Disaster Response

Congregations and schools are encouraged to send funds for disaster relief to one of the following organizations during times of natural disasters:

Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) Training

Responding to a disaster is a vital part of who we are as members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Responding to a disaster allows a congregation to confess Christ to their community, region and world in ways they may have never considered before. Lutheran Early Response Team Training helps prepare congregations and individual members to be better prepared when a disaster strikes, and helps them know how to respond in word and deed within their community.

If you have already been trained as a part of the Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT), you can help us by making sure that you are registered as a part of the new national database of LERT trained volunteers.  Please log in to the LERT volunteer portal to make sure your information is up to date: https://www.lcms-lert.org/user/login/

Visit the LCMS website to learn more about LERT training.

Soldiers of the Cross: Financial assistance opportunities for church workers

LCMS Soldiers of the Cross offers the assistance of special grants to church workers in this COVID pandemic.

Eligibility: LCMS-rostered ordained or commissioned ministers; Surviving spouses of retired LCMS-rostered ordained or commissioned ministers; Non-rostered (lay) LCMS district, church, school or RSO employees; Church workers from partner churches who are residing in the U.S.

Criteria: Soldiers of the Cross (SOC) is the grant program through which the LCMS may respond to a financial crisis that arises unexpectedly in a church worker’s life. SOC grants are for a situation in which the short-term financial help requested will demonstrably help to alleviate the immediate crisis. Funds provide only short-term assistance, usually to cover a period of 30–90 days. The following are examples, but do not limit the application of aid to other situations: Health or medical crisis; Counseling; Financial incapacity of a church congregation or organization to pay her workers; Transition relating to employment or family crisis; Legal situation; Traumatic event

Procedures:

1. All Soldiers of the Cross grant applicants must complete the District Endorsement Request Form (click here to fill out the Nebraska District’s grant request form) and it will automatically be submitted to their district for review and a determination for subsequent submission to LCMS Disaster Response.

All district-reviewed-and-endorsed Soldiers of the Cross grant requests are subsequently submitted to LCMS Disaster Response by the district’s designated respondent paulp@ndlcms.org, unless the applicant elects not to have the District submit the application on their behalf.

2. Soldiers of the Cross grant requests can be submitted directly (click here for the link to Synod’s grant request form) to LCMS Soldiers of the Cross or LCMS Disaster Response without a District Endorsement Letter, but they will first be referred back to the Nebraska District for review and endorsement.

Make an impact by supporting struggling church workers

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) provides financial assistance through the Soldiers of the Cross program to church workers in crisis situations. You can support this initiative through a direct donation by check or their online portal. Learn more about making a donation at this link.

 

Comfort Dog Ministry

The Nebraska District is home to five Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dogs. The dogs and their handlers can be contacted for visits to congregations, schools, and within your community.

Helpful Online Resources

Recommended Government Preparedness Websites: