Donate to Continue to Help Purchase Food and Medicine "As a Church of Christ, we have a great opportunity to serve the people and to share the Good News about Our Savior in such a darkest and difficult time.” Pastor Sergey Bevz  100% of Your Donations Will Support Ukrainians in Need LCC Volunteers Share Time Abroad Serving Ukrainians LCC volunteers Kathy and Joan served Ukrainians for two weeks with Pastor Scott Yount and his wife Lena (from Ukraine) at the Ukraine Mission Center. They also went to the Ukrainian border twice during their stay to hand out food and travel packs as refugees take a break before going to their next destination. They had many opportunities to be a comforting presence as they listened to the hardships, fears, and uncertainties of those they met. Kathy and Joan share how your donations are helping Ukrainians in need in the video below. 
SELCU Pastors Serving Ukrainians Working through LCC staff member Rev. Larry Myers, below is an update from the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) pastors, thanking LCC donors for your financial support and prayers.  This week, we received detailed updates from SELCU pastors sharing how your donations are critical to helping them serve the physical and spiritual needs of those they serve. Click on the video below to watch a powerful message from SELCU Pastor Oleksiy Navrotskyy called “On Humanitarian Mission in Ukraine”  Sergey Bevz (SELCU pastor in Dnipro) “We do all possible and use all our resources to respond to the situation and to host and support the people. Our church building, which is not even fully restored after a winter roof collapse (2019), has become a 24-hour hub for refugees. People can stay here for 1-3 days. They are able to eat and sleep, to do their laundry, and get medicine here. We use every meter of our church space, including an unfinished (unrepaired) sanctuary and second floor. Our church hosted more than 200 people. Now, we have up to 25 people daily. I receive 200-300 phone calls daily from those who search for a shelter. Our little church team consists of church members (who sent their families abroad) and volunteers living nearby. We are grateful to you, dear friends, that you are also participating in this ministry. Your support allows us to continue to help the many people who have been affected by the war, left or lost their homes. By receiving this help now, they are also receiving evidence of God's love for them. They see and hear the gospel through the way the Church of Christ serves them and shares the message of Christ.” CLICK HERE to read the full update from Pastor Sergey Bevz.
Valera Verba (SELCU pastor in Nova Kakhovka, near Kherson) "Together with the pastors and some brothers of our synod, we took on the service of volunteers and work with refugees. We provide humanitarian aid, and food is transported to different needy regions of the country. Women and children are taken out of dangerous places of warfare. We organize transit points and escort of refugees to the border and to some extent abroad. My pastoral heart worries about the people of the Nova Kakhovka community. The situation in Nova Kakhovka is not simple: lack of food, lack of necessary medicines, constant danger from the occupying troops, disconnection of communications and the Internet, lack of work and money. We pray intensely for the safety of the lives of people in the occupied territories. With the funds that the Lord blesses through you, we support those in need, transferring parts to their bank cards so that they can purchase the goods necessary for survival. The Lord is with us here and with them there, and blesses and preserves all who fully trust Him. I thank God for each of you who in this difficult time for us in every way participates and supports us and, through us, many people whom we can serve today. The Lord in this situation uses each of us in His place for the glory of God. I ask you to continue to pray for peace in Ukraine, for communities and ministers, for safety and protection from all kinds of evil. We bless all readers in the name of Jesus Christ.” CLICK HERE to read the full update from Pastor Valera Verba.
Ukrainian Church – Palatine, Illinois On behalf of LCC, Pat Sweeney presented additional donations to Archpriest Mykhailo Kuzma of the Ukrainian Church in Palatine, Illinois, to continue direct and immediate financial assistance to their contacts in Ukraine.  Your Donations are Immediately Helping Ukrainians in Need! 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 Tuesday, April 19, LCC was able to pass through several donations to assist Christ the King Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, Illinois, in their ministry to the community around them. LCC was able to present a check of your donations for tuition for students in need at their school. There were also many boxes of coloring books for the school and a big refrigerator/freezer for the Senior House at Christ the King. For over 20 years now, in a house next to the parsonage, Christ the King has been providing housing, care, and spiritual comfort to four seniors who have no family and cannot afford housing in their community. The Senior House provides a family environment where each senior has their own bedroom and, as a family share the living room, dining room, shared bathroom, and kitchen. Recently the refrigerator that had been in the house when they started this ministry stopped working. A special thank you to the donor of the refrigerator that came at just the right time to meet the need for the Senior House Ministry. Pastor John Brazeal contacted three members of the congregation who came to help unload the truck and move the refrigerator into the house. A special thank you to Pastor Brazeal, Ronny, and Marco.
 LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Rahab (St. Andrews - Stockton, California), Micah (Light of the Valley - Elk Grove, California), and Reuben (First Lutheran - Yuba City, California) were immediately invited to bring comfort to the students and staff at Stagg High School in Stockton, Califronia after the fatal stabbing of 15-year-old Alicia Reynaga. The three teams spent the day with the students and staff as they faced the aftermath of Monday’s tragedy. This incident has been a devastating loss for this school community. The K-9s and their handlers will continue to visit Stagg High School in the days and weeks to come as they process this tragedy. Please join us in praying for those affected. Dear Lord, We pray for the family, friends and Stagg High School who are suffering and heartbroken as they grieve the loss of Alicia. May they find comfort and healing in your presence. We ask for your peace and reassurance to replace the fearful and anxious thoughts that sweep over them. We pray they have your courage to face the days ahead. Help us to respond with generosity in prayer, in assistance, and in comfort to the best of our abilities. Please help us to keep our hearts focused on the needs of Stagg High School and the Stockton community. In Jesus’ name, Amen
SELCU Pastors Help Impacted Ukrainians  100% of Your Donations Will Support Ukrainians in Need  Working through LCC staff member Rev. Larry Myers, below is an update from the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) pastors, thanking LCC donors for your financial support and prayers. Due to massive shortages of available food and other essentials, LCC has made a connection with Sergiu, son of Rev. Sorin-Horia Trifa of Confessional Lutheran Church in Romania, to purchase life-saving nonperishable food and medicine that will be transported to the Romania-Ukraine border for the SELCU pastors.  Bishop Alexander Yurchenko (SELCU) Bishop Yurchenko, with SELCU pastors Valera Verba and Sergey Bevz, took a large cargo of supplies from Odessa to the Dnieper region and provided both spiritual and physical support.   Sergey Bevz (SELCU pastor in Dnipro) “We have many stories about cellars, bombings, attempts to leave, worries about relatives with whom there is no connection, loss of loved ones, and things that are even scary to voice out loud. During the day I hear a lot of difficult stories. In the evening, when the curfew had already come, we dimmed the lights, sat down at the table, and talked. The guys from Mariupol got a cake somewhere and treated everyone. Think about it; the guys from Mariupol treated everyone to a cake. I don't know if I should be surprised, but I am. After everything they've been through, they haven't lost the ability to "treat others with cake." Someone hardens and someone, on the contrary, shows even more humanity. We are all changing. Help us, Lord, now to be soft clay in Your hands. Please pray for these people. Someone is looking for housing, someone is looking for a job, someone [is looking for] both, someone is doing documents, someone does not know what to do next. The church building is completely full. It is used as a transit point for 1-3 days. Here we feed, help with food and clothing, and provide spiritual support. We are doing repairs in one of the rooms in order to receive more. In recent days, [there was] a large flow of people, and in the near future, it will continue. Please remember us in your prayers.”
 Why? For some reason, the Word of God—where the Lord gave the commandments "do not kill," "do not steal," "do not commit adultery," and "do not bear false witness"—causes a special "reaction" in them. They want to destroy this Word. Indeed, in [His Word] the Lord also says that He will not leave unpunished those who violate the commandments of life given by Him. And we trust in this Word and love it. Thanks to him, we know how our story will end and how will their story end. Because this battle is not only against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against authorities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirits of wickedness in high places. Ukrainian Church – Palatine, Illinois On behalf of LCC, Jim Dunne presented donations to Archpriest Mykhailo Kuzma of the Ukrainian Church in Palatine, Illinois, to provide direct and immediate financial assistance to their contacts in Ukraine.  LCC Volunteers Return from Serving Ukrainians  For the past two weeks, LCC volunteers Kathy and Joan were with Pastor Scott Yount and his wife Lena (from Ukraine) to serve Ukrainian refugees at the Ukraine Mission Center. They also went to the Ukrainian border twice during their stay to hand out food and travel packs as refugees take a break before going to their next destination. They had many opportunities to be a comforting presence as they listened to the hardships, fears, and uncertainties of those they met. LCC thanks Kathy and Joan for their compassion and dedication to helping Ukrainian refugees in need!
Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC) LCC is also working directly with the Ukraine Lutheran Church (ULC) by working through the Lutheran Church here in the United States in fellowship with them! Your Donations are Immediately Helping Ukrainians in Need! 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! Tragic Deaths, Mass Shooting, Natural Disasters The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry is one of presence. When the Lord calls, we must go and serve Him. Recently, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry responded to multiple emergency site visits all over the country to provide love and comfort to all those suffering and in need following the loss of life and tragic events. Subway Shooting in Brooklyn, New York
Comforting the Community in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, after the Tragic Death of Eight-Year-Old Oliver Hitchcock   Sunday evening was an emotional night for the Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, community as they gathered together to remember Oliver Hitchcock, eight years old, who was tragically killed. It was a time for people to gather to support one another and Oliver’s father, brother, and family. There were tears shed as they remembered and mourned Oliver. But also, on this night, much love and encouragement were shared with each other. Many people wore purple ribbons in honor of Oliver as that was his favorite color. Oliver and his eleven-year-old brother loved to play outdoors. According to his uncle, “They also enjoyed video games, playing together and doing YouTube videos. They were just best friends.” LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield - Brookfield, Wisconsin), Hagar (Faith Lutheran - Appleton, Wisconsin), Lila (Beautiful Savior - Mequon, Wisconsin), Mary (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin), Sage (Concordia University Wisconsin - Mequon, Wisconsin), Samson (Zion - Marengo, Illinois), and Tobias (Lord of Glory - Grayslake, Illinois), along with their handlers, were there to comfort the grieving community.
Please keep the Hitchcock family in your prayers for God’s strength, healing, and hope. We pray for them to have peace knowing that sweet Oliver is safe in God’s arms. Please pray for the first responders; those that took the call, the police, the paramedics, the fire department, and others who responded to this tragedy. We give thanks for this community that gathered together in love and support during this difficult time of loss and mourning. "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3 IN THE NEWS
Helping Students and Staff of Salem High School, Indiana, Cope with Two Sudden Deaths It was a very difficult weekend for Salem High School in Salem, Indiana, as they experienced two deaths. On Friday, Mr. Richard, their band director, died after a long illness. He was known as “Mr. T” by his beloved students. He taught for 50 years with Salem Community Schools.  This loss was compounded by the death of Konnar, a senior, who died on Saturday after his battle with cancer. He also was a member of the band at Salem High School. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Mercy (Our Savior - Louisville, Kentucky) and Naomi (Holy Cross - Indianapolis, Indiana), and their handlers were there for the students and staff to give them time to share or say nothing at all. The comforting presence of Naomi and Mercy brought some smiles and a break from the sadness they were feeling. Here's a handler’s reflection of the visit: “God was there with us. We saw him in the earnest and loving words spoken by the students about their band director and their fellow student Konnar. God was there in the silent moments too. After petting Mercy for quite some time, one sweet girl smiled and said it was as if Mercy was absorbing the sadness. She said she was able to smile again and hadn’t been able to do that at all earlier in the day.” We pray for God’s love and healing to be with them all.
