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Dear friends in Christ,

Domestic Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is
responding to flooding in the Bluefield area of West Virginia, on the
Virginia border.  Flooding resulted from severe storms over July 8-10.
Assessments are difficult, because of washed-out bridges and roads, remote
communities, and contaminated water systems.  More than 1,600 houses homes
- perhaps as many as 3,000 - may have been damaged or destroyed in those
two states.  There have been two fatalities.

"We're busy digging out of the mud," said Pastor Meredith Patrick-Williams.
"There's a lot of chaos right now."  Pastor Williams, and the congregation
she serves (Immanuel Lutheran Church, Bluefield) are actively reaching out
to the people. "Our area is very poor," she told me.  "There is high
unemployment, and a lot of elderly folks."

I just returned from Virginia, where I participated in a synod "Power in
the Spirit" gathering.  While there, I met to strategize a response with
Bishop James Mauney (Virginia Synod), and Ken Ruppar (pastor of the
Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Richmond, and Virginia Synod disaster
coordinator).  Immanuel Church, located near the Virginia/West Virginia
border, is a congregation of the Virginia Synod.  It is, apparently, the
only Lutheran congregation in the immediate area.  "The nearest Lutheran
congregation is about 45 minutes away," Pastor Williams said.  Bishop Ralph
Dunkin (West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod) has indicated no
congregations of his synod are in the affected areas.

Today I sent an emergency ELCA grant to support the response ministries of
the Bluefield congregation.  As interfaith efforts develop, they too will
receive support.  At the moment, the area is receiving food and temporary
shelter.  Local volunteers are helping with clean-up efforts.  Other needs
will arise are the response continues.

In other parts of the country, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response and Lutheran
Disaster Response (the cooperative ministry of the ELCA and The Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod) continue the church's commitment to bring help and
hope to disaster survivors.

> In eastern NORTH CAROLINA a two-year response to Hurricane Floyd (1999)
will end in August.  Funds are providing for materials, staffing, and
direct interfaith cooperation between Lutheran volunteers and the Christian
Reformed Church, Church of the Brethren, and Reformed Church of America.
Nearly $2 million of Lutheran funds (from all Lutheran Disaster Response
Coalition partners) have been coordinated in this response.

> In Birmingham, ALABAMA, Lutheran and Episcopal volunteers provide debris
removal and rebuilding for survivors of December 2000 tornadoes.

> In Hoisington, KANSAS, volunteers are busy with clean-up, repairs, and
rebuilding.  This is in response to an F-4 level tornado in April that
destroyed 182 homes.

> In Pontotoc and in the Columbus/Starkville area of MISSISSIPPI,
volunteers help repair some 300 homes affected by a February 24.7-mile-long
tornado.

> In the Siren, WISCONSIN, area, recovery efforts continue to be organized
in response to a June 21st category F-3 tornado that damaged or destroyed
about 120 homes.

> "Camp Noah," a weeklong day camp for children who have survived natural
disasters, is being planned this summer for Kansas, Texas, and was held
recently in Puerto Rico.

> The greatest challenge presently is the response to Tropical Storm
Allison, which in June affected southeast TEXAS and southern LOUISIANA, and
continued through Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina,
Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New England.  In southeast Pennsylvania LDR is
helping with cleanup, repairs, and moving people to new homes.  Worst hit
is Houston, Texas, where damages may reach $4 billion.  As many as 20,000
houses may be affected in both Texas and Louisiana.  A long-term
coordinated response continues to be developed.

Yesterday's Gospel lesson about the Good Samaritan reminds us to "love the
Lord your God_and your neighbor as yourself."  As we live out our faith,
Jesus directs us to respond to the needs of our neighbor the way the Good
Samaritan responded to the man along the roadside - to "go and do
likewise."  God is there to be worshipped.  The neighbor is there to be
served.

As we continue to serve our neighbors affected by disasters, we can pray
for those whose lives are forever changed because of the chaos and loss of
natural disasters.  And we pray, too, for those who respond, for strength
in their ministries.

We can volunteer in a variety of ways and a number of areas, as we are
able.

We can help with the on-going efforts and in immediate response to new
disasters by generous gifts.

Please send 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

In Christ,
Gil Furst

GILBERT B. FURST (written on Mon, Jul 16, 2001, at  3:24 pm).  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 website:  www.elca.org/dcs/disaster