Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

 Thank you for the extraordinary ways you have responded to the hurt and hope of Haiti.  Many of our churches have made or have plans to make hygiene kits for people.  This is a project coordinated by our mission partner, Church World Service.  This link tells you all you need to know about what’s needed, and where to send them: http://www.churchworldservice.org/site/DocServer/KitGuide.pdf?docID=361 Church World Service asks for $2 per kit to cover the expense of receiving, sorting and sending the kits out. While many of our churches are able to do this, some of our churches are unable to come up with this necessary fee.   I write to tell you that the Friends of the Conference has made a $1000 contribution to Church World Service in order to cover the $2 expense for up to 500 kits assembled by MACUCC churches which cannot afford this additional expense.  CWS has gladly accepted this donation, and will welcome receiving the kits you send to them, whether or not you include the $2 fee.  If you are unable to include the fee, please include a note to CWS with your kits, indicating that the Mass. Conference Office covered your fees as part of the Conference’s $1,000 donation.  

Please forward this email to the person in your church who has been or might oversee the project of putting these kits together.

By the way, our own Bert Marshall, ordained UCC minister with standing through the Berkshire Association and currently Director of the New England Regional Office of Church World Service, wrote a moving song based on his personal experience in Haiti.  You can hear it and see images of Port au Prince in 2008 and post earthquake at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U53KEgDTZCg.

Again, many blessings and thanks,

Jim

The Rev. Dr. Jim Antal,
Conference Minister and President