Hurricanes 2004

Lutherans Respond to Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne

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Please add "Hurricanes" in the memo line to help designate your gift properly.

ELCA Domestic Disaster Response

PO Box 71764

Chicago, IL 60694-1764

Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522

On the web at: http://www.elca.org/scriptlib/dcm/giving/ddisaster.asp

LCMS World Relief and Human Care
1333 South Kirkwood Road
St. Louis, MO 63122-7295
Credit card gift line: 1-888-930-4438

On the web at: http://www.lcms.org

ELCA Disaster - Southeast Hurricanes

LCMS World Relief

Hurricane Preparedness

FEMA Hazards: Hurricanes
Red Cross: Family Disaster Planning

Other preparedness links

Messages from Bishops and Responders

Note from Mark Johnston, Lutheran Disaster Response Coordinator, St. Croix USVI - September 15, 2004

St. Croix started feeling the strong winds and rains of Tropical storm Jeanne at midnight last night and it continued until about 8 am with heavy rains throughout the day.

LSS appeared to have no major damage to structures. There was localized flooding at Queen Louise Home for the Children, which was being cleaned up this morning as I was making my assessments. A drive by inspection of the Lutheran churches showed no visible damage.

I toured the Island with FEMA and VI police and attended a 1 pm assessment meeting at the EOC. The following info was available at this meeting:

St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John

There appears to be only minimal damage to all three islands. Downed utility poles and trees that knocked out power lines is the most viable damage. Localized flooding in problem areas was also reported. The area that often floods on ST. Croix, in a low laying residential neighborhood did not flood. There have been no reports of any major structural damage throughout the Islands. The Red Cross shelter was open last night with two people seeking shelter from the localized flooding. They are opening a shelter at the High school complex for tonight. Many utility poles and lines are down. There was still no power on the island as of 1:00pm and some of the cell towers were blown down interrupting service from some companies. The same towers housed many of the Gov. Agency communications equipment, so they too are out of service. The local power authorities said that much of the Island will have power by tonight. Phone and power will most likely take several days before all areas are restored. The LDR field office looses power and phone on good days and is at the end of a feeder that is usually last to be repaired. In general tropical storm Jeanne formed very quickly, almost on top of the Virgin Islands. The damages are truly minimal and the community, the emergency managers and the volunteer organizations went through all the necessary stages of preparedness. Our concerns and prayers are for those in the path of Ivan.

Note from Bishop of Florida - September 9th, 2004:

Thanks for the many notes, prayers, and support offered by my colleagues across the Church! We are getting assessments in from the incredible number of congregations affected by Hurricane Frances. Even as I write, my prayers are with the people of the Caribbean Synod who are being affected by Ivan. It appears to be following the track of Charley into the Gulf but we do not know where it will go from there.

Relief is on the way to our church in the Bahamas by way of connections with the Cruiselines (airport in Freeport is closed because of damage to security). We are in spotty communication with folks at Our Savior and they have made clear that their basic needs are tremendous. We are buying what is most needed and shipping it to the church because supplies simply are not available on the Island to buy with money. Even the lumber yards and plywood sources were damaged greatly. Entire "settlements" of homes (poverty) were washed away by the surge waters. We do not know numbers regarding deaths. We understand that most had sought shelter in sturdier structures in the interior of the island. I hope that this is true.

On our mainland, several church structures were heavily damaged and numbers of family homes are yet to be calculated. However, the spirit seems good, and faith strong. Most folks are speaking of water damage, flooding, destroyed trees, power outages, and the shortage of gasoline. We were able to set up a much better response system prior to Frances as a result of our experiences of Charley (and Bonnie to some degree). Yesterday, I was in the area of our synod where Frances crossed the pathway cut by Charley. The second storm tore away much of the temporary roofing and "drying in" done after Charley. But folks were back up on the roofs doing it again. One pastor moved to the interior of our state because he had served the church hit hardest by Hurricane Andrew in Homestead. Unfortunately, this pastor's church and home were all too close to the X spot of the two recent hurricanes. He and his family are being cared for by our care teams and professional counselors. Lutheran Disaster Response is quickly expanding their outreach and adding more site coordinators and staging-areas and distribution point churches.

