Dear Friends,

I am writing this letter for the 2002 Week of Compassion Leaders’ Guide on Thursday, October 11, one month after the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. One wonders what will have happened in our nation and in our world by the time this booklet is received and our congregations prepare to receive another offering for our church’s mission fund to respond to humanitarian need in the world. Will there have been more attacks? Will the terrorists be apprehended and brought to justice? Will America’s war on terrorism be over or just beginning? Will Afghanistan be devoid of people, its populace encamped in desperate, freezing refugee camps? Or will the country, no longer a pariah among the nations of the world, be rebuilding, it’s people out from under the harsh rule of the Taliban?

It has been said that on September 11, 2001, America lost its sense of invulnerability and invincibility. Perhaps, but certainly the people of this nation and of nations around the world found a renewed sense of generosity and compassion. Gifts poured into Week of Compassion from individuals, congregations and partners throughout the world, first in response to the survivors, victims’ families and those courageous first responders; then to people across the country who lost jobs, were dislocated, and suffered emotional and mental trauma as result of the attacks; and then to the millions of Afghan refugees who fled civil war, Taliban tyranny, drought and attacks by the U.S. military.

The theme for the 2002 Week of Compassion celebration is appropriately enough from the first letter of Peter: ?Serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.? The letter was written in a time of great distress, uncertainty, violence — ?fiery ordeal? the writer called. And his advice in the midst of it all: hold unfailing your love for others; practice hospitality, be good stewards of what you have received from God’s grace by sharing with others.

Most of our congregations will celebrate Week of Compassion February 17-24, while others will choose times more appropriate for their respective calendars. Regardless of the time your congregation chooses, we hope you will use the resources in this booklet and on the WOC web site to help your members think profoundly about and respond faithfully to the call to be good stewards of the rich and varied grace of God and to share compassionately of what has been entrusted to us with people in need in our world.

Because of the response of thousands of Disciples throughout the U.S. and Canada, Week of Compassion has been able to offer help and hope not only to those affected by the “fiery ordeal” of September 11 but also to millions of people everywhere who are desperate to survive the terrorism of hunger, poverty, disease, war, oppression, injustice . . . and have hope in life again. Because of the continued support of our members and congregations, Week of Compas- sion will continue to be one way we Disciples can join millions of other Christians in serving one another with whatever gift each of us has received.

Grateful for our partnership in the gospel, I remain,

A friend and servant,
Johnny Wray, Director
Week of Compassion