Where's the Church in this time of crisis?

9/21/01 | me

[dubyagee]

I am a Christian, but even before this tragedy I was seriously disillusioned with the "church" as a whole. Where are the churches now?? Scrolling across the bottom of our television screens are names of companys and actors, who've donated millions of dollars to this cause. Where are the churches? Falwell and Robertson, where's the money?? Talk is cheap if action is not taken.

Firefighters, mayors, police, and the like have all been hailed as heroes. And rightly they are. But again I ask, where is the church? Is it out there, and we're just not hearing about it. Or is it truly still asleep after the wake-up call we've had?

If you've heard of anything the church has done through this, please post it here. I'd love to know the church is not as complacent in this time as it seems to be. Christ's church should be the light of the world all the time, but especially at a time like this....WHERE IS THE CHURCH?

[Admin Moderator]

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[Leonard210]

Scrolling across the bottom of our television screens are names of companys and actors, who've donated millions of dollars to this cause. Where are the churches?

You have answered your own question. "Television" is opposed to Christianity and would hardly be expected to promote that which they oppose.

[RonDog]

Thank you!

[dubyagee]

The only problem that I have is the bishops decided to send all of our donations to the Red Cross. I would have preferred contributing to the Bishops in the DC area and NY and then the money would be sent down to the local priests and vestry to use where it was really needed.

I think this is a wonderful thing. This is what I'm talking about. The country is hurting right now, and giving the tithes to help that hurt is a wonderful thing. Right now, money talks. In my opinion, all churches should have done this same thing. Maybe not to the same organization, but to others like it. Give and it will be given unto you.

[ArGee]

My church has maybe 150 people. On the Saturday after the event they hosted a TEAM simulcast at which 100 people from the community were present. They took up a collection and promised to turn the entire thing over to aid those hurt in the attack. They raised $5600. It all went. Sunday they turned over the entire collection again. I haven't heared yet how much.

This group doesn't have months of operating capital in the bank. They may go week to week with their budget. They didn't even slow down to think about what the giving might do to them. They just gave.

But even more, the Church is actually all those people who have been donating, going, helping, giving, sharing, caring. She will always be there.

The gates of Hell itself will never prevail against her.

Shalom.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

The Convoy of Hope is a part of the Assemblies of God. Here in Springfield today there is a "United We Stand" rally at the mall to raise donations and goods for Convoy of Hope to send needed aid to New York. It is being cosponsered by KSPR Channel 33 and KTTS radio. Below is the news release from Convoy of Hope's website.

CONVOY TEAM AT GROUND ZERO

Springfield, MO—Convoy of Hope staff continues to coordinate relief efforts in conjuction with local leaders in New York and Washington, D.C. Over the weekend COH staff encountered the devastation at ground zero first-hand. Mike Ennis, executive vice president for Convoy of Hope, said, “It is impossible to exaggerate the physical destruction and emotional toll this tragedy has had on the city.” Convoy of Hope has already delivered more than 122 tons of food and relief supplies to New York and Washington, D.C., but the work is far from over. At the request of local organizations and churches, Convoy of Hope is developing plans to assist the city for the next several months. On Monday, Ennis will return to New York along with Randy Rich, Convoy of Hope’s Vice President. Their objective for this trip is to be updated on the relief efforts and to assess the next phase of Convoy’s response. Convoy of Hope continues to encourage businesses and organizations wanting to make donations of food and supplies to contact their World Distribution Center logistics’ office to make arrangements for their donations. Individuals who would like to make a financial contribution to the relief efforts in New York and D.C. can donate directly on-line at www.convoyofhope.org or by calling Convoy of Hope’s World Distribution Center at (417) 823-8998. Convoy of Hope, an international compassion organization based out of Springfield, Missouri, ships millions of pounds of food and supplies across the country and around the world to disaster victims and hurting families.

[foolish-one]

Why would you make fun of anyone doing anything positive? Just out of curiosity, did you give a nickel?

