As the violence and devastation in Ukraine continues, the need for support to save lives increases. Lutheran Church Charities continues to get your financial donations immediately to Ukraine through our strong partnerships.
 
Rev. Larry Myers, retired pastor and retired United States Air Force (USAF) Reserve Chaplain, Colonel, and LCC staff member is helping to direct critical financial aid to Ukrainian citizens affected by the extreme violence and devastation that still continues.

The families of the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) pastors (their wives and children) have been evacuated from Ukraine to Romania, where they have received the assistance of the Confessional Lutheran Church of Romania, an alliance church of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. From Romania, they move on to other countries, especially Germany, where pastors and congregations of the SELK (Selbstständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche), a partner church of the LCMS, assist them.
 
The pastors remain in Ukraine to provide Word and Sacrament, as well as humanitarian relief to members and to their communities. Your donations have been sent directly to them. At the SELCU Mission Center, pastors and remaining members are busy every day feeding and clothing displaced persons and transporting refugees to the Romanian border. They assist approximately 100 people each week.
 
Below is an update from the pastors, thanking LCC donors for your financial support and prayers.

“Thank you for your letter and the help you wish to give! We know it will be precious to the many people who will be able to receive help during this difficult time. The main ministry of our church in the city of Dnipro is to help refugees. The city of Dnipro is the nearest large and fairly safe (at the moment) city for people who are fleeing from the areas of Kharkiv, Mariupol, and the Donetsk region.
 
We receive people in the church building, in the church's country house, and in our own homes. We provide them with warmth and food. We help to find housing for those who want to stay in the city for a longer period. We help with clothes and medicines and other necessary items. Your help will be used to help these people.
 
We are glad and grateful to the Lord that He gave you the desire to support the ministries of our pastors and congregations.”

“Thank you very much for all your efforts for us, people in Ukraine. I was impressed with the kindness and openness and trust of Lutheran Church Charities. I feel their love and respect to us, and I am so proud to be a Ukrainian and a Lutheran.
 
Thank you for your assistance, for searching and finding open hearts in the United States to help us Ukrainians. We are working, praying, crying for our victory over northern enemies, and thank you for your support.”

Valera Verba (SELCU pastor in Nova Kakhovka, near Kherson)

Greetings from Valera, pastor of the church in the city of New Kakhovka. I would like to inform you that the financial assistance that you sent to me has arrived. I already have the opportunity to use this finance in the ministry of refugees and people who are in great need because of the war.
 
Many thanks for the help and support that you provide to Ukraine. I thank God for everyone who remembers us, prays, and helps. Thanks be to God.”

This past weekend, LCC volunteers Kathy and Joan flew to Poland and met up with Pastor Scott Yount and his wife Lena (from Ukraine) to serve Ukrainian refugees. Pastor Yount and Lea had to leave Bila Tserkva, Ukraine but continue to serve orphans and youth with disabilities through his ministry, Spiritual Orphans Network. Pastor Scott has been serving as a missionary in Ukraine since 2014. LCC and your donations support Pastor Scott through Pastor Donald Antor from Immanuel Lutheran Church in Palatine, Illinois.

Kathy is a counselor, and Joan is a nurse. Currently, they plan to support Pastor Scott and Lena for the next two weeks. They met refugees Zena and her daughter Dasha. Zena taught at the music school as well as played professionally, and Dasha loves to paint. Zena loves to help prepare meals for refugees who need support and encouragement during these difficult days.

LCC has been and will continue to collect financial donations to be given out “Dollar per Dollar” to help the people of Ukraine to show the Mercy and Compassion of Jesus Christ. We continue to work through churches, Christian Ministries, and leaders with direct connections to Ukraine, including these partnerships:

• Ukrainian Church – Palatine, Illinois
• Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC)

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!
 
Thank You for your support in being the hands and feet of Jesus to those suffering!

On Saturday, March 26, LCC held a Basic LCMS Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) training for new and recertifying team members at Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee, Illinois, led by Deaconess Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response.
 
Lutheran Church Charities welcomes ten new L.E.R.T. certified members! There were a total of 15 in attendance from the following teams or churches in Illinois:
 
Immanuel, Belvidere
Immanuel, East Dundee
Trinity, Lisle
Zion, Beecher
 
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 in service to those suffering and in need.

On Sunday, March 27, Tim Hetzner, LCC President/CEO shared the history, mission and vision of LCC and its ministries with members of First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois. In attendance with Tim was LCC staff member, Bob Brandt, Director of LCC Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry, veteran handlers Gene Weisbecker with LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dog Brutus (LCC Squad), and Jim Morrison with LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dog Nigel (LCC Staff).

We thank Pastor Tom Johnson for his invitation and appreciate the First St. Paul’s community for their welcoming hospitality. 

Lutheran Church Charities welcomes Rev. Larry Myers, retired pastor, and retired United States Air Force (USAF) Reserve Chaplain, Colonel on staff to help direct critical financial aid to Ukrainian citizens affected by the extreme violence and devastation that still continues.
 