We are keeping an eye on Ivan and are encouraging our folks to prepare in advance again. I think I shared before that it had been over 100 years since two major hurricanes hit Florida the same year. I have no idea when the last time three major hurricanes hit the same year and hope that this will not be the case this year. Our ground is now so water-logged that I fear the high winds will easily fell most trees that might now be in the path of such a storm. Our flooding is not like the rushing & raging water in rivers like I now see in the weather reports of North Carolina and other mountain areas (please know I pray for the safety of those in the areas of those raging waters). Our flooding, because of generally flat land in Florida, is simply rising water levels that find their way over streets and into homes. The land near rivers becomes lakes. Yesterday I watched as a nursing home here in Tampa which is not even near a river evacuated their clients pushing them in wheelchairs through water almost up to the center of the big wheels.

Your support is appreciated and your prayers empower us to be the Church in this place. We are keeping most news on our website, www.fbsynod.org, and provide regular articles to ELCA website. Blessings to all, and please know that we also are praying for those of our church family in other synods who are experiencing these storms.

In Christ and His Love,

Bishop Ed Benoway

A Message from Bishop Stephen Bouman - September 6th, 2004:

The hearts and prayers of the Metropolitan New York Synod go out to our brothers and sisters in Florida, whose lives have been devastated by the recent hurricanes. We know all too well the shock and emotions felt in the midst of disaster. We also remember with gratitude the life-giving importance of the prayers and expressions of solidarity of so many. In conversation with Bishop Benoway of the Florida-Bahamas Synod, he has shared his eyewitness description of the devastation. It includes many elderly people whose lives and homes have been torn apart. Recovery in some instances will be slow and difficult as the hurricane has also damaged infrastructure, such as electricity, water, and other basics.

I want to ask the people of the Metropolitan New York Synod to remember with gratitude those who responded to us, and to be generous in your response through a contribution to Lutheran Disaster Response. You may also want to express your concern and spiritual solidarity with a letter to the Florida-Bahamas Synod through Bishop Ed Benoway, who can share our concerns with affected congregations.

In partnership with Dr. John Scibilia and Lutheran Disaster Response of New York, we are also exploring other ways in which we can support the victims of this disaster. We mourn the loss of life and pray God’s mercy and peace for their loved ones.

And finally we commend all of the places of hurt and hope in our troubled world to the One who embraces us all through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Stephen P. Bouman, Bishop

Metropolitan New York Synod, ELCA

A Message from President David Benke - September 6th, 2004

All the congregations, missions and ministries and church workers of the Atlantic District of the LCMS join me in providing words of comfort and renewal to our brother and sister Lutherans in Florida during this time of testing following the devastation of Hurricane Charley. As we have learned from long and difficult experience here in the New York metropolitan area, the grace and mercy of God through our Holy Baptism supplies us with the strength necessary to both rebuild and renew after destruction.

Since so many of our parishioners in New York have family members in Florida, we know that the fervent prayers of God's faithful people have been brought forth from our altars since the hurricane first struck. However, when it comes to the persistence and dedication that will be called for in the next months in Florida, the collaboration of New Yorkers with Floridians WILL take place. We have learned to be persistent in works of mercy, and unflagging in extending a helping hand, especially to those who are at the margins of society.

May the Lord bless and keep those servant leaders who will be at the forefront in planning together the strategies for recovery that will provide comprehensive and long-lasting results.

Dr. David H. Benke, President

Atlantic District, LCMS

Prayer Petitions

Gracious Lord, we pray for the people affected by Hurricane Charley. Be a source of strength and courage during this time of distress and destruction and a refuge and comfort to all those who suffer and grieve at this time. Remain with us O Lord, in Christ's name. Sustaining God, we pray for the Florida-Bahamas Synod and the Florida-Georgia District as they assess damage, assist victims, and begin on the journey of recovery. Remain with us O Lord, in Christ's name. God of hope, we lift up the Lutheran Disaster Response team already in action and prepared to care in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley long after the storm is out of the news. Remain with us O Lord, in Christ's name. Amen.