 Pastor Ed Brashier, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) Southern District Disaster Response Coordinator has asked Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) chainsaw volunteers to be on standby for a possible deployment for chainsaw assistance after the tornado outbreak earlier this week throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
Please keep all those devastated by these recent storms in your prayers, as it is especially difficult as they prepare to celebrate Christmas. May they have the hope Jesus Christ brings to the world.
LCC LERT volunteers continue to make a difference by showing those affected by disasters LCC’s mission to share the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need as we serve in this community. LCC never goes where we are not invited. We NEVER charge those we serve. We pick up all of our travel, hotel, and meals costs. We put boots on the ground within 24 hours (often fewer) from the time we get the invite. Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response was invited to meet with Akiko Iizuka PhD., Assistant Professor from the Center for International Exchange-Utsunomiya University, Japan and Steve Cain, Indiana Department of Homeland Security Foundation Chairman to discuss best practices of disaster case management, how non-governmental (NGOs) and faith-based organizations respond to disasters and work with disaster affected communities utilizing volunteers. This semester, Akiko is delivering lectures on “Building Resilient Communities”, “Risk Management”, “Disaster Studies”, “Disaster and International Cooperation,” and other disaster-related subjects at Northeastern College in Boston, Massachusetts. Akiko has served as a project coordinator in overseas disaster recovery and rehabilitation projects in Japan, Sri Lanka, Iran and Afghanistan. Akiko is spending a few days in the Chicago area meeting with several government agencies, NGOs and faith-based organizations. Kathy was honored to share and exchange disaster response experience with Akiko.   Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fremont, Nebraska wishes to give the 75 families they have helped with home repairs after the spring floods through Project Restore, a Thanksgiving food basket. Remkea Ockander, Director of Youth and Family Ministry also stated they hope to be able to provide gifts at Christmas, especially to the families with children. Most of these families are poor and struggling to make ends meet as they try to recover from extensive flood damage. Lutheran Church Charities would like to help Good Shepherd provide food baskets, other basic needs and gifts for these families. Please click on the button below to donate to LCC Disaster Relief-Nebraska Flooding.
Your Donations Are Needed for Nebraska Families Still Recovering from Early Spring Flooding10/30/2019
Last week, Kathy O’Day, Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) Director of Disaster Response met with three churches in Nebraska that were, and still are, a beacon of hope to their communities since the extensive flooding occurred.
Project Restore assesses damage, directs construction projects, houses and provides meals for volunteers deployed to Fremont to repair and rebuild homes that were damaged in the flood. Currently they are working on re-insulating many mobile homes, preventing the pipes from freezing in the winter, which would cause more damage and loss of housing for families. Volunteers from six different states served 1,832 hours in Fremont alone, but more help is needed. If you or your church are interested in volunteering for Project Restore visit www.goodshepherdlutheranchurch.org/project-restore-signup.
Good Shepherd wishes to give the 75 families whose homes they helped restore a Thanksgiving food basket and also hopes to provide gifts at Christmas, especially to the families with children. Most of these families are poor and struggling to make ends meet as they try to recover from flood damage. Lutheran Church Charities would like to help Good Shepherd provide food baskets and other basic needs for these families. Please click to donate to LCC Disaster Relief-Nebraska Flooding.  After the flooding, Pastor Anthony Gerber from Trinity Lutheran Church in Fremont and Dawn Gilfry, Top Dog for LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Katie opened the church's doors to serve for a week as a shelter to a large Hispanic community that was forced from their homes and to travelers who were stuck due to closed roads. Pastor Gerber told Kathy of sharing the love of Christ with their “new Trinity family.” The church has continued to assist these families with rent, needed household items and home repairs. He also shared the struggles they are seeing among some of the affected families, such as depression and suicide attempts by both children and adults. The local LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams have been serving in the schools to bring comfort and peace to the children on a regular basis. Trinity members have also been volunteering to repair homes and provide volunteer meals through Good Shepherd/Project Restore in Fremont.
Rhonda Harris and Ron Bender, Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) volunteer leaders at Christ Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska expressed concern for the residents of Winslow they had helped. Winslow is a small town with a population of 135 that had 14’ of water throughout. The town will now need to relocate as every home and business is uninhabitable, and the water supply cannot be restored. There is much talk about where they will go and how the homeowners will recoup any of their losses to be able to start their lives over. Kathy shared that it was good to see how the churches in Nebraska are sharing the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
At the invitation of the Kansas District Disaster Response Coordinator, Donna Williams, eight Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) chainsaw team members from St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Illinois deployed this week to Linwood, Kansas to help their LERT volunteers complete work for a few remaining homeowners still recovering from the EF-4 tornado that struck in June, devastating the towns of Linwood and Bonner Springs. The teams worked with Kansas LERT, Pastor Jason Boetcher from Trinity Family in Faith and Pastor Robert Weinkauf from Risen Savior Lutheran Church.
