When Disaster Strikes: the earthquake in Japan

Many of us woke up to the news of a disastrous 8.9 earthquake in northern Japan and we have already seen the dramatic video of earthquake destruction and tsunami flooding.  The next several hours and days will tell the extent of the damage and loss of life.

As members of the human family and especially as followers of Jesus Christ, we will want to respond – to reach out in prayer and with whatever helping hand we might give.

So, please pray.

This is one of those situations where the most effective way to reach out with the compassion of Christ will be in sharing our financial resources with those in a position to help.  You will hear and see many appeals for your financial help, most of it legitimate, some of it not.  I encourage both your generosity and your caution.  Specifically, if you feel called to respond immediately I call your attention to our Mission Committee’s and Session’s endorsement of World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance as agencies we can trust to be good stewards of our resources and compassionate responders in the name of Christ.

But my primary recommendation is that you wait for just a bit. As measure is taken of the extent of the disaster and the places and people most in need, these same three organizations will be preparing their response and we can help most effectively by prayerfully considering our gift to this year’s One Great Hour of Sharing offering which will be taken on April 17, Palm Sunday.

One Great Hour of Sharing allows us to fund an “escrow account” that is there and ready whenever and wherever disaster strikes.  Your generous giving during Lent allows the church to respond immediately and effectively all year round.  It’s time to replenish the fund!

At its February meeting, the Session of Langhorne Presbyterian Church voted to direct our One Great Hour of Sharing offering in equal parts to World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. We can think of no more faithful way to respond to a world in need in times of disaster than through the work of these good organizations.

Please give generously to One Great Hour of Sharing!

Working with our Mission Committee, Deacons and others, LPC members reach out to the world through:

• Local Assistance – Red Cross Homeless Shelter, Bucks County Housing, Aid for Friends, our Deacons’ Food Pantry and more.
• National and international aid – One Great Hour of Sharing, 30-Hour Famine, Youth and Young Adult Work Camps, Project Christmas Child and more.
• Developing strong minds, strong bodies and strong faith – through Hunting Park Christian Academy in Philadelphia and Promised Land Ministries in Guatemala.
• Support of evangelism and discipleship through Life Abundant (prison ministry in Bucks County), Coalition for Christian Outreach (college and university outreach in our region) Mission to the World (ministry to the Muslim population in New York City), Bethana (care for children on the edge in our Philadelphia metro area) and more.

Your gifts of time, talent and treasure are making a real difference in a needy world! Want to be more involved? See a deacon or elder who can tell you more!