Listen Listen to a conversation between Pastor Schupmann and Pastor Greenlee.

Read the article that appeared in the Together newsletter.

In this the sixth and seventh episode of the award winning Fifth Pew from the Front series join the Taylors and the citizens of Willow Bend as they come to the realization that they are not in control and yet have to prepare for the coming storm and the aftermath. 

Watch Weather or Not - Part 1 and 2, on streams.wels.net.

On Tue., June 24, WELS Committee on Relief Chairman, Pastor Philip Schupmann, together with Pastor Mark Lindner and Steve Zambo traveled to Baraboo, Wis., and met with a number of pastors and WELS members from eight area congregations. We heard about the flood’s devastating effects on the lives of many of our fellow Christians, their neighbors, and their communities. At the same time we also rejoiced with them to hear how our merciful Lord God had also watched over them and their families. Thankfully, there has been no loss of human life. One of our churches in Elroy, Wis., has some major flood damage in its basement with the possible loss of its handicapped-accessible elevator. Several of our WELS members have suffered the total loss of their homes. In cities like Reedsburg and Rock Springs, many homes and businesses have been totally destroyed. People have been displaced and suffered the loss of their material blessings. Yet in all that bad news we heard one sweet little Christian lady in attendance tell us how the Lord watched over her as emergency personnel in Wisconsin Dells “Ducks” came to her rescue and brought her to safety as her home in the country was surrounded on both sides by rising waters.Pastors Schupmann and Lindner together with Mr. Zambo also made stops in Columbus, Jefferson, and Fort Atkinson, Wis., where they heard again about the floods effects on lives and property. We witnessed firsthand how the City of Jefferson has been split in two because of its main bridge through town closed and still covered with flood waters. Once again we also heard how the Savior protected his people and gave them opportunities to reflect his love in words and actions to the people in their community. Zion in Columbus opened the doors of their school as a Red Cross emergency shelter. Bethany Lutheran Church in Fort Atkinson opened their doors to a local nursing home which had to be evacuated. Most of the residents of that facility and staff called Bethany “home” for almost a week.

The Committee of Relief was able to give grants totaling almost $100,000 to all these congregations, which will be used to help, not only their members, but those people in need around them in their communities. Maybe most importantly most of the congregations affected have been personally visited by WELS Relief team and received the assurance that a gracious God is with them and that the brothers and sisters in WELS are praying for them and will support them in their time of need. As always, whenever the Lord allows such adversities to touch our live and the lives of those outside the family of God, such adversities become “teachable moments” – golden opportunities to share the life giving Gospel with others.

View more pictures of the flood-damaged area of Jefferson, Wis., in the photo gallery.

Listen

Listen to Pastor Phil Schupmann, chairman for WELS Committee on Relief.

Watch Pastor David Sternhagen’s sermon on streams.wels.net.

My first stop was with Pastor Kapler in Mountain Home, Ark. I arrived there at 9:30 a.m. after a three hour mountain drive through freezing rain. Not fun. I met with Pastor Kapler and five members. One member, Shawn Taylor, is the region’s Thrivent Representative and one of the first volunteers into New Orleans after Katrina. After much discussion, they concluded that they would like to organize a clean up/rebuilding effort similar to New Orleans, but felt they had enough local volunteers to accomplish it. Mr. Taylor will check into Thrivent matching funds. They realize that FEMA and the Red Cross are handling the short term needs and they are focusing their efforts on the long term. They have appointed a coordinator and they will begin to try to identify the families they will assist. I told them we stand ready to assist them with consultation and possible additional funding. I toured the area with Pastor Kapler and the newly appointed coordinator and then took them to lunch. I recommended that they open a separate bank account for the money designated for their project. Pastor Kapler had noted that he was already receiving donations.

I left them at 1:30 p.m. heading for Russellville, Ark., (two and a half hour trip). Got there at 4 p.m., just in time to meet with Pastor Schwerin. The church in Russellville is very small with only about 18 active members. We toured the area near Atkins, Ark. This tornado was much more powerful than the one in Mountain Home - (F4 vs F2). He discussed a few possibilities as candidates for relief funds, which all sounded appropriate to me and I encouraged him to use his discretion as to the distribution of funds. He then asked about giving some of the funds to a local Bank that had set up a “General” relief fund that would disperse funds through an application process. He said they had about $40,000 in the fund and they were anticipating about 100 applicants, which means each applicant would only get about $400 a piece. He wondered if some of our funds could be given to that. I told him that would be fine.  After our visit he said he felt clearer about how the funds should be used and thanked me for helping him identify some prospects that could use some assistance. He said he would contact Pastor Schupmann about the bank possibility and that he would send in the transfer information. I left him at about 6 p.m. more convinced than ever that “in person” visits are vital (when possible).

In Christ,

Mark S. Vance
Disaster Relief Project Coordinator
WELS Committee On Relief
mark.vance@wels.net

Listen to the audio (MPEG Standard)

Schupmann Podcast

Help is needed in the following areas:

• construction
• drywall
• landscaping
• painting

For more information or to volunteer contact:

1. Mr. Mark Vance
mark.vance@wels.net

2. WELS Kingdom Workers
Pastor Rich Warnecke
fia@wkw.wels.net

3. Pastor Philip Schupmann
www.welsrelief.net

The work of Relief is carried out by the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod with a committee of five. All serve as volunteers. Pastor Schupmann coordinates most of the grants the committee makes by phone and e-mail. When possible, he will also visit major disaster sites and help plan and coordinate relief efforts.

Schupmann is a full time pastor at Resurrection Ev. Lutheran Church in Aurora, Ill. He is a 1978 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and has served congregations in Illinois for 30 years. Philip is also currently the circuit pastor of the Central Circuit of the Chicago conference and is a member of the Board of Directors of Wisconsin Lutheran Child and Family Service.

Philip and Sara have six adult children. Most are serving full time in the Lord’s work.

In the fall of 2007, the Committee on Relief and the WELS Military Services Committee entered into a joint agreement to share Mark’s services. So, along with being a disaster relief coordinator, he is the Director of Programs and Communication for the Military Services branch of WELS Special Ministries.

Married to his wife Dawn for 32 years, they have been blessed with three children and six grandchildren. Mark and Dawn are members at St. John’s Oakwood in Oak Creek, Wis.