Katrina Update (Dec 2007) - Letter from the Southern District

Katrina update (June 2007):

St. Stephens Lutheran Church of New Orleans, one of the congregations that is part of the Michigan District Katrina relief effort is now in the rebuilding stage. Here is their letter requesting help - Help Request. As the letter states they still need $50,000. This is where the congregations of the Michigan District can help. Please consider this opportunity to continue support for a sister congregation in need. Gifts may be sent to the Michigan District to be forwarded to St. Stephen or they may be sent directly to them.

May God bless our efforts with generosity and abundance.
Rev. Dr. Richard J. Wolfram

MEMORANDUM

February 21, 2006

From: Rev. Dr. Richard J. Wolfram, Michigan District Katrina Response Director
To: Michigan District Congregations

Subj: Katrina Response Summary & Update

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus:

The Southern District thru LCMS World Relief assigned seven congregations to the Michigan District:

Trinity Lutheran Church, Meridian, MS
Bethel and Trinity, Point Clear and Mobile, AL
Christ, Chalmette, LA
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Biloxi, MS
St. Stephens, New Orleans,
St. Paul, Hammond, LA
and Lutheran High School, Metairie, LA.

Each region of the District was assigned two congregations. (Metro East & West were combined as one region.) Schools took responsibility for the High School. Regional Coordinators were assigned for each ministry. Congregations were asked to identify congregation coordinators. A web page was established on the District website for Katrina information.

To date 85 congregations and 23 schools have contributed $138,170.29 to distribute. Of that amount $30,000 is part of a matching grant from LCMS WR. It does not include money or in kind gifts given directly to congregations. It does not include funding for trips. The above does not reflect assistance given to additional congregations by District congregations in terms of money, trips, or in kind gifts. It also does not reflect assistance given by non-LCMS congregations through the District. In addition congregation involvement has resulted in renewed interest in local community needs.

CURRENT STATUS Four of the seven congregations we were assigned are fully operational. Our District focus will now concentrate efforts on the three congregations

Christ, Chalmette, LA
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Biloxi, MS
St. Stephens, New Orleans, LA
and Lutheran High School, Metairie, LA who need our continued support.

Modified Infra-structure
In order to better serve our three assigned congregations we are establishing three teams each consisting of a Coordinator and three support people in the areas of trips, communications, and gifts such as money or gift cards. These teams will interface with the site coordinators at the assigned congregations. As such our regional emphasis will now give way to a need based emphasis inclusive of all four ministries.

The team is in place for Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Biloxi under the direction of Coordinator Heidi Fowler-Henzi. We are looking for additional volunteers to assist Coordinator Karla Leidecker and ministry to Christ, Chalmette in the three areas named above. Interested individuals please call 586-775-2596 or email her at roryandkarla@juno.com. Also, additional volunteers are needed to assist Coordinator (a volunteer is needed for this position too) and ministry to St. Stephen, New Orleans. Interested individuals please call Rev. Dr. Richard J. Wolfram 734-213-3237 or email him at rick.wolfram@michigandistrict.org.

Efforts to assist at Christ, Chalmette and St. Stephen, New Orleans have been held up due to infra-structure issues in the Parish’s where they are located. As those situations clarify our opportunities to assist will grow.

Disaster Response for the Michigan District
Another of the outcomes of our Katrina response effort is the ground work for establishing a general District disaster response plan. This plan will involve three areas of emphasis:

-Communication by email/web
-Regional coordinators
-Congregation Coordinators

Every congregation should identify an individual willing to serve as coordinator whose primary role will be to serve as an information conduit to the congregation. In the months ahead this plan will be further developed. Stay tuned.

May God continue to use us as a blessing to those in need.

In Christ’s love,

Rick

Rev. Dr. Richard J. Wolfram, D. Min.
Congregation Ministry Facilitator/
Stewardship
Michigan District LCMS
rick.wolfram@michigandistrict.org
734.213.3237
888.225.2111, ext 237

The following are sites where you can find out about funding, volunteering, material donations, shelters, projects, needs and other ways that you might assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina:

Texas District Katrina Relief - Looking Beyond Recovery: www.texasmmf.org/katrina/

Orphan Grain Train - OGT is the LCMS partner for shipping material aid. Visit the website for daily updates on food and material goods needs and relief efforts.

