On Thursday, January 12, a strong storm system moved through four states with high winds, large hail, and a tornado outbreak, including thirty-eight powerful tornadoes, of which three were long-track EF-3 tornadoes with 110+ mph winds that caused major damage to homes, businesses, and schools. There was a loss of nine lives in Alabama and Georgia from this storm. One EF-3 tornado was on the ground for 23 miles through Selma, Alabama. It affected one-third of the town. In Selma alone, 3,300 homes, businesses, schools, and churches were damaged or destroyed by the tornado. Kathy O’Day, Director of Disaster Response and twenty-four LCC Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) staff and volunteer teams have been serving homeowners through Pastor Steve Washington at Trinity Lutheran Church in Selma, Alabama. In their first week, chainsaw volunteers have completed work at twenty-six sites. They will continue to serve in this hard-hit community until February 4 with the LCMS Southern District. Rev. Chris Singer, LCC President & CEO, joined Rev. Ross Johnson, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) Director of Disaster Response, and Rev. Ed Brashier, LCMS Southern District Disaster Response Coordinator, to visit affected homeowners and see the L.E.R.T. volunteers in action. While Chris was visiting with the homeowner, Tina shared that many groups have stopped by to assess her property damage, but no one has returned to help. When LCC showed up with a boom lift and other heavy equipment, Tina said, “I can’t believe it – you came back to help!” She was so grateful that LCC L.E.R.T. kept their promise to remove the large tree that had fallen on her house. Sheltered in Their Hallway, 95-Year-Old Couple Shares “We Never Want to Go through this Again!” ![]() Larry and Polly are both 95 years old and live in a more rural area of Selma. They have a very large garden that Larry cares for. They had to shelter in their hallway as the tornado passed over them. They told us they could hear part of their metal roof being peeled back, glass breaking and trees cracking. Larry said he watched a neighbor’s roof fly through the air. They were very scared they would not survive but compared to the destroyed homes just a block over from them, they know God was good and spared them. They both stated, “I never want to go through this again!” We were able to clear the fallen trees and debris that fell on and around Larry's garden and around his shed. They loved the quilt presented to them by a L.E.R.T. member. Homeowner Helps L.E.R.T. Team Clear His Property
Couple with Historic Home Blessed by L.E.R.T. Volunteers
LCC never goes where we are not invited. |
The LCC K-9 Ministry continues to grow as we welcome a new puppy to our training location at Northbrook, Illinois, this week. The new puppy’s name is Zion. Zion will begin her journey training to be an LCC K-9 Comfort Dog. Through time, patience, repetition, consistency, love, and guidance from her apprentice trainers, one day, Zion will serve as a bridge to reach those who are suffering or in need. Zion is already a delight to have as part of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs in training. We ask that you keep the apprentice trainers and this new pup in your prayers, asking for God’s continual guidance and encouragement as Zion begins this new journey. |
Zion 1 Peter 2:6 "For in Scripture, it says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'" Follow Zion on Facebook |
On Sunday, January 29, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Dinah (Trinity - Auburn, Illinois) and Jael (Trinity - Hobart, Indiana), and LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dog Britta (LCC Squad), came together to meet the students from around the area of Auburn, Illinois, as they gathered for A Night of Hope sponsored by Trinity Lutheran Church in Auburn. The students learned different ways to deal with stress and with their mental health through God and Art. |
EXTREME COLD AND CONTINUOUS DESTRUCTION
Limited Access to Food, Warm Clothing, Electricity, and Heat! |
Approximately 6.5 million people in Ukraine have been displaced and are facing freezing winter conditions after being forced to flee their homes. Many take shelter in damaged buildings and have limited access to food, electricity, and heat.
LCC received the following updates from LCC staff member Rev. Larry Myers:

A trip was made this past week to the de-occupied coastal region of the Dnieper River near the city of Kherson. Although you cannot always see the protection beneath their outer coats, they do wear bulletproof vests as they travel and visit.
The hot items this winter are batteries, candles, and generators. The extremely cold weather and Russia's continuous destruction of the infrastructure make survival in Ukraine quite challenging.
Lutheran Church Charities provided funds to assist in this effort. Pictured in the center is the Rev. Oleg Schewtschenko, pastor of the SELCU congregation in Odessa, who regularly receives the supplies at the border and transports them into Ukraine.
Your Support Provides Cold Weather Supplies to the Soldiers on the Frontlines

Thank you for supporting the 68 Jager Brigade of the Ukrainian Army. Their hope and perseverance have been fortified by your life-saving help. Although we are not there to witness the war, the donations provided keep them pushing forward every day.
They feel protected through the supplies that we have sent them: bandages to heal wounds, as well as warm clothes to keep them warm during the winter. We are hoping to launch another donation campaign to provide more supplies.
Once again, we would like to come together in prayer as we give thanks for all of the blessings we have received. Let us also remember those in need and humbly ask for God's grace and mercy. May 2023 bring us unity and peace under God's protection.
Please prayerfully consider donating to help Ukrainians by showing the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need!

