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Responding to the severe flooding in the southern plains

Megan Brandsrud

​Texas, Oklahoma and now Arkansas are experiencing severe flooding that started due to heavy rainfall and flash floods in the region during Memorial Day weekend. This has been the wettest May, or even month, on record for most of the region. In Texas, it is estimated that 35 trillion gallons of rain have fallen during the past month. Some cities in Texas have received at least four inches of rain for the past 25 consecutive days. At least 27 people have died due to the flooding in the U.S., and several more people are still missing. Normally dry riverbeds are flooded, leaving 4,000 houses damaged or destroyed and many streets and interstates submerged.

And the rain is still falling.

Flood waters cover Memorial Drive along Buffalo Bayou in Houston, Texas May 26, 2015 in a photo provided by the Harris County Flood Control District. Torrential rains have killed at least eight people in Texas and Oklahoma, including two in Houston where flooding turned streets into rivers and led to nearly 1,000 calls for help in the fourth-most populous U.S. city, officials said on Tuesday. REUTERS/Harris County Flood Control District/handout via Reuters - RTX1EN9D

Flood waters cover Memorial Drive along Buffalo Bayou in Houston, Texas May 26, 2015 in a photo provided by the Harris County Flood Control District. Torrential rains have killed at least eight people in Texas and Oklahoma, including two in Houston where flooding turned streets into rivers and led to nearly 1,000 calls for help in the fourth-most populous U.S. city, officials said on Tuesday. REUTERS/Harris County Flood Control District/handout via Reuters – RTX1EN9D

Flooding in Houston, Texas. Credit: Reuters

Lutheran Disaster Response has been in contact with our disaster affiliates on the ground in the region, as well as with synods and congregations. We are keeping up-to-date on the situation and are assessing the immediate and long-term needs of those in the flooded areas. We will act in coordination with our network of social ministry organizations and synods to respond to these needs, and we will walk with those who have been affected through every phase of the disaster recovery process. We will stay long after the water recedes to assist in the rebuilding and recovery long-term response needs.

Please support Lutheran Disaster Response’s work in responding to the flooding in the southern plains by visiting the U.S. Spring Storms giving page.

Please follow Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook and Twitter.

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Living Earth Reflection: Protecting the Waters of the United States

Mary Minette, program director, Environmental Policy and Education

​May 2015

“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
Amos 5:24

Water as a metaphor flows through scripture, perhaps because of the essential role water plays in sustaining human life and the abundance of God’s creation. Water is also central to our spiritual lives. In the waters of baptism we begin our journey as Christians; the water that makes possible both the bread and wine of Communion.

So how does the scriptural significance of water relate to our calling to seek justice for our communities and protect that which plays a central role in creation?

For more than four decades, the federal Clean Water Act has protected our nation’s waters, including the smaller streams and wetlands that feed into larger rivers and lakes. But many of these bodies of water are still under threat from pollution.

In recent years two Supreme Court cases created uncertainty about whether smaller streams and wetlands merit the full protection of clean water regulations, and ordered the Administration to resolve this ambiguity. This week, the EPA issued a new clean water rule that protects small and seasonal streams and wetlands that connect to larger bodies of water, which we rely on for drinking, fishing and other uses. Under the new rule, many of the streams and wetlands that were historically covered under the Clean Water Act will again be covered. The rule carefully defines “waters of the United States” to clarify that all bodies of water with a clear connection to larger watersheds are protected, but also allows for case-by-case evaluation of streams and wetlands with less certain connections to downstream bodies of water.

The new rule has drawn criticism from groups that argue that it will regulate irrigation ditches and puddles, and that it will cause economic harm to landowners, who will be required to ask permission before using their land in ways that may affect water quality. The EPA has responded to these concerns and attempted to reassure groups worried about the economic impact of the rule— that these impacts are overstated and that the benefits of the rule outweigh the economic costs. Such conflicting points of view about economic impacts are nothing new; nearly every new environmental regulation proposed in the last 30 years has had to overcome arguments that these rules are overreaching and economically harmful. In the midst of such conflict, how is God calling us to be stewards of Creation?

As Lutherans we believe that we stand at the foot of the cross, and are called to acknowledge our own sin and brokenness. But we are also set free from sin and captivity by the love of God and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, so that we can be loving servants, caring for our neighbors and seeking justice for all the earth.

What does justice for creation look like? To quote from the ELCA social statement “Caring for Creation”: “When we act interdependently and in solidarity with creation, we do justice. We serve and keep the earth, trusting its bounty can be sufficient for all, and sustainable.” Justice for creation includes four principles—participation, solidarity, sufficiency and sustainability.  Within this framework of justice, the principles of sufficiency and sustainability speak most directly to the need to balance economic interests against protection of the earth to meet the needs of current and future generations.

Take Action

  • Learn more about the proposed rule and the Clean Water Act on from our ELCA Waters of the United States resource.
  • Write your U.S. Representative today at the ELCA Action Center, and ask them to oppose efforts that prevent the EPA and Army Corps from protecting small streams and wetlands—your voice will make a difference!
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Faith Lens Summer Hiatus

Faith Lens Editor

​Faith Lens is not published during the summer.  The next Faith Lens is scheduled to be posted  September 1, for Sunday, September 6, 2015.

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Ebola Outbreak: Liberia declared “Ebola-free”

Megan Brandsrud

​On March 30, 2014, Liberia confirmed its first two cases in the recent Ebola epidemic. A little more than a year later, Liberia was officially declared Ebola-free on May 9, 2015, after 42 days of zero reported Ebola cases.

Day 42 is the magic number because it is double the timeframe of the virus’ incubation period of 21 days, which is the official criterion needed to declare that the human-to-human transmission of the virus is over. This is an enormous achievement for Liberia – a country that was reporting 300-400 new Ebola cases every week during the peak of the epidemic.

The Rev. Andrea Walker, Global Mission area program director for Madagascar, West/Central Africa was in Liberia when the epidemic officially ended.

“The most incredible thing to me as I visited Liberia during the week they were declared Ebola-free is the hard work of the people of Liberia,” says Walker. “Everywhere they showed extreme vigilance. The directive to wash your hands and to have your temperature taken were measures that I am sure helped to curtail this disease. It was good to be with the people of the Lutheran Church in Liberia once again. I felt the absence of the usual hugs and handshakes, but I realize that this change of cultural practice had been necessary for survival.”

Ebola poster from Liberia

A poster from Liberia on Ebola prevention tips that was used to help curtail the outbreak.

While they could have felt defeated as the Ebola virus continued to spread throughout their country, Liberians did not give up – they fought against the disease with everything they had.

“Liberians were hard at work during the Ebola crisis, trying to save their way of life,” says the Rev. Themba Mkhabela, Global Mission regional representative for Madagascar, West/Central Africa. “Liberia would not be free of Ebola today if Liberians did not fight to save their country. The efforts of the international community also helped win the fight against Ebola, but the efforts of the international community would not have succeeded without the role played by volunteers, ordinary Liberians and the people of faith.”

One of those people of faith was Bishop D. Jensen Seyenkulo of the Lutheran Church in Liberia, who stayed in Liberia throughout the outbreak to provide support and serve as a trusted voice. Many Liberians were initially cautious of the government’s warnings about Ebola. Bishop Seyenkulo made many trips around the country in the midst of the epidemic to make sure people understood the seriousness of the situation and the care that was needed.

“I am reminded of an incident in one of the most devastated villages in the country where people refused to accept the county medical team or government officials,” says Bishop Seyenkulo. “The only person they were ready to listen to was their bishop. At the invitation of county officials, I dropped everything and drove there to reassure community members. At that point, the community opened itself to the medical help it needed.”