Many thanks to team leader Marty Johnson, Jim Beutijer, Fran Collier, Palmer and Judy Goodwin, Tom Prickette, Roy Rose and Rich Wren for their hard work and willingness to serve.
LCC never goes where we are not invited. We NEVER charge those we serve. We pick up all of our travel, hotel, and meals costs. We put boots on the ground within 24 hours (often fewer) from the time we get the invite. Kathy O'Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response Leads Basic LERT Training in Nebraska District10/30/2019
 Lutheran Church Charities was invited to present Basic LERT training in the Nebraska District on Saturday October 26, 2019. The training was led by Deaconess Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response and hosted by Christ Lutheran Church LERT in Lincoln, Nebraska.
There were a total of 18 in attendance from several churches in Lincoln and Fremont, Nebraska. All of the volunteers present have assisted through their churches in many different ways since the massive flooding that occurred this spring in their area. It is good to see how the disaster response ministry is continuing to grow in the LCMS with volunteers willing to share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ in service to those suffering and in need. LCC never charges those we serve. We are able to do that with the support of donors. If you would like to help us, please consider a donation to LCC Disaster Response Fund. Donna Williams, Kansas District Disaster Response Coordinator has extended an invitation to Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) chainsaw members to return to Linwood, Kansas to help their LERT volunteers complete work for a few remaining homeowners still recovering from the EF-4 tornado that struck in June, devastating the towns of Linwood and Bonner Springs.
Eight LERT chainsaw members from St. John in Wheaton, Illinois deploy this week to begin work with the Kansas LERT volunteers, Pastor Jason Boetcher from Trinity Family in Faith and Pastor Robert Weinkauf from Risen Savior Lutheran Church. They will be bringing and utilizing heavy equipment to complete the tornado recovery work in Linwood. LCC never goes where we are not invited. We NEVER charge those we serve. We pick up all of our travel, hotel, and meals costs. We put boots on the ground within 24 hours (often fewer) from the time we get the invite. Kathy O'Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response Invited to Nebraska to Lead Basic LERT Training10/23/2019
Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response was invited to Christ Lincoln Lutheran Church in Nebraska to lead a Basic Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) training.
Kathy will also meet with Rhonda Harris, Christ Lincoln LERT coordinator, Pastor Anthony Gerber from Trinity Fremont and Remkea Ockander from Good Shepherd Fremont. These three LCMS Nebraska churches have been aiding in the flood recovery that has been ongoing since this March. Project Restore was created at Good Shepherd in Fremont as an effort to make a real and tangible difference in people’s homes and lives. They intend to be there as long as it takes to rebuild, restore, and make the future bright for the people of Nebraska. But they need your help to make this happen. Good Shepherd is a receiving site for groups and churches from around the country, who wish to help their brothers and sisters in Christ recover from massive flooding. If you are interested in helping, please visit https://www.goodshepherdlutheranchurch.org/project-restore-signup LCC never charges those we serve. We are able to do that with the support of donors. If you would like to help us, please consider a donation to LCC Disaster Response Fund. Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) welcomes 14 new Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) certified members! On Saturday, October 12, LCC held a Basic LCMS LERT training for new and re-certifying team members at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Palatine, Illinois, led by Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response.  The following churches and LERT teams were represented:
Illinois Immanuel – East Dundee Immanuel – Palatine Lord of Glory – Grayslake Lord of Life – LaFox Prince of Peace – Palatine St. John – Wilmette St. Peter – Arlington Heights Trinity – Lisle Wisconsin St. John – Racine It is good to see how the disaster response ministry is continuing to grow with volunteers willing to serve and share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.  Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) welcomes six new Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) certified members! On Saturday, September 28, LCC held a Basic LCMS LERT training for new and re-certifying team members at St. John Lutheran Church in Beecher, Illinois, led by Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response.
All attendees had to travel around flooded roads to participate, so it was very appropriate to learn about how to do disaster response. The following churches and LERT teams were represented: Illinois Alleluia - Naperville Immanuel - Steger St. John – Beecher Zion - Beecher Indiana St. John – Dillsboro It is good to see how the disaster response ministry is continuing to grow with volunteers willing to share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ in service to those suffering and in need. |
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