The WELS Committee on Relief has followed up on requests from congregations in Oklahoma and Tennessee for relief grants, allocating funds to those in these storm-ravaged areas.

Twenty-nine tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma on May 10. Although all WELS members escaped safely, some members of Holy Cross, Oklahoma City, Okla., did sustain considerable property damage. On May 24 the Committee on Relief met with the church council to work on a damage assessment and relief response plan. The Committee on Relief allocated a total of $25,000, which is being distributed among 12 members.

Scott Peters, council president at Holy Cross, says, "My congregation and I would like to thank Pastor Harmon Lewis and Mark Vance with the Committee on Relief for taking the time to travel to our location and help with our relief effort. We know that they are working with congregations in Tennessee, and we'd like to extend our prayers to those folks also."

On May 1 and 2, rivers flooded after 13.5 inches of rain fell in Tennessee. The homes of WELS members in four congregations throughout the state suffered extensive water damage. Rev. Bill Werth, pastor at Abiding Faith, Smyrna, Tenn., reports one family in the congregation had 13 inches of water on their main floor and five feet in their garage.

In addition to Abiding Faith, members from these WELS congregations were affected—Beautiful Savior, Clarksville; Christ our Savior, Columbia; and Rock of Ages, Madison, all in Tennessee. The Committee on Relief granted all requests for a total response of $12,500.

To learn more or to donate, go to www.wels.net/relief.