Diocese responds with Open Hearts and Prayers and Funds

By NEVA RAE FOX

From Staten Island to New Rochelle, from Cold Spring to Cornwall, the people and churches of the Episcopal Diocese of New York have pitched in and focused their efforts on Hurricane Katrina relief.

The relief has come in many forms: collecting, raising and donating funds; offering refuge to the displaced; volunteering to make calls; and a myriad of support efforts.

A survey of activities proves that the heart and soul of the Episcopal Diocese of New York is grounded in Matthew 25:40: Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these ...you did it to me.

The Diocesan Disaster Response Team – chaplains specially trained for response and formed as a result of the September 11 tragedy – has been called in for service in New York. Members of the Disaster Team have accompanied Bishop George Packard to the affected areas. At the request of Bishop Packard, Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies for the national church, as well as the affected dioceses, copies of our disaster manual were forwarded to them. (Note: Each church was previously sent a disaster manual; for more info contact the Rev. Mark Hummell at mhummell@dioceseny.org).

Donations
Many showed their generous hearts with donations to Bishop Sisk’s Hurricane Katrina fund. At press time, $30,000 had been collected and the funds continue to be received. This does not include all the kind donations made to Episcopal Relief and Development.

You can donate on-line at Support The Church or send a check made payable to the Episcopal Diocese of New York, 1047 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10025.  In all cases, be sure to indicate Hurricane Katrina in the notation. You can also donate to Episcopal Relief and Development, www.er-d.org.

Benefits, Fundraisers and Drives
Many churches offered benefits and special fundraising efforts. There was a successful fundraiser on Staten Island, and Our Savior, Chinatown held a concert featuring choristers who just returned from a highly successful concert tour to China.

St. Matthew’s Bedford sent a truck filled with supplies to Ascension Lutheran in Jackson, which is one of four staging areas in Jackson and the Episcopal Luther Disaster Relief staging area. St. Luke’s Somers conducted a benefit concert, and all Saints Briarcliff Manor is dedicated the proceeds of its October 14 and 15 fabulous fall Sale to Hurricane Katrina relief. The youth of St. John’s Cornwall will sponsor a Red Beans and Rice dinner with all proceeds donated to Hurricane Relief. Cornwall is also working to assist a parishioner whose brother in New Orleans lost everything.

Grace, Warwick extended its Thrift Shop hours on two Saturdays while children and youth conducted a bake sale with all proceeds designated for Katrina. Ascension/Holy Trinity, West Park dedicated proceeds from its annual rummage sale fundraiser and St. Thomas, Mamaroneck, plans to send substantial amounts of clothing from its Thrift Shop thanks, in part, to parishioners in the clothing business.

Trinity Wall Street’s preschool is sponsoring a Soft Toy and Book Drive with a focus on infants, toddlers and preschoolers in temporary housing facilities.

People’s best friends – animals – were affected by the Hurricane are also being helped. At St. Paul’s, Staten Island, a parish-wide Tag and Jumble Sale in conjunction with the church’s annual Blessing of the Animals, Pet Memorial Day and Animal Fair will devote all profits to Hurricane Katrina especially organizations which help connect displaced pets and their persons.

Prayers
Our churches have remembered the victims in Prayers of the People since the hurricane hit. HipHopEMass.org at Trinity, Morrisania, Bronx dedicated its October 7 celebration for the people of Christ Cathedral, having recently received a generous gift from that New Orleans landmark.

Partnering with groups and organizations
Some are partnering with groups and organizations in their relief efforts. St. John’s, Tuckahoe, is participating with Habitat for Humanity’s “Adopt a Gulf Family”.

St. Luke in the Fields, Manhattan, is working with three organizations: Twenty-First Century Foundation to rebuild the lives of displaced low income people, www.21cf.org; AIDS Treatment Initiatives, which is raising money for HIV medications for positive people who have been displaced; and The National Youth Advocacy Coalition in partnership with 10 other organizations to support LGBT youth and families displaced by the hurricane, www.nyacyouth.org.

Partnering With Other Denominations
Denominational lines have disappeared in the wake of the disaster. Our churches in the affected dioceses have been working hand-in-glove with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Grace, Hastings, received info on an Episcopal Church in Minden, LA that is partnering with a Baptist church to shelter 400 families in a local facility usually used for a summer camp. Also, the Hastings church is connecting with one in northern Mississippi which has ties to parishioners at Grace.

Heavenly Rest, Manhattan, has maintained communication with St. James Episcopal in Baton Rouge, LA and will respond to requests for other kinds of assistance through them. 

Seamen’s Church Helping Sailors
Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) is helping mariners affected by Hurricane Katrina. Chaplains are on-site providing counseling and pastoral care, and SCI is making grants and interest-free loans through its Mariners’ Assistance Fund, which has long provided financial assistance to individual mariners and vessel crews during times of critical need. Because hundreds (if not thousands) of our nation’s mariners live in the Gulf Coast/Lower Mississippi region, an unprecedented number are now in crisis. In addition, SCI’s Ministry on the River team is also serving as a clearinghouse of information for mariners and maritime companies whose communications have been affected by the hurricane.

Donations can be made by calling Seamen’s Church Institute at 212-349-9090 Ext 245 or www.seamenschurch.org.

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