LCC Thanks Donors for Financial Assistance for Families Affected by the Tornado in Fultondale, Alabama
Thank you to LCC Volunteer for a Donation Pickup Special thank you to LCC volunteer Bob Desiron for doing a spur-of-the-moment donation pickup on Friday, March 12, from GiveNKind, a new not-for-profit resource for our ministry partners. GiveNKind donated 3,000 lbs. of food in Farm to Family boxes, 1,200 pairs of new socks, two suitcases, several backpacks, and six boxes of prepackaged cups of tea. These donations were delivered to Chicago Hope Church who gives them out to serve those in need in the community around them. Thank you to LCC Volunteers for Donation Delivery to Christ the King, Chicago A special thank you to LCC volunteers, Bob Desiron and Frank Vicari, for delivering a stove for the Senior House and a refrigerator for Christ the King's outreach ministries. For more than ten years, Christ the King has operated a Senior House that provides a home for seniors who fall through senior public housing cracks. Christ the King's outreach ministry has immensely grown during the Coronavirus pandemic by helping to feed families in the neighborhood through the Churches Pantry. Working in the tent cities of Chicago, Christ the King provides hot meals to the homeless in their community. The donation of a freezer will help Christ the King expand the selection of food they can offer people. A special thank you to Salam Christian Fellowship/St. John, Schaumburg for sharing these appliances with their sister congregation.
On Tuesday, March 2 and Wednesday, March 3, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Lizzie (Trinity - Savannah, Georgia), Luke (Christ the Shepherd - Alpharetta, Georgia), and Peace (Trinity, - Orlando, Florida) and their LCC K-9 Ministry teams met some of God's incredible people, from newborn to 105-year-old. The LCC K-9 Ministry teams started their visit with the staff and students at St. Luke's Church and School in Oviedo. The next day they began their day with special friends at Luther Haven Retirement Community, including Ms. Inez celebrating 105 years of blessings. Their second stop was at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. They sponsor a maternity home where young mothers receive love and education in a Christian circle of support. The teams then headed to the Florida-Georgia District offices to say "hello" and "thank you" for their loving support. Dr. Greg Walton is a wonderful partner in the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry. They then ended the day at Trinity Downtown Orlando's midweek Lenten service. Special thanks to Marge Freeman; her friendship has richly blessed our lives. On Monday, March 1, LCC K-9 Military Ministry Dog Candace (LCC Staff) and her veteran handler Pastor Rod Armon and LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Rhoda (Prince of Peace - Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) with her handlers Peggy and Ray Pitroski visited Immanuel Lutheran School in Marshfield, Wisconsin. What a wonderful afternoon we had! We enjoyed an uplifting praise song in the chapel, and Pastor Armon spoke of all our blessings from God. We talked a bit about comfort dogs' history and purpose and then broke into small groups for petting and visiting. The students there are a delight, and we had such fun!! It was interesting that Candace was wearing her military vest, and it happened to be "camouflage" day at Immanuel. Most everyone there was wearing camouflage clothing - it was a theme! We later closed with another praise song. Praise was so appropriate in that God certainly blessed our visit there. Thank you again, Immanuel, for the privilege of spending time with you!! Luke 18:16 "But Jesus called the children to Him and said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.'"
On Monday, March 8, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Lizzie (Trinity - Savannah, Georgia) and Zoara (Island Lutheran - Hilton Head, South Carolina) with their LCC K-9 Ministry teams responded to an emergency site visit request from Bluffton High School, Bluffton, South Carolina to be present with the students and staff after a beloved student was tragically killed in a shooting last Friday. The Bluffton High School administration, teachers, counselors, and support staff came together to be there for one another and their students. Lizzie and Zoara Comfort Dogs' calming and comforting presence helped the students relax and have conversations about their friend DJ.
