On an unexpected Friday afternoon—May 16—an EF3 tornado swept through the city of St. Louis, damaging more than 5,000 buildings and homes and leaving many without power. As we continue to assess the scope of the destruction and the work ahead, we are reminded that in times of crisis, the Church has a unique and powerful opportunity to be the Church.
“They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” – Acts 2:45
Luke, the author of Acts, describes the early Church as a community marked by radical generosity—freely giving to meet the needs of others. That same spirit of generosity is needed now in St. Louis, and Webster Gardens has two immediate opportunities to respond with love and action:
- Volunteer for Disaster Relief: Sign up to volunteer with the disaster relief efforts through the work of the United Way, OR through “Taking Jesus to the Streets” with Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Reach out to your small group or the people you sit next to in church and invite them to join you!
- Give online to our St. Louis Tornado Relief collection: Webster Gardens will distribute funds through coordinated relief efforts in our St. Louis community focused on individuals and families in need during this crisis.
One of the hardest-hit areas was North St. Louis, where our long-time mission partner, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, is already on the front lines—feeding, praying, and bringing the love of Jesus directly to the streets. We are committed to walking alongside them as they serve their community in the weeks and months to come.
This recovery will take time, and as more opportunities arise through Bethlehem and others, we will keep you informed. But today, we can act. Let’s respond with generosity—through our time and our resources.
We will never fully understand the impact your generosity brings, but we are generous because we worship a generous God. These moments remind me of Jesus’ words that the Church is the light of the world, and we should “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
We are connected by the Gospel, devoted to God, and unified in our mission: Together we will develop generous disciples who Know and Enjoy God in Worship, Read and Reflect on Scripture, and Serve and Share the Gospel. We continue to trust that God will do even more than we can ask or imagine. Thank you for being a vital part of this mission!
In Christ,
Pastor Dave