Taken from: CNS News

America's Faith Community Responds

The tragedies of September 11, 2001 called upon faith-based organizations as America's stockpiles of human and financial resources to aid the weary, distressed, and bereaved. Whether by sharing words of comfort with the afflicted or encouraging congregants to serve as blood donors, faith-based organizations are providing both physical sustenance and spiritual strength through this most difficult situation. Below are summaries of only a few of the many thousands who are putting their faith into action.

Ground Zero Clergy Task Force (GZCTF)

An interdenominational coalition currently comprised of fifty faith-based leaders(growing daily) formed to respond to the local crises caused by last week's terrorist attack. Organized by Lower East Side Pastors Richard Del Rio of Abounding Grace Ministries and Marcos Rivera of the Primitive Christian Church, GZCTF has been involved in the following activities:

• Ground Zero Counseling - Starting within hours of the Towers' collapse, GZCTF has coordinated a clergy counseling presence onsite at Ground Zero in cooperation with the Mayor's Emergency Management Office.
  
  
• Roll Call Counseling - Reaching out to local police precincts and firehouses to pray for and encourage their community officers and firemen during station roll calls.
  
  
• Prayer Vigil - Organized the United Prayer Vigil in Lower Manhattan on September 16th, attended by 2,000 people from more than forty congregations.
  
  
• Prayer Stations - Visiting crisis "hot spots" - hospitals, morgues, memorials, armories, etc., for support, comfort, and guidance.
  
  
• Care Groups - Providing trauma and grief support for emergency personnel and general public.
  
  
• Pastoral Care Training - Rev. Bruce Porter, in from Colorado with experience from the Columbine High School crisis, will conduct training sessions.
  
  
• Media Appearances - Appearing on Christian and secular radio and TV to encourage greater strategic participation from clergy and volunteers.

The above represents GZCTF's immediate response to the crisis. The objective is to effectively mobilize clergy and faith-based organizations for a unified, long-term, grassroots, strategic response to the crisis. Towards that end, we're already established the following:

• Long-term volunteer database - New York City's rebuilding and healing efforts will continue for months and years. Individuals who wish to volunteer and who will make themselves available on an as needed basis over that time are asked to register and identify how they can help at Operation Hope.

• Ground Zero Relief Fund - Aimed at securing resources for short-term needs- funereal expenses, relocating displaced residents, emergency assistance for victims and their families; and long-term needs - job retraining for displaced workers, community-based counseling centers, collaborative crisis initiatives between clergy, uniformed officers, and public officials. All contributions should be sent to the Ground Zero Relief Fund, c/o Primitive Christian Church, 207-209 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002.
  

We are interested in being a part of any exposure that you can bring to our efforts. Also, we are doing all that we can with minimal grassroots and no public support. And we are taxed to the limit. I know that President Bush has committed $20 billion towards the relief effort here. If you could direct me on how best to follow upon this resource or other public support, it would be much appreciated.

Contact Joe Holland at 917-837-1821 or Jeremy Del Rio 347-386-7700.