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[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Stars come out for church's hurricane relief benefit

Oct. 5, 2005

NOTE: A photograph and related coverage are available at
http://umns.umc.org.

By United Methodist News Service

Some of pop music's best-known names helped a United Methodist
congregation raise nearly $35,000 for the denomination's hurricane
response.

Jackson Browne, k.d. lang, Dave Koz and Judith Owen were among the
performers at "Songs of Strength," a benefit concert for the victims of
Hurricane Katrina, held Sept. 25 at First United Methodist Church of
Santa Monica, Calif. The concert also featured Kyle Eastwood, Keaton
Simons and the Gwen Wyatt Chorale.

Nearly 1,000 people packed the church's sanctuary to hear the concert.

The funds will support the churchwide response to the devastation caused
by hurricanes in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. The United Methodist
Committee on Relief has received $11 million in contributions for
hurricane relief as of Oct. 3, and 100 percent of the money is going
directly to the recovery work.

"Songs of Strength" was organized by church member Dana Collins, a music
producer with Direct Management, and Jim Smith, the church's director of
music.

"This church has a strong tradition of community-wide concerts and
music," said the Rev. Patricia Farris, senior minister, "and we thought
a benefit concert would build on that and allow us to use the best of
our resources to meet this great need. What we couldn't have foreseen
was how quickly and generously the artists and the whole community would
respond.

"We were all especially touched at the reaction of all the artists,
their bands and tech crews, so many of whom thanked us for pulling the
benefit together," she said. "As Jackson Browne asked:	'Why don't more
churches do this?'"

In a tribute to the musical culture of the Gulf Coast, the artists
offered their own "songs of strength" to the audience, which included
three families evacuated from New Orleans.

"k.d. lang's opening remarks reflected the spirit of the event," Farris
said. Thanking the congregation and church staff for hosting the
concert, lang said:  "I am a Buddhist, and as Buddhists and Christians,
we know that compassion is what this is all about - our love and
compassion for one another."

A Web site, songsofstrength.org and songsofstrength.com, was created
before the concert, enabling people to see new artists as they were
added to the play list, buy tickets and make contributions. Since
everything related to the show was donated - including printing, food,
tech support and the artists' performances - 100 percent of the proceeds
went to the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

>From ticket sales and donations made at the time of ticket purchase,
close to $35,000 was raised through the event, with additional donations
made directly to UMCOR through the site. The church had a suggested
minimum donation of $25 per ticket.

The church is following up with opportunities for worship, prayer,
discussion and work teams to the Gulf Coast. Commemorative posters
signed by the artists are being auctioned on eBay, with the proceeds
going to UMCOR.

Building on a theme of the denomination's advertising ministry, the
church placed two large "Be the hope" banners in the front of the
sanctuary and over the door.

"It's up to us now to be the hope for all those whose lives have been
turned inside out by the hurricanes," Farris told the concertgoers. "For
renewed cities. For a compassionate nation. Be the hope. Together, let's
be the hope."

The $11 million given to UMCOR includes donations covering both
Hurricane Katrina, which struck Aug. 29, and Hurricane Rita, which came
ashore Sept. 24. Of the total, $2.7 million has come through Internet
and telephone contributions, and the remaining $8.3 million has come by
check, according to Roland Fernandes, treasurer of the United Methodist
Board of Global Ministries, parent agency of UMCOR.

"United Methodist generosity to those in crisis is amazing, but it is
not surprising," Fernandes said. "We have a firm belief in this church
that we serve Jesus Christ when we serve those in need."

Contributors may designate their gifts for areas affected by Hurricane
Katrina or by Hurricane Rita, or to those places most in need. Donations
can also be earmarked for particular states.

UMCOR is providing two giving numbers through The Advance for Christ and
His Church for hurricane relief. Checks should be made out to UMCOR and
designated for "UMCOR Advance #982523 Hurricane Katrina" or "UMCOR
Advance #901323 Hurricane Rita." Both numbers or one number and the word
"both" can be given for general assistance. Tax-deductible checks may be
placed in church offering plates or mailed directly to UMCOR, P.O. Box
9068, New York, NY 10087. Credit-card gifts can be made by calling (800)
554-8583 or going online to www.methodistrelief.org.

*Information for this report was provided by the Rev. Patricia Farris,
First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica, Calif., and Elliott
Wright, United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org

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