June domestic disaster update

Dear friends in Christ,

As we move through the early days of the 2004 hurricane season, severe and devastating spring storms continue. Here is a short list of some ministries you provide by your support of Lutheran Disaster Response (a cooperative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod).

1. You continue the response to flooding in northwest Washington State, in Skagit and Snohomish Counties, where severe storms caused the Skagit River to flood, destroying many homes. LDR works with and supports volunteers from the Christian Reformed, Mennonite, and Church of the Brethren denominations. Central United Methodist Church and Bethlehem Lutheran Church provide office space. Denominational disaster grants have been provided by the United Methodists, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, and Lutherans. Recovery work will continue through August. Norene Goplen (LDR -Washington) coordinates Lutheran efforts with two interfaith organizations and the Washington State Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters. Lutheran Community Services Northwest (Roberta Nestaas, CEO) manages the response.

2. In October California wildfires in San Diego County burned about 273,000 acres, smashing a 71 year-old record. About 989,000 acres burned across the state, 209,000 more than in 1987. The fires destroyed 3,600 homes, and killed 22 people. Kevin Walton serves as LDR -Southern California Coordinator. Kevin was LDR coordinator for Durango, Colorado, fires. Lutheran Social Services of Southern California (John Clawson, President), manages the response. LDR -SCal is reaching out to elderly, poor, unemployed, child survivors. A spiritual/emotional retreat was held in June to support pastors doing intense front-line ministry.

3. Memorial Day floods and mudslides washed out bridges and covered roads in southern West Virginia. Twenty-four counties are declared a federal disaster. At least 135 homes were completely destroyed, and 443 sustained major damage. Some communities have experienced four or five major disasters in the last two years! Many low-income rural families with little resources for recovery are affected.

4. LDR continues to work with interfaith efforts to farms, homes, and communities after damaging hail storms and tornadoes struck eastern Nebraska May 22-23. Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska (Ruth Henrichs, President), is managing the response on behalf of LDR . Roger Kruger (coordinator) and Carol Fredrich (LFS staff) are active in coordination efforts. At least 158 homes were destroyed and 150 others damaged.

5. In Iowa LDR coordinator Michael Stadie (Lutheran Services in Iowa, Jane Hartman, President)) continues to coordinate efforts in response to seventeen tornadoes that damaged at least 1,400 houses in a fourteen-county area. Two persons were killed by the tornadoes.

6. Utica, Illinois, was struck by a category F-3, tornado (wind speeds of 158 to 206 miles per hours). Eight people died and dozens of homes and businesses were destroyed (as well as in nearby towns of Joliet and Granville). LDR has two responding agencies in Illinois: Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois (Gene Svebakken, president), David Roth, LDR coordinator; and. Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (Fred Agner, president), Beth Stockbridge, LDR coordinator.

Dave Roth reports, "After the clean-up crews have finished their dangerous and difficult work, and the Red Cross has done its crucial emergency response coordination, and the funerals are complete, many survivors face new trauma, while still wounded and vulnerable. We want to equip local communities to help with the healing, and we want to provide opportunities for the caring and capable persons in Lutheran congregations to participate in that. If the community wishes it, the Illinois Lutheran Disaster Response Team will be involved in Utica for many months, and perhaps years."

7. Through your support LDR continues repairing and rebuilding houses in Matagorda and Calhoun Counties in southern Texas, which endured three floods, a tornado, and damage from Hurricane Claudette. Dale and Jean Peercy are working with CRWRC volunteers to repair homes. Lutheran Social Services of the South (Kurt Senske, President), Mark Minick (LDR-TX Coordinator), and Dan Zieschang (agency disaster staff) is managing the Texas responses.

There are many other examples I could tell about the difference your support for the church's disaster response ministries — your ministries — has made.

How can you continue to be part of the church's response to these and other disasters?

You can pray. The prayers of God's people are more powerful than any floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, or acts of terrorism.

You can volunteer. Visit the website for information.

You can provide financial support. Your generosity enables you (the church) to provide immediate response to new disasters and ensures that you (the church) will continue to bring light to others for the long haul.

Send your contributions to:

ELCA DOMESTIC Disaster Response
PO Box 71764
Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764

Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522
Credit card gifts via the web: www.elca.org/disaster

LC-MS World Relief
P.O. Box 66861
St. Louis, MO 63166-9810

Credit card gift line: 1-888-930-4438

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: I am pleased to share with you that Heather L. Feltman has been named director of Lutheran Disaster Response, and director for ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, effective July 1. Heather will bring strong leadership, vision, and compassion to enrich and enhance the church's disaster response ministries.

Heather is a diaconal minister and serves as LDR coordinator for South Carolina. She is director for Lutheran Advocacy and Public Policy of South Carolina (Columbia), and director of congregational and community partnerships, Lutheran Family Services of the Carolinas, Columbia. From 1996 to 2000, she was a director of the South Carolina State Council of Churches. She served as a board member for the ELCA Division for Church in Society, an advocacy consultant for the division from 1997 to 1999, and as preschool director of Hephatha Lutheran School, Anaheim Hills, Calif., from 1988 to 1990. Hephatha is a school of the LCMS

Please offer with me your prayers of support for Heather and her family as they make this major life and ministry transition.

Yours in Christ,

Gil Furst

Gilbert B. Furst (written on June 16, 2004 at 12:00 p.m). Director for ELCA Domestic Disaster Response (Division for Church in Society) and Lutheran Disaster Response (a cooperative ministry of the ELCA and LC-MS) 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago 60631 PHONE: 773-380-2822 FAX: 773-380-2493 Please visit our new website