 Led by Deaconess Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, and Jamie Miller, LCC Disaster Response Equipment Manager, Lutheran Church Charities LERT volunteers are halfway through the second week of working around Asheville, N.C., and Hendersonville, N.C., areas that were devastated by hurricane winds and flooding nearly a month ago. Working out of Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church in Hendersonville with Pastor Jonathan Christensen, crews have assessed 86 sites with requests for assistance coming in daily. In the first week, 27 LERT volunteers joined together to cut damaged and leaning trees, remove safety hazards, and clear debris for residents in the region. As the second week began Monday, 21 volunteers were continuing to serve. Altogether, teams have completed work at 29 sites, several of them multi-day efforts. LCC LERT teams will continue to serve in the area until at least November 9 and would value your prayers and support. Coming up on November 6, LCC President/CEO Rev. Chris Singer and Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Skopak of Emmanuel Lutheran Asheville will join with multiple LCMS congregations and residents in the region for an evening of community togetherness and spiritual support to help the recovery process. “We’ll explore the importance of connection and healing, share awareness of post-disaster challenges, and introduce tools like psychological and Spiritual First Aid™ to identify next steps in the recovery journey,” Singer said. “Together, we can rebuild not just our homes but our spirits.” GOD-MOMENTS FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPLOYMENT During the first 10 days of the deployment to North Carolina, Lutheran Church Charities LERT volunteers have used Spiritual First Aid™ to encourage residents who have been struggling emotionally in the weeks since the storm. Team members have supplied tangible goods to meet physical needs, such as quilts, space heaters, and gift cards, which have been provided by Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod congregations in the Northern Illinois District. Some highlights:
LCC LERT team members worked on the property of a Mr. W. His family of eight could not live in their home because a large tree was leaning on it and threatening to fall through it. He also had a lot of downed and broken trees on his property. With multiple health issues, he could not afford to clear the debris. As he told us, “I may not have much, but I do have a family — and we just want to be able to come back home and be together again safely.” He was very thankful for all the work that was done so he and his loved ones could return home.
 Lutheran Church Charities welcomes Faith Lutheran Church in Appleton, Wisconsin, as a new Hearts of Mercy & Compassion affiliate church. Their church mission is to Gather, Grow, and Go. Regarding God’s call to Go, the church says, “God sends us as changed people to serve others in our community and around the world. He sends us to the broken-hearted, to the poor, to the sick and dying, to the orphaned and widowed, to those living in fear, to those living in the regret and shame of their past. He sends us to meet physical needs wherever we have ability. And He sends us to share the amazing message of hope to the world: ‘that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them’ (2 Corinthians 5:19).” Faith Lutheran is eager to use the Hearts of Mercy as a means for this outreach and is building up a large team to do so. May God richly bless this new ministry! CRAFTING CROSSES FOR COMMUNITY UNITY
We received the following update from Lophane Laurent, Field Director at Mission Haiti:
  LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Moriah (St. Luke’s - Oviedo, Florida) and Jemimah (St. Paul - Boca Raton, Florida) visited two Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod schools in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Tuesday to bring comfort to students, teachers, and staff as they recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Students and teachers from Our Savior Lutheran School St. Petersburg welcomed LCC Comfort Dogs Moriah and Jemimah for a time of peaceful interaction. True to their calm nature, Moriah and Jemimah reclined on the floor and invited gentle pets and snuggles, followed by some photos with the children. Our Savior reopened about a week ago after being closed for more than a week following Hurricane Milton’s landfall on October 9. The school is home to about 260 students in preschool through 8th grade. LCC Comfort Dog Teams Moriah and Jemimah also visited Grace Lutheran School St. Petersburg on Tuesday, which marked its first day with students in more than 2 weeks. Grace, which has students in preschool through 8th grade, is operating with only seven of its 22 classrooms available for instruction. Moriah and Jemimah stayed for a couple of afternoon class periods for second-graders and fourth-graders, followed by a visit to the after-school program. At both schools (and others in affected areas), LCC has provided K-9 coloring books. Earlier this month, Lutheran Church Charities provided coffee and breakfast food for the faculty and staff of Our Savior Lutheran School at their morning staff