ELCA NEWS SERVICE March 24, 2005 Lutherans Extend Prayers To The Red Lake Community 05-053MRC CHICAGO (ELCA) -- It "was a day of shock, confusion and sadness," the Rev. Marlene Whiterabbit Helgemo, a pastor of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) serving All Nations Indian Church, Minneapolis, said about March 21, when a student killed five other students, a teacher and school security guard, and wounded several others at Red Lake High School, Red Lake, Minn., before killing himself. Other victims included the student's grandfather and the grandfather's woman friend. "The Red Lake Reservation closed down Monday night, which meant that no one could enter or leave the reservation," Helgemo said. "We opened our church doors, so people could visit with each other and share information since many were hearing different stories of what had happened, collecting only bits and pieces of information," she said. Red Lake High School is located on the reservation, which is home to the Red Lake Band of Chippewa. Many of that nation live near Minneapolis/St. Paul, Helgemo said. "I would say there's close to half living off the reservation. We've been working to collect and provide gas cards and money for food for urban Indians traveling back and forth from the Twin Cities to the reservation," she said. "There has been great support from the Twin Cities community, particularly from other tribal organizations," she said. "Indians here set up a fund at Wells Fargo Bank for people who would like to donate money for families who've lost loved ones." "Many people here and across the country are concerned for our children. We're receiving many phone calls from people across the country, offering help and support," Helgemo said. She said many people are organizing to provide "support for urban Indian youth and others, since support for children needs to extend beyond what public schools can provide. Young people need to know that there are adults who care about them," she said. Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, St. Paul, and Lutheran Disaster Response are "networking and visiting with ministries already active in the Red Lake area to understand how we can be supportive and broaden efforts to meet increasing demands and future needs," said Melanie Josephson Davis, director of disaster response services, Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota. To support the needs of the Red Lake community, Davis said Lutherans can contribute funds to Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the ELCA and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. "Words cannot convey our sympathy and sorrow as we grieve this tragedy that has visited one of the communities of our synod, our friends and neighbors," said the Rev. Rolf P. Wangberg, bishop of the ELCA Northwestern Minnesota Synod, Moorhead, in a March 22 letter to pastors of the synod. "Please pray for all of the families that are intimately connected to this event, for those who have lost loved ones, for the family of the one who has caused their deaths, for the staff of the school, for the students, and for all the congregations that are in ministry to this community," he said. _ _ _ DOMESTIC DISASTERS: Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds to aid survivors of major disasters inside the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include: ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, P.O. Box 71764, Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764 Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522 Credit card gifts via Internet: http://www.elca.org/disaster/ddrgive For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news