Thanks to the gifts given by people like you, Lutheran Disaster Response was able to assist in the fight against Ebola in Liberia when the outbreak was just beginning. We worked with our companion, Lutheran Church in Liberia, and partners, ACT Alliance and Global Health Ministries. Lutheran Disaster Response provided medical and disinfectant supplies, distributed food to people who were quarantined and helped ensure World Health Organization standards were met in the construction of an isolation center at Phebe Hospital. We also helped cover air-freight costs for shipments of personal protective equipment to Monrovia, Liberia’s capital. Your generosity allowed Lutheran Disaster Response to be the church and accompany our brothers and sisters in Liberia during this difficult time.

While we give thanks for Liberia being declared Ebola-free and celebrate with the people whose vigilance made it possible, we continue to pray for the people of Sierra Leone and Guinea who are still fighting against the Ebola outbreak. And even though Liberia is now Ebola-free, the work necessary to rebuild communities and health systems is just beginning. We will continue to walk with the people of Liberia as they begin the post-Ebola phase of recovery.

Please continue to support Lutheran Disaster Response’s work in the fight against Ebola by visiting the Ebola Outbreak Response giving page.

Follow Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook and Twitter.

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Exploring: Advocacy

Ryan P. Cumming

​May 21, 2015

In this series of posts, we will take a closer look at some of the areas of work ELCA World Hunger supports domestically and internationally.  Previously, we looked at relief and education.  This week, our focus is on “advocacy.”

The Work We Do: Advocacy

What Is Advocacy?

Speak up!

Advocacy is a public witness to the gospel of Christ where the church speaks with and on behalf of others in need.  It is the work the church does when it speaks up and out, lending its voice to support, to vindicate, and to challenge.  One of the most visible forms of advocacy is public policy advocacy.  This includes listening to the experiences of community members, lifting up these experiences during conversations with policymakers, and educating Lutherans about current priorities in government.  It also includes working for change in public policy based on priorities drawn from ELCA social statements, Lutheran ministries, programs and projects around the world. Our public policy advocacy colleagues at the state, national and international levels are often in deep conversation with Lutherans in the ELCA and with our ecumenical partners about the impact of policies on hunger.

Advocacy doesn’t just happen in the halls of government, though.  Any time we bring our voices to bear on issues of justice, we are advocating in the spirit of the church’s calling to be advocates of justice and mercy (ELCA, “Church in Society,” [1991], p. 6.)  This can be something as seemingly small as writing a letter to the editor of a local newspaper to inform readers of the realities of hunger and poverty.  Or, it can be correcting colleagues at work or friends at school whose prejudices disparage people facing hunger.  Speaking up, being advocates, is central to the work we do together.

Many Lutherans do this often.  When misinformation and xenophobia galvanized opposition to unaccompanied children crossing the border from Mexico this summer, Bishop Michael Rinehart (Gulf Coast Synod) used his blog to speak the truth and give voice to the realities many of these children face.  In September 2014, hundreds of ELCA members joined others in the People’s Climate March in New York to bring attention to issues related to climate change.  There are countless other examples.

ELCA World Hunger supports staff dedicated to public policy advocacy.  The Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC) in New York City is an office of the ELCA, but it also represents the Lutheran World Federation.  The staff of LOWC advocate for peace, human rights, justice and better standards of living for all people.  It monitors the United Nations on behalf of the ELCA and on behalf of the 72 million Christians represented by the LWF.  Our ELCA Advocacy staff in Washington, DC, advocates with US policymakers on issues ranging from the Farm Bill to the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act.  And our eleven State Public Policy Offices (SPPOs) across the country are voices for change on issues like minimum wage, school breakfasts, and access to clean water.

Roots of Advocacy

Biblically, many people trace the roots of public policy advocacy to the Prophets.  When Amos cries out for “justice in the gate” (5:15), he’s demanding just and fair court practices.  And even modern-day political rhetoric hardly approaches the vitriol expressed by the prophet Isaiah: “How the faithful city has become a whore!  She that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her – but now murderers!…Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves!” (1:21-23a).