meeting. School officials say that 31 students and three staff members have been severely impacted by the storms, losing homes and cars. Principal Wendy Morris also welcomed LCC President/CEO Rev. Chris Singer to lead the staff’s devotion time. “I told them that they were in our hearts and prayers,” Singer said. “Having personally gone through a storm while in ministry, I acknowledged the challenge of serving while being personally impacted.” Singer shared about how his congregation at Trinity Klein Lutheran in the Houston metro endured Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and slowly but faithfully continued to minister to neighbors during a hard time of recovery. Singer also emphasized Psalm 62:5-8, saying that while so much is unstable and uncertain, God is an unshakable fortress and refuge for those who are hurting and scared. “Even those who were not directly impacted by this storm are still affected — as you see your colleagues, your friends, your kids, their families, and your communities devastated.” Singer promised that LCC would provide encouragement and support in the weeks and months ahead. READ MORE about how Lutheran Church Charities is ministering to schools recovering from Milton and Helene on the LCC HURRICANE RESPONSE page. LCC LERT VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE CRUCIAL DISASTER RESPONSE HELP FOR HENDERSONVILLE, N.C., RESIDENTS10/23/2024
 Lutheran Church Charities Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) volunteersarrived this weekend and began disaster response assessments in the Hendersonville, N.C., area before initiating tree cutting and debris removal. By Tuesday, 25 LCC volunteers from the Northern Illinois, Southeastern, and Missouri districts of the LCMS were on the ground serving homeowners whose properties had leaning and damaged trees. LCC LERT volunteers are scheduled to be in North Carolina until at least November 9. Over the last few days, LCC LERT volunteers have removed trees from three homes in Hendersonville that were creating unsafe areas in a neighborhood, including at the mayor’s house. “She was very pleased with the care and professionalism shown by the team in cutting a leaning tree safely from her backyard and removing the large root ball from her front yard,” said Deaconess Kathy O’Day, director of LCC Disaster Response. “There is a lot of damage everywhere you look. Please continue to pray for all those affected and for those coming to serve in these communities from around the country.”   According to officials, more than 225 people have died in North Carolina from Hurricane Helene and 82 remain missing. As work is being completed, the need for assistance is growing. Pastor Jonathan Christensen of Mount Pisgah Lutheran Church in Hendersonville had received at least 20 new requests for help in the last few days. LCC LERT teams are working from three large sites using boom lifts and bobcat movers to removed downed and damaged trees. Stories of help and encouragement are emerge daily:
READ MORE stories of homeowners who have been helped by LCC LERT teams on the LCC HURRICANE RESPONSE page. LCC Human Care received a request from Pastor Philip Robarge (pictured) of Tabor Lutheran Church in Chicago to help a family in need.  Dear Caring LCC Community,
I am reaching out today with an urgent plea for help on behalf of a family that has recently found themselves in significant financial hardship. A family who is an intricate part of the Tabor family has faced an unexpected and serious medical issue. This family’s wife and mother unexpectedly faced a serious medical issue. Unfortunately, she was uninsured at the time, leading to an overwhelming amount of medical debt that the family is struggling to manage. The burden of these bills is threatening their financial stability, and they are in dire need of support. This situation has placed a heavy emotional toll on them, as they have these unforeseen medical expenses have left them with limited options. This is a crucial time for them, and any help can make an enormous difference in their ability to recover. Contributions will go directly toward paying off medical bills from the hospital. If you can offer any assistance it would be a great blessing. Even a small contribution can go a long way in alleviating the immense pressure this family is under. Your generosity will provide them with hope in this incredibly difficult moment. Thank you for your consideration, and I hope we can come together to make a difference for this family in their time of need. God Bless! Rev. Philip Robarge Lead Pastor Tabor Lutheran Church Your generous donations will provide the family with crucial resources and emotional support helping them navigate through this difficult period. Thank you for showing mercy and compassion of Jesus to those in need.  On Sunday, October 20, three dedicated LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams were present at the visitation of Sarah Niederkorn, a remarkable young woman whose life was cut short. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Abednego (Immanuel - Crystal Lake, Illinois) Eunice (LCC Staff), and Samson (Zion - Marengo, Illinois) were there to provide emotional support, embodying LCC’s mission of community care in times of need.
