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January 14,
2010
Dear
Colleague in
Ministry:
Yesterday I
posted on
the ELCA Web
site a
message to
ELCA members
regarding
the
earthquake
in Haiti and
the ELCA's
response.
I'm sharing
it with you,
hoping that
you will
share it
with
members,
too. The
text of the
letter is
below. To
access the
letter on
the Web,
please go
to this
page (www.elca.org/bishopstatement).
On the ELCA Disaster
Response
page you
will find
the most
recent
situation
updates,
worship
planning
resources
and details
on how to
offer financial
support.
Thank you
for your
partnership.
Mark S.
Hanson
January 13,
2010
Dear
brothers and
sisters in
Christ:
The first
chaotic
reports and
images now
are coming
out of
Haiti,
documenting
the
devastation
caused by
yesterday’s
massive
earthquake.
Haitian
officials
estimate
that more
than a
hundred
thousand
people may
have died
and that the
quake
destroyed
major parts
of the
capital,
Port-au-Prince.
The
Evangelical
Lutheran
Church in
America
already is
responding
through the
Lutheran
World
Federation’s
Haiti
Program.
Given the
devastation
caused by
this
earthquake,
the ELCA has
committed an
initial
$250,000
from ELCA
International
Disaster
Response for
Haiti and
has
authorized
an
additional
$500,000 as
congregations
respond both
to the
immediate
needs and
long-term
rebuilding
efforts.
We give
thanks to
God that LWF
staff
escaped
injury from
the
earthquake.
We also give
thanks that
we have
trusted and
effective
partners on
the ground
in Haiti who
already are
at work
helping
earthquake
survivors.
The ELCA is
the largest
regular
supporter of
the LWF’s
program in
Haiti, which
helps
communities
escape the
deep poverty
in which so
many
Haitians
live. Since
staff is
already in
place, no
precious
time will be
lost in
shaping an
effective
response.
The work of
providing
food and
shelter and
in helping
people to
rebuild
their lives
is under
way.
We give
thanks also
for our
partners in
this work.
The LWF
staff in
Haiti also
was tapped
to
coordinate
the
responses of
Protestant
and Orthodox
churches
throughout
the world
through
Action by
Churches
Together
(ACT). In
addition,
the ELCA, in
coordination
with the
Florida-Bahamas
Synod, will
be working
to provide
disaster
support to
and possibly
through the
emerging
Lutheran
church in
Haiti.
More details
of the
ELCA's
response and
a disaster
insert for
congregational
use are
posted on
www.elca.org/disaster
as
communication
channels are
restored.
Please share
with members
and friends
both the
urgent need
in one of
the United
States’
closest
neighbors
and the
effective
means by
which their
church is
responding.
Please go to
http://www.elca.org/haitiearthquake
or call
800-638-3522
to give
toward our
response to
the disaster
in Haiti.
In God’s
grace,
Mark S.
Hanson
Presiding
Bishop
Evangelical
Lutheran
Church in
America |
