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Dear Colleagues:
We are all aware of the terrible disaster that has struck Japan. Many in our congregations are asking about our Lutheran presence in Japan and how they can help.
The Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC) has reported minimal damage to its churches in Tokyo and is assessing the full extent of impact to JELC congregations near the epicenter, particularly Sendai Lutheran Church. The President and General Secretary of JELC were in Malaysia attending a Lutheran World Federation leadership conference at the time of the earthquake. The ELCA, through the churchwide unit for Global Mission, currently has 22 missionaries serving in schools and parishes of the JELC; all have been found to be safe and secure.
ELCA Response:
The ELCA stands in solidarity with its companion on the ground, the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC), as they assess the safety and security of its members and communities served by the church. Through its predecessor bodies, the ELCA has been present in Japan since 1892 and will accompany the JELC in its planned response to this disaster. Elsewhere in the Pacific region, the ELCA remains in contact with companions in the Pacific Islands, South America and throughout the coastal region of the U.S. to respond as needed to the tsunamis caused by the earthquake.
What you can do:
Pray:
As the news of the earthquake was announced at the leadership conference in Malaysia, a representative from the Australian Evangelical Lutheran Church, a church that has recently had to deal with massive flooding and an earthquake in New Zealand, shared that of all the outpouring of help from the international community received "prayer was the most important gift." Ally Streed, an ELCA missionary deployed by the Global Mission unit and stationed in Saitama, stated, "Please keep the people of Japan (and just Japan in general) in your thoughts and prayers. For some examples of prayers you can include in your worship and personal prayer life please use the ELCA Worship resource: Prayers for Earthquakes and Tsunamis.
Give: Let our members know that Lutheran Disaster Response has a reputation for getting the most $'s directly to the disaster sites. We will be there for the long haul. Those who give to shared mission support and ELCA World Hunger are already helping to fund the ongoing work in Japan and the deployment of mission personnel through ELCA Global Mission. Special needs and opportunities have arisen in response to the current crisis. The ELCA invites gifts to ELCA Disaster Response in order to continue its work in Japan and surrounding region.
Let parishoners know they may provide support in the following ways:
- Give by phone at 800-638-3522
- Donate online
- Send checks to:
ELCA Disaster Response
39330 Treasury Center
Chicago, IL 60694
Memo: Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami
Study and Share
As you follow the situation in secular media, please check out these other resources for stories of how the ELCA and its partners are engaging in the situation.
Go to the ELCA web site and use the downloadable bulletin insert
Our partners in Japan and surrounding areas thank you for the work they will be able to do throughout the disaster areas.
Bishop Jim Mauney Pastor Jean Bozeman
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