Recovery Begins After St. Louis Tornado

Recovery Begins After St. Louis Tornado 
By Brianna Dehn, May 21, 2025 

On Friday, May 16, a storm system that included at least two tornadoes moved through the greater St. Louis area, causing a handful of deaths and dozens of injuries. An estimated 5,000 buildings were damaged, and thousands of St. Louis residents were left without power. 

One of the tornadoes touched down on the campus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (CSL), in Clayton, Mo. According to the National Weather Service, it was an EF3 that gained strength, reaching maximum winds of more than 150 mph, as it continued through the north part of St. Louis where Bethlehem Lutheran Church is located. The tornado crossed the Mississippi River and entered Illinois before lifting near the campus of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Ill. 

Earlier in the day, at 10 a.m. under sunny skies, the seminary had held its Theological Diploma Service. Following the service, students, families, guests and faculty mingled and took pictures outside the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus. Then the weather turned, and at around 2:45 p.m., the tornado hit the CSL campus, lasting only around 5–10 minutes. 

No one on the seminary property was hurt, but the campus sustained extensive damage. In that short amount of time, approximately 150 trees or large limbs fell, covering the campus in debris. Other notable damage included downed powerlines, tree limbs falling on faculty and student housing, and a stained-glass chapel window that broke due to a tree falling into it. As a result, CSL’s Friday evening commencement ceremony had to be postponed. 

Meanwhile, Bethlehem also sustained significant damage to the church building as well as to member homes and vehicles. In the days since the tornado, the congregation has been reaching out to the surrounding community, offering meals, child care, assistance with cleanup and the love of Christ. Food insecurity was already an issue in North St. Louis, but it is amplified in the wake of the tornado. Bethlehem, being one of the few buildings in the area with electricity, is giving away 250 meals three times a day to help those who are hungry. The congregation is also offering temporary shelter to those who need it. “The past few days, Bethlehem has really served as a light to our city,” said the Rev. Dr. Gerard Bolling, Bethlehem senior pastor. 

On Saturday morning, May 17, the Rev. Dr. Ross Johnson, director of Disaster Response for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), joined a group of volunteers from Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) to assist with cleaning up the CSL campus. ““This is a big project,” he said. “We are prioritizing areas. … We’re going to try and clean this up as soon as possible so life on campus … [and] the ministry on campus can continue.” Approximately 50 LERT volunteers came from five LCMS districts — Iowa East, Missouri, Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois and Central Illinois — on Saturday and Sunday. 

In addition, the volunteers included CSL students like Joshua Teggatz, a fourth-year seminarian. “We were supposed to graduate last night,” said Teggatz. But, he added, “We love [this seminary] and we want to give back what we’ve been given [by helping with the disaster response.]” Commencement was held Saturday night even as much of the seminary campus, including faculty housing, remained without power. 

Kris Schuldt, district disaster response coordinator for the LCMS Missouri District, has visited Bethlehem Lutheran, CSL and other areas impacted by the storm. Asked why he is involved in disaster response, he said it’s “because I have been truly blessed, and I feel like I want to give back. [LERT helps with natural disasters] all over the country. … It’s very rewarding.” 

“We are very grateful for the way people in the seminary community have been pitching in to clean up,” said the Rev. Dr. Thomas Egger, president of CSL. “Our seminary staff and now a number of volunteers from the Synod and from the community are on campus, and we are very grateful for their help.” 

The same storm system that impacted Missouri and Illinois also affected Kentucky and Indiana, and another storm system moved across the middle of the country on May 19, impacting more people. Meanwhile, multiple parts of the country continue recovering from severe weather events. 

As with any disaster, there are three ways you can help:

• Pray for those affected and for those who are offering assistance.

• Volunteer at lcms-lert.org.

• Financially support the response with your gifts. Visit lcms.org/disaster for more information. Readers in Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and other zones of impact can also contact their respective districts for information about how to donate toward response efforts.

Editor’s Note: Zion’s own Charles Wallace has served at Bethlehem Lutheran, and his wife, Katrina, is currently working at the church. 

Voter’s Meeting - Sunday, June 29th

Next Voters Meeting will be Sunday, June 29, 2025, at 9:15 a.m. between services

Agenda topics: 
• Approval of the Fiscal Budget for July 2025 – June 2026 
• Plus key informational updates relevant to the congregation 

Your participation is important as we look ahead and approve next year's budget. 

VIDEO: Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - Complete Service

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Worship Service: 2:00 p.m. with communion
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. - Book of Obadiah (30 min.)
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

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AUDIO: Readings & Sermon for Wednesday, June 25, 2025

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Worship Service: 2:00 p.m. with communion
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. - Book of Obadiah (30 min.)
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

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Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
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2 Samuel 12:1-13 
And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich 

man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David's anger was greatly kindled  against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” 

Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 

John 21:1-25 
After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” 

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” 

This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. 

The Sacrament of the Altar 
Who receives this Sacrament worthily?
Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” 

But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words “for you” require all hearts to believe. 

Bulletin: Wednesday June 25, 2025

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Worship Service: 2:00 p.m. with communion
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. - Book of Obadiah (30 min.)
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.

Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
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VIDEO: Funeral Service for Carl Bauer - Tuesday June 24, 2025

Funeral Service for Carl Bauer
View the Funeral Bulletin for Carl Bauer
View the Obituary for Carl Bauer
Born: Sept. 13, 1941 
Baptized: Oct. 12, 1941 
Confirmed: April 3, 1955 
Entered eternal rest in Christ: June 14, 2025 

First Reading – Job 19:23-27 
Second Reading – Revelation 7:9-17 
Third Reading – John 8:48-59 

Bulletin: Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - Funeral for Carl Bauer

View the Funeral Bulletin for Carl Bauer
View the Obituary for Carl Bauer
Born: Sept. 13, 1941 
Baptized: Oct. 12, 1941 
Confirmed: April 3, 1955 
Entered eternal rest in Christ: June 14, 2025 

First Reading – Job 19:23-27 
Second Reading – Revelation 7:9-17 
Third Reading – John 8:48-59