LCC equips others at LCMS Disaster Response Conference

With the theme “Equipped To Serve,” the 2026 Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) National Disaster Response and Training Conference was held last week in St. Louis. The gathering is designed to help attendees learn how their congregations can respond during disasters with physical and spiritual care, along with practical advice for disaster response coordination.

Lutheran Church Charities was well-represented with LCC Disaster Response Director Deacones Kathy O’Day presenting three times on two of the three days, along with a breakout session by LCC/LCMS Disaster Response senior chainsaw instructor Marty Johnson, a case study presented by LCC affiliate pastor Rev. Jason Rust (Shepherd of the Hills – Ruidoso, NM), and a plenary presentation by affiliate pastor Rev. Tim Davis (Trinity – Athens, GA). 

O’Day presented on “Disaster Response Deployment Expectations,” “Disaster Response Assessment Training,” and “Lessons Learned from the Tornado Response in Merrillville, IN.” Johnson spoke on fire safety. Rust presented a case study on the response his congregation made to wildfire and floods in New Mexico, and Davis gave a plenary talk on the mobile kitchen ministry his church has undertaken. 

All sessions took place at the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod International Center.

Here is who attended from LCC:

• Deaconess Kathy O’Day – LCC Director of Disaster Response & NID DDRC
• Marty Johnson & Pete Springmire – LCMS/LCC Senior Chainsaw Instructors
• Mark Brueggemann - SWD Assistant DDRC & LCC Regional Crisis Manager SWD
• Matt Flynn – Immanuel Dundee Team Leader
• Anna Piro – St. John Wheaton Team Leader
• Marty Starck & Christel Springmire – LERT St. John Wheaton
• Bev Brueggemann – LERT St. Paul Grafton WI

|LCC Affiliates who attended:

• Pastor Jason & Rebekah Rust – Shepherd of the Hills, Ruidoso, NM
• Pastor Tim Davis – Trinity, Athens, GA

 
The LCC LERT team that attended the conference also helped serve at the annual Jambalaya Fest at Concordia Seminary that occurs every year on the evening prior to the conference. It was started and coordinated by Rev. Paul Ernewien of Forged by Fire, an LCMS DR RSO. Pastor Tim Davis and some of his team also prepared food for this event. In all, approximately 400 seminary students and their families and pastors attending the symposium were served a delicious meal and dessert. The team also talked to interested students about LERT and handed out material.

There was a lot of learning from each other and networking. “It is a blessing to serve with all these dedicated brothers and sisters in Christ,” said O’Day.