Covenant Earmarks $50,000 for Iraqi Relief, Creates Special Fund

CHICAGO, IL (April 1, 2003) - Covenant World Relief (CWR) has authorized the release of $50,000 to help alleviate the suffering of people in Iraq who are caught in the midst of the war that has ravaged that country for nearly two weeks.

A special Iraqi Relief Fund also has been established by the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) to serve as a channel for individual donations and contributions being collected by local Covenant churches, many of whom asked the denomination to create a unified system for receiving and distributing special relief funds.

"It has quickly become clear how great are the immediate humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people, and the world has begun responding to those needs," states ECC President Glenn R. Palmberg in a special letter sent today to Covenant pastors and local churches. "As servants of Christ, we in the Covenant church are called and moved to do all we can. Covenant World Relief has been in contact with international partners and is prepared to direct funds immediately into relief efforts in Iraq."

Iraqi families are not the only ones in dire need of assistance - an estimated 60,000 individuals from other nations who had been working in Iraq also are attempting to flee across the Iraqi-Jordanian border to safety. World Relief International currently is working at a special border camp in Jordan that was created to provide temporary food and shelter while these individuals return to their own countries.

Contributions received from local Covenant churches and individuals through the special Iraqi Relief Fund will be distributed through partnerships with other organizations, including World Relief International, that already have people and structures in place to respond directly to the needs of the Iraqi people.

"This is a difficult time for our world and our nation," Palmberg's letter continues. "Pain, sorrow and fear are widely shared, yet at the same time opinions about war often prove divisive. Even among us within the church, this experience threatens at times to divide brothers and sisters in Christ whose faith and good intentions are evident, though their opinions differ.

"We remain one in the spirit; and in times like this, one thing that unites us as Covenanters is our compassion for victims of oppression and war and our readiness to reach out to them in the name and love of Jesus Christ," Palmberg adds. "In this particular situation, many Christians are eager to let this predominantly Muslim country experience the compassion of Christ, which we represent. I invite all Covenanters to respond as God leads you."

Contributions to aid the Iraqi relief effort should be directed to Covenant World Relief, 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625. Gifts should be clearly marked for the Iraqi Relief Fund.

To see the full text of the Palmberg letter to pastors and churches, read Palmberg Letter. The accompanying photo shows some Covenant World Relief Commission members during deliberations (from left): commission member Louise Wilson, chair Mark Nilson and CWR Director Jim Sundholm. Other commission members include Jon Peterson, Pete Ekstrand, Jerome Nelson, Elliott Johnson and Palmberg.

home | email to a friend
print this page | site map

Share this page on facebook

News Comments