Urgent News

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ

On Valentines Day, I attended a meeting of the Lutheran Professional Church Workers Conference of the St. Louis Coalition. Bishop Gerald Mansholt was at the meeting and gave a gripping account of being with his people in Kirkwood following the shooting at a Kirkwood City Council meeting that left six people dead. We agreed that an incident like that has far reaching effects on an entire community even if none of the victims were members of an ELCA Congregation. We also agreed on the fact that our ELCA congregation in Kirkwood was a valuable source of solace for those who chose to gather there to deal with their feelings.

The feeling was surreal when I got into my car after that meeting and turned on the news to hear about a shooting that had just taken place at Northern Illinois University that would also leave six dead. From the time I arrived home on Thursday night, until I came to the office this morning, I have been very busy, but the dramatic nature of these losses, together with others that I have also been made aware of through the weekend. They have made me even more appreciative of the fellowship we share in Christ to support and care for one another.

I honestly can not tell you the number of times I have shared the words of Paul in I. Cor. 15:54-56, with those who have been grieving, or for that matter had them shared with me when Sandy and I were grieving. We continue to face situations where the “sting of death” seems to be more than we can bear. And yet we somehow get to the final words of that passage that state, “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

My prayer continues to be that these needless losses of life can somehow come to and end, and it seems like the more I pray, the more horrific the losses become. As we deal with the present losses and as we continue to minister to those who experience loss, may we support one another with the Peace of God that truly passes all understanding. May we rely on scriptures and prayer to find God’s peace ourselves as we work to help the ones we serve deal with tragedies. And may we communicate with one another so that we do not take each other for granted as we face challenging circumstances in our ministries.

Yours in Christ,

Bishop Warren D. Freiheit

Central-Southern Illinois Synod

Message about NIU Shootings

From Lutheran Disaster Response-Illinois:

The tragic shooting at Northern Illinois University has affected us all. We have all seen the media reports and many of us know people directly connected with the NIU community. The campus community is rallying support as an immediate response to those in need. We also know that this event has immediate repercussions throughout the state of Illinois and beyond as students return to their families, as families worry about their students and as children and other vulnerable members of our communities are exposed to the anxiety of adults and the media deluge. Those burdened by this tragedy will seek out friends, family members and pastors. Attached is a document developed by Lutheran Disaster Response for pastors following the Virginia Tech tragedy. It has been adapted for distribution to pastors to help them respond to the NIU tragedy. We encourage you to distribute this material to pastors to support them in their response. Some brief highlights of the document:

Those needing care are spread out throughout Illinois and beyond now.
Most pastors will come into contact with individuals suffering the effects of this tragedy
As trusted spiritual leaders, pastors can play a crucial role in healing
The tragedy is different for everyone - listen to the unique experience of the individual coming to you
Listen, be with and offer resources to those who come to you - there is no wrong way to respond, so be confident in your abilities
Spiritual trauma can be profound and require much time and patience in your response
Be aware of symptoms and behaviors that indicate the need for professional involvement
Attend to your own self care as you vicariously experience the trauma through your care of others
Know you are not alone - the faith community stands with you.

Specific resources pastors should be aware of include:

Lutheran Child and Family Services. 1-800-363-LCFS. Crisis counselors are available, information and referral for services, and consultation is available to pastors and congregations.
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois- LSSI's LDR coordinators Lisa Hassenstab (lisa.hassenstab@lssi.org /847-390-1447) and Dan Schwick (dan.schwick@lssi.org /847-390-1418) are available for information and referrals.

Click here to access LSSI Pastoral Care document.

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