When he saw the pictures of the equipment, he said it was a Godsend. The puppets and equipment they had were far from the quality of this donation.
On Tuesday, January 24, all the puppet equipment was delivered to the drama department at CUC. Later that evening, Professor Pederson sent a thank you email saying, “The students are thrilled and buzzing with possibilities. We will use this gift well.”
After numerous unsuccessful attempts to find a new home for the puppet ministry, it was through that phone call that God opened the door to where the puppets will be used to train future teachers and church workers to communicate the gospel through a puppet ministry.

Thank you for being so supportive of the family of five children and their pregnant mother grieving the death of their father and partner! The end of the year was very challenging for the family as the children got sick often while attending daycare. The mother herself is recovering from pneumonia. They made it through the holidays but continue to grieve.
The family found out that their new baby coming in March would be a boy. After undergoing physical therapy for a work injury, the mother is now trying to get back to work. She continues to struggle to find an affordable caregiver for so many children. The mother is also trying to find a new home, as their current home is too small for six children. Your support has been critical to helping the family with their rent, utilities, and daycare bills.
Thank you for your generosity! Please continue to pray for them, especially for the safety of the mother and baby as the delivery day nears, and continue your support of them as God leads.
Pastor Doug Warmann
Trinity Lutheran Church, Roselle, Illinois

The box of books called “God Loves Mom” will be used by the group Young Lives, a support group for moms in the community. Tabor has hosted this community group for four years. When Covid hit, and flooding damaged their meeting room, the group-ceased meeting; but come March 2023, they will resume their meetings. Through building caring relationships with these women and children, Tabor is able to share the message of the love of Jesus with them.
Two boxes of books titled "Hope When Your Heart is Broken" will go to the Celebrate Recovery, a ministry Tabor started six years ago. Celebrate Recovery is a faith-based, 12-step recovery program for anyone experiencing life’s hurts, habits, and hang-ups.
Tabor’s newest Hispanic Outreach Ministry took a leap of faith in the summer of 2023 when Tabor called Spanish-speaking Pastor Walter Ramirez. Moving into the New Year, Tabor now offers a second Sunday worship service in Spanish with an attendance of 30+ people.
Over the past six months, your donations of furniture and houseware have helped Tabor to meet the physical needs of many refugee families. With the New Year, Tabor has added English as a Second Language classes (ESL) to its ministry outreach to the community.
Tabor’s Food Pantry & Food distribution has grown in the number of people being served. LCC was able to connect them to the Put Your Hands Together Food Ministry (PYHT) of Immanuel Hillside, which will be supplying them with food on a monthly basis as well as including special deliveries.
On Palm Sunday of 2023, Tabor will be confirming six new members into the congregation. The last time held a confirmation service after a decade or more of no confirmation classes was six years ago. Only one of the three students confirmed was from a member family of Tabor. The other two students were from former member families that no longer live in the Chicago area. Their families were once members of the old Tabor before 2016.
Because of your donations, LCC was able to connect two of our partner ministries together. This past Friday, January 27, the Put Your Hand Together Food Ministry (PYHT) of Immanuel Hillside was able to help stock Tabor’s Food Pantry. With the increase in prices for groceries, more low-income families are relying on local church food pantries to feed their families. Pastor Ramirez and one of the Columbian refugees made two trips to Hillside to pick up all of the food that PYHT was able to give them. Jayne Siou, the program director, was able to work out a regular schedule once a month pick up for Tabor as well as a notification whenever they get extra items. |
Put Your Hands Together Food Outreach (PYHT), a ministry of Immanuel Lutheran Church-Hillside, is blessed by our partnerships with Lutheran Church Charities, NID-LCMS, District Churches, and their wonderful ministries. Together, with help from our generous food donors, we were able to bring much-needed food assistance to Iglesia Tabor Church, Pastor Walter Ramirez, and the refugee families in their care last week.
Our ministry goal this year is to continue to support our ethnic ministries throughout the district, and our Lord certainly has provided both opportunity and an abundance of supply! Thanks be to God for answering our prayers!