Rev. Myers is highly-respected for both his mission work and military service throughout the world. He is the first reserve chaplain of any branch to serve on the Joint Staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and has served twice on the Air Staff in the Office of the Chief of the Chaplain Service. During his thirty years as USAF Reserve Chaplain, ten years were overseas in Pacific and Europe cross-cultural environments. Rev. Myers also brings a wide range of civilian experience working in the mission field, parish, classroom, and national staff work.
 
CLICK HERE for more information about Rev. Myers.

As the violence and devastation in Ukraine continues, the need for support to save lives increases. Lutheran Church Charities continues to get your financial donations immediately to Ukraine through our strong partnerships.

The families of the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) pastors (their wives and children) have been evacuated from Ukraine to Romania, where they have received the assistance of the Confessional Lutheran Church of Romania, an alliance church of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. From Romania, they move on to other countries, especially Germany, where pastors and congregations of the SELK (Selbstständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche), a partner church of the LCMS, assist them. The pastors remain in Ukraine to provide Word and Sacrament, as well as humanitarian relief to members and their communities.
 
Pastor Verba and Pastor Oleksiy Navrotskyy have left Odessa and are currently in Mykolaiv, where Pastor Navrotskyy's congregation is located. This is very dangerous for them. Pastor Verba doesn't dare return to his city, Nova Kakhovka, which is near Kherson. Please continue to pray for their safety and that of their congregation members.

At the SELCU Mission Center, pastors and remaining members are busy every day feeding and clothing displaced persons and transporting refugees to the Romanian border. They assist approximately 100 people each week.

Rev. Oleg Schewtschenko (SELCU) shared, “Financial support is very crucial right now. We are trying to see how we, as the Church, can serve. We gather together to look at the resources we have—the funds, the vehicles, and even the people—to see how we can face a new day and what the priorities are for this new day. Funds also support medical care for families of soldiers.”

LCC has been and will continue to collect financial donations to be given out “Dollar per Dollar” to help the people of Ukraine to show the Mercy and Compassion of Jesus Christ. We continue to work through churches, Christian Ministries, and leaders with direct connections to Ukraine, including these partnerships:

• Ukrainian Church – Palatine, Illinois
• Pastor Scott Yount, Missionary in Ukraine, Immanuel Lutheran Church – Palatine, Illinois
• Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC)

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!
 
Thank You for your support in being the hands and feet of Jesus to those suffering!

LCC has received a request from our Mission Partner, Mission:Haiti for a lifesaving project.

COVID-19 is still rampant in Haiti. Mission:Haiti is planning six one-day medical clinics in six different locations. The areas are: Arcahaie, Deluge, Delmas, Petion-Ville, Jeremie, and Le Cayes.
 
The total cost for all six locations is estimated at $8,500, or about $1,417 per day.
 
That pays for medicine plus two Haitian doctors, two nurses, two assistants, gas, water, food, and all necessary supplies. Lophane Laurent will be at each clinic and will be distributing 1,300 + masks.

Please prayerfully consider a generous donation to support these life-saving clinics as Haiti continues to battle COVID-19.

Last week, Immanuel Hillside, Illinois, Put Your Hands Together (PYHT) Food Pantry provided groceries to 411 people in 105 cars with the help of 28 volunteers. One of the volunteers helped provide the fresh produce and saw firsthand the good her donation did for people in need.
 
Jayne Siou, PYHT Program Director, made a delivery to "Comedor San Mateo" Soup Kitchen at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois, where volunteers were serving delicious lunch to people in need while she was making the delivery.
 
Jayne was surprised how God used her, a former dental hygienist who had no idea how to run a ministry and yet was able to use her to do the work.
 
Please prayerfully consider donating to continue to support PYHT's work in providing food for the people in need.

LCC received the following thank you letter from Pastor Duane Fluechtling of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Thornton, Illinois:

I want to thank Lutheran Church Charities for their help and their quickness in helping a congregation member family. The family is very grateful for the help that they received and especially at the time of their grief. The funeral home received the money, and the funeral proceeded without any problems.
 
This family has been members of St. Paul Lutheran Church for six generations and is very active in the church. She will be greatly missed by me and the Congregation. They ushered often and helped with many other functions in the church, as well as serving on the Church Council.
 
Many thanks and God's blessing to Lutheran Church Charities, Mr. Tim Hetzner, Deaconess Kathy O'Day, and the whole staff. As I was working with this family and between them and Lutheran Church Charities, an extreme sense of accomplishment and a very warm feeling entered into my heart. A feeling very much like I get sharing the Gospel with someone for the first time and seeing their faith grow into being a Christian.
 
Thank You,
 
God’s blessings always
 
Pastor Duane Fluechtling

LCC is grateful for your donations that have come in so far. Please prayerfully consider continuing to donate to help LCC recover the urgent funeral expense assistance provided to this grieving family in need.