COVID-19 Relief Fund

Beloved Epworth Community,

Early in the pandemic, we took a special collection for our Easter offering to create a COVID Relief Fund. Through your generosity, we collected over $8,000. The giving of the Epworth congregation continues to inspire me.

The church council affirmed a working group composed of Pastor/Staff/Parish Relations Committee Chair Diane Downs, Treasurer Kit Schweizer, Finance Chair Willa Seldon and myself to administer the fund. We met and drafted a set of criteria which was affirmed by Church Council. The criteria include a set of questions:

• How critical and/or urgent is the need?

• Is there another resource for the need, even within the resources of Epworth?

• Can the Epworth contribution make a meaningful difference for this need?

• Is this a one-time need?

The maximum grant was set at $500, with possible appeal if the request would result in the ability to generate more income, move to self-sufficiency or support a transformational change (e.g., deposit for permanent housing for someone who is housing insecure.)

At this point, we have distributed $2,500 from the fund, so a significant balance remains. If you or someone you know has a financial need related to COVID-19, consider making a request to covidrelief@epworthberkeley.org. Include in the email name and contact information, the need and how much is being requested. All requests will be kept confidential within the committee. Persons making request should expect to hear back from the working group within 7 days. If the request is more urgent, please note that in the request and the working group will make every attempt to respond ASAP.

As we continue to battle the impacts of COVID-19, we know that we can do better if we do it together. As a community of faith we know that if one member hurts the whole body hurts. We know that to assist our neighbor in need is to assist Christ. I’m so grateful we have this way to respond to needs in our midst.

Be well,

Pastor Kristin