Bringing Comfort to Kingfisher High School in Oklahoma after a Tragic Death of a Freshman  LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Miriam (Emmanuel - Kingfisher, Oklahoma) and Rufus (St. Mark - Edmond, Oklahoma) with their handlers responded with an immediate visit on Friday to Kingfisher High School in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, after the accidental shooting death of 15-year-old Luke, a freshman. Miriam and Rufus were there to catch their tears and provide some peace from all the pain and confusion the students and staff were experiencing. On Monday, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Persis (King of Kings - Glenpool, Oklahoma) joined Miriam and Rufus for a follow-up visit as this has been a difficult loss for the students and staff
Bringing Smiles to Students and Teachers in Jacksboro, Texas, after Devastating Tornadoes  The elementary school and the middle school of Jacksboro, Texas, were damaged in the tornados a couple of weeks ago. The students have been learning in alternate places since then. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Elijah (Our Redeemer - Wichita Falls, Texas), Pax & Phoebe (St. Paul - Fort Worth, Texas), and Triton (Messiah - Plano, Texas) were invited to visit the students on Monday before they move back to their original school on April 19th. The K-9s brought many smiles as they spent time with students and teachers. Providing Love and Comfort to First Responders After Mass Shooting in Sacramento, California  Last week, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Micah (Light of the Valley - Elk Grove, California) Rahab (St. Andrews - Stockton, California), and Reuben (First Lutheran - Yuba City, California), visited the Operations Manager for Sacramento Regional Fire/EMS Communications Center and Sacramento Police Department Communications Center after the Sacramento shooting that resulted in six deaths and twelve wounded. They took those urgent calls and sent immediate police, paramedic, and firefighter assistance to the scene after the horrific shooting. These brave men and women who serve as dispatchers are with citizens in the darkest moments of their lives: death, illness, and trauma. The K-9s and their handlers also visited the Sacramento County Coroner's Office, whose job is to process the bodies of each person whose life is taken too soon. The coroners' job is also a necessary and overwhelming as they oversee victims of all ages: children to the elderly. The Comfort Dogs and their handlers are honored to serve the Sacramento Regional Fire/EMS Communication Center, Sacramento Police Department Communication Center, and Sacramento Coroner's Office with visits to provide love, comfort, and smiles during those difficult and heavy times. "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day," Psalm 91:4-54
LCC never goes where we are not invited. LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry NEVER charges those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
 Lutheran Church Charities partnered with Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) in Mequon this past week during their “Week of Service” event held on campus. Ninety-one students and twenty-five alumni attended this two-day event, where they painted 275 Hearts of Mercy & Compassion (HMC) and 350 fish that are placed upon the HMC Heart. The students learned how to make the wooden hearts “come alive” to share the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus with the giving of an HMC Heart to a recipient in need.
The “Week of Service” project team included Dr. Randall Ferguson, Director of Christian Service & Ministry, and Greg Witto, Director of Alumni & Parent Relations with CUW, Tim Laabs, Project Manager for LCC HMC, Wayne Kolweier, LCC staff member, and Bob Brandt, Director of HMC. LCC volunteers included Tom and Diane Moore from St. Paul, Janesville, Wisconsin, and Bob Desiron from Immanuel, Des Plaines, Illinois.
Hearts of Mercy and Compassion, Crosses for Losses provides a physical and spiritual symbol through the giving of hearts and crosses to families and friends who have suffered loss or serious illness of a loved one. Each one is lovingly handmade for someone in need.
If you would like to learn more about Hearts of Mercy and Compassion, Crosses for Losses, please visit www.LutheranChurchCharities.org.  We received an update from Lophane Laurent, who was able to schedule the first three COVID Clinics in Haiti thanks to your generous support. He is planning to hold the next three clinics next month. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our Haitian brothers and sisters! I want to thank God for safety during our first three days of clinics. I can tell everyone that it was three days of blessings. We did the clinics in three locations and I shared the gospel with the public who come to the clinic. In each place, I took a few minutes to talk to them about our salvation and why Jesus died for us, and what the blood of Jesus represents for us. I shared a few small catechisms with them to teach them first.  A little boy came to me at the clinic and asked me for a small catechism because he wants to share the gospel with his friends in his neighborhood, especially those whose parents are not Christian, and I asked him how old he is and he said to me 12 years old. His parents can’t afford to send him to school since they are not working for two years. I took his information and told him I will contact them next week to visit them.
So it was a blessing for the three locations and a success also. During the three days, we served 205 children from 3 months to 17 years old and 513 adults. We started at 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. I will plan for next month for the three other locations. Please keep my Haitian team in your prayers because they did a good job and I am very proud of them. Thanks to all of our sponsors and donors who never stop supporting us. We love you so much and we know how you love us also. May God bless your families and your ministries. Blessings, Lophane |
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