wfn.org | [LCMSNews] New plan for Hurricane Katrina relief

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	September 9, 2005 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 63

	New disaster-relief plan supports
	hard-hit LCMS Southern District

	LCMS President Gerald B. Kieschnick and Rev. Matthew Harrison,
executive director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care, announced Sept.
8 a new plan to better assist and support congregations and church
workers in the Synod's hard-hit Southern District in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina.

	The plan goes into effect immediately and partners LCMS
districts with affected Southern District congregations, according to a
memo from Kieschnick and Harrison to members of the Council of
Presidents. The council is comprised of leaders of the Synod's 35
districts.

	Southern District President Kurt Schultz has expressed support
for the plan, which is described in the memo as "the best way to cope
with the current overload being experienced by the Southern District
staff and infrastructure due to the inaccessibility of and damage to the
Southern District office and due to the traumatic affects of Katrina on
the congregations and church workers of the district."

	The LCMS Southern District covers Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle.

	LCMS World Relief/Human Care is in the process of matching
districts with specific Southern District congregations as districts
express their willingness to participate.

	Kieschnick and Harrison outlined the plan Sept. 7 in a
conference call with district presidents. Many district leaders
immediately offered their participation.

	Harrison said he expects every district will participate to the
extent it is able, depending on individual capacity. Smaller districts
may partner with another district.

	"In the wake of this horrific disaster, we believe this is the
best way we can bring maximum LCMS capacity to aid our LCMS people and
their broader communities," Harrison said.

	The new plan represents a shift away from LCMS World
Relief/Human Care shouldering the challenge of matching the multitude of
needs in the Southern District with the multitude of offers of
assistance from the greater LCMS community. Both requests for assistance
and offers of support have poured into the ministry's St. Louis-based
office since Katrina hit Aug. 29.

	Instead of contacting LCMS World Relief/Human Care, LCMS members
are now encouraged to contact their respective district offices to
participate in hurricane relief assistance. (For contact information for
your specific district office, call your local LCMS congregation or
visit www.lcms.org <http://www.lcms.org>  and click on "Directories,"
then "Districts.")

	People are asked to avoid calling the Southern District, which
is operating out of temporary offices and has limited communication
capability.

	Harrison stressed that the matching of districts with
congregations in need is a process that has just begun and will evolve
as needs continue to be identified.

	"It is vital that districts now swing into action," Kieschnick
and Harrison said in the memo. "This is a great challenge, but also a
great opportunity to share Christ's love with people whose lives have
been dramatically affected by this horrific storm."

	The basic points of the new disaster assistance and support plan
are:

	* Prayer: LCMS World Relief/Human Care is providing districts
with information about the needs of Southern District congregations and
church workers so those needs can be remembered in prayer.

	* Presence: Following a quick needs assessment, districts are
asked to send support personnel (clergy, counselors, critical care
personnel, etc.) as soon as possible to their assigned Southern District
congregations.

	* Work: Affected congregations will supply districts with
information about specific needs for assistance with clean-up, debris
removal and eventually repairing and/or rebuilding severely damaged
homes and churches. Guidelines for shipping material aid will be
provided. To ensure that recipients are prepared and equipped to handle
relief shipments, no supplies should be sent without a specific local
request for goods and a specific destination.

	* Advocacy: Districts will help direct congregations and church
workers to assistance opportunities. These opportunities include
Concordia Plans Services, which is waiving all premiums, co-pays,
deductibles, etc., for employees covered under its benefit plans. The
Lutheran Church Extension Fund will provide consolidation loans for
rostered workers and Laborers For Christ teams to assist congregations
in damage assessment and repair.

	* Funds: Districts are encouraged to provide fiscal resources
for immediate hurricane relief needs. LCMS World Relief/Human Care will
distribute funds according to greatest need.

	For more information about the new disaster assistance and
support plan and other Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and giving
opportunities, visit worldrelief.lcms.org <http://worldrelief.lcms.org>
.

	***************************************

	If you have questions or comments about this LCMSNews release,
contact Joe Isenhower Jr. at joe.isenhower@lcms.org or (314) 996-1231,
or Paula Schlueter Ross at paula.ross@lcms.org or (314) 996-1230.

	***************************************

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