilled if each congregation could contribute a $1,000. Some may be able to do less and others much more, said Gerald Penick, conference president.

Additional details about the special offering will be provided in the pastors mailing on January 11.

The January 22 offering will be used in two ways. The first priority is to assist Adventist families in India, Sri Lanka and elsewhere who have lost homes, crops, businesses, fishing boats, and other sources of livelihood. The second priority is to provide funds to local missions in the disaster area that are addressing longer-term humanitarian projects through ADRA such as water purification and care for orphans.

Seed money for local ADRA projects is a vital component to qualifying for grants from ADRA International, explained Tom Staples, conference treasurer.

More than a dozen pastors met with Southeastern California Conference administrators on January 6 to discuss how SECC Adventists can respond. Information is still coming in about specific needs, but new reports arrive each day. The pastors represented congregations with members from Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka.

Many of our members are already helping by gifts to the Red Cross, ADRA, and other groups addressing immediate needs. This is good, Penick added. The SECC offering is simply another alternative. It will be unique because money will go directly to Adventist members or to local, long-term projects with ADRA.

News release January 6, 2005

Information provided by the officers of the Southeastern California Conference

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