The St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition recently presented a $5,200 check to the local chapter of the American Red Cross to aid tsunami relief efforts in southern Asia.
The presentation was made by the Rev. Sammie E. Jones, president of the Clergy Coalition and pastor of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, to Joseph White, chief executive officer for the American Red Cross-St. Louis Bi-State Chapter. The presentation was made at a coalition luncheon meeting at the Holiday Inn Select in downtown St. Louis.
In all, nearly $10,000 has been raised by 14 Coalition-member churches. The check for $5,200 was donated directly by the Coalition to the Red Cross from offerings made on Sundays at Coalition churches. Three Coalition-member churches also raised an additional $4,183, which was given to the Red Cross and other charities. The Coalition includes clergy from the city of St. Louis, St. Louis County and Illinois denominations.
The Coalition’s $5,200 came from Monumental Baptist, Greater Mount Carmel Baptist, Fresh Start Bible, Mount Zion Baptist, United Christian Mission Church of Jesus Christ, Hopewell Baptist, Centennial Christian, Northern Baptist, Normandy United Methodist, Mount Airy Baptist n and from Father Emery Washington. An additional $4,183 raised independently came from St. John’s United Church of Christ, Lane Tabernacle and Bethesda Temple.
The United Way of Greater St. Louis is providing financial and technical resources to the Clergy Coalition, including help with long-term strategic planning, program development and staff support. The American Red Cross is also a United Way-supported agency.