Lutheran School Portal - This site has a wealth of information on Lutheran schools around the country offering aid to displaced students and their families.

Lutheran Church Extension Fund - Offering loan assistance to roster church workers and organizations and a Special Interest Program available which allows an LCEF investor to designate all or part of the interest they earn to LCMS World Relief or other disaster relief sources.

Laborers for Christ -Developing a plan to identify small (3-4) worker teams to be available to provide assistance.

*NEW* - Stephen Ministries

Thrivent Financial - they are matching donated dollars given by Thrivent members up to $1 Million Dollars to help assist with the relief efforts. (MUST use their matching donation form)

LCMS Synodical Offices - can assist you with bulletin inserts and give you updated information regarding our fellow LCMS congregations that have been devastated by the hurricane.

Lutheran Social Services: www.lsss.org

LINC Houston: www.linchouston.org/

LCMS Lutheran World Relief and Human Care: http://worldrelief.lcms.org

LCMS Search Site: www.lcms.org/ca/www/katrina/search.asp

The Mercy Network: www.themercynetwork.org

Texas District Emergency Response: www.txdistlcms.org/emergency/katrina2005.html

Wheat Ridge Ministries: www.wheatridge.org/projects/hurricane_katrina.shtml

Federal Emergency Management Agency: www.fema.gov

The American Red Cross: www.redcross.org

Salvation Army: http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_sa.nsf

United Way: http://national.unitedway.org

United Way Hurricane Katrina Resource Guide: http://katrina.uwtgc.org/index.html

Congregations who did previous Hurricane Relief Events:

Shepherd of the Lakes, Brighton sent a 12 person team to Lutheran Disaster Response's (LDR) Camp Hope in Slidell, Louisiana April 30 - May 5. They are an encouragement to others as they "be Jesus with skin on".

St. Lorenz organized a Katrina Relief Trip. 22 volunteers went to Camp Hope in Slidell La. March 25 to April 2.

St. Peter's Lutheran in Eastpointe hosted a benefit concert on March 17th, 2006 to raise funds for Katrina relief.

Our Redeemer Lutheran in Washington had a Spaghetti Dinner/Silent Auction Benefit for Christ Lutheran in Chalmette and Good Shepherd in Biloxi on April 7, 2006.

Immanuel/ Sebewaing went to the Lamb of God Camp directed by Kurtis Smith, Jan 14-21.

Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort, Wayne - The following link is to a video of the Hurricane Relief Effort. This was made by Concordia Seminary in conjunction with LCMS World Relief. It is about a ten minute presentation and about a 28Mb download. The link is ...

Soldiers of the Fort.wmv (28 Mb)

It may take a bit to download.
Larry Wright - Vicar, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Albion, MI may be able to get you the presentation on a disk. Please contact him via email at: lpwright06@netzero.com to request one.

St. Paul, Bay City Sent School Supplies to Trinity, Mobile for 80 Children.

St. Lorenz, Frankenmuth Sent a check to Michigan District in the amount of $5000.00 for Bethel & Trinity Lutheran Church in Alabama.

Trinity, Clinton Township Relief Action Team, housed displaced persons from Louisiana

St. John, Midland www.stjohnslutheran-midland.org Sent school supplies for relocated children, family boxes with personal care products

St. Paul, Farmington www.stpaulsfarmington.com Collected a door offering for Southern District.

Concordia University, Ann Arbor www.cuaa.edu - Held a Free Benefit Concert – collecting jeans and t-shirts, monetary donations

St. Peter Lutheran School, Hemlock - The fourth graders at St. Peter Lutheran School in Hemlock sponsored a school-wide pop can drive to raise funds for the hurricane victims. The second graders and the fourth graders made cards, which expressed their concern and shared Jesus' love and protection which were sent to the displaced hurricane victims.

Lutheran High School Assocation All of our high schools in the Lutheran High School Association - Lutheran North in Macomb Township, Lutheran High Northwest in Rochester Hills, Lutheran High Westland in Westland, and Lutheran High South in Newport, have offered to enroll any of the displaced Lutheran High New Orleans students with no tuition and will provide housing for students if necessary.

