As part of the Uniting Church WA’s pastoral and material response to people affected in the recent Wooroloo and Hills bushfires, a $20 000 donation has been committed to the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund (LMDRF), Western Australia’s official State emergency fund, to help ease the financial burden of people’s loss.
During the fires, the Uniting Church WA’s Disaster Relief and Community Recovery Working Group held emergency meetings to discuss immediate support to congregations who are ministering in affected communities.
The focus has now moved to our ministry response as part of the community recovery.
The Disaster Relief and Community Recovery Working Group works with churches as they help communities through support and consultation, disaster recovery funds, special recovery ministry placements, peer support and disaster recovery chaplaincy.
The Uniting Church WA also partners with the WA Council of Churches Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network (DRCN), providing disaster relief chaplaincy services and training.
You can support disaster affected communities and assist in their recovery through the essential ministry of the Disaster Relief and Community Recovery Working Group by donating to the Uniting Church WA’s Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund.
Rev David Jackson, Convenor of the Uniting Church WA Disaster Relief and Community Recovery Working Group, said they are currently working with Gidgegannup Uniting Church as they support their fire affected community.
“The congregation have brought some projects to us, one of them is a community breakfast,” David said. “We’re putting $2000 towards their community breakfast on 27 March.
“The second part is, we’re going to give vouchers to each of the affected households in the fire to have family portraits done, because they would have lost all their photos in the fire.”
A grief and loss program, Good Grief, is also being provided free for children, youth and adults affected by the fires, as well as a ministry placement in the area while the community recovers.
“Our motto is to help congregations help communities,” David said.
The Disaster Relief and Community Recovery Working Group has released this video with more information.
You can donate to the Uniting Church WA Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund to help carry on this important work. Send funds to the Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (WA) – T&SP, BSB 036001, Account 698310, Reference WA Disaster Relief. Please also mention the congregation or name of donor.
Top image: Susy Thomas (Centre), Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, and Rev David Jackson (right), Convenor of the Uniting Church WA Disaster Relief and Community Recovery Working Group, present a $20000 donation to Basil Zempilas, Perth Lord Mayor, for the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund, supporting those recently affected by bushfires in the Perth hills.