Local Missions
E.C.H.O.
| ECHO-What is it and where does it go! The word ECHO most commonly refers to the echo phenomenon, the reflection of sound but here at Eastminster it refers to Eastminster’s Compassionate Help Offering. Several years ago when the Greater Atlanta Presbytery decided to phase out PATH, the Outreach Division looked for a way to continue helping others through a regularly scheduled special offering. Outreach came up with the idea of ECHO. We take this offering up six times each year. The money that is gathered is divided into four areas of giving: 40% goes to Stone Mountain Coop, 20% goes to Lilburn Coop, 20% goes to a reserve account and 20% goes to a designated organization suggest by Outreach and confirmed by the Session. |  |
We all know about the great work that Stone Mountain and Lilburn Coops do in our own neighborhood but who, what and where is the “designated organization suggest by Outreach and confirmed by the Session.” Good question. For the answer we have to go back several years to one of our special October Mission Emphasis Sundays and a seminary student from Kenya who came to speak to us, Martin Mwangi. Martin adopted Eastminster as his church away from home and several members of Eastminster adopted Martin. Martin told us about a health clinic that his church was running back in Kenya and Outreach discussed ways of helping with this clinic. This was at the same time that PATH was being phased out and we were beginning our ECHO offerings.
Outreach suggested and the Session confirmed that 20% of the ECHO offering would go to support the Bethsaida Health Clinic in Kenya. The money that we sent to Bethsaida was enough to cover the salary of the woman that ran their lab and pharmacy. As the political structure changed in Kenya, Martin advised us that the health clinic was no longer under the control of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. Martin suggested that we might want to change the destination of our offering to the Giathenge Presbyterian Feeding Center.
Outreach proposed this change to the Session. A portion of our ECHO offering (20%) now goes to support the feeding of children in Kenya who otherwise would go hungry. This is an excerpt from an email I received from Martin in December, “Thank you for the PCEA Geathenge feeding program money. We received ksh. 18,417 and I handed it over to the elders and pastors in charge on 23rd December 2010. We agreed with the elders that they will set apart ksh. 6000 for Christmas gifts to needy families who their children are benefiting from the program. The rest of the money as usual will go towards the feeding program. We are also planning to put up a small shelter as a kitchen since the church does not have a kitchen. They have been cooking in the open. We are indeed grateful for all your support.”
The reserve account is used at the discretion of the Outreach Committee. This year we used some of the money to provide Christmas presents to the men at Clifton Sanctuary Ministries. As this account grows we will be looking for more ways for Eastminster to help others thanks to your generous gifts to ECHO. Rick Adle Moderator of Outreach