Tsunami Earthquake

11/01/05

London's churches have launched a sterling effort to assist survivors of the South East Asian earthquake.

Reports from across the Diocese tell of special collections which have raised thousands of pounds, of prayer vigils and parishioners volunteering at aid packing stations.

Several London clergy are in situ in Sri Lanka and plans are well advanced for a further team to go out on 19 January to set up medical clinics, primary care and disease prevention in the country.

The Revd Brian Leathard, vicar of St James’s Church in Hampton Hill, and his wife, Ramani, were in Sri Lanka celebrating their silver wedding anniversary when the tsunami hit. They have chosen to stay on and have spent the past week ferrying aid to survivors.

The Revd Stephen Leader, vicar of St James, Enfield Highway, and a trained nurse, is working in Sri Lanka in a parish run by a friend.

The Revd Emma Loveridge, minister in secular employment at St Mary’s, Islington, is to lead the team leaving on the 19th. She is taking a team of six medics, an engineer and a curate for the ten-day project. They will be working at one of the worst hit communities on the coast, based beside a refugee camp operating out of one of the churches. More information at www.stmaryislington.org/news/2005/20050105sri_lanka.htm

The team has unlimited free freight in place but is only taking specific types of supplies. For more information about this aspect please email Emma at

Events

Many churches are holding special services and events. Please contact churches local to you for details. They include:

Wednesday 12 January
1.15-1.45pm
Meditation
St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, EC2

Saturday 15 January
2.30-2.45pm
Candles of Hope for Tsunami Relief at St Francis of Assisi Church, 865 Great West Road, Isleworth (www.stfrancis-isleworth.org). A 15-minute candlelit vigil with music

Saturday 29 January
7.30pm
Tsunami Appeal Concert
Mozart Requiem, Elgar The Spirit of the Lord, Barber Adagio for Strings, Tippett Five Negro Spirituals, Brahms How Lovely Are They Dwellings
St Luke's Church, Sydney Street, SW3
Elizabeth Franklin-Kitchen - Soprano
Anna Wall - Mezzo Soprano
Paul Hopwood - Tenor
Giles Underwood - Bass
David Gostick - Organ
Jeremy Summerly - Conductor
Tickets £15 in advance (send a cheque made out to DEC Tsunami Earthquake Appeal, together with your name address and email/contact telephone number to Tsunami Appeal Concert, 37 Regatta Point, 38 Kew Bridge Road, Brentford, Middx, TW8 0EB) or £20 on the door.

Giving

Money can be donated through:
the Disasters Emergency Committee at www.dec.org.uk or by telephone on 0870 60 60 900
Christian Aid at www.christian-aid.org.uk or by telephone on 08080 004 004
Tearfund at www.tearfund.org or by telephone on 0845 355 8355

Prayer

Christian Aid offers suggested prayers for Asia at www.christian-aid.org.uk/worship/prayer/asia.htm