|PIC1|The United Methodist Committee on Relief or UMCOR is calling on Christians around the world to support the aid work it does by giving a gift this month.

The One Great Hour of Sharing will take place on March 26 and UMCOR are appealing for donations of any size to allow it to continue the precious work it does in bringing aid in the aftermath of humanitarian disasters.

“The One Great Hour of Sharing offering on March 26, 2006, is absolutely essential to UMCOR,” says the Rev. Paul Dirdak, the agency’s chief executive.

“UMCOR receives no World Service funds or any other apportionments. Through their gifts to the offering, United Methodists can assure that when catastrophes cause suffering, your church, impelled by Jesus’ love and compassion, will be in the lead to ease the pain.”

|TOP|Gift givers need not worry that money will go to ‘waste’ on home, office or administrative costs, as all gifts to the One Great Hour of Sharing underwrite UMCOR’s running costs, allowing one hundred per cent of the gift to go to a specific UMCOR project.

UMCOR has issued special resources in English, Korean and Spanish for churches to use to encourage giving, including a special DVD – “Be There with UMCOR” – and a special Worship Guide full of suggestions for hymns, litany and prayers for the One Great Hour of Sharing Sunday.

The aid agency works to assist disaster survivors with food, clothing, shelter, medical help, and other materials needed to help rebuild their lives.

Most recently UMCOR was in the Philippines to assist survivors of the tragic and devastating mudslides.

It is also continuing work with fishermen in Sri Lanka left unemployed after the 2004 tsunami by helping them to clear the beaches of any debris that might damage their boats or tear their nets when fishing can finally resume. The unemployed fishermen have been paid a wage by UMCOR for the work that they do.