Blog Archives

Heart of Mercy & Compassion in Appreciation of Army National Guard Major

1/31/2024

St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Bloomington, Minnesota, recently presented a Heart of Mercy & Compassion (HMC) to John Meyer, a Major with the Army National Guard who will be deploying to Kuwait for a year on February 4th.

John, who is leaving behind his wife, 5-year-old daughter, and 2-year-old son, has previously been deployed, but this is the first time since he has been married and since the birth of his children.

The Heart of Mercy & Compassion is a symbol of the church's support for John and his family during this difficult time. St. Michael's Lutheran Church wishes John a safe and successful deployment and looks forward to his return.

DONATE — HEARTS OF MERCY & COMPASSION

Your Donations Make a Difference

1/31/2024

This week the LCC Human Care Team delivered donated winter clothes, brand new shoes, bedding, and household goods to the Refugee Store in Downtown Chicago. It is a partnership between First St. Paul, Church of the Ascension, Chicago Help Initiative, and Lutheran Church Charities.

All donated items go directly to people in need at no cost. This week’s donations were generously given by Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle, The Running Company in Naperville, and other individual donors. Each donation given proclaims the love of Jesus Christ to every person who receives the items.

Thank you for being there! We are better together!

We want to give a big thank you to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Glenview, Illinois, for donating blankets, sheets, pillows, mattress pads, and towels. We passed them along to Tabor Lutheran Church, which is providing short-term housing for migrant families.

It is beautiful to see churches helping churches share the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ to people in need. Thank you!

LCC’s Hearts Go All Over the World to Comfort People

1/31/2024

Left: Bishop Bishop Ivan Laptev (Russia); Right: Bishop Kenzhebek Botobaev (Kyrgyzstan)

At the Best Practices Conference last October in Carmel, Indiana, LCC gifted PLI with ten LCC's Hearts of Mercy & Compassion (HMC) to give out as part of their ministry. PLI “partners with God in building leaders with a Kingdom Vision.” PLI conducts pastor/spouse training in 25 countries.

Their Eurasia Leader, Rev. Artis Eglitis, is based in Latvia. He and his team recently conducted training with leaders from Russia and Kyrgyzstan. He presented two Bishops with a Heart of Mercy & Compassion as a gift of gratitude.

LCC’s hearts go all over the world to comfort and sustain the people God loves! To God be the glory.

DONATE — HEARTS OF MERCY & COMPASSION

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Continue to Support the Community in Perry, Iowa

1/30/2024

BEING THERE for the Community as Perry High School Reopens

Another team of LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs arrived in Perry, Iowa, on Sunday to walk alongside Perry High School as they reopen the school this week.

On Monday and Tuesday, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Joanna (Christ Lincoln - Lincoln, Nebraska), Katie and Phinehas (Trinity - Fremont, Nebraska), Samson (Zion - Marengo, Illinois), and Tobias (Lord of Glory - Grayslake, Illinois), and their dedicated teams, spent time with the teachers, walking alongside them as they entered the high school for the first time since the shooting.

Today, they will be at the open house, followed by the first day of classes, to provide strength and comfort to those who are scared or anxious.

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams have been spreading comfort and joy among the students by also providing K-9 Ministries Coloring Books and mini stuffed LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs. These coloring books and stuffed dogs have been well received, especially by the middle school students, providing them with additional tools to process their emotions and find comfort.

The stuffed dogs and coloring books are available as a gift with a donation on our website. Every purchase helps someone who is suffering and in need! If you would prefer to make a donation instead, click here.

We pray that God's presence be felt and that the teams will help the Perry community come together and heal during this difficult time.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LCC K-9 COMFORT DOG MINISTRY

DONATE - LCC K-9 COMFORT DOG MINISTRY

Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) Serves In Belize To Help with Multiple Property Cleanup

1/30/2024

Help them continue to BE THERE

Lutheran Church Charities was invited by Gary Kessler, Globally Engaged in Outreach (GEO) Missionary to Belize, and Rev. Dr. Allan Buss, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) Northern Illinois District President, to remove multiple dead and storm-damaged trees from properties in Belize, which included the Concordia Mission House grounds in Belmopan, a local partner church in Orange Walk, and the Belize Zoo in La Democracia.

