CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), continues to organize recovery work in Nebraska after a series of tornadoes and hail storms struck the state May 22-23.
Dana College, Blair, Neb., sustained more than $1 million worth of damage after baseball-size hail struck six of the college's buildings May 22. That day the college celebrated commencement for the Class of 2004. There were no injuries. Dana is one of 28 colleges and universities of the ELCA.
Lutherans and others continue to clear debris on farms, homes and communities in eastern Nebraska, reported Linda Janssen Gjere, director for communication, ELCA Nebraska Synod, Omaha. Nebraska Lutheran Disaster Response and congregations in the state have pulled together to organize volunteers for recovery work and distribute food and materials. They're "ready to serve neighbors and friends to recover from storm damage," she said.
Some Lutherans from Omaha volunteered to clean up debris in rural areas, reported Gjere. She said they had a "'difficult time finding a way to express the emotional impact of seeing the destruction, and how it affected people not only negatively but positively.'" The volunteers said that they "became more aware of how everything earthly can be taken away from us in a moment by an act of nature. We also marveled at how many good people there are who all found some way to help."
Gjere said members of the ELCA Nebraska Synod also volunteered to clear up fields, donate quilts, provide and serve meals and snacks for volunteers.
The Rev. Gilbert B. Furst, director for Lutheran Disaster Response, said members of the church "can offer prayers of support, volunteer for clean up and repairs and contribute money, which enables the church to respond at once and makes it possible to offer help and hope for the long haul."
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DOMESTIC DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds to aid survivors of major disasters inside the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include:
ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, P.O. Box 71764, Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764
Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522
Credit card gifts via Internet: http://www.elca.org/disaster
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
