Hunt Valley, Md., November 10 – This week the General Assembly of the National Council of Churches USA and Church World Service passed several measures expressing their concern for victims of tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, mudslides, drought and other natural disasters.

They also took personal action to help persons in need: they pledged more than $32,000 for worldwide relief efforts.

The idea of making personal gifts was sparked by the Rev. Peg Chemberlin, executive director of the Minnesota Council of Churches and a member of the NCC and CWS General Assembly.

"Let's begin a season of giving," she told the Assembly. She suggested a model in which Assembly members would pledge one day's wages to Church World Service. Pledge cards distributed to the members recorded pledges exceeding $32,000, but Chemberlin pointed out that even small individual gifts would make an impact.

"We remember that there are over 1.2 billion of our sisters and brothers who live on less than a dollar a day," she said. "Even an additional dollar from each individual in our member communions would result in $45 million.

The General Assembly suggested individuals in member communions consider contributing a day's wages, or fasting for one or more holiday meals and donating the value of the food to a food shelf ministry to hurricane evacuee families, or giving the gift of a CWS calendar and an accompanying donation in honor of the victims of the hurricanes.