ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 24, 2008  

An ELCA Congregation Discovers That Having a Disaster Plan Works
08-123-MRC/MN*

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- As the flood waters rose in and around the
town of Mason City, Iowa, in June 2008, members of Trinity
Lutheran Church there were prepared.  Having developed a disaster
preparedness plan a year ago, members of Trinity were able to be
an active and important part of the community's early flood
recovery work.
     Heavy rains produced floods in Mason City, affecting
businesses and homes, according to the Rev. Michael R. Stadie,
Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) coordinator, Davenport, Iowa.
LDR is a collaborative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
     Stadie said residents of the city were without running water
or sewage removal for about a week.  The elderly and low-income
communities were severely impacted.  While immediate cleanup of
the town is nearly complete, residents are now moving toward more
detailed cleanup of households.  Mold is starting to surface, he
said.
     Trinity Lutheran Church, a congregation of the ELCA, was
able to engage in relief efforts immediately because of its
disaster preparedness plan, said Stadie.
     Preparing for a natural disaster started at Trinity one year
ago, when Stadie led a disaster response workshop at the church.
About 15 members of Trinity attended the workshop which focused
on a variety of preparedness activities, including drafting a
plan should a natural disaster strike Mason City.
     "It's important that congregations develop a disaster plan,
because then they will know how to take care of the needs of
their own members and those of their community," said Stadie.
A critical component of the workshop is "asset-based planning,
where a congregation assesses its own abilities in learning how
best to respond to the needs of the church and community," he
said.
     Following the training, Trinity formed the Disaster
Emergency Response Team (DERT) to implement the congregation's
plan, which includes an evacuation strategy, building lockdowns
and evacuation routes for all church rooms.  DERT evaluated the
congregation's insurance coverage plan, conducted safety
equipment checks, and designed a "phone tree" so that
communication can happen quickly and effectively in a time of
need.  DERT signed an agreement with the American Red Cross to
serve as a shelter or food distribution center in times of
disaster.
     Through Lutheran Social Services of Iowa, Davenport, an LDR
affiliate, Trinity received a grant to help coordinate its
preparedness activities.  A stipulation of the grant required
members of Trinity to volunteer in relief efforts elsewhere in
the United States.
     When floodwaters struck Mason City in June 2008, Trinity put
its disaster plan into effect.  About 35 members from Trinity
volunteered to clean up 15 homes in Mason City.  Although the Red
Cross did not need to set up a shelter at Trinity for evacuees,
the Salvation Army used the church's parking lot to set up a
mobile food distribution station.  Trinity's fellowship hall
served as a dining hall, with members of the church serving as
hosts.
     Craig Pross, a member of Trinity and leader of DERT, said,
"Perhaps the most important role of DERT was to take stress and
responsibilities away from the (congregation's) pastors.  Because
the pastors knew that we were responding actively to the physical
needs (of the community), pastors could do their important work
of being with people, praying with them and caring for their
spiritual needs."
     DERT is made up of Trinity's parish nurse, custodian, office
manager and three congregants, said Pross.  "Not only did members
of DERT respond.  We had members of all ages, from youth to
adult, men and women, who helped clean out households, hauled
water-soaked appliances and other materials out onto the street
and, on some occasions, pumped out water from basements.  We also
visited with folks affected by the floods, so they could talk
about their experiences."  Members of Trinity also helped
distribute water bottles to the community.
     "People are talking about the good things happening at
Trinity Lutheran," said the Rev. James M. Magelssen, pastor of
Trinity.  After the flood DERT responded immediately to identify
the needs of the congregation and community, particularly people
"who are most vulnerable," he said.
     "We contacted homebound members to determine their needs,"
said Magelssen, and "folks were amazed that the church called to
see if they were okay."
     People displaced from their homes are also facing some huge
financial issues, said Magelssen.  "They still have to pay their
mortgages while living somewhere else.  Many are not sure whether
or not they should go back home and make their homes livable
again," he said.  Decisions about property may not happen until a
year from now.
     To date "members of Trinity contributed about 100 hours of
volunteer time," said Magelssen.  "We learned that our people
were better prepared to deal with the emotional and spiritual
needs of people.  I'm happy that, as a congregation, we're doing
something significant in the community.  The way the church
responds or doesn't respond will make a huge difference on how
people see the church and their faith in the future," he said.
     Before the floods struck Mason City, groups of volunteers
from Trinity were set to participate in cleanup efforts in
Parkersburg, Iowa, following a May 25 tornado that leveled nearly
half the town.  Heavy rain kept the group from working in
Parkersburg.
     The interest to participate in recovery work in Parkersburg
was inspired by a volunteer trip members of Trinity took last
year to Long Beach, Miss., to help with the ongoing response to
Hurricane Katrina.  The volunteers took part in rebuilding homes
and meeting survivors of the hurricane.  The work in Long Beach
fulfilled the LDR grant stipulation and inspired the congregation
to serve in other disaster response areas across the country,
said Magelssen.  As a result of the Long Beach volunteer
experience, "folks at Trinity became aware of the kinds of things
that need to happen" when responding to a natural disaster, he
said.
- - -
     Michael Nevergall, associate for program interpretation,
Lutheran Disaster Response and ELCA Domestic Disaster Response,
contributed information.

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

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