Augsburg Fortress VBS 2006 Mission projects to help families of Hurricane Katrina

We now have details that the that have been added to help the families who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. You can incorporate this into your Hurricane Katrina missions for your Augsburg Fortress Vacation Bible School. Here is information taken from our VBS web site.

At Gospel Express, kids really can make a difference!

Since 2004, Augsburg Fortress VBS Mission Projects have raised more than $350,000 to help people in need. This year is no different.

Imagine living in a drought-prone, tropical climate with few shade trees and only two water pumps to accommodate the needs of your whole community. One day a devastating hurricane destroys what little you own. Your family scrambles to piece together a shelter with the only resources available: black plastic sheeting for walls and corrugated tin for a roof. Now imagine that your government leaders promise you a new start. Land and adequate building materials will be given to you and your hopes begin to rise. But just as those promises begin to materialize, a leader in your community disappears, along with the funding for the housing project. Once again, your hopes for the future are washed away.

Emmanuel Housing Project
In 1998, Hurricane Mitch devastated the Emmanuel Community located in southwestern Nicaragua. Already considered one of the poorest areas on the face of the earth, the hurricane left the families of this community homeless. Today, many Emmanuel families still exist in deplorable living conditions. By participating in the Emmanuel Housing Project, your Gospel Express VBS participants and congregation members can help these Nicaraguan families acquire adequate housing and a brighter future!

HURRICANE KATRINA
Gospel Express VBS went to press just before Hurricane Katrina hit. In the wake of the devastation of this hurricane and the subsequent flooding, Augsburg Fortress is offering an alternate mission project should you and your Rail Riders wish to help those affected by this disaster.

The cardboard Emmanuel House can be used to collect offerings for the thousands of people who were left homeless by Hurricane Katrina. Replace references to Hurricane Mitch in the Director Guide and Leader Guides with references and information about the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. At the end of your VBS count the money collected.

Write out a check to "Lutheran Disaster Response" and include on the memo line "Hurricane 2005." Send the check to:

ELCA Disaster Response

P.O. Box 71764

Chicago, IL 60694-1764

SundaysandSeasons.com last chance savings!

Through September 30th, you can save 50% on SundaysandSeasons.com. To experience the planning tool, go here to plan a sample service.

Welcome to Blogsburg Fortress!

I am now taking on the name for this blog designated it to be: Blogsburg Fortress. It was inspired by Winking Luther.

Augsburg Fortress matches donations to ELCA Domestic Disaster Relief

A message from Beth Lewis about how the ministry is Augsburg Fortress is helping victims of Hurrican Katrina. This is from the Augsburg Fortress One Mission Blog.

Augsburg Fortress is responding to the dire need for help for the people devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Augsburg Fortress customers may donate to the ELCA Domestic Disaster Relief program when they place orders with us either via our toll-free number 1-800-328-4648 or via our website.

Augsburg Fortress will match 50 cents for every dollar donated through our order center up to a total company match of $25,000.

100% of the donations will go directly to relief through ELCA Disaster Relief -Hurricane Katrina.

Thank you for considering partnering with us to share our many blessings with these people in need.

Beth A. Lewis,
President & CEO Augsburg Fortress

Augsburg Fortress Responds to Needs of Katrina Victims

Press Release from Augsburg Fortress

MINNEAPOLIS (September 7, 2005)—In response to Hurricane Katrina Augsburg Fortress is offering a 50% discount on all orders placed on our website for Act of God/Active God, a book that helps people wrestle with the spiritual questions brought on by natural disasters. The discount is effective September 7 through December 31, 2006.

Additionally, Augsburg Fortress customers may donate to the ELCA Domestic Disaster Relief program when they place orders with us either via our toll-free customer service number 1-800-328-4648 or via our website www.augsburgfortress.org

Augsburg Fortress will match 50 cents for every dollar donated through our order center up to a total company match of $25,000.

100% of the donations will go directly to relief through ELCA Disaster Relief - Hurricane Katrina. More information on ELCA Domestic Disaster Relief is available at www.elca.org/disaster.

For further information about Act of God/Active God please read below.

Disaster Strikes—God Is There
In Act of God/Active God Dr. Gary Harbaugh raises the faith-related questions that the victims/survivors of natural disasters have as a result of this experience. Is the disaster an "act of God"? Did God cause the disaster? If God is all-powerful, why did God allow it to happen? Following examples of people who have experienced a variety of disasters, he confronts the faith issues from a profound theological perspective. Instead of seeing disasters as “acts of God,” he shows that when disasters occur, God in fact is active: active in and through our questions, confusion, and doubts; active in and through our responses and actions; active in and through the community; and active in and through people of faith. He discusses the dynamics of the caregiver/care receiver relationship from the perspective of the care receiver to provide insights into how natural disaster victims can face an uncertain future with hope and faith.

He offers seven ways people of faith can transform disasters into times of blessings, and he provides helpful spiritual and biblical resources to strengthen Christians in times of disaster. A final chapter for caregivers provides help for the emotional and spiritual health of those who assist others in times of disaster. Appendices provide practical, close-to-the-ground tools.

“Disasters come, sometimes with a feverish pitch that not only strip us of our internal strength and community resources, but also our ability to believe. How can there be a loving God with tornadoes, earthquakes, fires and other related disasters? Throw in wars, violence, genocide, disease, trauma . . . the questions are endless and so, it seems, is the pain.

