Building Puentes with Carribean Synod

Group 236

Building Puentes means building bridges – and is the name of a commitment between the ELCA Caribbean Synod and Metro D.C. Synod.

Every congregation in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands was affected by Hurricane Maria. Let us break through the chasms that divide and build bridges with fellow Lutheran siblings on the mainland and on the islands affected by storm devastation.

Set in motion with a synod-wide offering on Epiphany Sunday 2017, you can still make a Building Puentes offering through Online Financial Transactions (scroll down to “Designated Gifts” to find Building Puentes option) or by mail (Memo: “Building Puentes”).

Local leaders have been working tirelessly given their new reality. As part of the Building Puentes call, we will build connections and true relationship with work trips and aid. We will develop new and organic ways to connect and live into our mutual call to follow the Light no darkness can overcome. This we can do together, in Jesus’ name.

“Blessed is the one who knows that sharing a pain is to divide it and sharing a joy is to multiply it.” ~ ELCA Sínodo Caribe (@elcalcs 9/17/17)

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:

  • “Recovery on the islands” – (ppt file) slide presentation introducing Building Puentes, developed for River of Grace Lutheran in Manassas, Md. by Gretchen Bonanno in Jan. 2018
  • “Visual stories from the Caribbean” – Video of the Rev. Felipe Lozada-Montañez reflecting on the aftermath of Hurricane Maria

  • “Visual stories from the Caribbean” – blog post (1/6/18) introduces new video & the videographer
  • “Building Puentes with Caribbean islands” – blog post (11/30/17) introducing initiative and synod-wide offering