Report of Funding Decisions by Mt Tabor Endowment and Memorials Committee

Over the New Year weekend, we all heard in horror of the devastating winter fire that burned almost 1,000 homes in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado. Similar to the Salt Lake City region, the Denver region is suffering an extreme drought that has left the natural landscape tinder dry. Once a wildfire started, the dry vegetation and high winds associated with an incoming storm led to the wildfire rapidly burning through around 10 square miles.

On Saturday, 1 Jan 2022, we learned through a prayer request from Rocky Mountain Synod Bishop Jim Gonia that some of our RMS Lutheran brethren are among the hundreds of those who lost their homes in the fire. These include the families of 2 RMS pastors and more than a dozen members of RMS congregations in Louisville and Superior. An ELCA Disaster Response team has already been in touch with the RMS to help support the people and communities impacted by the fires.

In response to this disaster, the RMS Synod has created a Rocky Mountain Synod Fire Disaster Fund to help those with the greatest need. The Mt Tabor E&M Committee voted the morning of 2 Jan 2022 to provide $2,500 towards this fund. For those interested in providing additional funding, you can donate through the URL https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/64074.

Respectively submitted by David Warren, Chair of E&M