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1.1 Million Dollars in Medical Debt Wiped Out!

1.1 Million Dollars in Medical Debt Wiped Out!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Our initial announcement was based on the typical projection. When RIP Medical Debt went to the market with our funds, they were able to purchase over $1.1 million in debts, about $500K in Forsyth County and $600K in Davidson County.

On Sunday, September 18, Pastor John Jackman announced that the Debt Jubilee Campaign of Trinity Moravian Church had successfully raised enough money to purchase and forgive just over $500,000 in medical debt owed by individuals in Forsyth County, North Carolina. The campaign, originally scheduled to run through the end of October, was concluded early after only six weeks of fundraising.

“This has been an amazing experience,” said Pastor Jackman. “Everyone I have told about the program has a story to tell — either someone in their family or a close friend who has been crippled by unexpected medical debt. I have to hear their story, and then they make a donation.”

According to Rihanna Joseph, Development Officer at RIP Medical Debt, the process of actually purchasing the debt has commenced; upon receipt of official confirmation of the debts and forgiveness, the church plans to symbolically burn a list of the forgiven debts in a special service. “It’s like a real-world parable of how God forgives our debts, said Pastor Jackman.

How is it possible for an average sized congregation to make this big a difference? Trinity has partnered with RIP Medical Debt, a highly-rated nonprofit in New York, which was started by two executives who worked in the area of debt factoring. As experts in the field of the resale of debt, RIPMD is able to purchase “aged” medical debt (debts which have not been successfully collected for a period of time) for literally a penny on the dollar. In this process, called “factoring,” the debt holder can receive a small amount and write off the debt; usually a third party debt collection agency purchases the debt, and then has the right to collect the full amount if they can, often using aggressive measures. In this case, however, Trinity and RIP Medical Debt use the system to do good: instead of collecting, they forgive the debt. Each debtor will receive and official letter indicating that their medical debt has been forgiven, and is wiped off their credit report. Trinity Moravian Church has had a campaign to raise $5,000 in cash, which will be used to purchase the factored debt.

But this is not the end of the Debt Jubilee Project! The next target is Davidson County, where there is an estimated $4.7 million dollars in unpaid medical debt available for purchase on the secondary market. According to Pastor Jackman, the project will be partnering with other churches and groups to raise the money to purchase and forgive that debt. The Moravian Ministries Foundation has already provided a matching grant of $2,500 to match the initial donations.

For more information about the Debt Jubilee Project, the latest news on medical debt issues and health care issues in North Carolina, visit https://debtjubileeproject.org. Organizations that wish to partner with the Jubilee Project may visit “Partner With Us” on the website.

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Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday

Join us at 7 pm March 2 for our Ash Wednesday Catacomb Service in the Reich Fellowship Hall. This candlelit service recalls the early church, worshipping in secret in the catacombs of Rome. The children of LOGOS participate, with the senior highs reading Scripture lessons. There is a liturgy of confession, the imposition of ashes, and a Cup of Covenant.

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Moravian Day of Giving

Moravian Day of Giving

March 1, 2022 is the Moravian Day of Giving — and this year a generous donor has offered to MATCH your gift to a specific congregation (think TRINITY!) – up to $10,000. You have to make your donation through the Moravian Ministries Foundation Giving Portal — and in order to get the match, you need to donate early, since the matching funds will run out. So tomorrow morning (starting at 12:01 am) you can make your gift to Trinity and have it matched! Here’s the link:

https://mmfa.info/trinity-moravian-church-nc-donation-form/

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Jesus De/Constructed

Jesus De/Constructed

This is an exciting Lenten series for those who are questioning the pat answers about Jesus from the institutional church – and looking to find the real Jesus in their lives.  In essence, this is an informal, six-part group book study of two books led by the authors themselves:

Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence – by Dr. Diana Butler Bass and

The Homebrewed Christianity Guide to Jesus: Lord, Liar, Lunatic . . . Or Awesome? – by Dr. Tripp Fuller

Participants will meet each Sunday night at 7 pm to view the presentation by the authors, and then have a discussion. Zoom option available.

To learn more click HERE!

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January 2022 Newsletter

January 2022 Newsletter

Our January newsletter is ready – you can download the PDF version here or in our Facebook group. A printed version will arrive in the mail this week at every household.

DOWNLOAD PDF NEWSLETTER

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Unity Prayer  2022

Unity Prayer 2022

This Wednesday, January 12, is Trinity’s turn at the great Unity Prayer Watch. Every minute of every day, a Moravian somewhere is praying for the ministry of the Moravian Church. We have again been assigned the hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Please consider signing up for a 30 minute slot — or perhaps splitting a slot with a spouse or friend. Of course, under the current COVID restrictions, we will all be praying at our homes.

You can download a Prayer Guide that will guide you through prayer for all our provinces and ministries. DOWNLOAD HERE.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

This prayer watch, inspired by the “Hundred Year Prayer Watch” in Herrnhut, has continued unbroken since 1957.

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