LCC received a request for assistance from Pastor Bill Harder of Living Christ Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois, for a single mother in need. I am working with Florence, a single mother with cancer. Her chemo treatments cause her to miss work to the point where she was dismissed from several employers. Her single daughter, Valerie, lives with her mom and gave birth to a healthy daughter, Nevaeh, on August 7th. Florence returned home without electricity because of her cancer and lack of continued employment. She owes $334 to ComEd for her electricity to be restored. Please help these sisters in Christ who need help. Thank you, Pastor Bill Harder Living Christ Lutheran Church Arlington Heights, Illinois If you are so moved, please donate to help Florence cover her outstanding electricity bill. LCC received a request for assistance from Pastor Hesham Shehab of Salam Christian Fellowship in Lombard, Illinois. Dear Friends, Mutaz, a new Iraqi immigrant who has been coming faithfully every week to Salam meetings for four years, requires dental work that is not covered by his insurance. He is short of $1,500. When Mutaz first came to Salam, he was showing symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychosomatic ailments. Through the Grace of God and Salam volunteers' care, Mutaz's life has been stabilized, and he started to look with hope at life. At the age of 63, Mutaz confessed Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and the Church became a central part of his life. Please show the love of Jesus to this new brother in Christ by donating generously to this cause. In Christ, Pastor Hesham Shehab Congregations Come Together to Make a Difference in the Life of a Refugee Pastor and His Family8/16/2023
Pastor Alex Merlo of Iglesia San Pablo in Aurora, Illinois, has been assisting Pastor Fernando Garcia, a recent refugee seeking asylum in the United States, in finding a job, transportation, and a home for his family. Last week the family moved into a temporary apartment until the end of the month when they will be able to move into a duplex on the church's property. This past week God brought together a donor, and members of Immanuel, East Dundee, and Iglesia San Pablo to touch the lives of two families to provide the needed resources to furnish an empty apartment and the duplex, which will be their new home. A senior citizen moving into an assisted living facility donated some of her furniture to LCC to be used for a family in need. LCC was privileged to facilitate two congregations, Immanuel, East Dundee, and Iglesia San Pablo, Aurora, working together to impact the lives of two families in their congregations. Immanuel congregation paid for the moving truck and provided volunteers to load a household of furniture in East Dundee. The donor’s donation will furnish a two-bedroom home for Pastor Garcia and his family at San Pablo, Aurora. Volunteers Jon Bartelt and Matthew Flynn from Immanuel East Dundee drove the truck to Aurora, where Pastor Merlo, and members of their congregation, with Pastor and Mrs. Garcia, unloaded the furniture. This is truly a picture of members of the Lord’s Church working together to change the lives of his people.
Financial Assistance/Affordable Housing Needed for a Family of Grace Lutheran Church Staff8/16/2023
LCC received a request for assistance from Steven E. Stock, Acting Chairman at Grace Lutheran Church in Northbrook, Illinois, for one of their staff/church members. Greetings in the name of Christ: We have a member at Grace Lutheran-Northbrook who is also a teacher at our Seeds of Grace Early Childhood Development Center. Her family is in need of housing assistance, both in finding housing and any possible financial assistance. Ms. Nikki, along with her husband, Ron, and sister, Dawn, were told to leave their current apartment on August 5, 2023. A fellow staff member at Grace/Seeds of Grace has graciously secured housing for them at an Extended Stay facility. This current arrangement lasts through August 31, 2023. Nikki devotes much time to her children at Seeds of Grace and often steps up to work long hours when needed. As we know, Lutheran teacher pay is not always the best, and early childhood development educators earn even less in most instances. Ron works as a school bus driver and puts in as many hours as he can. Finally, her sister is disabled and cannot work. Nikki and Ron are very devoted to her care. Nikki has no other family to support them, and we believe Ron has no contact with his family. We are humbly asking for any assistance that Lutheran Church Charities may be able to provide in securing housing for them, whether it be help in finding affordable housing or financial assistance. Any guidance and help shall be greatly appreciated. In Christ, Steven E. Stock Acting Chairman Grace Lutheran Church, Northbrook, Illinois If you are so moved, please donate to help this family in need. If you are aware of affordable housing in a commutable distance to Northbrook, please contact Dianna Bonfield at dbonfield@lutheranchurchcharities.org or call 866-455-6466.
