We ask for prayers from all NALC congregation members for our brothers and sisters in the Carolinas as they struggle through these early stages of disaster, for their safety, and for God’s comfort and hope.
Flood waters continue to threaten areas of the Carolinas including in and around NALC congregations. NALC Disaster Response is awaiting word on conditions affecting any North Carolina congregations. We have already had word from Pastor Dieter Punt at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Troutman, NC, that they are well and ready to respond to brothers and sisters in South Carolina where damage and danger appear to be greatest.
NALC Disaster Coordinator David McGettigan has been in contact with Pastor Stephen Johnson at St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Goose Creek, SC. Pastor Johnson reports the church is fine but the area has suffered and still is threatened with further flooding as water from higher ground is expected to continue running. He also reports that some member families have experienced flood damage. Advent Lutheran Church in North Charleston, SC, reports the church facility is safe but there is severe flooding all around with many affected households. Again, rivers and lakes may not fully crest until later this week.
Some clean-up work has begun but full efforts have not yet commenced. Calls for large numbers of volunteers have not yet been heard. Pastor Johnson is in close touch with local authorities to assess and request both materials and volunteer help as soon as the waters allow. We hope to have more information from Advent Lutheran Church later today.
Mary Bates, Chair of NALC Disaster Response, expects to send a box truck from the NALC warehouse in Caldwell, OH, within the next 24 hours. The truck will contain 300 flood buckets, health kits, Bibles and other early response and clean-up materials to be ready for volunteer work. We will put out a call for volunteers as soon as the congregations on-site alert us they are ready and make known the local contact information.
If you wish to assist financially in what will become a long term recovery effort for many who will not have adequate resources, please send checks payable to NALC Disaster response with a memo notation of “Flood Relief” to:
NALC Disaster Response
2299 Palmer Dr., Suite 220
New Brighton, MN 55112-2202
Your gifts will be channeled directly and promptly to Carolina congregations as they identify families in need and begin to work with them.
If you prefer to provide gift cards from Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, Target, etc., for repair projects, you may send those to the NALC Disaster Response Warehouse, 810 Main St., Caldwell, OH 43724, and we will be sure they go with volunteer teams to project sites for rebuilding. If you plan on sending a volunteer team to aid in recovery work for this or another disaster, bring the gift cards with you when we alert you to volunteer opportunities.