Sarah, a graduate of Cary-Grove High School with honors, had a profound dream of transforming mental health support for others. Her unwavering compassion extended far beyond her love for reading and music; she was a cherished member of the Cary-Grove Buddies program, always ready to lend a helping hand to friends and family. Sarah's positive impact on the Cary community will be remembered by all who had the privilege to know her.  On Saturday, October 19th, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Rejoice (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin) and Tobias (Lord of Glory - Grayslake, Illinois) brought comfort and love to those attending the Visitation and Celebration of Life for Barbara Hill, a remarkable servant who embodied the spirit of Jesus' love for others.
Her daughter, Cindy, one of our dedicated Volunteer Apprentice Trainers, honored her mother by reading a poignant poem titled "Others," found in Barbara's Bible, capturing her essence beautifully. This moment not only celebrated Barbara's life but also highlighted Cindy's commitment to carrying on her mother's legacy of serving others in love as Jesus does through her ministry work with LCC, reminding us all of the profound impact one life dedicated to love can have on a community. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry had the opportunity to participate and bring comfort to those attending the Kirkpatrick Foundation Animal Conference in Oklahoma City. During the three-day conference, the teams greeted the attendees and also had the opportunity to meet and greet the people visiting the Oklahoma Zoo, where the conference was being held. This year special comfort was brought to the staff and attendees of the Kirkpatrick Foundation as they recently lost their director and friend Louisa McCune to cancer. Dona Martin, LCC staff was able to present a Heart of Mercy & Compassion to the Kirkpatrick Foundation that the conference attendees signed for the family of Louisa. LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams bringing the mission of LCC to Oklahoma: Peris Comfort Dog (King of Kings - Glenpool, Oklahoma) Keren Comfort Dog (Immanuel - Ellsworth, Kansas) Elijah Comfort Dog (Our Redeemer - Wichita Falls, Texas) Daniel Comfort Dog (Immanuel - Joplin, Missouri)  From veterans and Red Cross workers to needy families and law enforcement officers, Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the lives of North Carolina residents of every walk of life. High winds and high water devastated the western part of the state taking the lives of 95 North Carolinians and isolating communities. Helene tore a deadly path through the mountains of western North Carolina, dumping extreme rainfall and causing catastrophic flash flooding. Numerous locations received 1-2 feet of rain or more between Sept. 24-28. Some towns are in ruins. There are toppled trees everywhere; roads, bridges, and driveways are washed out; homes and businesses have been destroyed by flooding and landslides. Many homes remain without power or running water. In response, Lutheran Church Charities answered calls for help last week, deploying a six-member LCC Care Team trained in Spiritual First Aid™ to Asheville, N.C., on Friday. Drawing from three different churches in two states, the team distributed food and supplies and offered spiritual and psychological support to those affected by the storm and the first responders who are helping them.  Serving on the LCC Care Team are Heidi Gilbert-Then, a parish nurse from Faith Lutheran Sussex, Wisconsin; Crystal Sherrill, Bethel Lutheran Claremont, N.C.; Jordan Sherill, Bethel Lutheran Claremont, N.C; David Hedrick, Bethel Lutheran Claremont, N.C; Tina Simmons, Bethel Lutheran Claremont, N.C.; and Tony Spencer, St. Stephens Hickory, N.C. “The people impacted by the hurricane are dealing with a lot of loss and grief. I’m grateful our team was able to step into their lives to offer encouragement and the hope of Jesus as they start the long process of healing. Please join us in praying for them throughout their recovery journey,” said Heidi Then. Read daily mini-stories about the LCC Care Team’s boots-on-the-ground ministry on the LCC Hurricane Response Page. |
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