Support for Missionary Steve Witte’s family
Dear friends in Christ,
By now, most of you are aware of the terrible tragedy that has befallen the Witte, Kuehl, and Henselin families. We join you in fervent prayer to our heavenly Father for our dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
WELS Christian Aid and Relief has been working with synodical leadership to determine the best ways for us to assist the families. We are partnering with Christian Family Solutions to provide counseling to family members and others impacted by this tragedy. In addition, we are exploring other ways that we can help in the coming days and weeks.
Some of you have reached out and asked about donations for the families. The best way to do that is to give directly to the families or to make use of the support pages that have been set up to assist them. Here are the links that we have at this time:
We will share more information about how to support the families as it becomes available.
Thank you all for your care, concern, and compassion. Please continue to remember the families in your prayers.
Jesus lives!
In Jesus, our compassionate Savior,
Pastor Dan Sims
Director, WELS Christian Aid and Relief
wels.net/relief
Mark Vancleave/AP - CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/24/us/rapidan-dam-collapse-risk-minnesota/index.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2COm3sUkzdm74cvGCkDU0IhU-EAj_ck0oRAf_9E29aRQjVy_Ph-XCR_7M_aem_B6jsdY-7YWEAMOIOXfrZVgNorth Mankato, Minnesota Flooding
Dear friends in Christ,
In recent days the Midwest has been very busy weatherwise: thunderstorms, wind, flooding, tornadoes. We are keeping our eyes on all these situations. One development that we are watching very carefully is the potential collapse of a dam in Mankato, Minnesota, where there are a number of WELS and ELS churches and schools. We are in touch with district leadership in all impacted areas and will post updates as needed.
In the meantime, please join us in prayer: Merciful Father, you are the ruler of weather, wind, and wave. The skies open at your command and the gales blow only where you tell them to. Use your almighty power to protect those who are in the path of storms and floods. Watch over both lives and property. According to your will, minimize damage and loss. Move the hearts of many to help those who are hurting. And protect all first responders who are in harm’s way. We leave all this in your gracious and mighty hands, trusting that your decisions will be for the good of those who love you. Amen.
RECENT UPDATE – 6/27/2024:
Pastor Marques Nelson of St. Paul’s in North Mankato, Minn.: “Thank you all for your prayers! God has certainly been hearing and answering them. We were quite concerned on Monday morning when we heard that the dam was beginning to fail. We are in lower North Mankato, in the Minnesota River Valley. We have a large early childcare ministry, and I was imagining having to go up into the upstairs Sunday School rooms in the church if lower North started to flood. (We have pictures on the walls downstairs of people canoeing through town 70 years ago). Thankfully, the dam didn’t collapse, and the water pressure has been relieved as it goes around the dam. We still had parents come pick up their children early on Monday to be safe! We are so thankful for the careful emergency planning of our city leaders. They worked quickly to create an earthen levee on the lowest spots near the river. We also have high flood walls in town. So far, our church and schools are fine, and we think we have seen the worst of it, but please keep everyone around here in your prayers. The water continues to rise downstream of us in places like St. Peter which also has a church and school. There are still a lot of families farms and businesses dealing with loss of property and certainly wet basements in the area. Keep them in your prayers.”
In Jesus, our compassionate Savior,
Pastor Dan Sims
Director, WELS Christian Aid and Relief
wels.net/relief
Tornadoes in Mountain Home, Arkansas
On Wednesday, May 29, Pastor Dan Sims, the director of WELS Christian Aid and Relief, and Mr. Jim Bublitz, one of CAR’s disaster relief leaders, visited the area surrounding Mountain Home, Arkansas to assess damage from three recent EF-3 tornadoes. Pastor Dan Schmidt of Trinity Lutheran Church served as our guide. While the damage is severe in places, local emergency management and other disaster relief agencies have the clean-up work well in hand. There is no need for WELS CAR to deploy volunteers to the area. However, we will be working with our congregation in Mountain Home to assist families who experienced loss, especially one family that lost their entire home. Please continue to remember those impacted by these storms in your prayers.
In Jesus, our compassionate Savior,
Pastor Dan Sims
Director, WELS Christian Aid and Relief
wels.net/relief
Prayer: Lord, our compassionate and gracious God, open our eyes to see the needs of people in our communities and move us to show compassion. We thank you that, through the support of WELS Christian Aid and Relief, our churches can do more to help our neighbors in need. May our compassion for others reflect your compassion for them and our trust in you. We pray that your Holy Spirit will use our efforts to communicate that we love because you first loved us. May your gospel move many more to believe in you. Amen.
AG NXT Sample
Dear friends in Christ, In recent days the Midwest has been very busy weatherwise: thunderstorms, wind, flooding, tornadoes. We are keeping our eyes on all these situations. One development that […]
JD Test EZ
Dear friends in Christ, In recent days the Midwest has been very busy weatherwise: thunderstorms, wind, flooding, tornadoes. We are keeping our eyes on all these situations. One development that […]