To join rescue and relief efforts after Typhoon Morakot, about 110 pastors from different denominations in Taipei gathered together on August 12 to discuss how Taipei area Christians can help victims.
Taipei Bread of Life Church pledged to donate $1 million NTD to Chinese Christian Relief Association (CCRA) and another $6 million NTD toward a church rebuilding fund for local churches devastated by the typhoon.
CCRA Secretary General James C.C. Shia urged leaders at the meeting to set aside one Sunday as “Typhoon Morakot Rescue Sunday” and pray for victims and rescue efforts and collect offerings to support various rescue efforts. Shia also suggested churches assemble volunteers able to go on short-term missions lasting 3~5 days to help relief efforts.
According to reports, Hsintien Covenant Church had already assembled a team of volunteers on August 12 and had arrived in Taimali Township in Taitung to assist the only church in the area. Hsintien church members felt that beside evangelism, Christians shouldn’t lag behind in doing good works either. The church decided to send teams on short-term missions next week to help relief efforts and fundraise so that churches in Taitung and Pingtung areas can be rebuilt and help victims as well.
In addition, the youthful Taipei New Life Church called a press conference to invite Christian artists to participate in the album “Map of Faith” with full proceeds from the album from now until September 6th to be donated to charity. The album was originally intended to fund youth ministries but will now go toward helping children and youth displaced by the typhoon so they can continue with their education.
To encourage people to support this album, a church staff mentioned that the entire album’s revenue, which costs $299 each, would go toward helping children, and no production cost would be deducted from the revenue total.
Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong and written by Lydia Ma
[Source: Taiwan Church News]
