ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 29, 2004

ELCA Presiding Bishop Visits Florida-Bahamas Synod, Offers Thanks
04-205-JB

     TAMPA, Fla. (ELCA) -- Expressing thanks on behalf of "a
grateful church," the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), traveled here
Oct. 26 to meet with leaders of the ELCA Florida-Bahamas Synod in
the wake of four hurricanes that struck this synod in August and
September.
     Hanson and the Rev. Edward R. Benoway, bishop of the ELCA
Florida-Bahamas Synod, met here at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
with about 200 people, including pastors, professional lay
leaders, disaster response personnel and representatives from
church-related organizations.
     Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne struck various
parts of the Caribbean and Florida, causing deaths and injuries,
and property damage estimated at $18 billion. The bishops offered
words of encouragement to the synod leaders, many of whom are
still working with people adversely affected by the storms. They
also led a worship service, which included a "Litany for
Healing."
     Those who attended viewed a video describing the storms and
the aftermath for some congregations in areas hardest hit,
including Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Port Charlotte, Fla., and
Lamb of God Lutheran Church, Haines City, Fla.
     In informal remarks to the leaders, Hanson reminded them
that "nothing in all creation will separate us from the love of
Christ Jesus," quoting a familiar Bible verse.  Christ "meets us
in places of suffering and death," he said.
     Hanson said after any disaster it takes considerable time to
recover, and disaster response personnel are often still on the
scene long after a disaster is no longer in the headlines.  For
example, he said, Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), a partnership
ministry of the ELCA and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS),
LDR-New York and local Lutheran social service agencies are still
working in the New York area more than three years after the
terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
     "We as Lutherans know that healing takes a lot longer than
the culture will ever acknowledge," he said.
     The church's leaders on the ground in Florida had benefited
from the "strength" of the LDR partnership of the ELCA-LCMS,
Hanson said.  "Despite our differences, we are united in our
witness to the world."
     Hanson pointed out that many church members and church-
related organizations from throughout the ELCA have provided
people and money to help in the recovery.  "You have been a part
of an interrelated, interdependent Lutheran ecology in the
aftermath of a disaster," he said.
     Funds from LDR are helping to rebuild throughout the synod,
Benoway said.  LDR's primary emphasis has been in providing
counseling services to people adversely affected and to the
caregivers -- those who are working with people "on the ground,"
he said.
     "We give thanks for your ministries in some very difficult
times," Benoway said.  "In all circumstances, everything is
going to be okay because we are given the hands of God.  But it
won't be easy."
     Heather L. Feltman, director for LDR and ELCA Domestic
Disaster Response, Chicago, was also present.  She told the ELCA
News Service that nearly $900,000 had been contributed by ELCA
members in designated and undesignated funds for disaster
response.
     In a sermon during worship, Hanson urged the professional
church leaders to remember they must recognize their limits,
particularly in times of great stress such as a disaster. Servant
leaders often expect themselves to be "limitless" and the church
to be the same, neither of which is true, Hanson said.
     Quoting the Apostle Paul, Hanson said: "'We have this
treasure in clay jars, earthen vessels.'  And just as jars become
empty, so do human lives."
     St. Paul reminded people of faith that "we are not immune
from being afflicted or perplexed, not safe from persecution or
being struck down.  And yet the promise is, in the midst of those
realities, we will not be crushed, we will not be driven to
despair, we will not be forsaken, we will not be destroyed,"
Hanson said.
     "We need you to help teach all the [professional] leaders of
this church," Hanson told the congregation. "Remind us, challenge
us to come to terms with the fact that we are all clay jars,
earthen vessels, often empty, frequently fragile, sometimes in
fact we're broken into pieces, shards left only to the grace and
mercy of God in Christ to put back together again."
     "May the mercy of God and the peace of Christ be with you
all," Hanson concluded.
---
     Texts of remarks by Presiding Bishop Hanson are available at
http://www.fbsynod.org/ -- the Web site of the ELCA Florida-
Bahamas Synod.

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

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
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