Faith Lutheran Church in Carpentersville, IL, has once again witnessed how God can work through ordinary encounters to provide extraordinary care. This month, the church’s Hospitality House opened its doors to a veteran and his young family, offering them refuge in a time of crisis.

The family—parents with three small children—had been working hard to build a stable life. But when financial plans to purchase the home they were renting unexpectedly collapsed, they suddenly faced eviction with only weeks to find a new place to live.

By what many call divine timing, one of Faith’s Hospitality House Care Team members crossed paths with the father at a local radio station, where he was working. In conversation, he shared the heavy burden he was carrying—the challenges of adjusting to life after military service, and the devastating reality that his family was on the brink of homelessness.

Recognizing the urgency, she introduced him to Pastor Mark Frusti and invited the family to attend a church picnic. There, they met the Hospitality House Care Team, a ministry dedicated to walking alongside people in need by offering temporary housing, resources, and compassionate support for families in transition.

For this veteran’s family, the Hospitality House is more than just a roof over their heads. It represents:

• Stability for their children, who now fill the home with laughter.
• Breathing room for parents, allowing them to plan next steps without fear of losing everything.
• A caring community, reminding them they are not alone on this journey.
  
  

Church members have surrounded the family with encouragement, practical help, and ongoing prayer. The Care Team will continue to walk with them, guiding them toward a more permanent and secure future.
This kind of ministry is possible only through the prayers, generosity, and partnership of people like you. Your support ensures that when families in crisis knock on Faith Lutheran’s door, they not only find shelter—but also the hope of Christ.

Faith Lutheran invites you to support them in sustaining and growing this mission. Together, we can make sure that every family who needs refuge will find a place of care, compassion, and the love of Jesus—right when they need it most.

On August 16, powerful microbursts and straight-line wind storms tore through towns across the LCMS Northern Illinois District, leaving behind widespread destruction. Uprooted trees, broken limbs, damaged homes, and downed power lines created dangerous conditions for many families and congregations.

In the aftermath, Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) Disaster Response staff and Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) volunteers immediately stepped in to serve. Equipped with compassion and chainsaws, they began assessing needs and providing hands-on help to those affected.

Last week, LCC Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) chainsaw volunteers answered God’s call to serve, traveling from across the country to Hendersonville, North Carolina. Serving out of Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church, these teams brought more than chainsaws and construction tools—they brought compassion and spiritual encouragement to those still recovering from Hurricane Helene.

LCC disaster response staff, chainsaw instructors and experienced volunteers helped two new New York teams from St. James Lutheran Church in St. James and Calvary Lutheran Church in East Meadows received in-depth chainsaw training while serving on homeowner sites, which has prepared them to serve with skill and confidence in future deployments.

With 15 chainsaw sites and 2 construction projects completed—totaling 554 volunteer hours—this week’s ministry demonstrated that LERT’s work is about more than cleanup. It’s about restoring hope, encouraging the weary, and sharing Christ’s love with every saw cut, every conversation, and every prayer lifted in service.

Here are the stories. 

Feeding Body and Spirit
Behind every chainsaw and hammer was the dedicated team from Trinity Lutheran, Athens, GA, serving meals out of their food trailer to nourish both body and spirit. Their faithful service ensured volunteers stayed energized, ready to continue sharing God’s love through action.

A Nationwide Mission of Service
This ministry was made possible by the faithful partnership of churches and volunteers from across the country:

Atlantic District
Calvary, East Meadows NY – Nick Caputo, Pastor Sean Chapman
St. James, St. James NY – Alex Hartmann, Eric and Meredith Johansson, Doug Miller, Jacob Mittelstaedt, Pastor Neil Mittelstaedt, Tony Romano, Jim Sauer, Ken Seltzer, Don Smith
St. John, Holbrook NY – Chris Polley
St. John’s, Sayville NY – Steve Lindfors
Florida-Georgia District
Trinity, Athens GA – David Bacastow, Charles Bissett, Pastor Tim Davis, Marty Lambert, Jessica O’Rear
Our Redeemer, Jacksonville FL – Richard Paris

Northern Illinois District
Immanuel, Dekalb IL – Pete Springmire
Immanuel, Dundee IL – Matt Flynn
Prince of Peace, Palatine IL – Jim Beckley
St. John, Dillsboro IN – Steve Black, Ruth Weisbrod
Southeastern District
Hope, Wake Forest NC – David Critchley

South Wisconsin District
St. Paul, Janesville WI – Lark Sanders

LCC also thanks Mt Pisgah in Hendersonville and Trinity in Tryon for sending many flood recovery supplies back with us for the South Wisconsin flooding that just occurred.