There are some limits to applying the prophets to public policy in the here-and-now, most notably the fact that we in the US don’t live in a theocracy, so purely religious arguments have little traction in the public square. But this is precisely where Lutheran theology steps in, providing a path for bringing faith to bear on public life in a way that doesn’t demand that a government be Christian in order to be good.

We have a name for this theology: two kingdoms.  (I know, I know.  Commence groaning.)  The common name might not be the best to describe what is going on in this theology.  A better phrase might be “God’s two ways of governing.”  On the one hand, God “governs” the world through the gospel.  This is the foundation of God’s reign in the perfect kingdom.  Here, mercy, love and forgiveness are the guiding principles.

Of course, with sin, this doesn’t always work in the “real world.”  Here, today, people suffer.  People cheat.  Greed runs rampant.  Is there no grace to be found in our daily lives?  Is our faith merely a matter of waiting for Heaven?  No!  Sin hasn’t left us to our own devices apart from God.  Indeed, God graciously provides for us in another way as we await the fullness of God’s perfect reign.  Here, God has established other structures and principles to help us live meaningful lives now: justice, peace, equity.

Human communities may not be perfect communities of love and mercy.  But they can be communities of justice and peace, and this can give us a taste of what perfect justice and perfect peace might be like in God’s full reign.  They can be communities in which the dignity of each person is protected and in which every person has an equal shot at a life lived without fear, without hunger, without oppression.

In baptism, Lutherans are called to build this kind of community – “to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.”  Doing so is so central to who we are as the people of God that, according to the bible, we cannot be an authentic worshipping community without being a justice-seeking community:

In Isaiah’s words:

Yet day after day they seek me

   and delight to know my ways,

as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness

   and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;

they ask of me righteous judgments,

   they delight to draw near to God.

‘Why do we fast, but you do not see?

   Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?’

Look, you serve your own interest on your fast-day,

   and oppress all your workers.

Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight

   and to strike with a wicked fist.

Such fasting as you do today

   will not make your voice heard on high.

Is such the fast that I choose,

   a day to humble oneself?

Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,

   and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?

Will you call this a fast,

   a day acceptable to the Lord?

Is not this the fast that I choose:

   to loose the bonds of injustice,

   to undo the thongs of the yoke,

to let the oppressed go free,

   and to break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:2-6)

Or again, from Micah:

“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

Advocacy – being voices of justice in an unjust world, voices of peace in the midst of conflict, and voices of solidarity amid marginalization – is central to who we are as church and central to our work to end hunger.  As Lutherans, we believe God has ordained that we have governments, churches, families, and communities not so that some profit while others hunger but so that all may be fed.  Our work as policy advocates and public advocates in other areas of our life is a key part of our role in God’s establishment of a world worth living in and, if the health outcomes of hunger are any indication, a world that is possible to live in.

Examples of Advocacy

In December 2014, ELCA Advocacy urged followers to support the ABLE Act, which passed in the US House of Representatives by a 404-17 vote. The ABLE Act would allow people with disabilities to set up savings accounts for housing, transportation, educational opportunities, and other expenses without jeopardizing their eligibility for Medicaid and Social Security benefits. The act was signed into law by President Barack Obama in January 2015.

Also in December 2014, the Secure Choice Savings Program Act was approved by the General Assembly of Illinois, with support from Lutheran Advocacy-Illinois.  This act will give millions of private sector workers in Illinois the opportunity to save their own money for retirement by expanding access to employment-based retirement savings accounts, a benefit more than 2.5 million workers do not have.  With food insecurity affecting nearly 15% of seniors in Illinois, this act could be a significant step in reducing hunger among retirees.

The Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry in New Jersey is currently in the midst of working toward passage of a state-wide earned sick days bill in the Assembly. The bill has passed the Assembly Labor and Budget committees and is awaiting a full floor vote. It is a model earned-sick-days law that covers nearly all 1.2 million workers in the state who lack earned sick days. The majority of those who will benefit are low-wage workers earning less than $10 an hour.  The bill allows workers to use earned sick days to care for themselves as well as all immediate family members when sick and to use earned sick days to deal with, relocate or find safe accommodations due to circumstances resulting from being a victim of domestic or sexual violence.

