Aloha and God's Grace and Peace to you!

The tragic fire this week on Maui that has destroyed much of the town of Lahaina and taken the lives of dozens of people, with a final death count pending, can leave us feeling frightened and uncertain. It also is motivating people to give and show support to the victims. If you would like to make a donation, we know that there is always a concern that the money gets to the people in need and  not consumed by administrative costs and overhead. Thankfully, we are a part of the larger church that is already set up to address these sorts of things.

Already this week the California-Nevada_Hawaii (CNH) District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) transferred $15,000 to our LCMS congregation on Maui and they are distributing gift cards and other resources directly to people in need. 

One of the challenges for congregations in receiving gifts directly involves responding with thanks and simply processing the funds. The district however can receive funds, send them directly to the congregation for immediate use, and handle the other issues with existing staff and resources. This allows flexibility and freedom for the congregation AND assures the donor that 100% of their contribution goes to those in need, and quickly.

If you would like to help, and the need will be great for a very, very long time, please use this link https://www.cnh-lcms.org and click on the donate banner at the top. On the next page, use the third listing for "Hawaii Circuits Fund", or click HERE to go directly to that page. Thank you for whatever gift you can provide. They all add up and each one makes a difference!

Please keep praying for everyone impacted by this horrific fire and for all the first responders and relief workers. The loss is great and the grief is heavy.

Mahalo,

Pastor Mark