Last week, Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response received our new MT-100 Mini Bobcat from Atlas Bobcat. Many thanks to the LCMS Disaster Response for a grant and our generous donors for making this purchase possible. When invited, this will be used when responding to disasters, both locally and in other states, to safely move storm-damaged trees, limbs, and debris. LCC staff and L.E.R.T. leaders were given maintenance and operation instructions. We are ready to respond with this new piece of equipment when the next disaster occurs. Praise God for all those that support and serve in the LCC Disaster Response ministry!
As of late Monday, the death toll from the Maui wildfires climbed to at least 99, with expectations that it will reach in the hundreds. This is the deadliest United States wildfire in more than 100 years, as authorities work to identify the victims and sift through the burned communities of western Maui. 3,000+ homes, businesses, schools, government, and cultural centers are destroyed. An estimated 12,000 people are displaced, with people sleeping in shelters, vehicles, stores, on the street, or with family and friends. With businesses destroyed, there is a massive loss of jobs. BE THERE BY WORKING THROUGH LUTHERAN CHURCH CHARITIES Rev. Chris Singer, Lutheran Church Charities President/CEO, received an invite from Rev. Michael Lange of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod California Nevada Hawaii (CNH) District, CNH District Disaster Response Coordinator (DDRC) Phil Zabell, and Leif Sjostrand, Congregational President from Emmanuel Lutheran Church & School in Kahului, Maui. Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, is working with Russell Wilson and Diane Wilson, church secretary, to coordinate LCC’s presence in Maui. “Our hearts break with Maui at the loss of life and the destruction brought on by this natural disaster. Yet our hearts are full with the hope of Jesus’ mercy and compassion,” shared Rev. Singer. “Together with your support, LCC will be there to provide the help, comfort, and encouragement needed right now.” Rev. Singer, his wife Jeanette, and Kathy arrive in Maui to minister to this community suffering and in great need. Emmanuel Lutheran Church is currently without a pastor as they await for an answer to a call they have issued. Pastor Singer has been asked to preach at Emmanuel Lutheran Church on Sunday, August 20. The school principal, head elder, and congregational president have all asked for leadership assistance from LCC in addition to the invite from the CNH District President and DDRC. Kathy will conduct Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) training and advise the church leaders on how best to work with FEMA and national and community voluntary organizations active in disaster (VOAD) for long-term recovery. Rev. Singer and Jeanette, as a certified coach and ministry partner volunteer, will focus on care ministry in shelters, congregational preparedness training for disasters, and food ministry through the church alongside two other congregations. Follow-up trips are expected to provide on-going spiritual care, and all LCC Ministries are on standby and ready to serve as needed. The devastation is catastrophic, and there is a tremendous need for spiritual, emotional, and trauma care for everyone impacted and the first responders who are heroically dealing with the remaining wildfires, conducting search and rescue operations, and recovering lives lost. URGENT FINANCIAL DONATIONS ARE NEEDED TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE SUFFERING AND IN NEED “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2 The greatest need is for financial donations to help the people of Maui. They do not have the ability to take in any more donations of items. If you are so moved by this disaster, please donate generously so that we can help survivors with this unfathomable loss. Thank you for your faithful prayers and support for all of the communities affected by these wildfires as well as for the local first responders, LCC staff, and volunteers that help during the long recovery process. Be there with LCC to show them the love and presence of Jesus! Lutheran Church Charities is ready to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. We only go where we are invited and we never charge those we serve. LCC works in coordination with LCMS Disaster Response national and local districts of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
The first Tuesday of each August is designated as National Night Out (NNO). The purpose of National Night Out is to enhance relationships between neighbors and law enforcement and to build a better sense of community. Many of our teams attended a NNO in their community. Below are just a few that we heard back from. LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dogs Brutus (Kare 9 Squad) and Nigel (LCC Staff) showed love and friendship to attendees in Indian Head Park, Illinois. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs in Training greeted attendees in Wheeling, Illinois.
Thank you our law enforcement officers for all they do to keep us safe. |
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