The following Northern Illinois District, Lutheran Church Charities LERT team members spent the last week in Belize:

Larry Zagorski, Max Metz - Lord of Life, Elburn
Marty Johnson and Anna Piro - St. John, Wheaton
Pete and Christel Springmire - Immanuel, DeKalb

Camp Concordia is the central point for various LCMS mission groups who come to help Pastor Herb Burch, his wife Markie, and GEO Missionaries Gary and Sue Kessler (from Lord of Life, Elburn) share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the country of Belize. Mission groups also help Pastor Benjamin and Karina Flores, along with GEO Missionaries Jordan and Justin Langston, who serve at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and School in the Valley of Hope. Most of the families from this community are refugees fleeing El Salvador and Nicaragua.

The team did chainsaw work for several days at Camp Concordia, the homes of each of the pastors and missionaries, and a congregation member.

They removed several storm-damaged, dying (due to parasitic air plants) and leaning cedar, palm, and mango trees that posed a danger to homes and outbuildings that all have been in fear of coming down in the next storm.

A boom lift and CAT skid steer were rented, along with chainsaws. The team brought their own personal protection equipment, several bars and chains, and rigging for the lift.

Marty Johnson also provided proper and safe practices of tree removal to the camp construction and landscape managers as they worked with the team. They have been very eager to learn and helpful in clearing the debris.

The LERT team also worked at the Belize Zoo in very hot and humid weather. The zoo has 30 acres that serve as a refuge for injured or abandoned wild animals native to Belize, nursing them back to health to return to the wild or remain at the zoo if they could not survive otherwise.

More importantly, it is also an educational center that all school children visit. The “public” schools in Belize are run by Christian groups, which is why Gary Kessler included the zoo in the request for assistance.

The team, with Xavier (the CAT operator) assisting, took down many trees that were dead, diseased, and/or leaning near the entrance and driveway into the zoo. The Zoo manager was most concerned about a very large dead tree near the entrance that they feared could come down and block the main entrance, land on their main building (office, ticket area, museum, cafe, store), in the parking lot with cars, or injure people.

Zoo employees helped direct traffic and visitors away from the entrance and part of the parking lot so that they could safely cut and remove these dangerous trees. They even had an audience on several occasions watching the work being done. The zoo manager and staff were very grateful for making their grounds safe for visitors.

All of the families served by the team expressed their deep appreciation that their properties are now safe for their children to play and that they would not have to worry about falling trees causing major damage in the next storm. The team feels blessed to be serving their brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please continue to pray for the team, Pastor Herb and Markie Burch, Pastor Benjamin and Karina Flores, and GEO Missionaries Jordan & Justin Langston, and Gary & Sue Kessler, as they each serve the people of Belize in the Name of the Lord.

The Northern Illinois District Missions and Lutheran Church Charities, through donations, have committed to fund this team’s trip expenses, which are estimated to be approximately $8,000. Gary Kessler and Rev. Dr. Allan Buss appreciate LCC’s disaster response team's commitment to serving in Belize and the opportunity to help support this endeavor.

Please prayerfully consider donating to help fund this LERT mission trip to Belize to serve those in need.

DONATE - Help Fund LERT Mission Trip to Belize

Patrick Granado Celebration of Life Ceremony

1/30/2024

On January 26, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Benjamin, Eunice, Hannah (LCC Staff), Samson (Zion Lutheran - Marengo, Illinois), Tobias (Lord of Glory - Grayslake, Illinois), LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dog Flex (LCC Squad), and LCC K-9 Comfort Dog in Training Meshach attended a visitation and Celebration of Life service for Patrick Granado at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Patrick's mother, Barbara Granado, is a dear member of our LCC family. She is the caregiver for Hannah Comfort Dog and has been involved with the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog ministry since the beginning. We grieve alongside her as she mourns her beloved son.

Patrick was an accomplished photographer and gifted music engineer at The Sound Emporium and other studios in Nashville. He was a unique and special person who touched the lives of many. He will be remembered for his kind heart, generous spirit, and passion for helping others. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Please join us in praying for Barbara Granado and her family.

DONATE – LCC K-9 COMFORT DOG MINISTRY

Lutheran Home in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

1/23/2024

On Wednesday, January 17th, the residents at Lutheran Home in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, gathered for a special presentation featuring the LCC K9 Comfort Dogs. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield Brookfield, Wisconsin), Dora (Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee - Milwaukee, Wisconsin), Sage (Concordia University Wisconsin - Mequon, Wisconsin), and Rhoda (Prince of Peace - Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) visited with the many residents and the handlers shared the history of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry, the training program the comfort dogs go through, and their work in Wisconsin.