Gary Harbaugh speaks forthrightly about the terror of despair and doubt and lifts the concerns to a God in a spiritual dialog that is not about answers "Why", but of "What". Act of God/Active God is a book of faith and comfort, and also a wakeup call for religious communities to be more active in life's disasters and other complexities, and to offer that prophetic word of faith and hope in the midst of those events that frequently leave little room for either.”—Rev. Dr. Richard B. Gilbert, The World Pastoral Care Center

“Gary Harbaugh has provided blessings to many over the course of his ministry, as a pastor, seminary professor, and writer. In times of disasters he serves as a Lutheran Disaster Response resource. Over the years he has offered Care for the Caregiver ministry to pastors, counselors, and staff impacted by disasters and involved in the church’s response to disasters. He is a valued colleague and a trusted friend. His thoughtful and caring ministry has blessed many people. I trust this book will be a blessing for you and for all who, in times of disasters, are people of an ‘active God.’”—Gilbert B. Furst, Director, Lutheran Disaster Response
Gary L. Harbaugh completed an interdisciplinary Ph.D. at the University of Chicago and a postdoctoral program at the School of Professional Psychology, Wright State University. Dr. Harbaugh is Professor Emeritus of Pastoral Care at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio.

Act of God/Active God
By Gary Harbaugh
$9.00, Paper (50% off orders place on http://www.augsburgfortress.org/ through December 31, 2005)
ISBN 0-8006-3215-X
Publisher: Fortress Press

To order Act of God/Active God please visit the Web site.

To request review copies or exam copies, or to discuss speaking engagements or interviews, please call 1-800-426-0115 ext. 234 or email toddb@augsburgfortress.org

Kelly Fryer's New Adult Bible Study "No Experience Necessary"

No Experience Necessary is the new Bible study from Kelly Fryer, bestselling author of Reclaiming the 'L' Word. Accessible for people new to Bible study and full of fresh insights for others, No Experience Necessary will change the way you do Bible study!

• Assumes God's speaking. Right here. Right now. Every session helps you learn how to hear God speaking in your life.
  
• Invites you to come as you are. Everyone's welcome. Every session draws upon your collective experience.
  
• Lets people decide. You're part of a priesthood of all believers. Every session offers you options, depending on the needs of your group.
  
• Expects change. Because the Spirit's at work! Every session challenges you to relate God's Word to your life.
  
• Is as Lutheran as it gets. Every session is rooted in the Lutheran confessions and approach to Scripture.

You can receive samples of the No Experience Necessary Adult Bible Study online at the NEN web page. It contains the introduction and a bible study lesson from the actual curriculum.

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You can receive a price break of this resource of 50% off. To try out this program you can go to the main webpage and go through the demostration.

Message from Bishop Paul Blom of the Gulf Coast Synod

The following is an excerpt from a letter by Bishop Paul Blom of the Gulf Coast Synod office describing the needs of rostered leaders in the area hit by Hurricane Katrina. His areas is one of the hardest hit by hurricane which includes the city of New Orleans. I received this email from Stan Meyer from the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod.

Greetings to all in the name of the Healing Christ,

... We are developing plans to respond to the pastors/AiMs and congregations of our synod on almost minute by minute basis. No one is being allowed to enter the New Orleans area and so we are connecting with folks by email, phone, and four of our leaders from New Orleans who came to the synod office for lunch. They came to Houston to escape the hurricane and now are basically stuck here indefinitely. We have been working to find them places to live, other than motels, and have had a very good, strong response from congregations and members of congregations here.

... I am trying to set up a process to build a financial support base for them so they can remain reasonably healthy and sound in that regard for the coming days.

... I am focusing immediately on how to care for our leaders. It will be quite some time, we believe, before they will have income again. It will be some time before they can return to assess the damage to their own homes and the congregational sites too. During our lunch time, we were informed that those who live in Jefferson Parish (where the one levee broke) will be allowed back on Monday to pick up whatever they can from their homes and then be asked to not return for a month. I am wondering, as are others, how that will be possible if the water is still several feet deep. One pastor, Anton Kern (a native of New Orleans) told us during lunch that he’d talked to someone who said they probably will have to let the lake drain into the city until it stops, then rebuild the levee’s and get the pumps working to return the water to the lake. That will mean only about a foot of water per day when the pumps get up and running – and none of them are working now. So, this is going to be a long haul. The economic effect and affect will be deeply felt and long term –
both locally and nation-wide.

HERE IS MY REQUEST:

I am asking that you invite congregations of your synods to become a “sponsor or co-sponsor of refugees from Katrina.” In particular, at this beginning point, I am trying to establish groups of congregations who will become the financial support base for the pastors and aims who have been affected by this disaster. If we can help meet their daily needs it will help them to be able to serve their own folks as that begins to happen. You can send funds directly to our office (12707 North Freeway, Ste. 580, Houston, TX 77060), designating them for either “Synod Disaster Fund” or “Bishop’s Discretionary Fund” – and that will provide resources for me to give directly to these families as we determine their needs, etc. Of course, Lutheran Disaster Response is the agency which can be used for the bigger picture. They, of course, will be working with the broader groups of people who need assistance. I want to focus on the leaders myself, try to keep them supported as well as provide for their spiritual care as we move forward. Then, we’ll join LDR for the next phases as we are able.

I thank all of you in advance for your prayers, calls, emails, and financial support. It’s just a little overwhelming – as some of you know to try and manage these kinds of events in life. But, I keep rehearsing the message of Psalm 46 and it grounds me.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will no fear though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its turmolt….Be still and know that I am God….The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

/Bishop Paul Blom/