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Lutheran Disaster Response

New Resource: Updated Hurricane Sandy Bulletin Insert

There is a new bulletin insert on the ELCA Disaster Response website sharing about our work and need following Hurricane Sandy. Please share it with your congregations.

Hurricane Sandy Bulletin Insert

Hurricane Sandy: Situation Report #1

A new situation report highlighting the ELCA’s response to Hurricane Sandy in the Caribbean and northeastern US is now available. Please help us share this update with your congregations and communities.

Hurricane Sandy Situation Report #1 (pdf)

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Joplin, MO: Field Report

Pastor Kathy Redpath standing next to the previous site of Peace Lutheran Church.

This is Pastor Michael Stadie, Program Director for Lutheran Disaster Response with another field report.

Last week, I spent two days in Joplin, Missouri. Duane Moudy and Jim Eckrich from Lutheran Family and Children’s Services (LFCS) of Missouri were my hosts. While there are not many Lutherans in the Joplin area, Duane’s work in the community has raised the visibility of Lutheran Disaster Response a great deal; Duane is a key player in the Joplin Recovery efforts. Jim, a long time LDR Coordinator manages the Disaster Case Management Contract for LFCS. LFCS has subcontracted with several other agencies to provide these services.

Driving through the areas impacted by the May 2011 tornado, one can easily see Joplin is in full rebuilding mode. Many homes and businesses have been rebuilt; and there is a lot of construction work going on all over the impacted area. But interspersed among the completed homes are many empty lots and even whole blocks that have weeds growing up on them. Duane shared that most of these lots were rental homes where the landlord decided not to rebuild.
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Drought: New Worship Resource

As drought continues to affect many of the areas across the US and abroad, I share the following new resource from the ELCA worship unit. It includes a suggested litany, prayers, hymns and readings around the theme of drought.

You can download the resource here: Worship Resources – Drought

For resources during other times of natural disaster please see the ELCA Worship page.

LWF: *New* Emergency Response Newsletter

The Lutheran World Federation has been working to revamp how it responds to disasters and emergencies within the countries and regions of the world in which it works. One of the first steps in the process has been to set up disaster “hubs” in 2012 in areas of the world that are disaster prone. The trial for this was carried out in Eastern Africa with the hope that through pre-positioned funds and resources the response to disasters could be swifter and more efficient, thus leading to more lives saved. This work was strongly supported by the ELCA. The two new hubs will be in Kathmandu, covering South and South-East Asia,and El Salvador and Haiti, covering Latin America and the Caribbean.

The LWF has also released a newsletter to help keep people up-to-date on this work. The first of these came out at the end of March and gives a quick overview of the program, the work in Eastern Africa, the two new hubs and a training conference that will happen in May in Nairobi, where the ELCA will be a participant.

This is an exciting new direction of work within our international disaster response and should be lifted up as often as possible. I highly recommend taking the time to familarize yourself to this work by reading the LWF Emergency Response Newsletter (March 2012).

Japan: One-Year Anniversary Litany

The following litany was translated and shared by Rev. Franklin Ishida, Director for Asia – Pacific Continental Desk. They come from the National Council of Churches in Japan in commemoration of the One Year Anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011.

Prayers for the first year remembrance of the East Japan Great Disaster
L: Let us pray to God the Father, who accompanies us in our sorrows.
O God, hear our voices. These are the voices of those who met their tragic deaths.
C: Lord, hear our prayers

L: O God, hear our voices. These are the voices of those who grieve the loss of loved ones
C: Lord, hear our prayers

L: O God, hear our voices. These are the voices of those who have had to leave their homes, threatened by radiation.
C: Lord, hear our prayers

L: O God, hear our voices. These are the voices of those who are giving their hearts out to embrace survivors in their every need.
C: Lord, hear our prayer

L: Gracious Father, look upon us who cry out to you in pain and sadness. Help us to trust in your mercy from the depth of our hearts. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray.
C: Amen

National Council of Churches of Japan
Catholic Central Council