 

Learn more about ELCA Advocacy at the ELCA Advocacy blog: http://www.elca.org/blogs/advocacy

Sign up for ELCA Advocacy updates and alerts: http://www.capwiz.com/elca/mlm/signup/?ignore_cookie=1

 

 Ryan P. Cumming, PH.D., is program director of hunger education for ELCA World Hunger.  You can reach him at Ryan.Cumming@ELCA.org.

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Nepal Earthquake: Krishna’s story

Megan Brandsrud

​The April 25 and May 12 earthquakes in Nepal affected more than 8 million people. Thanks to your generosity, Lutheran Disaster Response was able to provide assistance right away, working with our partners on the ground – The Lutheran World Federation, Lutheran World Relief and United Mission to Nepal. Since the earthquakes, we have been helping provide for immediate needs with distributions of emergency food packs and shelter kits. Along the way, we have heard many stories of how the earthquakes have affected families and the way of life in villages around the country.

Below is Krishna’s story that has been shared with us from our partner, Lutheran World Relief.

Krishna has lived in the village of Jaubari Dhansar her entire life. Located in the remote Gorkha District of Nepal, it is among the hardest hit by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal April 25.

In fact, the village is so remote that LWR team had to switch from regular four-wheel drive SUV to a customized Jeep designed to navigate the rough terrain. It took more than two hours to drive less than 20 miles, with no sight of paved road for most of the trip.  It takes the villagers more than four hours and costs $2 in bus rides to get to the nearest town.

Krishna says she feels lucky that her family – including her husband, two sons and pregnant daughter-in-law – weren’t harmed in the quake. It struck during a time when many people in the village are usually outside sitting or working.

While Krishna is thankful to have survived the earthquake, she says she’s lost all her belongings. Her family’s food supply is buried under the rubble and she says it will take them years to rebuild their house on the roughly $8-10 per day income her husband and sons bring home from working in the nearby town. As for herself, Krishna says she’s traumatized. “It feels like the earth is shaking all the time,” she says.

Tarps for temporary shelter Credit - LWR

Pictured: Krishna received a temporary shelter kit and food pack during a distribution with Lutheran World Relief and other partners in Nepal.

Krishna said she’s had to borrow food from those who had some left. The food packages LWR distributed that day are designed to last 15 days for a family of five, but she hopes it will last longer. The family also received a 12- by 15-foot tarp to cover the roof of their house.  This will help protect Krishna and her family from the rains, which will intensify during the upcoming monsoon season, which runs from June through September.

The food pack and tarp will help provide for immediate needs for Krishna and her family, and we will continue to work with Lutheran World Relief, The Lutheran World Federation and United Mission to Nepal to provide long-term assistance. We will be there to help families like Krishna’s rebuild their homes and restore livelihoods so we can help them recover and increase their resilience to disasters.

If you would like to continue to support Lutheran Disaster Response’s work in Nepal, please visit the Nepal Area Earthquake giving page.

Follow Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook and Twitter.

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“Innovative Program of the Year” for storm shelter pilot project

Megan Brandsrud

​Lutheran Disaster Response was awarded “Innovative Program of the Year” for its storm shelter pilot project during last week’s National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) annual conference in New Orleans. The award recognized our work with our partners, Upbring (formerly Lutheran Social Services of the South) and Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), on this project that assists families in tornado-prone communities.

The pilot project was developed to help people who have been affected by tornadoes by providing resources and technical support to install storm shelters on their properties. During the year-long pilot project, 206 families in the greater Oklahoma City area and 19 families in Louisville, Miss., received storm shelters. We worked with long-term recovery groups in these two tornado-affected areas to identify families who were most vulnerable to tornadoes and to provide case management in the storm shelter selection and installation process.

