Sisters and brothers,
 
The last two weeks have been devastating for many parts of the southeastern United States.  On April 24th, a powerful tornado touched down in central Mississippi and traveled for more than 100 miles, across five counties.  Then, this past weekend, torrential rains brought flash flooding to four states, including heavy flooding in and around Nashville, Tennessee.  In all, these storms have been blamed for more than two dozen deaths, and thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed.
 
The ELCA, through Lutheran Disaster Response, has provided emergency grants of $10,000 each for work in Tennessee and Mississippi.  These grants, issued to Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi, will help to strengthen the work of staff with affiliate agencies there, some of whom were directly impacted themselves and many of whom have already been working tirelessly in the unfolding response.  We will also seek to serve the long-term needs of individuals, families and communities affected by these storms.  Give a gift today to support the ELCA's continued response to this and other disasters in the United States.
 
Click here to be taken to the ELCA Disaster Web page on the U.S. Spring Storms where you can download prayers, litanies, prayer petitions, and suggested hymns and songs for use in worship with your congregation as a way of remembering those affected by these and other natural disasters. A bulletin insert is also available for download.  Share it with your congregation this Sunday so that they may learn what the ELCA is doing in response to these storms. 

 

I also ask you to remember in prayer the many people affected by these disasters, especially those who have lost loved ones.  
 
Thank you!
 
Rev. Dan Rift
Director, ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal

 

Recently the Southeastern Lutheran Black Pastors Conference (SELBPC) announced the new officers.  Pastor Ron Bonner, interim pastor at Atonement Lutheran Church, and who was recently approved for reception on the ELCA roster was elected President. Pastor Bonner comes to the ELCA by way of the United Church of Christ. He has a long relationship with the ELCA, as he work for the Augsburg Press for many years. He is also a member of GA-AALA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Pastor Tom Quickel

 

Fifty-nine voting members from the sixteen synods of Appalachia, churchwide partners, and several members of the local planning team gathered in Cambridge Springs, PA, April 26-28 to attend the 20th Annual ELCMA Assembly, "Share the Oil of Gladness".  Among those welcomed by the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod bishop, Ralph Jones were Southeastern Synod attendees Monroe Herring, Penny Richards, Mary Golnitz, Min Chan Park, Delmer Chilton, Louise Dyer and Tom Quickel..
 
Pastor Min Chan Park presented a video telling about the ministry of Messiah Korean Lutheran Church in Norcross, GA. Included in his presentation were many interesting facts, such as: the average age of the congregation's members is 26; eight members are seeking pursuing in the ELCA, the First generation Koreans are learning English as a second language and the Second generation Koreans are learning Korean!
 
Monroe Herring reported on work to restore the Lutheran Girls School at Konnarock, VA and to develop a retreat house.  Ms Dory Campbell, ELCMA coordinator, presented Mary Golnitz with a check in the amount of $1,000.00 from a congregation in Glenville, IL to support the ministry in Blairsville, GA. 

To learn more about ELCMA, visit www.elcma.org .