Parishes help tsunami victims

Two sold-out benefit concerts of gospel, pop, and rhythm and blues music at Christ Church Cathedral have resulted in receipts and donations of over $42,000 to benefit victims of the South Asian tsunami.
The money from the Cathedral events went to the Canadian Red Cross and UNICEF and will be matched by the federal government, warden Graham Rawlings told the Cathedral congregation Sunday.
Performing on Friday and Saturday were the Cathedral’s choir, the Gospel Experience choir associated with the First Baptist, Vancouver, and the Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir led by Vancouver singers Marcus Mosley and Gail Suderman, who organized the event. Other Vancouver artists involved included Leon Bibb, Dee Daniels, Calamity Jane, Bill Sample, Denis Simpson, and Barbara Taylor.
The concerts were among several events held by Anglican parishes. St. Alban's Church in Richmond was to host a multi-faith Prayer Service for all the victims of the Tsunami and especially for Sri Lanka on Sunday, January 9
St. Paul's, Vancouver, opened its labyrinth Friday evening for a special walk in response to the Tsunami disaster and was to offer a special prayer service Sunday night.
The wardens and trustees of St Anne's, Richmond, last week decided to send $5000 to the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) from accumulated assets in the confidence that the parishioners would reimburse the funding source and more, said the Ven. Andrew Pike, rector. More than half of that sum was contributed in the first three days of fundraising, and much more is expected.