How is the LCMS responding to the damage done by Hurricane Helene? The Rev. Dr. Ross Johnson, Director of LCMS Disaster Response, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the devastation from Hurricane Helene and subsequent flooding across the Southeast, how LCMS congregations have been impacted, the needs of those affected, how LCMS Disaster Response is partnering with districts and congregations to respond to those needs, and how listeners can volunteer and donate. Learn more and give at lcms.org/disaster.

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If you would like to support the ongoing efforts of LCMS organizations to meet the needs of those affected by Hurricane Helene:

LCMS DISASTER RESPONSE

Working through LCMS districts and congregations as well as with international Lutheran churches and other partners, LCMS Disaster Response builds capacity of the church’s partners to respond to needs with Christian care. The ministry reaches out to LCMS congregations and their communities with services that include on-site assessment, emergency relief and development grants, pastoral care for LCMS church workers and members, and other resources.

Give online at https://www.lcms.org/givenow/disaster or text DISASTERSLCMS to 41444.

You can also check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LCMSDisasterResponse for additional updates.

LCMS-LERT

Within LCMS Disaster Response, LERT (Lutheran Early Response Teams) deploys teams of volunteers in the immediate aftermath of emergencies. There are several current deployments across the Southeast, with more likely to be announced in the near future.

View those current volunteer opportunities here: https://www.lcms-lert.org/need/index?need_id=996139&need_init_id=11431

DISTRICTS

Additional volunteer and giving opportunities are also being organized at the district level. There is information about Amazon wish lists, hygiene kits, "flood buckets," and more on their respective Facebook pages. If you live within one of these districts, you are encouraged to work closely with your local congregations and district leadership—these Facebook pages are a great place to find out what is going on, if you don't already know.

Florida-Georgia District: https://www.facebook.com/FLGADistrict

Mid-South District: https://www.facebook.com/MidSouthDistrict

Southeastern District: https://www.facebook.com/sedlutheran

PRAY!

Please continue to keep everyone affected by Hurricane Helene in your prayers. The people in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia have suffered a great deal, and they need our prayers. Disaster Response has a lot of resources for praying for those affected by a natural disaster, as well as specific ones to Helene (see above). If you need some things to pray for, consider praying for:

families who have lost or been displaced from their homes, that the Lord would comfort them

first-responders, that the Lord would give them strength and support as they serve their neighbor

all those who grieve, that God would give them His peace which passes all understanding

all those who have been separated from a loved one, that their anxieties would be stilled and the Lord would grant them a joyful reunification

for all those suffering from physical, emotional, or mental hardship, that the Great Physician would bring healing

swift and efficient response from local, state, federal, and volunteer agencies