"We believe and hope that God will stay with us Ukrainians and will save us and lead us through this terrible war.” Pastor Oleksiy Navrotskyy

“As you may remember, I keep living my life between two cities (Odessa and Nikolaev). For the first part of the week, I stay at Odessa Lutheran Seminary preparing for ministries and resting. Usually, I go to Nikolaev for ministry for 3-4 days at the end of the week. My mother travels with me always. I do not want her to stay in Nikolaev because of often shellings. It is unsafe and very stressful to stay in Nikolaev (she is 81 years old).
 
Last weekend was very difficult for us. Last Thursday I went to Nikolaev as usual. On Friday morning a Russian missile hit my childhood area in Nikolaev, just 500 meters from my old home (where my mother lives). A few apartment houses were damaged: windows, doors, and furniture. Hundreds of families lost a place for living (temporarily). Thanks be to God - only twenty people were injured, but one has died. Only civilians were there, in that area; there were no soldiers at all.
 
The same morning, I visited the place of shelling, helping some people to be evacuated. In the afternoon I took my church elder, Vladimir, and went to the same damaged place in order to distribute water, coffee, and croissants to the people of the damaged area, firemen, and workers. That Friday was very, very difficult. It took me a whole Saturday to rest and recover from the shock and prepare myself for the Sunday Service.
 
On Sunday morning we had Divine Service at Nikolaev Lutheran Church. The church was fully packed with people; there was no place to sit. People of the church surrounding area know that we distribute food bags and veggies and water provided by LCC; so, more and more new people come to church on Sundays with the expectation to receive at least something. With LCC’s support, we are able to share the Gospel to many new people who have passed by our church before; now they are coming inside.
 
80% of my congregation is evacuated to Germany (all children and women), but I have about seventy listeners at church on Sunday; only seven of them are church members. People are very surprised by the church's generosity. Some of them are touched to the core and curious about our faith!
 
We believe and hope that God will stay with us Ukrainians and will save us and lead us through this terrible war. Your prayers are VERY APPRECIATED! Thank you for all your efforts!"

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 staff members John Pejchl and Wayne Kolweier delivered checks with your donations to Pastor John and Principal Geri Brazeal of Christ the King Lutheran Church & School in Chicago, Illinois, for support of their ongoing ministries, and to Pastor Cesar Sifuentes of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois, for their ongoing soup kitchen outreach ministry in the Pilsen area of Chicago. 

Last week, Kathy O'Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, and LCC Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) chainsaw and heavy equipment operators assisted a homeowner in Streamwood, Illinois, clean up her storm-damaged yard of multiple downed limbs and a damaged tree.
 
She told the team that "they were a Godsend," as she did not know how she could have taken care of the damage, and sincerely thanked the following team members for their hard work:
 
Prince of Peace, Palatine – Dan and Bobbie Swyndroski
St. John, Wheaton – Marty Johnson, Dave Mummah, Rich Wren

The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response Fund so that, when invited, we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

Last week the Molson Coors Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, brought together all the nurses and safety people from across the Molson Coors Brewery organization. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs had deployed to Molson Coors in Milwaukee after the tragic shooting on February 26, 2020, to bring comfort and love to their employees.

Kat, Occupational Health Nurse, from Molson Coors invited the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs for a visit that week so the nurses and safety workers from Golden, Colorado; Atlanta, Georgia; Toronto, Canada and Montreal, Canada could experience the comfort and joy of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and keep it in mind should they ever need similar services at their breweries.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield Lutheran - Brookfield, Wisconsin), Dora (Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee - Milwaukee, Wisconsin), Lila (Beautiful Savior - Mequon, Wisconsin), Rhoda (Prince of Peace - Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin), Sage &  Zoey (Concordia University Wisconsin - Mequon, Wisconsin) and their dedicated handlers and ministry partners loved their time with all the nurses and safety workers.

Many of the nurses and safety workers spent time just sitting on the floor petting or hugging Zoey, Sage, Rhoda, Lila, Dora and Charity.   The nurses’ jobs are somewhat twenty-four hours, seven days a week due to shift work. The nurses support the employees physical and mental health needs with much care and attention. The nurses spent more time with the dogs than they anticipated but most of them said it was the best time they had all year.

It was a joy to see the nurses and safety workers smile, relax and feel loved.

Please join us in keeping all nurses and medical staff in prayer for God’s strength, resilience, rest and peace.

On Sunday, June 26, team members and their LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Hope (Faith - Marietta, Georgia), Lizzie (Trinity - Savannah, Georgia), Seth (Eternal Shepherd - Seneca, South Carolina), and Zoara (Island Lutheran - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina) traveled to Spartanburg, South Carolina to honor fallen Deputy Austin Aldridge and to present a Heart of Mercy & Compassion to department Chaplain Sean Fortner for Deputy Aldridge's precinct to sign and to give to this hero's widow. 

The verse chosen was Psalm 34:18: The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Three law enforcement personnel traveled from all across the southeast to pay tribute to their brother whose "end of watch" was June 21, 2022.

Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9

Spartanburg County Deputy Austin Aldridge – End of Watch 6-21-2022

It has been a difficult month for law enforcement. On Sunday, June 26, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs were invited by Project Thank a Cop to spend time with officers and others shaken by the line of duty death of Spartanburg County Deputy Austin Aldridge who was killed on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Hope (Faith Lutheran - Marietta, Georgia), Lizzie (Trinity - Savannah, Georgia), Seth (Eternal Shepherd - Seneca, South Carolina), and Zoara (Island Lutheran - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina), traveled to be there that day to bring love, support, and comfort.

Deputy Aldridge served with Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office since April 8, 2019. Deputy Aldridge had just learned on June 19 that they were expecting their first child who is due to arrive February, 2023.
Many friends, family and law enforcement spoke at his service. It is clear from all those that spoke what a blessing of love, smiles and kindness Deputy Aldridge was to his family, friends, fellow officers and Spartanburg, SC. 

People gravitated to his smile, his thoughtfulness, compassion and his sense of humor. Faith and hope in Jesus were openly and powerfully shared at Deputy Aldridge’s service.  His friends described him as having the disposition of a golden retriever, “playful, funny, unwaveringly loyal, and downright goofy at times.”

At the service Sheriff Chuck Wright shared with the law enforcement men and women of Spartan County, “We are not beat. We are going to hold the line. We will not give up.”  "We will carry your torch from here. Your torch did not go out Tuesday; it still burns bright," Wright said. "We've got it from here."

We pray for and support the officers and their families as they toll that line to serve and protect us each day.

A Heart of Mercy & Compassion was given for law enforcement, friends and family to sign with messages of love, hope and prayers to give to Deputy Aldridge’s family.