Much Going On At Minneapolis & Churchwide Assembly

Today I received an email update from Linda Lovell, De-Md Synod's Coordinator of Communication. Here was the lead article from this update-which took my breath away when I read the headline:

Unexpected tornado hits Convention Center

Before anything else, let me say that all is well here at our end of the Minneapolis Convention Center after a freakish tornado hit nearby yesterday afternoon. Dr. Diane Jacobsen (who's going to be the keynote speaker at Partners in Faith, Partners in Vision in October, BTW) had just started her Bible study when word started spreading on Twitter and elsewhere that there were severe storm warnings. Shortly after that, a loudspeaker blared throughout the convention center, telling everyone to evacuate to the lowest level except for those in the area serving as the plenary hall. After Bishop Hanson warned everyone again not to leave the hall - either in pursuit of coffee or the effect coffee produces (I think that's how he phrased it) - Dr. Jacobsen proceeded without missing a beat.

Security apparently went through the rest of the building and sent everyone, even from the second floor, all the way down to the basement level. I say "apparently" because they also - apparently - forgot all of us in the e-mail center. So we hunkered down, about 40 of us, flailing away at assorted desktops and laptops, again, never missing a beat. I was quite surprised that the power didn't go off, but it hung in there with us.

About 3:15 p.m. (Central time), Twitter started reporting damage to Central Lutheran Church, right across the street, where lots of assembly-related activities are going on. There were about 75 people in the building, but no one was hurt. A copper steeple was curled into what looks to me to be a kind of shepherd's crook, and a large tent was blown away. I was pretty much speechless to learn eventually that part of the roof at the other end of the Convention Center had been seriously damaged, and some other communicators in the Green Room at breakfast this morning reported seeing rain coming through a hallway ceiling on the second floor.

The most important consideration in all of this was that there were no physical injuries within the Convention Center or the church, and physical injuries elsewhere in Minneapolis were minor, according to last night's local news. There were no fatalities, thanks be to God. There was a tremendous amount of damage to homes in several areas, however.

To see a photo gallery of the damage, visit the Minneapolis daily newspaper, startribune.com.

For a picture of the tornado touching down next to the Convention Center, go to http://twitpic.com/eie0k.

Thank goodness everyone is safe.

If you want to get these email updates from the synod, email me at cindyranker@trinityreisterstown.org and I will put you on the mailing list.