Dear Friends,

During the last week we have continued to hear and see news of the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. We know that relief agencies are doing all that they can to bring aid to those who are suffering. As with other disasters, we may wonder how we can help. And, as with other disasters, those directly involved in helping are reminding us how unhelpful some assistance can be. In the aftermath of such crises, all kinds of material goods – clothing, toys, and blankets, for example – are mailed by individuals or groups hoping to make a difference. Unfortunately, most of those gifts simply complicate the task for those on the ground.

Frankly, in situations like this, the best assistance we can offer, in addition to our prayers, is the gift of money. One of the blessings of our parish being part of the larger Episcopal Church is that we have an effective way to respond. Episcopal Relief and Development is working directly with the Episcopal Church in the Philippines to meet the immediate needs of the survivors of the storm. You can find out more about the work of ERD in the Philippines, as well as many other places around the world, at their website: https://www.episcopalrelief.org

You can also make a contribution to ERD through St. John’s. Checks can be made out to St. John’s Episcopal Church (with ERD in the memo line) and all donations will be sent on to the relief agency. We know this is not the first, nor will it be the last kind of disaster that evokes in our our hearts the question, “What can we do?” Fortunately, we do have a faithful and effective answer to that question.

Faithfully,

Tom