Emergency Special Appeal LCC Helps Victims, Elderly, and First Responders Affected by the Northern California Fires

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you" Isaiah 43:1-2

LCC has been invited in (we only go where we are invited and never charge those we serve) to deploy and serve the victims from the fires and the first responders as well. 

Dear Ministry Friends and Partners, 

God will carry you through the Fire! 

We just finished our 2018 LCC National K-9 Conference Friday night. During the conference we were communicating several times a day with our connections in California about the fires. Each day we were getting word on how rapidly the fires were spreading, and how many people had been evacuated and were in shelters. Many of the people in the shelters have lost their homes and most of their possessions. 

With the generosity of our donors, Lutheran Church Charities will work closely with our churches, Trinity Lutheran, Redding and First Lutheran, Yuba City, to help relocate the victims, especially displaced elderly, who have been directly affected by the fires.

Here are the facts:  

• We have been invited by Disaster Response Coordinator Pastor Phil Zabel, Pastor Brian Cummins of Trinity Lutheran Church, Redding, and CAL Fire.  
• Over 80,000 acres burned, 500+ structures, 5 dead, including a great-grandmother and two great-grandchildren.  
• Over 30,000 people have been evacuated with more expected.  
• LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Reuben (First Lutheran - Yuba City, California) and his ministry team, led by Top Dog James Casner, is working today with CAL Fire at their base camps.
• First Lutheran in Yuba City is standing by to be our support congregation.  
• Local convalescent homes in Yuba City are taking in evacuees and have requested K-9 Ministry teams.  
• K-9 Ministry teams from the western United States are preparing to deploy.

This year's conference theme was "With Me on the Road" - going where Jesus leads. So we are preparing to go on the road.

Our Mission is to Share the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need, so we are deploying in shifts to serve those suffering from the devastating effects of this fire. 

Please keep everyone who has been affected by the fires in your prayers as well as all the first responders who put their own lives in jeopardy to serve their communities. Please also pray for the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams as they begin deploying. We have some Comfort Dogs already on the ground serving as I write this. God ALWAYS provides, caring for His people in the midst of tragedy - and He will this time as well. 

Thank you for all of your support in touching lives with the Presence of Jesus Christ - our only hope! 

Northern California Fire Victims Fund - Help Now

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Travel Fund - Northern California Fires