ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 30, 2006
Lutherans Respond To Flooding In Northeast United States
06-091-KH*
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) in the northeastern part of the United
States are experiencing the impact of the storms and flooding in
June. Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), a ministry of the ELCA
and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is organizing initial relief
and recovery efforts there.
Reports from Delaware and Maryland indicate that most of the
flooding has occurred along the Atlantic coast, reported LDR.
The full extent of the damages has not been determined. LDR
coordinators have been in contact with all affected areas in
Delaware and Maryland, and at this time synod offices are not
aware of any affected congregations, said the Rev. Kevin A.
Massey, assistant director, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response.
Ohio
At least three Ohio congregations of the ELCA sustained
flood damage from the storms. Thousands of homes and businesses
remained without power after heavy rain and 110-mph wind gusts
struck many parts of the state. Northern Ohio received some of
the heaviest rain and most pronounced flood damage.
Flood damage has been confirmed at St. Lucas Lutheran
Church, Toledo; Grace Lutheran Church, Toledo; and Christ the
Redeemer Lutheran Church, Brecksville. Both St. Lucas and Grace
experienced basement flooding. St. Lucas is one of the oldest
churches in the region and has extensive archives. Due to
precautionary measures, the damage to the archives was limited,
said Mary Woodward, LDR state coordinator.
Pennsylvania
According to LDR, six counties in Pennsylvania have made
disaster declarations. Main damage reports are coming from the
counties along the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers. The Rev.
Susan Folks, St. John Lutheran Church, Pottstown, reported that
they were evacuated. There was water damage to the church and
parsonage. The Red Cross has a staging area at Emmanuel Lutheran
Church, Pottstown.
In Upper Bucks County, LDR task force members are staffing
an emergency operations center to assist with evacuations there.
Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Yardley, is preparing to
assist residents in low lying areas. The borough of Yardley is
mostly under water, said Robert Fisher, director for
communications and technology, ELCA Southeastern Pennsylvania
Synod.
The Palisades Lutheran Cluster is working with officials on
evacuation efforts. Initial assessments indicate that
Raubsville, Upper Black Eddy, Point Pleasant and New Hope
counties experienced significant flooding. Riegelsville has seen
less flooding than initially expected, Fisher said.
St. John Lutheran Church, Phoenixville, is preparing to
render assistance to the low lying areas across the Schuylkill
River near Phoenixville once the waters recede.
When Brandywine Creek in Downingtown overflowed, low lying
areas of Messiah Lutheran Church's property flooded, leaving
three to four feet of water in the basement of the church. While
the Ft. Washington/Upper Dublin area was hard hit with flooding,
the floods did not affect nearby Upper Dublin Lutheran Church or
Christ's Lutheran Church, Oreland. Other areas that have
experienced significant flooding include areas of Chester County
along the Brandywine Creek, portions of West Norriton, Perkasie
and Philadelphia, said Fisher.
---
Information about Lutheran Disaster Response is available at
http://www.ELCA.org/disaster on the ELCA Website.
*Katherine R. Hinck is a senior journalism and religion major at
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer she is an
intern with the ELCA News Service.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