Immanuel, Macomb Had several evacuated families in the area, and are helping them through the Macomb County Homeless Coalition (so far, mostly with needed toiletries). When they get into housing, there will be opportunities for other donations and for our Food Pantry to help with food.
For the immediate two weekends after the hurricane, we did a door offering and collected $10,640.00. This was sent immediately to Orphan Grain Train (matched dollar for dollar by LCMS World Relief). Our Day School children held a walk-a-thon on Monday, and raised over $10,000.00! This will be sent in to the district for the relief fund.

Listed below are the three congregations that we are continuing to support and concentrate our efforts toward. We are still looking for a coordinator and assistants.

Good Shepherd, Biloxi
2004 Pass Road
Biloxi, MS 39531
Rev. Eric Hollar

Coordinator:
Heidi Fowler-Henzi
734-674-4858
hfowlerhenzi@yahoo.com

Needs & Info

Christ, Chalmette
3300 Jupiter Dr.
Chalmette, LA 70043
Rev. Phillip Miller

Coordinator:
Karla Leidecker
586.775.2596
roryandkarla@juno.com

Needs & Info

St. Stephen, New Orleans
6336 Berkley Dr.
New Orleans, LA 70131
Rev. Mark Hayman

Coordinator:
TBD

Needs & Info

Critical Needs Update from the Southern District - January 20, 2006

Partner Update - From Southern District Disaster Coordinator - (Jan 2006)

Dear Friends in Christ,

"We thank God for YOU and for your partnership in the Gospel" and for the deep and abiding love you and the people of your districts are demonstrating to the people of the Gulf South. It is important to know the need is still great and nothing you do is too small. I need to apologize to some of you district coordinators. I thought I was up-to-date, had all the emails, etc. and last night I discovered it wasn't the case. It's a good think you are all on top of things because I need all the help I can get.

Above are two important pieces of information (Volunteer Sheet & Food Drive Flyer) which I hope you will share with as many of your congregations, pastors and people as possible. Yes, there are still many opportunities for help and the system for managing volunteers and supplies is improving every day. With our Lutheran Disaster Response Partners we have as many as 500-700 people on the ground every day helping with cleanup and reconstruction. We are also receiving a large number of calls from Youth Groups wanting to come and serve. The attached sheet helps answer those question and will get that process going efficiently and safetly. Yes, we will be able to use youth but there are some limitations.

Another great ministry story is the food and supplies distribution going on in Mississippi at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. At that site, as well as at three other Lutheran/Episcopal Disaster Response sites in Mississippi, we are providing food for over 1000 people (families) every day. There is a great need. I'm hoping that some of the creative among you may be willing to organize district wide food drives or collections or come up with some other brilliant idea to help meet this need. At first I couldn't believe that food was such a great need, but everyone assures me that it is.

So . . .
1. THANK YOU for everything you have done and are doing!
2. VOLUNTEERS are the most important part of the picture -- we can use volunteers.
3. FOOD is a critical need. Other supplies -- especially building supplies wold be a great blessings.

Please don't hesitate me to contact me with questions or ideas. I read every email, it sometimes just takes a few days to answer them.

Peace in Christ,
Dave Lewis
Southern District Disaster Coordinator

The love of Christ is stronger than wind and wave.
- Mark 4:39-41

Volunteer to Help at www.ldr.org or www.lcmsworldmissions.org/relief
225.752.5590

2005-2006 The School Year of the Storm

Dear Schools, Churches, Organizations, ALSS, and
All Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

What can be said except we sincerely thank God for all of you! Your prayers and generosity have literally made it possible for this letter to be written.

Lutheran High School of Greater New Orleans will ultimately be stronger and more successful due to the experiences of The Storm. We already have seen God's promise of Romans 8:12 being fulfilled where St. Paul tells us, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." What a wonderful God we share with you in the fellowship of believers, the royal priesthood, and the communion of saints.

Yes, the faith we share was wonderfully demonstrated through the help and assistance which was so beautifully showered upon us by you and others in the aftermath of The Storm.

Please accept this photo of all of our Lutheran High School storm survivors as a small token of our appreciation for you and your kindnesses to us.

God's rich blessings to all of you, now and always!

Sincerely and cordially in Christ,
Ronald J. Royuk
Principal
Lutheran High School
Metairie, Louisiana

If you would like to send a financial donation to Michigan District Adopted Congregations please send it to:

Michigan District, LCMS
3773 Geddes Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Please Earmark for "Katrina Relief - Michigan District Assigned Ministries"