IOWAY

To all LERT volunteers,

Iowa district West has posted two deployments requesting LERT volunteers for flooding responses. The events are posted in the LCMS LERT system. Links to the deployments are below:

https://www.lcms-lert.org/need/detail/?need_id=962701

https://www.lcms-lert.org/need/detail/?need_id=962698

If you can't volunteer at this time more shifts will be posted as the deployment response continues in the weeks to come. Keep checking back on LCMS LERT for additional opportunities to serve your neighbor with the mercy of Christ. 

These and all LERT training and deployments can always be found on the LCMS LERT site.

LCMS Disaster Response & Training
Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) program
The Lutheran Church­—Missouri Synod

We have a small assessment team in Spencer now (last several days) and have also been to Hawarden. Pastors Kaldahl, McGinley, and Lowe all have significant damage to their homes, Christ the King (Spencer) and Trinity (Hawarden) have basements full of water, but sanctuaries intact. First English (Spencer) no damage to church, school, or preschool - so it's our base we're working out of. 

Training tomorrow along with deployments tomorrow-Tuesday to clean out pastors' homes. We have a list of many more homes to work on. 

We chatted with Adam up at Camp this morning and are most likely going to be partnering with them for housing and meals for the longer-term deployments.

My bold and direct prayer request is for local church folks to want to step up and be site supervisors for the teams of volunteers.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

My heart is full of thankfulness for the outpouring of generous support by the members of Iowa District West and beyond, in response to our disaster relief fund following the tornados that damaged homes, infrastructure, and lives. 

It is with a heavy heart that I find myself reaching out to you so soon with another appeal.  As you are aware, calamity has struck again with the floods in western Iowa.  On Monday June 24, I visited Trinty Lutheran in Hawarden, Christ the King and First English (both in Spencer). Trinty has suffered major damage to both the parsonage and church building.  Christ the King also suffered major damage to their church building.  It appears that First English was spared.  However, both Pastor Kaldahl’s and Pastor McGinley’s homes suffered major damage.  This brief assessment does not take into consideration all the families, individuals and even churches impacted by these flood waters - please keep all affected in your prayers. A major difficulty with this disaster, is that most homeowner and church insurance does not cover damage caused by flood waters.

In times like these, our faith community has an opportunity to come together and make a difference. We are reaching out to you today to request your support for our disaster relief efforts. Your generous donation will directly impact the lives of those affected by this natural disaster.

How You Can Help:

1. Keep our communities in your prayers. Encourage your congregation to pray for healing, strength, and resilience during this challenging time.
2. Through financial support. You may wish to consider a door offering. Your contribution will go towards emergency supplies, shelter, and long-term recovery efforts.
3. There will be organized efforts to provide physical assistance through Iowa District West LERT (Lutheran Early Response Team).  If you are trained or would like to be trained by LERT please go to www.lcms-lert.org.  All LERT communication can be found on this site. 
4. I encourage individual congregations to organize their own volunteer efforts. Just check with individual community leaders to find out their specific needs.

Ways to Donate:

1. By mail: send your check payable to Iowa District West with “Disaster Relief” on the memo line.
2. Online: IowaDistrictWest.org and click on “Donate” to make a secure online donation. Select the “Disaster Relief” option.
3. In person: Drop your donation off to the district office (409 Kenyon Rd., Suite B) during business hours (8am-4:30pm).

We are deeply grateful for your compassion and willingness to stand with us during this challenging time. Your support is more than a financial gift; it is a beacon of hope for those who have lost so much.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As you may be aware, Greenfield, Iowa has recently been devastated by a powerful tornado that caused significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and lives. Families have lost their homes, cherished belongings, and, tragically, some have lost loved ones.  We have heard of others in Western Iowa who have also been impacted by these storms.

In times like these, our faith community has an opportunity to come together and make a difference. We are reaching out to you today to request your support for our disaster relief efforts. Your generous donation will directly impact the lives of those affected by this natural disaster.

 How You Can Help:

1. I would ask each of our congregations to keep our communities in your prayers. Encourage your congregation to pray for healing, strength, and resilience during this challenging time.
2. We kindly ask for your financial support. You may wish to consider a door offering. Your contribution will go toward emergency supplies, shelter, and long-term recovery efforts.
3. There will be organized efforts to provide physical assistance through LERT (Lutheran Early Response Teams).  If you are trained or would like to be trained by LERT please go to www.lcms-lert.org.  All LERT communication can be found on this site. 
4. I encourage individual congregations to organize their own volunteer efforts. Just check with community leaders where their needs are.

Ways to Donate:

1. By Mail: Send your check payable to Iowa District West with “Disaster Relief Fund” in the memo line.
2. Online: IowaDistrictWest.org and click on “Donate” to make a secure online donation. Select the “Disaster Relief” option.
3. In Person: Drop off your donation at the district office during business hours.

We are deeply grateful for your compassion and willingness to stand with us during this challenging time. Your support is more than a financial gift; it’s a beacon of hope for those who have lost so much.

View Photos of Tornado Destruction

IOWAY can use your help!  As many of you know, the Minden, Iowa, area  (just east of Council Bluffs/Omaha) has significant damage after the storms and tornadoes on Friday, April 26.  There are several ways to reach out and assist. 

Many people have been reaching out to ask how they can help with disaster relief for Maui and the town of Lahaina.  At this point, financial donations are what will be most helpful in the early days working through this very difficult time.  These will help support the people of the community as well as the responders there to help minister in so many ways. We will be sending your donations to these two sources: Emmanuel Lutheran Church and School and the California-Nevada-Hawaii district of the LCMS

Here are a few ways to help:

• Take a congregational door offering and send it to Iowa District West, marked Maui Disaster Relief

• Pray! For the individuals and families who were directly affected in so many ways. For all the community related pieces; businesses, schools, healthcare, government, and safety. For the responding agencies and volunteers who are there to help. For hearts to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit giving hope in such a tumultuous time. 

• Donate directly on the source websites
  • https://www.elc-maui.org/  (Emmanuel Lutheran Church and School)
  • https://www.cnh-lcms.org/   (California, Nevada, Hawaii district of the LCMS)

If later, gathering clothing, home items, hygiene products, etc… will be beneficial, we will get that information out. 

Julie Mann

Director of IOWAY