Melissa Pflug, who invited the teams, shared:

"The residents (and staff) absolutely loved the visit from the comfort dogs and their handlers. This was evident from both how their faces brightened with joy as well as from their words of praise and thanks. The visit was truly a wonderful opportunity for everyone to enjoy fellowship rooted in God’s Word and expressed through His beautiful creatures that give much comfort and love to those in need. The residents’ also are very happy to be able to support this mission with part of their January chapel offering."

It was a perfect day filled with love and comfort for some very special seniors!

DONATE – LCC K-9 COMFORT DOG MINISTRY

Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory High School

1/16/2024

LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dogs Brutus (LCC Squad) and Nigel (LCC staff) made a heartwarming visit to the students and staff at Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory High School in Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday, January 9. The comfort dogs have visited the school in the past and are always welcomed with open arms, bringing love and compassion to the students and staff.

Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory High School is an exceptional institution with a remarkable record of 100% of its students being accepted into college for the past 12 years. Spending time with such motivated and accomplished students is truly inspiring.

DONATE – LCC K-9 COMFORT DOG MINISTRY

Your Generous Support Allowed LCC to BE THERE and Provide Support for the Community in Perry, Iowa, in Wake of Tragedy

1/9/2024

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs arrived in Perry, Iowa, on Sunday and got right to work to bring a sense of peace and assurance to those who are hurting. God paved the way to connect us with the people who need us most.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams have had several private visits with students and staff who were directly impacted by the tragedy and have more of these visits scheduled throughout the week.

These visits offer a safe and intimate space for individuals and families to experience solace, support, and unconditional love.

In this time of anguish and uncertainty, we draw strength from our faith, knowing that God's boundless love transcends all pain and sorrow.

As we engage with the community more throughout this week, we will continue to share a message of hope, reassuring everyone that they are not alone and that there is a path to healing through faith.

We invite you to join us in prayer, as we ask for God's love to flow through us, bringing peace and healing to the hearts of the Perry community. Together, let us be the vessel of God's boundless love, spreading hope and strength in these uncertain times.

Thank you to the following LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams for saying, "Here am I; send me!" and answering the call to serve: LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield - Brookfield, Wisconsin), Eden (Peace – Columbus, Nebraska), Gideon (St. Michael’s - Bloomington, Minnesota), Joanna (Christ Lutheran – Lincoln, Nebraska), Katie and Phinehas (Trinity - Fremont, Nebraska).

We thank Gary Kilvinger, Dawn Gilfry, and Pam Lienemann for their leadership and for managing the teams on the ground

Thank you for BEING THERE by working through Lutheran Church Charities

We are incredibly thankful for your support, which makes it possible for us to BE THERE where we are needed most.

Your donations have made a tangible difference in the lives of the people we've been blessed to help during our deployment to Perry.

The love, healing, and comfort we've been able to provide are a direct result of your generosity.

DONATE - LCC K-9 TRAVEL FUND

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Serve the Whitmore Lake, Michigan, Community Mourning the Tragic Loss of Local Family

1/9/2024

On Saturday, January 6, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Caleb (Immanuel - Valparaiso, Indiana), Dove (Peace - Fremont, Indiana), Jael (Trinity - Hobart, Indiana), Jude (St Peter's - Three Rivers, Michigan), and Michael (LCC Staff) offered their comforting presence at a prayer vigil in Whitmore Lake, Michigan, held in memory of the Bragg family.

The family of five from Arkansas were visiting their grandfather for the holidays when his home exploded, leaving only two survivors. The youngest child is in stable condition, while the grandfather is in critical condition. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs offered a calming presence to those in attendance during this difficult time.

Pastor Matt Canion from Living Water of Whitmore Lake, Michigan, played a crucial role in organizing the event and sharing a heartfelt message with the family and community. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs provided a safe and calming presence, helping people process their grief.

Additionally, the LCC Hearts of Mercy & Compassion gave everyone the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings by writing messages to the victims. This event was a beautiful example of how a community can come together in times of hardship and the role of faith and compassion in healing.

DONATE - LCC K-9 TRAVEL FUND

DONATE - HEARTS OF MERCY & COMPASSION

<<Previous

Heart of Mercy & Compassion in Appreciation of Army National Guard Major

Your Donations Make a Difference

LCC’s Hearts Go All Over the World to Comfort People

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Continue to Support the Community in Perry, Iowa

Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) Serves In Belize To Help with Multiple Property Cleanup

Patrick Granado Celebration of Life Ceremony

Lutheran Home in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory High School

Your Generous Support Allowed LCC to BE THERE and Provide Support for the Community in Perry, Iowa, in Wake of Tragedy

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Serve the Whitmore Lake, Michigan, Community Mourning the Tragic Loss of Local Family

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