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/