wfn.org | [LCMSNews] Church, camp spared from fire damage

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	November 7, 2003 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 131

	Lake Arrowhead church, camp
	spared from fire damage

	By Paula Schlueter Ross

	Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Lake Arrowhead, Calif., and
nearby Camp Arrowhead, a Lutheran campground -- which were in the path
of flames moving through the San Bernardino Mountains last week -- have
escaped fire damage, according to the Synod's Pacific Southwest
District.

	"Rim of the World High School stood between the fires and our
property," said district President Larry Stoterau. "With the valiant
effort to save the school, we were spared as well."

	Although some of the fires continue to burn, no structures are
in danger and firefighters are in control, Stoterau said. "We are
grateful to God and the firefighters that no LCMS church structures were
damaged."

	Stoterau said that, to his knowledge, no Synod church workers
have lost homes, but some church members and students at LCMS schools
have.

	"The number is not yet known, since many are still not allowed
to return" to their homes, he said.

	Several members of Mount Calvary, Lake Arrowhead, lost their
homes, including the congregation's graphic artist who lost her home,
business and pets. And, the home of at least one student at Concordia
University, Irvine -- the daughter of a firefighter -- was fire-damaged,
according to the district.

	"Their home was destroyed in the San Diego-area fires while he
was fighting to save other people and their homes," Stoterau said.

	Last weekend's rain and snow "was a real gift from God," he
said, and more rain is predicted for this weekend. "The next danger will
be mudslides if too much rain comes too fast."

	The district's disaster fund has received more than $10,000 in
contributions for fire victims. Some of the donations are from as far
away as Montana and Michigan, Stoterau said, and he thanked all those
who have responded.

	The funds "will be used to support families who have lost their
homes, as the cases become known to us," he said.

	The needs of fire victims will go beyond replacing homes and
possessions, noted Rev. Matthew Harrison, executive director of LCMS
World Relief and Human Care. "While the vast majority of the people
affected in California will have their homes covered by insurance, the
important thing for us as Christians is to make sure that our own
churches and the district have ample resources to deal with hurting
people, to assist them with the human, psychological and spiritual
suffering that results from this kind of tragedy," Harrison said.

	Contributions to help fire victims may be sent to the district's
Fire Relief Fund, c/o Stuart Craig, Assistant to the President, 1540
Concordia East, Irvine, CA 92612, and to LCMS World Relief, P.O. Box
66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-9810. Please earmark donations for
"California Fires."

	Donations also may be made online at catalog.lcms.org
<http://catalog.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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