wfn.org | PDA Rushes $10,000 to New York for Fire-Gutted Church

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

1-February-2000 
00051 
 
    PDA Rushes $10,000 to New York for Fire-Gutted Church 
 
    Additional aid earmarked for earthquake and flood relief 
 
    by Evan Silverstein 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In the early hours of Jan. 18, United Presbyterian Church 
in Amsterdam, N.Y., was consumed by fire. 
 
    To make matters worse, a renovation was nearing completion at the 
304-member church. Early speculation is that the fire started in the 
furnace, which was to be replaced. 
 
    "The building is a total loss," said the Rev. Scott Cupp, mission 
associate for church development of the Synod of the Northeast, to which 
the Amsterdam church belongs. "There were Tiffany windows that were lost, 
and also a rare organ. I understand they also lost a menorah that was 
presented to them by one of the local synagogues for their interfaith 
cooperation." 
 
    Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) announced on Jan. 27 that it had 
sent $10,000 from the One Great Hour of Sharing offering to the Presbytery 
of Albany to help maintain the ministries of the Amsterdam congregation, 
said Stan Hankins, PDA's associate for U.S. disaster response. The 
Amsterdam church also has been advised of assistance available through the 
Church Loans program and the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. 
 
    "This was the third church fire in the Synod of the Northeast in the 
past year," Hankins said, "and we've been able to assist two other 
churches, and really felt the need to reach out and provide this $10,000 
grant to the Amsterdam Church, which was a total loss, from what we 
understand." 
 
    Offers of concern and assistance are being directed to the Presbytery 
of Albany office at (518) 273-4991. 
 
    Other recent disaster-relief efforts: 
 
    * PDA provided an additional $500,000 for earthquake-relief efforts in 
Turkey, bringing its total contribution to $610,000. The funds will be used 
by the Churches of Turkey Steering Committee for Disaster, a coalition of 
Christian churches in Turkey, and Action by Churches Together (ACT), 
another ecumenical coalition, to provide bedding, tents with heating 
stoves, tarpaulins, food, sanitation facilities and other supplies to 
families in affected areas. A powerful quake shook the country on Aug. 17, 
killing more than 15,000 people. PDA sent an initial $100,000 to church 
partners in the region for the purchase of humanitarian relief items. A 
second earthquake on Nov.12 claimed more lives. 
 
    * PDA provided $60,000 to help repair and rebuild flood-damaged and 
-destroyed centers used by the Sudan Council of Churches (SCC) for programs 
in the Jebel Aulia camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP). Jebel Aulia 
is one of four camps for IDPs that have food-aid programs. Other programs 
sponsored by SCC include a medical laboratory, a women's training program, 
and tuberculosis treatment. Heavy flooding in the Sudan last year affected 
the Jebel Aulia camp and many others, including Khartoum, Gezira, Dongola, 
Kadugli, Pibor and Juba. 
 
    * PDA provided an initial $10,000 grant from the One Great Hour of 
Sharing offering to the Presbytery of Western Kentucky for tornado-relief 
and -recovery efforts. A freak winter storm on Jan. 3 spawned a tornado 
with winds topping 200 mph. The heaviest damage occurred in Owensboro, 
where more than 100 homes were destroyed and 250 were severely damaged. 
Crayne Presbyterian Church was damaged, and Owensboro Central Presbyterian 
Church lost its manse roof. There were no reports of deaths or serious 
injuries. 
 
    For additional information visit PDA's World Wide Web site: 
[http://www.pcusa.org/pda/]. 

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