Takoma Park Presbyterian Church’s Social Witness and Action Committee (SWAC) met on Thursday, March 3rd. Part of the agenda was to act on donations to a few late-breaking situations both locally and internationally. Three items are noted below.

Give. Act. Pray. for Ukraine.

TPPC”s Social Witness and Action Committee is sending $1,000 from our mission budget to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) to help the people of Ukraine. Some excerpts from PDA’s message:

The UN anticipates that as many as 6.7 million will be displaced internally. Likewise, Ukrainians are fleeing to neighboring countries, primarily to Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, while others have moved to other European countries….

In the midst of the chaos, there are sibling churches and ecumenical partners who are already providing assistance with basic items for survival. Initial assistance being provided includes shelter, food, clothing, blankets, baby food and diapers, other hygiene supplies, flashlights and candles, generators, and fuel.

Our first priority is to provide funding to these partners on the ground. While the scale of this crisis is new, receiving refugees from Ukraine and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe is not, which means we have trusted, established partners with the knowledge and expertise to carry out this important work. In fact, One Great Hour of Sharing — the single largest way that Presbyterians come together every year to provide hope, help and relief — was started in response to refugees coming out of Europe….

The congregation is also urged to contribute individually. Gifts can be made online, by calling (800) 872-3283, by texting PDAUKR to 41444, or by check made payable to Presbyterian Church U.S.A. with "DR000156-Ukraine" on the memo line and mailed to:

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

Another article about the situation in Ukraine is available on this website.

Help Families Affected by Lyttonsville Road Fire

As you may have read in a recent Washington Post article or heard on WTOP radio, an explosion and fire devasted the Friendly Garden Apartments in Silver Spring on March 3rd, destroying homes, displacing residents, and causing serious injuries.

TPPC’s Social Witness and Action Committee are sending $1,000 from the mission budget to Montgomery Housing Partnership which is coordinating relief donations. 100% of donated funds are going directly to families impacted by the fire.

Members of the congregation are encouraged to contribute individually as well.

Fierce Urgency! Ecumenical Advocacy Days

Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) 2022 – held virtually from April 25-27 - is centered on expanding voting rights in the US and realizing human rights around the world. EAD is a movement of the ecumenical Christian community, grounded in biblical witness and our shared traditions of justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.

EAD’s goal, through worship, theological reflection, and opportunities for learning and witness, is to strengthen our Christian voice and to mobilize for advocacy on a wide variety of U.S. domestic and international policy issues.

You can access the agenda and register for EAD 2022 on the Ecumenical Advocacy Days website. Until April 1, the cost is $50. SWAC can pay the registration fee if that is an issue for anyone wanting to attend.