[ArGee]

Falwell was quick to point out the flaws in America, of which I don't totally disagree, but was he as quick to pull out the checkbook?

I don't know. I do know that the whole time Falwell was leading the Moral Majority his Thomas Road Baptist Church was an example of Christ's love to the community. While he was out campaigning against abortion, for example, the TRBC was taking in unwed mothers and giving them everything they would need, free of charge, if they would agree to keep the child. You never saw that in the press, though.

I'm not calling Falwell perfect. And I'm not a shill, I've never sent him a dime. But the man is far more the man of G-d that he claims to be than he is the monster the media makes him out to be.

Shalom.

[Okies love Dubya 2]

I don't know if you are talking about Father Mychal Judge, who lost his life while administering last rites after the disaster. He was a chaplain for a firefighting company in NY, and after his death, his body was carried back to the station house by those he served with. There is a very emotional picture of his body being carried by 5 men in the last issue of U.S. News and World Report. God surely has this man in his arms now.

[WomanofStandard]

I think churches are doing plenty but not in the media's attention. That is not how they work as a rule. Seems to me though that everywhere you look on TV they are interviewing another cleric, another pastor, priest or chaplin asking what they are saying to folks they are counseling, and each one of them undoubtedly represents a church or ministry who is reaching out and helping in this crisis. Remember, the true church is not flashy but does God's work without desire for recognition. On a national level though the Salvation Army has been prominant in this relief effort.

Since you asked I will say that our church here, in Queens, NYC is doing several things. Our doors have been open for numerous prayer services and we have put big signs out informing passersby of this so anyone who wants to can come in. Whenever new people come in we make it a point to get connected with them if that is what they desire.

In addition, we have folks from our congregation who are counselors and we have been sending them to Manhattan to help counsel & show the love of Christ to the families and the workers who just need someone.

We have also established a fund to help the families of the lost firefighters, police officers and rescue workers. We are looking refer folks to longer term counseling when appropriate and providing names of such counselors. We have had many in our own congregation who were at or near the towers when they were hit and collapsed so there are a large number in our own church family who need this type of care as well.

I hope this helps to reassure you that the church is alive and well...in fact better than it's been in a while now that it has awakened! Please don't think that because you don't personally see it happening, that it's not. God rewards those who work in secret. :0)

[dubyagee]

I hope this helps to reassure you that the church is alive and well...in fact better than it's been in a while now that it has awakened! Please don't think that because you don't personally see it happening, that it's not. God rewards those who work in secret.

Most of the posts on here have reassured me. Thanks for the replies. I should of known better than to expect information from the media on this.

[pbear8]

Do you recall where you read it? I love to read and pass on inspiring stories, especially at this time.

[Cagey]

NYC Firefighters bury their Chaplain

[DaveyB]

The church, the bride of Christ, knows not country. She serves a king.
She is serving and worshipping her king, calling on people to repent.
Sharing with the poor, taking care of widows and orphans and proclaiming the Gospel.
The church has no business participating in publicity stunts, or spin.
For she knows what happened in NY is nothing compared to what’s coming.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Eph 6:12

[pbear8]

Thanks Cagey.

One of our best friends is a priest and he is so sorry that it took something this horrible for the media to present a fair and balanced protrait of Catholic priests.

[f.Christian]

The Methodist church a la hillory clinton---communist-lesbian causes only--esp Cuban-castro suck ups---totally plo-taliban!

[Cagey]

The media has to sell papers, so the few bad apples are the ones that make headlines.

The vast majority of Catholic Priests would have done exactly as Father Judge did. You can bet the vast majority of American Clergy would have done exactly as this man did.

[Texas_Jarhead]

I did a self search and saw a couple of responses to my post #10 but when I came to read them, they are missing. WHat happened? What did I miss? Did they get pulled? Did I miss someone flaming me or what?

[Texas_Jarhead]

What happened? I missed it.

[DittoJed2]

Southern Baptists are providing most of the meals passed out by the Red Cross at ground zero, and our missionaries have gone to help in the relief effort as well. The church is active, but works behind the scenes.