Safe room 2

Pictured: A storm shelter that was selected based on a family’s specific needs and installed on their property.

The storm shelter project is continuing beyond this pilot year, and more storm shelters are slated for installation. The learnings from the pilot will be used to help create and advise national guidelines for other storm shelter programs around the country.

This award comes at a time that serves as another reminder of the importance of storm shelters and disaster preparedness, in general. Today marks two years since deadly tornadoes tore through Moore, Okla., and the surrounding area leaving physical and emotional destruction in their path. We remember the people who were affected by these tornadoes and we hold them in our prayers as we acknowledge that they are still on their journey of recovering and rebuilding. And, we give thanks for our partners who have helped us implement the storm shelter pilot program—a project that provides physical safety and peace of mind for people living in these tornado-prone areas of the country.

Follow Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook and Twitter.

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May 24, 2015 Under the Rubble

David Dodson–Fort Walton Beach, FL

​

Warm-up Question

Have you ever experienced a natural disaster or severe storm?  Were you frightened?

Under the Rubble

On April 25th, 2015, a major earthquake rocked the mountainous nation of Nepal.  With a magnitude of 7.8, this earthquake was the most violent natural disaster to hit Nepal in 81 years.  At least 8,259 people died in the quake, and nearly 20,000 people were injured when the buildings around them came crashing down.

shutterstock_273291338edit

Australian Camille Thomas was in the village of Langtang when the earthquake began.  When the Australian Associated Press interviewed Camille, she labored to explain how terrifying the experience was.  “It was pretty scary, pretty horrible, nothing you can really explain,” she said. “We ran and hid under some stuff and it all started coming down.  Snow and rocks and houses, everything.  An avalanche.”

Though Camille made it to safety, many others did not.  In the days following the earthquake, Nepalese men and women, with the help of the Nepalese army, began digging through the rubble, hoping desperately to find survivors buried beneath.

Miraculously, a few survivors appeared.  Sonies Aawal, a five-month-old baby, was among the first reported miracle survivors, pulled out of the wreckage 22 hours after the quake to the relief of his parents.  A 15-year-old boy named Pemba was buried in rubble for a full five days before being pulled out.  Astonishingly, Pemba was not the last survivor found.  A 101-year-old man by the name of Funchu Tamang was dug out a week after the earthquake.  Tamang had only suffered minor injuries in the quake.

The survivors are incredibly lucky, but they certainly experienced days of uncertainty and fear, buried in the darkness, unsure if help was coming.  Pemba spent so long in the darkness prior to his rescue that he admitted, “I did not know if I was alive or dead.”

 

Discussion Questions

  • Have you ever felt helpless in the face of a situation you couldn’t control?
  • What could someone have said to you or done for you in the midst of that situation in order to help you find strength?

Pentecost Sunday

Acts 2:1-21

Romans 8:22-27

John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

 

Gospel Reflection

 

We rejoin Jesus and his disciples as Jesus offers his final teachings following the Last Supper.  After he finishes speaking, Jesus and the disciples will go to the Garden of Gethsemane.  The disciples may not know it yet, but they are about to experience a situation in which they will feel helpless and alone.

The disciples had learned to rely on Jesus.  Sometimes that was a hard and frightening lesson to learn, as when Jesus calmed the storm that had the disciples terrified and fearing for their lives.  Sometimes it was simply miraculous and humbling, as when Jesus caused four loaves and two fish to feed a multitude.  By this time, though, the disciples were getting it.  Jesus was not only their rabbi (their teacher) but also their Rock and their Shelter.

Jesus knew, of course, that the disciples would struggle with his death and his ascension into heaven.  After learning to rely on Jesus in a very real way, would the disciples feel abandoned and alone when they didn’t have Jesus physically by their side?  Certainly, we can relate to this.  Haven’t we all felt alone sometimes?  Have you ever wanted Jesus to be physically beside you?

