More damage from Gustav reported
Breaking news
Another WELS congregation is reporting significant damage in the wake of Hurricane Gustav.
The church and parsonage at King of Kings in Alexandria, La., were inundated with about four to five feet of water. Rev. Chris Esmay reports he and his wife and two young children escaped unharmed—they had been forced out of their home earlier this year by fire.
WELS Committee on Relief—or "WELS Relief"—is providing financial assistance so the family can rent a place to stay until the congregation decides what to do with the property. This is the fourth time in 30 years the property has flooded, although none of the previous incidents were as bad as this. The congregation does not have flood insurance.
Rev. Phil Schupmann, chairman of WELS Relief, and Mr. Mark Vance, project coordinator, are traveling to Louisiana today to assess damage both at King of Kings and at Cross of Glory in Baton Rouge. There, as reported in "Together" on Tuesday, high winds toppled several large trees causing extensive damage to both the church and neighboring homes.
We will report more fully on the damage from Gustav and WELS Relief's assessment of the two congregations' needs in the Sept. 15 edition of "Together." Until then, you can find any updates posted at www.welsrelief.net
