Community Lutheran Partners, Inc.

Greetings, siblings in Christ!

So much has happened since the last Synod Assembly. Community Lutheran Partners’ network has expanded. Unexpected opportunities to serve Appalachia have presented themselves. We continue to evolve to serve and work with our neighbors in the WV-WMD Synod.

CLP is now a contact for AMMPARO (Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities). Amparo in Spanish means the protection of something living from suffering or damage. There are different ways individuals and congregations can get involved, so ask if this is something you would like to learn more about. As Churchwide reorganizes their ministry outreach, this helps to put CLP more firmly in the social ministry and new initiatives tent. A wider CLP network means more ministry resources available to you.

CLP is also working with different denomination’s disaster response teams. I am learning from Mennonites, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians and we are collaborating on responses big and small. If you call CLP and want to help out, I will likely put you in touch with one of their established teams. Ecumenical work may not be what you expected but I have found it extremely satisfying and illuminating. It also will help keep you safer in a messy situation as well as avoid the ire of county emergency managers. I need the emergency managers to like me so don’t tick them off about Lutherans.

This may not seem like a networking event, but I absolutely believe that it is. I went to Camp Luther last summer as an Intermediate Confirmation Class teacher. Our students learned about CLP and the Word and Service roster. This might seem insignificant, but the next generation needs to learn now what we are doing. You may have noticed that our youth are interested in what we are doing and why we do it. It’s sowing seeds, with the hope of future harvest.

Working respectively with WV VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) and Lutheran Disaster Response, CLP is now fully immersed up to Mary’s ears in spiritual and emotional care in disaster. This work is happening at a Churchwide level, as well as at Synod and regional levels. This has truly been such a Holy Spirit thing because I did not look for it, definitely did not expect it and here it is. I chair the WV VOAD committee on Emotional and Spiritual Care and I was hand-picked by a regional team to work with Churchwide on a similar workgroup. You have heard me mention resiliency before? Emotional and Spiritual Care is a vital part of resilient communities. Part of it is helping someone find and call on their faith. Some of it is helping them to find or make meaning out of the disaster. A lot of it is seeing, listening to and validating the pain of the situation. I intend to eventually create three rosters: ordained leaders, trained lay folk and churches/spaces where we can meet.

Another unexpected Holy Spirit moment was during a LDR meeting in Minneapolis. One of the Churchwide organizers asked about specific challenges in our home areas. No one else raised their hand so I took the mike and spoke about the problems of privately owned bridges in WV and the increasing chances of significant flash floods. After the session ended, I was approached by the Chief LDR Poobah and said that LDR wants to help, and asked how much money did CLP need. I was flabbergasted and asked how much would they be willing to give us. She asked if Two Hundred Thousand Dollars would work. Yes, ma’am! CLP has funded one bridge already for a disabled veteran on dialysis and four more are in the works. LDR generously increased the grant by 10% to help cover CLP’s time in managing the grant but the lump sum will go to serving Appalachia. This is typical of most grants, and why I will continue to ask for financial support even though CLP just got a large check. The grant goes to the people in need, not paying for Mary a new car.

Thank you for your continued support of Community Lutheran Partners! We will keep serving the people of this Synod and even beyond. If you feel so moved, do a fundraiser for us or invite me (Deacon Mary) to come to talk to your congregation or community group. We need motivated and interested board members. CLP needs you to be successful. In return, CLP offers our networks to you, in hope that you can use them and bring us into your communities.

We continue to watch and listen for the Spirit to blow us into new opportunities and relationships. We continue to grow and shift. We continue to thank God for you!

Peace and joy!
Deacon Mary Sanders
Executive Director
Community Lutheran Partners