Fortunately, Jesus has some comforting news for us.  As scary as the idea of Jesus’ departure is to the disciples, He tells them, “It is to your advantage that I go away…”

By His death, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven, Jesus is preparing the world for the coming of the Holy Spirit, which He calls “the Advocate” in this passage.  The term “advocate” is a powerful choice of title.  An advocate is one who fights for a cause – one who cares deeply and passionately and who works tirelessly on behalf of another.  The Spirit of God, Jesus says, is our Advocate!

This is the simple truth that makes the rest of the story of our Christian faith so powerful.  After Jesus ascends into heaven, His followers receive the Spirit of God to be their strength, to teach them to have faith, and to fill them with hope and love. As we read about the miracles of Peter and Paul in the book of Acts or read Paul’s letters to the churches of Europe and Asia, we should keep in mind that the same Spirit of God that gave these early disciples strength and faith has been given to us as well.  We, too, can open ourselves up to be filled with God’s Spirit!

We may never experience something quite as traumatic as Pemba did, being trapped under rubble for days.  However, we will all experience times of loneliness or worry.  It is at those times that we should remember that we have the most powerful Advocate the world will ever know – the Spirit of God through Jesus!

Discussion Questions

  • We often use metaphors to describe the nature of God.  God is often referred to as a “Father”.  Jesus calls himself the “bridegroom” of the Church in the gospels.  What metaphor might be useful to describe the role of the Holy Spirit?
  • Why is “hope” an important part of our faith in God?

Activity Suggestions

As a group, plan a “pep rally”.  Instead of focusing on school spirit, though, focus on the Holy Spirit!  Some members of your group might paint banners, some might come up with cheers or chants, and so on.  The themes will be hope, advocacy, and strength. (If you can, invite younger groups of Sunday School classes to join you in your pep rally!)

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, through the death, resurrection, and ascension of your Son, you have entrusted us with the precious gift of your Holy Spirit.  Help us to always treasure this gift, relying on your strength and power whenever we feel powerless or alone.  Teach us to spread this gift of your Spirit to our community and our world, so that all of your children know what a powerful Advocate they have.  In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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Index of the May 2015 Issue

Issue 40 of Administration Matters

ELCA Youth Gathering
Registration for the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering closes today, May 15. 30,000 youth and adult volunteers will “Rise Up Together” with the people of Detroit to create something new in Jesus’ name. You can support the work of ELCA youth in Detroit by contributing toward the purchase of supplies for the service projects. Go to www.elca.org/gathering for giving opportunities. This is also the site for the live stream from the Youth Gathering starting Wednesday, July 15 through Sunday, July 19. >more

Portico to attend 2015 ELCA synod assemblies
Portico Benefit Services will attend most of this year’s synod assemblies, talking about the ways congregations, leaders and Portico share the work of strengthening resilient leaders who shape healthy faith communities. Stop by their table with comments or questions about your ELCA benefits.

Make your mark
Road markers are a practical, inexpensive way to tell people about your congregation and direct visitors to worship. Working with a contracted vendor (NPN360), special pricing is available. >more

Solar panels
With energy costs on the rise, many congregations are looking for ways to reduce their ongoing bills. >more

Guidelines and screening help keep volunteers safe
Congregations count on volunteers, but can volunteers count on congregations to help keep them safe? >more

Inform and inspire with effective emails
An email marketing service helps you build stronger relationships with your congregation members by keeping them informed. ELCA Advantage program partner Constant Contact offers discounts (20 percent for six-month prepay, 30 percent for 12-month prepay) to ELCA congregations and agencies. You can benefit from reliable email delivery and beautiful, ready-to-use templates by signing up for a free trial today. >more

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Nepal Earthquake: Working with partners to distribute relief materials

Megan Brandsrud

​It has been three days since the second earthquake in less than three weeks hit Nepal. (First earthquake: April 25; second earthquake: May 12) Aftershocks are still being felt, which continue to generate landslides. The landslides and debris are blocking roadways, which is making transportation difficult—especially in remote villages. These obstacles combined with the approaching monsoon season are making relief activities a little complicated. However, Lutheran Disaster Response and our partners on the ground are continuing to reach as many people as possible and are committed to providing assistance to those who need it most.

