Damage from flooding following heavy rains on July 22 continues to plague congregations in the Midwest. Three congregations' facilities and dozens of members' homes were seriously damaged during the storm.

"Flooding damage is always more widespread than it first appears," explains Mark Vance, the director of operations for WELS Committee on Relief. The Committee on Relief has granted emergency funds of $24,000 to five different congregations—$10,000 to Siloah, Milwaukee; $10,000 to Atonement, Milwaukee; $2,000 to Garden Homes, Milwaukee; $1,000 to Our Savior, Freeport, Ill.; and $1,000 to St. Peter, Savanna, Ill.

Vance reports that Siloah, Milwaukee, appears to be the hardest hit. The church/school basement received more than seven feet of water with initial damage estimated at $400,000. Phil Leyrer, principal at Siloah, says, "We are grateful to report that we are making steady progress toward restoration. The final assessment of our damages, however, was greater than we and the restoration contractor first estimated. Much of our lower level is a loss. This includes boilers, air conditioning units inside and out, our electrical panel, elevator 'brain,' all built-in cabinets, all doors, and all floor tile. The blower for our organ was also declared a loss."

Siloah must delay opening its school until repairs are made to the building. The school opening is now scheduled for Sept. 7.

Nearly 10 inches of water and raw sewage filled Atonement's church basement, and more than two feet of water filled the basement of Atonement's early childhood center. All items in the childhood center's basement were destroyed. Some teachers' and congregation members' homes also received heavy flood damage.

At Garden Homes, the church and school escaped with only minor damage, but its former school building—which Garden Homes rents to another church—received heavy flood damage to the lower level and furnace room. One teacher had major damage to a basement wall.

In Illinois, members at Our Savior, Freeport, and St. Peter, Savanna, were also hit hard during the storm. One member's home was completely destroyed.

The Committee on Relief will continue to assist these congregations as funds allow. You can support these relief efforts by donating online.

Also the committee currently is monitoring the flooding that took place in Iowa last week and has already made a donation of $5,000 to help with the devastating flooding in Pakistan that has claimed 1,500 lives and displaced millions of people.