Both LCC K-9 Ministry teams were able to spend time with the teachers and counselors before the students arrived. The staff welcomed their time as well with the comfort dogs. Larry and Nancy Schlanser with Zoara Comfort Dog and Cindy Baldwin with Lizzie Comfort Dog did not hesitate when they heard the call to share the mercy, compassion, and presence of Jesus with this hurting community. Please keep the community of Bluffton, South Carolina, in your prayers as they continue to absorb the shock and grief of this tragic loss. LCC never goes where we are not invited. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry NEVER charges those we serve. We put boots and paws on the ground within 24 hours (often fewer) from the time we get the invite. Help LCC Provide Mini Stuffed LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs in Times of Need As Jesus has shown us, the love, kindness, and presence of being there for others can make a difference in people’s lives. We never know how a simple gesture given in love impacts others. We are all connected to one another through Jesus, from Savannah to Texas and everywhere in between. Brenda, a school staff member from Texas, is also led by Jesus. Her compassion, kindness, and thoughtfulness shown to her students are beautiful and so needed. Read Brenda's story below to learn how a Mini Stuffed LCC K-9 Comfort Dog helped her show kindness and compassion to a hurting student. I have an LCC Comfort Dog stuffy on my desk at work. There is a student who would come in and hug her when she was feeling down. Today was a bad day for her, and when she asked if she could hug Lizzie, I was like, sure! I walked down to my room, grabbed her off my desk and brought her back to the classroom. Once she saw Lizzie, her face lit up, and all hope was in her life again. She just hugged Lizzie like there's no tomorrow. I whispered to her if she wanted to keep Lizzie. She just looked at me, surprised, and was in tears. I told her Lizzie is hers for the rest of her life to handle all problems, no matter where she goes. God bless this special student as whatever happens to her in the future after school, Lizzie will always help her through. Thank you, LCC Comfort Dogs, for all you do in your ministry. Thank you, Lizzie, at Trinity, Savannah, Georgia, for the namesake and for all you do in YOUR ministry as well. Thank you, Martha and Abner Comfort Dogs at Bethany Lutheran Church here in Austin, Texas. God is good all the time. All the time, GOD IS GOOD. Brenda
LCC received a thank you note from Sandi Grupe, Director of Christian Education (DCE), Mission Specialist, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Fort Worth, Texas, for the donations to help St. Paul’s outreach ministry to Ethiopian refugees. I want to communicate our deepest appreciation to you and to those individuals and congregations that have reached out to care for this community. Your amazingly quick response enabled us to immediately provide relief to many households that were struggling with food and bills after losing one week's pay due to the winter storm. The gratitude and songs of thanksgiving offered up by the Anyuak community are resounding throughout the community! Ogal Boro offers these words on behalf of all of the families: "The Anyuak community of Gambella, Ethiopia under St. Paul Lutheran Church, Fort Worth, Texas gives high thanks. The blessing, love, peace, and strength of the Almighty God be with the Church and all congregations. Amen." Throughout COVID, our ministry to immigrants and refugees has grown through the Anyuak community to many different people groups and religious backgrounds, most significantly Muslims. Our relationship with apartment management has moved more slowly! After receiving four March rent checks from St. Paul, the manager called me this week to ask St. Paul to collaborate with her on some hopes she has for the community including family/parent outreach, more structured opportunities for children, and help from the Anyuak members in building relationships and identifying leaders within the different people groups that reside there. The Lord definitely had something much bigger in mind through the seemingly devastating events of this past month. Thank you for your support and for your continued prayers as the Gospel is boldly proclaimed throughout the world from right here in our own backyard! As the Anyuaks so beautifully sings in their heart language "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!" Psalm 150:6 Peace to you, Sandi Grupe, DCE Mission Specialist, St. Paul Lutheran Church Fort Worth, Texas Please prayerfully consider donating to help St. Paul’s outreach ministry to Ethiopian refugees. Lutheran Church Charities continues to work with Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), Texas District President Rev. Michael Newman, Julie Tucker, Texas District Disaster Response Coordinator, and Dr. Bill Hinz, Director of School Ministry, Texas District with their recovery efforts from the Texas Winter Storm. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Lutheran Church Charities was able to send funds for immediate needs to the Texas District to assist the churches, pastors, church workers, lay staff, and congregation members with significant structural damage and loss of belongings due to burst pipes. Julie Tucker thanks LCC and our donors for all they have done to help them assist those affected by the winter freeze. They greatly appreciate the generous donations received that have helped the Texas District purchase plumbing supplies and other needed items to begin the recovery process for families throughout the state. Northern Illinois District to Fill a Truck with Requested Food for Texas Please Let Your Congregations Know About This Opportunity to Send Much Needed Food to Those In Need In Texas Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hillside, Illinois – Put Your Hands Together Emergency Food Assistance Program is diverting its resources to send a semi-truck of food and supplies to the LCMS Texas District for emergency relief during their hardship of recovering from the devastating winter storm. Their mission is to “Glorify God and Impact the Community,” and they are honored to be able to serve Him on a national level with Lutheran Church Charities.
If you are in Northern Illinois and would like to help fill a truck with requested food only for the Texas District, please CLICK HERE to see the specific needs, drop-off dates, and locations. Lutheran Church Charities will be working through our Texas K-9 Ministry affiliate churches and District Disaster Response Coordinators to bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. Please prayerfully consider a donation to the LCC Texas Disaster Response Fund to help individuals, families, and churches now and during the long recovery process. |
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