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF)

Working with LWF, we have distributed relief items to 8,957 households (43,703 people) across Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk and Kathmandu districts. More than 96 tons of rice, 24 tons of lentils, 6,100 tarps, 7,000 blankets and 1,200 bars of soap have been distributed to families. Several other items, such as solar lamps and hygiene packs have also been provided for people who need them most.

LWF-ACT Alliance distributing blankets to earthquake survivors in Gushel village, Lalitpur. LWF has been doing development work here since 2006. The earthquake has destroyed the entire village.

LWF-ACT Alliance distributing blankets to earthquake survivors in Gushel village, Lalitpur. LWF has been doing development work here since 2006. The earthquake has destroyed the entire village.

Distributing blankets in Lalitpur, a village that was completely destroyed by the earthquake. Credit – LWF

LWF is the lead agency in the ACT Alliance response. Dr. Prabin Manandhar, the LWF country director in Nepal, was recently appointed to the “Disaster Management Coordination Committee” in Nepal that was formed by the Nepalese government. The committee will focus on relief and reconstruction activities, and Dr. Manandhar is one of four people on the committee who is representing international non-governmental organizations in Nepal.

Lutheran World Relief (LWR)

With Lutheran World Relief, we have distributed food packets and shelter items in Gorkha and Lamjung districts. Nearly 2,000 food packets that will be sufficient for 15 days for families of five have been distributed. The food packets consist of rice, sugar, lentils, salt and oil. More than 2,100 tarps that can be used for shelter material have been provided. In all, 2,362 households (11,810 people) have received food packets and tarps, and there are immediate distribution plans for at least 1,000 more families.

Lutheran World Relief is also working with LWF to plan distributions for 9,240 quilts, 1,000 personal care kits and 100 water filtration units that have been shipped to Nepal in coordination with the United Nations.

While continuing to assist in immediate relief, we are working with Lutheran World Relief to assess for long-term responses, including home rebuilding, livelihood rehabilitation and longer-term food assistance.

United Mission to Nepal (UMN)

We are working with UMN on relief activities in Dhading district, Nepal, where UMN has been active for almost 20 years. Trucks, tractors and helicopters are being used to distribute relief items to families in villages that have been hard hit by the earthquake that are difficult to access due to damaged roads and landslides. Some families have walked three to four hours for supplies because that is the closest the trucks and helicopters could get to them, as many of the villages are only accessible by foot.

In Chimchok, food packs, utensils and hygiene kits have been distributed to 723 households.

Over the course of seven helicopter flights, food packs were distributed to 144 households in four villages of Jharlang and two villages of Lapa. The walking paths in these areas have even been destroyed due to broken suspension bridges and landslides.

People lined up to receive relief distribution in Jeevanpur, Dhading. Credit - UMN

People line up to receive relief distribution in Jeevanpur, Dhading. Credit – UMN

UMN’s hospitals in Tansen and Okhaldhungaare have not sustained major earthquake damage, so they are both functioning beyond full capacity. All of the beds in each hospital are full, and some beds are being set up in training halls and a new hospital building that is still in the process of being constructed. Some shelters have been constructed outdoors, since some patients are nervous to stay indoors due to continued aftershocks and the fear of another quake.

We give thanks for our wonderful partners and we are grateful to be working with these trusted and experienced organizations to assist people who have been affected by the Nepal earthquakes. More distributions are scheduled and plans are underway to continue reaching people who are living in remote areas. As the immediate relief process moves forward, assessments are also being made for long-term response and the rebuilding phase that will follow.

Please continue to hold the people who have been impacted by these earthquakes in your prayers. If you would like to support Lutheran Disaster Response’s work in Nepal, please visit the Nepal Area Earthquake giving page.

Follow Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook and Twitter for more updates.

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