Pray For The People In The Philippines

We need to pray for the people in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan.

KSDK-TV Interviews LCMS President About Typhoon Haiyan


KSDK-TV interviews LCMS president, LCMS Disaster Response co-director about Typhoon Haiyan. Because the LCMS typically receives nearly half of its annual charitable support in the months of November and December, we encourage donors to prayerfully consider a gift to LCMS Disaster Response that is in addition to any planned year-end gift intended to help sustain the ongoing witness and mercy work of the Synod.

The Rev. James Cerdeñola, President of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP), shares this update in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, which wreaked havoc across the Philippines on Friday, November 8th, 2013.

Here's what else we know at this time:

Typhoon Haiyan, which ravaged the Philippines Nov. 8 killing thousands, is one of the strongest storms in recorded history. It is an unbelievable crisis for the people there. In response to a request from our partner church, the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP), the LCMS is providing assistance. Three LCP congregations are located in the hardest-hit area. At least one of those congregations and its parsonage suffered significant damage, as did the homes of its members. Area Lutherans have lost crops, livestock and livelihoods. We have committed up to $100,000 for immediate aid for those affected and extended a $50,000 challenge grant to our partner churches in the International Lutheran Council for additional gifts. Our disaster-response team will soon be on-site to meet with LCP leaders, assess the situation and determine a long-term plan for walking together with the LCP and helping its congregations to share the mercy and love of God with their neighbors affected by this devastating storm. You can help support the LCMS relief effort in the Philippines most by contributing to LCMS Disaster Response over and above your year-end support. You can respond through a gift of help and hope.

You can also help by sharing this info with others in your local church family.

LCMS Disaster Response will be deploying to Manila, Philippines, on Friday with an eight member team. On the ground, they will join leaders from the Lutheran Church of the Philippines to provide immediate aide and work to plan ongoing disaster relief. Watch for regular updates to this page.

Personally, I love that Rev. Harrison made a point to mention that our compassion and mercy is not limited to other Christians (other Lutherans) in the Philippines, but for their non-Christian neighbors as well. That is what it truly means to show Christ's love to others in this life.

At times like these it's also easy to feel helpless as we watch images of death and destruction on our TV and computer screens. What can we do? What difference can we make? Well, for starters, we can pray.

Here's a prayer we can all pray right now that the LCMS has printed on an Church Bulletin Insert they put together that your church can use this coming Sunday.

Father of mercy, God of all comfort, hear our prayers as we cry to You for all Your children who suffer after Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Remember those who have lost loved ones and give them the peace that You alone can give. Remember those who are injured and hurting, those who are hungry and thirsty, those who wait for help and begin to despair; comfort them with Your presence, Your healing mercy. Bless and speed the endeavors of all who would bring aid. Guide the government of the Philippines as it organizes its relief efforts. Destroy the plans of any who would use this catastrophe for sordid gain. Help Your people around the world to open hearts and hands to all those who knew the terror of the storm. Your Son commanded both wind and waves and drove away fear with His strong Word; grant that His Word of hope would be spoken abundantly as Your people share the love that they have known in Him, a love that is stronger than death or anything in all creation. We ask these things in Jesus’ strong, holy, living name. Amen.

Finally, for additional comfort during this difficult time, please listen to "Hope For The Hurting And Jesus' Take On Mass Tragedies" for a Biblical perspective on the type of event we just witnessed in the Philippines last weekend.

In a Lutheran Layman's terms, it's times like these that we need to practice what we preach.

[NOTE: As you know, I am a newly converted Confessional Lutheran who recently escaped American Evangelicalism. That being said, please contact me ASAP if you believe that any of my "old beliefs" seem to have crept their way into any of the material you see published here, and especially if any of the content is not consistent with Lutheran doctrine -- in other words, if it's not consistent with God's Word -- so that I can correct those errors immediately and not lead any of His little ones astray. Thank you in advance for your time and help. Grace and peace to you and yours!]

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