As I sat at home on Saturday morning in grateful prayer, anticipating the snow and how I would spend the day at home in my pajamas, God had other plans for me when I received a call from Hello Fresh. I realized that I needed to be an active participant in the prayer-answering process and that the Lord needed me.
We look forward to continuing our work together, creating new partnerships, and sharing the news of our PYHT Expansion Project.
Thank you for your support and prayers,
Jayne Siou
PYHT Ministry Director
Please prayerfully consider donating to help PYHT Food Ministry supply food to churches serving those in need in our communities.
The LCC K-9 Ministry teams and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion continued to serve the Monterey Park, California, community after the tragic event that killed 11 people at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio on Saturday, January 21. |
LCC K-9 Ministry teams went to Emmaus Lutheran School and Preschool to comfort students and staff. They also returned to the memorial at City Hall to be with the grieving community there. They have seen countless faces light up and have been the highlight of many people's day.
The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charge those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. We know that comfort is needed to help this shocked and devastated community and the first responders who serve them.
Lutheran Church Charities is pleased to announce our new President and CEO, Rev. Chris Singer
1/27/2023
The Lutheran Church Charities Board of Directors is pleased to announce Rev. Chris Singer as the Ministry’s new President and CEO. Chris has spent over twenty-five years working in senior pastoral leadership roles within The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). His background spans community and congregational work with localized and regional cultural/ethic program development, international missions, disaster response, and crisis management. He has spearheaded the development of digital capabilities to support the organizational transitions necessary today for successful Ministry Outreach. He is a known keynote speaker connecting with groups on multiple topics but has found his work with small teams to help them achieve their life and spiritual goals just as rewarding. |
“They say that hindsight is 20-20. Such hindsight in my own life made this calling to LCC crystal clear. Looking back over more than twenty-five years of ministry which included evangelism outreach, missions, police chaplaincy, hurricane rescue, relief, rebuild, and leading a large organization through a pandemic, it became abundantly clear that the Lord was calling me to accept this call from LCC.” Rev. Chris Singer, President & CEO of Lutheran Church Charities
Chris will begin his full-time role with LCC at the end of January, moving to Illinois from Texas, where he has left his role as senior pastor of Trinity Klein Lutheran Church and School. Prior to Trinity Klein, he was at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Orange, California. He is a graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, with a Master of Theology and Culture/Ordained Clergy Certification. He also studied at Concordia University, Irvine, California, obtaining a BA in Sociology/History.
With the Singer Family move, Chris’s wife Jeanette Singer, a Life Coach and School Counselor will be bringing her much-needed skillset to a position with junior high students in the Chicago western suburbs. Chris and Jeanette’s family consists of five adult children, living and studying in Texas and California, and a chocolate Labrador named Harvey.
We are excited for you to get to know Chris and get caught up in the excitement he has for our mission at Lutheran Church Charities.
Lutheran Church Charities Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board
Lutheran Church Charities
Rev. Singer’s Call follows the long tenure of the former President and CEO, Tim Hetzner, who is responsible for the development and mission behind the Core Ministries that make up LCC today. The Board of Directors is deeply grateful to Tim for his dedication and the building of a strong foundation for Lutheran Church Charities. We also want to express our appreciation for all your support over the transition in the past year as we move forward with LCC.
11 Killed, 9 Critical or Injured, and Community Traumatized | On Saturday evening, January 21, a 72-year-old man walked into the Star Ballroom Dance Studio and began shooting, killing 11 people and wounding nine others during the start of a two-day Lunar New Year festival in Monterey Park, California. The suspect was later found dead in a van with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministries were invited by Rev. Dr. Michael Gibson, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) Pacific Southwest District President, and Pastor Carl Kaye and Pastor Patrick Jow from Emmaus Lutheran Church and School in Alhambra, California, to be present this week throughout the community. Emmaus Lutheran Church and School has an English and Chinese speaking congregation. |
The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministries were invited by Rev. Dr. Michael Gibson, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) Pacific Southwest District President, and Pastor Carl Kaye and Pastor Patrick Jow from Emmaus Lutheran Church and School in Alhambra, California, to be present this week throughout the community. Emmaus Lutheran Church and School has an English and Chinese speaking congregation.
The LCC K-9 Ministry teams brought hearts/markers through our Hearts of Mercy & Compassion (HMC), Crosses for Losses Ministry, to be present and help people who are shocked and trying to process this horrific event. The hearts/markers were be placed at the memorial site for people to sign and leave condolence messages, pray, and pay their respects to the 11 lives lost so far. The victims ranged in age from 57 to 76. They were six women and five men: My Nhan (65), Lilian Li (63), Xiujuan Yu (57), Muoi Ung (67), Hong Jian (62), Yu Kao (72), Chia Yau (76), Valentino Alvero (68), Wen Yu (64), Ming Ma (72), and Diana Tom (70). |
On Tuesday, the LCC K-9 Ministry teams were invited to be with employees at Monterey Park City Hall, Monterey Park Police Officers, Monterey Park Fire Station #61, and the town library. They will also be present at a vigil that will be held at Monterey Park City Hall on Tuesday night.
The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charge those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. We know that comfort is needed to help this shocked and devastated community and the first responders who serve them.
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