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Title: Lutherans Respond to Fran and Hortense ELCA NEWS SERVICE NEWSBRIEF September 13, 1996 LUTHERANS RESPOND TO FRAN Hurricane Fran killed at least 30 people as it roared through North Carolina on Sept. 5. It weakened to a tropical storm Sept. 6 in Virginia. Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) sent initial grants of $42,000 to assist in organizing local relief efforts. "We know there is severe damage along the coast area of North Carolina," said the Rev. Leon A. Phillips Jr., LDR executive director, Allentown, Pa. "There is surprisingly severe damage inland, especially in the Raleigh-Durham (N.C.) area." LDR is a joint ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The storm destroyed the new Faith Lutheran School, Raleigh, which is supported by six ELCA and two LCMS congregations. It's the fastest growing ELCA school, dedicated on Aug. 18 with 250 students in kindergarten through fourth grade, said John J. Scibilia, ELCA director for schools. LDR sent $8,000 to assist in relocating the school temporarily. Phillips said Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas was given $24,000 to assess damages and to distribute emergency supplies. Grants of $5,000 each have been sent to Lutheran Family Services of Virginia and the ELCA's North Carolina Synod. Local Lutheran pastors are meeting to coordinate their response to the emotional and spiritual needs of the residents. HURRICANE HORTENSE As of Sept. 11, Lutheran Disaster Response had issued $3,000 in initial grants to assist the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's response to Hurricane Hortense in the Caribbean. The ELCA's Caribbean Synod includes 7,160 Lutherans in 33 congregations on Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service, (312) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955 or [log in to unmask]