September 4, 2005
Dear Brothers and Sister in Christ,
One of the bright spots in all of the bleak news of destruction this week has been the immediate and generous response from our church. Many congregations are organizing work teams, sending materials donations, and giving generously. Thank you for all the ways you are responding, through Lutheran Disaster Response, to this disaster.
I spoke with several pastors today in the Gulf Coast region who shared their stories on how local Lutherans are responding. Many congregations are collecting donations to be delivered to the affected areas. Many are organizing themselves and their teams so that when they enter into these areas to help with debris removal and clean-up, they will be entirely self-sufficient. It is essential that when our teams arrive on-site to volunteer, they have all the resources they need for themselves so that our efforts don't tax local resources. If you want to volunteer, thank you for also taking the extra time to plan and prepare.
Today we have posted new contact information on our web site regarding volunteers and donations. Please visit our web site www.elca.org/disaster to access the most current information. In addition, we continue to record names of those who are willing to volunteer in the long-term recovery and will make contact when we move into that phase of the recovery. We are known for being there long after a disaster has left the media spotlight * thank you for helping make this long-term ministry possible.
Your gifts - money, time, prayers - are making a difference, and will make a difference for many months and years to come.
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.
(With One Voice 737)
Heather Feltman
Director, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response (www.elca.org/disaster)
Executive director, Lutheran Disaster Response (www.ldr.org)
Amy Bancroft, Administrative Assistant
Domestic Disaster Response
8765 W. Higgins Rd
Chicago, IL 60631
773.380.2748
773.380.2493 (fax)
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www.elca.org/disaster
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