Today, Four Homes of Mercy cares for 68 mentally and physically disabled children and adults. Most of their employees receive no income but volunteer their services and time. They are always in desperate need of resources to care for those who cannot care for themselves.

I am asking for your financial support so that I can buy these supplies here in the states before I leave this Sunday, February 3, and have them carried in with the 34 people going on the trip with me.

If you are moved to help those who cannot help themselves, please consider making a donation now to help. Dollar per dollar it will go to getting these supplies and other needs to the residents of Four Homes of Mercy.

Thank you for your help in helping those who Jesus cares for.

Tim Hetzner
President / CEO
Lutheran Church Charities

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. CLICK HERE to learn more about the National Alliance on Mental Illness

Out-of-State
Brookfield Lutheran Church – Brookfield, Wisconsin
St. John – Lincolnville, Kansas

It is good to see how the disaster response ministry is continuing to grow with volunteers willing to share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. 

The Illinois Critical Incident Memorial Team reached out to Patrick Quinn, LCC K-9 Police Ministry Coordinator, to invite the LCC K-9 Police Ministry, LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry, and LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams to both the visitation and funeral of Trooper Lambert. Twelve teams in all met with Trooper Lambert’s family members, law enforcement personnel from all over the United States, city and state officials, and others who came to pay their respects. Many dignitaries gathered, including the Governor of Illinois J. B. Pritzker who spoke at the Friday service.

The Gospel message was from John 15: 9-17: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.  If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”

The following LCC K-9 Ministry Teams were present:

LCC K-9 Police Ministry
Shiloh (Christ Our Savior – Dixon, Illinois)
Susie (St. Peter – Arlington Heights, Illinois)
Charity (Brookfield – Brookfield, Wisconsin)
Isaiah (Trinity – Hobart, Indiana)
Julia (King of Glory – Elgin, Illinois)

LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry
Flex (LCC Squad)
Brutus (LCC Squad)
Levi (Immanuel – East Dundee, Illinois)

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog
Ruthie (LCC Staff)
Emma (LCC Staff)
Eve (St. John’s – Lombard, Illinois)

LCC K-9 in Training
Marie

LCC congratulates the newly appointed and thanks all law enforcement officers for their dedication to the communities they serve.

Having three LCC trainers plus Marie and Joanna Comfort Dogs-in-Training at the meeting to interact with the 10 regional dog teams was fantastic. In addition to the 10 Southwest teams, 2 Oklahoma teams in-waiting and 1 in the exploratory stage joined together at St. Paul Lutheran in Fort Worth, Texas. We enjoyed lots of training, great times of networking, sharing, good food, and fun! Jan Russell, from Bethany in Austin, provided instructions for her button bandana design and kits for each dog.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and teams in attendance:

Abner & Martha (Bethany – Austin, Texas)
Damaris (Memorial – Katy, Texas)
Elijah (Our Redeemer – Wichita Falls, Texas)
Gabriel (Messiah – Houston, Texas)
Joy (Gloria Dei – Houston, Texas)
Pax & Phoebe (St. Paul – Fort Worth, Texas)
Rufus (St. Mark – Edmond, Oklahoma)
Triton (Messiah – Plano, Texas)

K-9 Police Ministry Dog Shiloh (Christ Our Savior – Dixon, Illinois) visited local police and sheriffs’ departments to deliver cards thanking everyone for their service. Boxes of dog treats were also delivered for the police canines, in honor of the 27 law enforcement dogs that were killed in the line of duty last year.