United Methodists and a pair of merging Lutheran benefit organizations have each given more than $10 million for relief efforts in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks

Christian Century, Jan 2, 2002

United Methodists and a pair of merging Lutheran benefit organizations have each given more than $10 million for relief efforts in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The nation's second-largest Protestant church raised $6.4 million in November for the "Love in the Midst of Tragedy" fund.

Money for attack victims is being funneled to the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the church's humanitarian arm. Church officials have pledged to have a three- to five-year comprehensive plan in place by this month for dealing with the relief effort. Some $10.7 million has been raised by the Lutheran Brotherhood and the Aid Association for Lutherans, two fraternal benefit societies working toward a merger. Using methods such as red, white and blue ribbon sales, benefit meals and freewill collections, more than 4,000 AAL and Lutheran Brotherhood branches raised $8.7 million, putting the total amount of aid for terror victims above $10 million In addition, American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. had contributed nearly $925,000 for terrorist victims by December 20 as a part of the denomination's "One Great Hour of Sharing" campaign.