March 13, 2009
by Melissa Ramirez Cooper

According to the National Weather Service many Midwestern communities are experiencing moderate to major flooding, and rivers and streams continue to rise. Flooding has already occurred in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, while in North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and elsewhere new snowfall could yield severe flooding in the spring and summer, said Michael Nevergall, assistant director for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Domestic Disaster Response.

Nevergall said Lutherans should not "wait for disaster to happen. Take action today." To become better prepared, he said Lutherans and their neighbors should visit http://www.Ready.gov/, a Web site sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that features information on how individuals and families can prepare their homes for floods and other disasters. He encouraged congregations to connect with one another. "This will help to identify members of your community who may need special assistance, and to organize teams of volunteers to help them." Nevergall also suggested contacting local chapters of the American Red Cross, which often partner with local places of worship to offer shelter and assistance for people in need.

"Any time Lutherans serve their neighbors in preparation or in response to disaster, they are being Lutheran Disaster Response for their community," Nevergall said. "Working together to be prepared" will help Lutherans to be "more resilient in time of need." Lutheran Disaster Response is a collaborative ministry of the ELCA and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

ELCA News Service