Lutheran Disaster Response - SEPA

Haiti earthquake 2010 financial donations

2010-01-26T09:15:00.001-08:00

Lutheran World Relief suggests that financial donations are strongly preferred over any other kind of donation. Thrivent members' donations to LWR will be matched. Please visit www.lutheranworldrelief.org for more information.

Please post to this blog if your congregation or community is hosting a fundraiser for Haiti so that others interested might be able to participate or contribute.

Haiti earthquake 2010 health kits collections

2010-01-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

Please post if your congregation is collecting kits and/or quilts for Haiti relief and please indicate if you welcome contributions and/or partnerships with other congregations and individuals.

Include the following items in each health kit:
One hand towel, dark color recommended
One washcloth, dark color recommended
One bath-size bar (4 to 5 oz.) of soap, any brand, in its original wrapping
One adult-size toothbrush in its original packaging
One sturdy comb, remove packaging
One metal nail file or nail clippers with file attached, remove packaging (do not substitute cardboard emery boards for the file)
Six Band-Aids® (or similar brand), preferably 1/2" to 3/4"; secure together with a rubber band
DO NOT INCLUDE TOOTHPASTE AT THIS TIME

Do not add other items or leave out any of the items listed. All items should be new and in good condition. Wrap smaller items in the washcloth; wrap washcloth and remaining items in the towel and tie securely with ribbons or yarn. Do not enclose the kit or any of its contents in plastic bags.

For more information visit www.lutheranworldrelief.org.
For information on collection sites in our area, please contact me at jmenzo@libertylutheran.org

Haiti response 2010 volunteering

2010-01-26T08:48:00.000-08:00

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) notes that due to the instability of the current situation in Haiti, volunteers may not be needed for six months or more. If you are interested in keeping posted on volunteer opportunities when they arise, please contact Linda Frey, the LDR-SEPA workteam coordinator at lwfrey@epix.net.

For information about what Lutheran World Relief is doing in partnership with staff and community who were already on the ground when the earthquake hit, visit www.lutheranworldrelief.org.

Other volunteer opportunities may be available through other response groups. Please post to this blog if you hear of volunteer response opportunities in Haiti.

Haiti earthquake 2010

2010-01-26T08:43:00.000-08:00

Lutherans are responding in many ways to the earthquake in Haiti. There have been a number of congregations that have indicated an interest in sending teams to Haiti to volunteer. While only very specialized and previously trained volunteer teams are responding now through the wider faith network, there are congregations thinking about how to respond in the future. I will do my best to share information I hear about in this regard as I receive it, and would like you to share what you discover as opportunities as well.

To help us share information and best use resources, please share what your congregation or community is doing as part of the specific response areas below. These areas include fundraising, health kit collections, and volunteering.

H1N1 Fall 2009 Information for Congregations

2009-10-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

With President Obama's October 24, 2009 Emergency Declaration for H1N1 Flu, and with notable evidence of flu in our schools and communities, here is some local information for you to consider:

http://www.flu.gov/ provides considerable information for organizations and individuals for managing wider spread outbreaks.

http://www.h1n1inpa.com/ is the Pennsylvania Department of Health's official H1N1 information resource.

Follow this link for extensive information put out by the ELCA for specific information for congregations: http://www.elca.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Responding-to-the-World/Disaster-Response/Ongoing-Responses/Pandemic-Flu.aspx

Finally, the Pennsylvania Office of Public Health-Preparedness has issued a request for volunters to help run mass vaccinations sites for later on in the year (Mid November-mid December). Volunteers are needed in the medical arena (LPN, RN and Paramedic, mainly individuals that can give injections) and non-medical that would be screeners, opening band aids, and runners—just to name a few positions. All volunteers will receive in-time training at the sites. More inforamtion can be found at https://www.servpa.state.pa.us/.

How are congregations thinking about swine flu?

2009-04-29T19:12:00.000-07:00

What, if anything is your congregations doing in light of the 2009 Swine-Flu?

Swine Flu - Resources for congregations

2009-04-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu – Thinking about Congregational Life

In the last few days, we’ve been seeing health alerts from various interfaith groups, county health departments, national news outlets and more about swine flu. All schools are temporarily closed throughout Mexico. Concern seems to be less about severity, but more about uncertainties, like how quickly this virus might spread.

In any case, this is a good time for congregations to think about how to minister in the face of situations that might arise out of any pandemic, like suggested or mandated social distancing.

Some tips to be cognizant of if the impact of swine flu progresses:

Limit exposure
• Consider how communion is administered; think about how to minimize person to person contact.
• Sharing the peace…consider “sharing the Purell” as well.
• Limit pot-lucks, and other non-essential large gatherings.
• Give permission to not shake hands.

Creative ways to worship
• Make use of Eucharistic ministers to do more small group visits and communion.
• Hold worship on-line…include a worship outline, sermon, music…maybe use Power Point.

To think about now
• Make best use of your website.
• Think about ways to hold conference calls for meetings.
• Pull out your congregational calling tree and test your email distribution list.
• Research blogging, and other means of online communicating.

Other resources:
The ELCA has resources to help congregations plan for and respond to a pandemic at their website.

Faith-Based and Community Organizations Pandemic Influenza Checklist