by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service
According to the National Weather Service many Midwestern
communities are experiencing moderate to major flooding, and
rivers and streams continue to rise. Flooding has already
occurred in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, while in North and South
Dakota, Wisconsin and elsewhere new snowfall could yield severe
flooding in the spring and summer, said Michael Nevergall,
assistant director for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America's (ELCA) Domestic Disaster Response.
Nevergall said Lutherans should not "wait for disaster to happen.
Take action today." To become better prepared, he said Lutherans
and their neighbors should visit http://www.Ready.gov, a Web site
sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that
features information on how individuals and families can prepare
their homes for floods and other disasters. He encouraged
congregations to connect with one another. "This will help to
identify members of your community who may need special
assistance, and to organize teams of volunteers to help them."
Nevergall also suggested contacting local chapters of the
American Red Cross, which often partner with local places of
worship to offer shelter and assistance for people in need.
"Any time Lutherans serve their neighbors in preparation or in
response to disaster, they are being Lutheran Disaster Response
for their community," Nevergall said. "Working together to be
prepared" will help Lutherans to be "more resilient in time of
need." Lutheran Disaster Response is a collaborative ministry of
the ELCA and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
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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
