We are in the midst of an exciting, important, and meaningful campaign to raise necessary funds for the repair and renovation of the church building, both inside and out, plus to support our church community and wider community in powerful and life-changing ways through a gift to our youth program, our Legacy Fund, and to the retirement of medical debt for those who are unable to find relief from large, overwhelming medical bills.
During this gathering we will spotlight the medical debt relief portion of the campaign, telling the story of other congregations across the nation who have come together to create outsized relief for debt-strapped members of their communities. And while we hope the medical system gets fixed someday, what we can do is buy some of the debt and forgive it now. This concept of forgiving debt has its origin in the Book of Leviticus which describes a “jubilee” that would be held every 49 or 50 years, during which debts were forgiven in order to show the mercy of God.
Today, about 3 million – or 1% – of Americans have medical debt in excess of more than $10,000. About 23 million people owe more than $250. According to a report, low-income families and people with disabilities or serious diseases like cancer tend to owe more. Together, people in the US owe an estimated $195 billion in medical debt.
Join us to hear more about this exciting commitment as part of our Centennial Fund.
If you have not yet filled out your Gift Agreement for the Centennial Fund, you are encouraged to do so. For more information, please go to our website or speak with Pastor Laurie.