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 as Pastor Philip Schupmann, chairman for WELS Committee on Relief updates us on the devastation and relief efforts taking place in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Schupmann Podcast

Listen to the Schupmann Podcast.

• The Mold Krewe VII is made up of 14 people - 11 Wisconsin Lutheran College students and three students from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.
• Our main purpose is to aid in gutting homes, but as part of this we’ll also be working with the members of the church who have been displaced and doing evangelism as we talk to the road crews who pick up garbage or the people working on other houses.
• The drive to the church began the realization of the disaster. First things didn’t seem too bad - roofs without shingles, downed trees, nothing too devastating. Then the scenery started to change . . . cars parked, rather placed in odd positions, sideways, backwards, crashed, half hanging over a canal.
• Kristopher described the gutting as, first you take out all the stuff - furniture, belongings, clothing, beds, pots pans, and anything else of the house that one would take when moving. All this must be taken to the curb for clean-up crews to come pick-up. Then the second day, all the carpet, drywall, and insulation are taken out leaving only the studs, which are then bleached to kill the mold and to prevent it from growing back.
• There is nothing that could have prepared me for what we saw. The first house we went to was bad, the smell of mold and soggy carpet filled the air.

Sunday worship

• Crown of Life Lutheran Church is currently meeting in the house of one of its members.
• There was no organ, except an imitation on the keyboard occasionally, the liturgy was there but used different songs, and there was a time in the service to report if anyone had heard from any of the members who had been displaced, as well as a time to read cards and give thanks for support coming from around the country.
• Then there was lunch and fellowship for an hour or two. Since the people come from so far away, they enjoy Sunday fellowship and it was more like a family reunion/holiday gathering.

Dave’s first day of work

• People got creative in the ways which they brought things out of the house. One of the good methods was to shovel with a grain shovel all the loose toys, shoes etc., onto a blanket then carry it out the doors like storks carry cabbage patch kids (I have sisters).
• Being a professional mover during the summers, I have learned to use such care when carrying furniture out of a house. But not for these two weeks! I could kick, drag, sledge whatever I wanted, and use whatever method was the quickest and easiest to get items out of the house.
• I think we all acquired a sense of accomplishment as we walked away from our mountain tumbling off the curb and into the street.

Steve’s comments as work continues

• Both groups felt like they could get there house gutted by the end of the day. We were a little tired from one day, but would soon get over it.
• It gives you encouragement that you are there with the people and they care.
• Ben and I were trying to ripe up a linoleum floor, the only other thing that needed to be taken out before all could be bleached. It took us about 17 man hours to take up the floor that was three layers.