Mission and Service Articles

March 2008

The United Church of Canada has a history of working very successfully with partner churches in providing a response to global disasters. When the tsunami hit south-east Asia, we helped form PUMA, an organization that allowed us to receive matching funds through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). A similar organization was formed to help solicit funding in the disastrous Pakistan earthquake.

This past June, a number of churches came together again to form Canadian Churches in Action (CCA). All of these churches are members of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, another ecumenical coalition, which provides both farmers and city dwellers an opportunity to assist those who are hungry.

CCA will work as follows. Whenever we wish to respond to a disaster, one CCA member is chosen to lead the funding effort. This lead agency/church is ultimately responsible for all reporting related to the project. The minimal operating costs for this partnership are shared by member agencies.

The United Church funds partner agencies only when we can ensure that what we send into a disaster area is used by the people in need. That safeguard is in place with this arrangement. Partnerships will be formed only with CCA member agencies, and profiles of these groups will be sent to CCA for approval by all members before the name “Canadian Churches in Action” may be used in any project activity. We hope more churches will join CCA in the future.

The United Church is fortunate to have Gary Kenny coordinating our disaster response network. When you give money to World Development and Relief through the Mission and Service Fund, your money will be carefully managed, and appropriately allocated. People like Gary treasure your gift, and seek to add to the greater good through partnerships with others.

The Mission and Service Fund also provides the resources to pay the staff that oversee our emergency work, and the financial staff who account for your gifts. The Mission and Service Fund: our United fund for a United vision.

Here’s what you can do:

• Support World Development and Relief within the Mission and Service Fund
• Let people know that 100% of the money received by The United Church of Canada for emergency relief is used for that purpose—the Mission and Service Fund covers the administrative costs as part of the overall budget

Please write:

Mission and Service Today
Financial Stewardship
The United Church of Canada
3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 300
Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4
Tel: 416-231-5931 ext. 2026
Toll-free: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 2026
E-mail: Mission and Service Today

Make a secure online donation to the Mission and Service Fund, or consider other donation options.

A version of this article appeared in The United Church Observer, March 2008.