June 11, 2011

CHICAGO – Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and staff of Lutheran Social Services of New England have been part of a week-long response to local needs in the Springfield, Mass. area following tornadoes that touched down there June 1.

The storms caused the deaths of four people in West Springfield and Springfield and left considerable property damage in parts of both cities. Among the people most severely affected were several refugee families served by Lutheran Social Services of New England.

"Lutheran Social Services was on the ground right away to help people who were displaced," said the Rev. Margaret S. Payne, bishop of the ELCA New England Synod. Payne visited some of the damaged areas June 8 and met refugees whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the storms.

More than a dozen families served by Lutheran Social Services of New England are being housed temporarily in a shelter facility in Springfield, said Heather L. Feltman, chief executive officer and president. Staff and volunteers are working to provide temporary shelter and eventually relocate the families.

Feltman said refugees served by Lutheran Social Services and other refugees are turning up nearly a week after the tornadoes in need of shelter, food and other assistance. Through the generosity of ELCA members, ELCA Disaster Response sent a $10,000 emergency grant to Lutheran Social Services to help with early response to the storms.

Payne led prayers and Scripture readings with religious and political leaders in a "Service of Prayer, Hope and Healing" June 8 at Christ (Episcopal) Cathedral in Springfield, organized by the Council of Churches of Greater Springfield and the Interfaith Council of Western Massachusetts. Among those participating in the service were Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. About 200 people attended, Payne said.

Last weekend, the New England Synod Assembly held its annual assembly in Springfield, beginning less than 48 hours after the tornadoes touched down. Part of the Mass Mutual Center, where assembly was held, was used as a temporary shelter. Assembly participants and visitors spent part of the assembly working in Springfield on a number of community projects that had been planned before the storms.

"It was the most energized synod assembly we've ever had," Payne said. "I really feel as though it was a transformative event for the synod. The tornadoes enabled members to bring greater good out of what they thought they could do."

Springfield was "a struggling city" before the storms, Payne said. "That's one of the reasons why we put our synod assembly there and chose to do mission projects," she said.

The ELCA members wore blue T-shirts with the phrase "Doing What Matters" while they worked. "We ended up doing most of the projects we had already planned. The extra things we did were to collect money and food to give to local shelters and food banks," Payne said. Some members packed hygiene kits for displaced refugees, while other helped clear brush and other debris from the storms.

She added that it was also "a gift" that members witnessed first-hand the refugee ministry of Lutheran Social Services of New England.

ELCA News Service