1998

Stop the Suffering  Stop Disease  Stop Poverty  Stop War's Agony  Stop Isolation  Stop Exploitation  Stop the Separations of War  Stop Technological Disasters in the US

Go into all the World   Go into the World with Healing  Go Forward with Self Reliance  Go Forth in Peace  Go with Sharing  Go Ahead with Education  Go out of your Way for Refugees  Go with the UCC Tech Task Force

Spring 1999
 
 

To Pastors and Leaders of the United Church of Christ:

This is a letter of introduction to the enclosed annual report of One Great Hour of Sharing. It is also a letter of testimony and thanks.

But how can we testify adequately to all that OGHS has done during fifty years of helping? To all the families that have been rescued, all the children that have been healed, and all the disaster victims that have been comforted throughout half a century? Words aren't enough. Even photographs aren't enough. And statistics don't begin to tell the story!

Besides, it is those who have been helped by One Great Hour of Sharing that can best testify to its life-sustaining, hope-reviving work. Among so many expressions of gratitude to One Great Hour of Sharing, we choose only one for inclusion here.

Last July, Rev. Linda Petrucelli, UCBWM executive for the Global Sharing of Resources, visited Jarrell, Texas--or what was left of it two months after a string of deadly tornadoes ripped through the community, killing thirty-three people. One Great Hour of Sharing funds had been at work in Jarrell since May. At the high school, Linda stopped to talk with community workers organizing food and water distribution to people whose homes had been leveled. I asked them how their recovery was going," Linda recalls, "and they admitted it was a slow process. Then one man said, 'We couldn't have made it this far without the support of people in your church. I am sure you don't know what it means to us."' Now we know.

What can we add to that testimony? Very simply, our thanks. In behalf of all of those who owe so much to One Great Hour of Sharing, we thank you and your congregation for its generous gifts to this all- church offering.

We invite you to read the words of this annual report as further testimony to the blessings brought by this offering. And we thank you in advance for your gifts to the 1999 One Great Hour of Sharing fiftieth anniversary appeal.

Rev. David Y. Hirano

Executive Vice President

United Church Board for World Ministries

Rev. Earl D. Miller Steward and Executive Director

Stewardship Council