Uniontown church joining in to help tsunami survivors
Third Presbyterian Church in Uniontown is joining other local churches and organizations in helping the survivors of the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia in December. The church is making a $25,000 donation to the Presbyterian Disaster Relief Fund on behalf of the victims.
“I think the people are quite generous. I’m proud and grateful,’ said the Rev. Doyle Snyder, interim pastor of the congregation of about 575 members.
Snyder said the Session, elders who were elected by church members, made the decision to donate the money to the relief program. The money comes from funds that church members left to Third Presbyterian in their wills, as well as donations from a collection that has been undertaken weekly at the church since the disaster.
“We’ve been collecting money over the last month, since the tsunami hit, and the amount is close to $10,000 from the congregation,’ Snyder said.
The earthquake-spawned tidal wave killed more than 160,000 people in 11 Indian Ocean nations. Tens of thousands of people are still missing, though officials say it’s too early to add them to the death toll.
The scope of the catastrophe affected not only those in the tsunami’s path but also people thousands of miles away who have reached into their wallets and purses to help in the relief effort.
“It was in the news so much and it struck the hearts of a lot of people all over the country and the world,” Snyder said. “It was such a terrible catastrophe.’
Snyder said the Session will meet Wednesday and make arrangements to forward the contribution.