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Ready to Meet the Challenge!
“The best help you hope you’ll never need” might well describe the ministry of Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR). While the coast and mountains of the Carolinas are beautiful and popular vacation destinations, they are vulnerable to disaster. Hurricanes, floods, blizzards, ice storms, power outages, and train derailments can wreak havoc on both people and propoerty.
While Lutherans aren’t always first on the scene, this church has a reputation for staying long after the crisis, being there for the long-term recovery. Thanks to your Mission Support dollars and a generous LDR grant, a new program of healing and recovery is now in place.
Together, the North and South Carolina Synods, along with LDR, have called a clergy couple, the Rev. Ray Sipe and the Rev. Ruth Ann Sipe, to a shared position as disaster coordinators and network builders. The Sipes began this new call just a few days ago, on February 15. The purpose of this position is to increase disaster preparedness and develop a network of people, congregations, and resources in the Carolinas who can respond when disasters occur. Pastor Ruth Ann pointed out the misperception that this ministry involves only response after a crisis when, in fact, preparedness ahead of time is most essential.
Pastor Ruth Ann and Pastor Ray have served congregations in the NC Synod since their ordination in 2008. Together during seminary, they spent January 2006 as volunteers with LDR in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, following Hurricane Katrina. They returned to the Gulf Coast to serve their internship year (2006-07) again with LDR in both Bayou La Batre and Mobile, Alabama. As their internship project, they developed a program on personal and congregational preparedness which they offered to ELCA congregations in Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas.
When asked what excited them about this ministry, Pastor Ruth Ann said, “Finding ways to help people help each other.” And, Pastor Ray commented, “Showing people how to be prepared themselves. You need to be prepared yourself before you can help someone else.”
When asked about specific ways individuals and parishes can get on board with this work, the Sipes offered a number of possibilities. Financial gifts and offerings are significant, but there are many other needs:
- Putting together a disaster response team in your congregation.
- Identifying local people with specific skills to share, such as those who could serve on a congregation or roofing team.
- Opening your church building as a warming or cooling shelter for people who have been uprooted from their homes.
- Housing relief volunteers from other states in your church building as a halfway point to the disaster site.
- Partnering to make a strong impact—smaller congregations with larger ones.
- Brainstorm how your congregation and parishioners can be prepared and be ready to respond.
Current needs and updates will be posted on the new LDR Carolinas website.
When facing a crisis or an unknown future, we often receive this advice: hope for the best and prepare for the worst. How comforting and encouraging it is to know that LDR Carolinas and the Sipes stand ready to meet that challenge!
Pastor Ray and Pastor Ruth Ann will be glad to hear from you! Let them know about the resources your congregation has. Want more information about ways you can help? Contact the Sipes via their office in North Carolina (at the synod office in Salisbury) by calling 704-633-4861, or by using their LDR Carolinas email addresses: [email protected] and [email protected].
Story Attribution:
Pastor Joseph A. Miller (retired, Salisbury)
This article originally appeared on the North Carolina Synod website.
Announcing: New LDR Carolinas Staff
Dear Partners in Ministry across the Carolinas,
We pray the New Year is filled with blessings of health and happiness for each of you!
We are excited to share with you that the North Carolina and South Carolina Synods have called and affirmed Pastor Ruth Ann Sipe and Pastor Ray Sipe to serve in a shared position as Disaster Coordinators and Network Builders for both the NC and SC Synods.
This new position is funded by a grant from ELCA Lutheran Disaster Response with support funding from each synod in the Carolinas. The purpose of this position is to increase disaster preparedness and develop a network of people, congregations, and resources in the Carolinas who can respond when disasters occur.
The NC and SC Synod Councils along with both Offices of the Bishop have been working since August on this process to envision how this grant could be used to bless the Carolinas in our disaster preparedness work. The envisioning and interviewing process led us to Pastor Ruth Ann and Pastor Ray who both have experience through their internships on the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and a passion for this ministry.
They will share this call a half-time each and will begin on February 15. Meet them below.
Pastor Ruth Ann Sipe has worked as a construction estimator, project manager, and manufacturing customer service manager. She was active in the NC Synodical Women’s Organization, serving on the NC SWO Board and as a delegate to two Triennial Gatherings. She graduated from Montreat College with a B.B.A. in 1998, and from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS) with an M. Div. in 2008. She also received a Spiritual Direction Certification from LTSS in 2022. She has served the NC Synod congregations of Becks, Lexington; Mt. Zion, Richfield; and St. Stephen’s, Gold Hill. She has served on the NC Synod stewardship team and the planning team for the Lutheran and Moravian Women in Ministry retreat. She spends her spare time knitting or crocheting.
Pastor Ray Sipe has worked as a hardware and software engineer, customer service manager, and in international sales. He is a life member of NC Lutheran Men in Mission. He graduated from Illinois Central College with a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology in 1983, and from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary with an M. Div. in 2008. He has served the NC Synod congregations of Becks, Lexington; Prince of Peace, Salisbury; Mt. Gilead, Mt. Pleasant; and St. Martin, Concord. He has also served as Chaplain for Trinity Place in Albemarle.He has served on the synod’s team for specialized ministry and as president of the Stanly County Ministerial Network. He also has served as president of the Stanly County Amateur Radio Club.
Together, during seminary, they spent January 2006 as volunteers with Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) following Hurricane Katrina at Christus Victor, Ocean Springs, MS. They returned to the Gulf Coast to serve their internship year (2006-07) with LDR in Bayou La Batre, AL and St. Paul’s in Mobile. As their internship project, they developed a program on personal and congregational preparedness which they offered to ELCA congregations in Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas. They have two grown children and six grandchildren—including a set of twins and a set of triplets—all of whom reside in South Carolina.
We look forward to having the Sipes on our staff and working with us to develop preparedness across the NC and SC Synods.
In Christ,
The Rev. Ginny Aebischer
Bishop
SC Synod, ELCA
Walking with you,
The Rev. Timothy M. Smith
Bishop
NC Synod, ELCA