Make This Ministry Possible
LCC Disaster Response relies on the generosity of donors to fund training, equipment, and deployments like this one. Your gift helps volunteers continue bringing God’s love to families in need.

In the quiet of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Beatrice, Nebraska, soft paws met tiny hands, and silent hearts found a whisper of peace.

At the funeral of Trevor Garton, a 31-year-old father and beloved friend, Comfort Dogs weren’t just guests—they were conduits of hope, presence, and faith. For Trevor’s children, his friends, and the local baseball team, the gentle touch of fur became a tangible reminder that even in grief, love and comfort can be felt and shared. In moments like these, compassion becomes more than kindness—it becomes a bridge to healing.

For Trevor’s 8-year-old daughter Harley, who is blind, the dogs offered a connection beyond sight. As she touched the soft fur of one of the Comfort Dogs, she experienced comfort in a way words could not provide. The pastor gently reminded the children that though we cannot see Jesus, His love is always present and can be felt in our hearts. In that quiet pew, with Glory Comfort Dog beside her, Harley—and those around her—felt that presence in the gentlest way.

For the pallbearers and baseball teammates, the comfort dogs created a space for healing and shared grief. Friends who had not smiled in days found themselves quietly petting the dogs, feeling a moment of joy amidst sorrow. One pallbearer recalled how Phinehas Comfort Dog, reached out his paw to touch a young man’s boot, offering silent reassurance. That simple gesture became a reminder that even in the darkest moments, small acts of presence can nurture hope and resilience.

The Comfort Dogs’ calm presence also allowed the wider community to experience faith in action. During the children’s message, as the pastor invited the dogs forward, they moved gently among the children and baseball team, offering quiet companionship and subtle comfort. Their actions became a living illustration of the love and support that faith can provide, showing that compassion is not only spoken—it is lived and felt.

Beyond the funeral service, the Comfort Dogs and their teams presented Trevor’s family with mini stuffed LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs, which Harley immediately embraced. This small act of love symbolized the tangible ways hope and care can be shared, planting seeds of healing that will grow long after the service ended.

The day at St. Paul Lutheran Church was a testament to the power of presence. Comfort Dogs, faith, and compassion converged to remind a grieving community that even amidst loss, there are moments of connection, joy, and hope. For Trevor’s family, his friends, and all who attended, the soft paws and gentle hearts of these dogs provided more than comfort—they provided a glimpse of enduring love and the quiet, steadfast presence of God.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry Teams present:
Glory & Joanna (Christ Lincoln - Lincoln, NE)
Eden (Peace - Columbus, NE)
Phinehas (Trinity - Fremont, NE)
Keren (Immanuel - Ellsworth, KS)

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams Mary (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin), Samson (Zion - Marengo, Illinois), and Shadrach (Prince of Peace - Palatine, IL) represented the ministry at a recent Belvidere School District Board meeting, honoring the collective efforts of all Comfort Dog teams who provided compassionate support to Washington Academy and Belvidere High School following the tragic passing of Assistant Principal Andy Werhane last school year.

After the presentation, each board member had the opportunity to meet the Comfort Dogs. They expressed sincere appreciation for the teams’ presence both at the meeting and during the earlier school visits this year.

Megan Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Belvidere School District 100, publicly acknowledged the Comfort Dog teams at the August 18th Board Meeting. She expressed gratitude for their support at Belvidere High School and Washington Academy, recognizing the handlers and their dogs for the comfort they brought to staff and students during a difficult time.

The Board and school staff expressed deep gratitude for the presence and compassion of the Comfort Dog Ministry, recognizing their invaluable role in providing comfort and support to the school community during a time of grief.

Andy Werhane, who passed away from a heart attack, had served the district for 15–20 years, teaching at Belvidere High School before becoming Assistant Principal at Washington Academy. The Comfort Dog Ministry visits were organized to support the school community in coping with his loss.

READ MORE: Comfort in the Storm: Honoring the Life and Legacy of Assistant Principal Andy Werhane

Disaster Response volunteers and staff from Lutheran Church Charities are continuing cleanup efforts and bringing a comforting presence to residents of Milwaukee, WI, and its suburbs after historic flooding devastated the area earlier in August. In a two-day span over August 9-10, the region received about 10 inches of rain.
 
Rising water prompted hundreds of rescue calls across Milwaukee and adjacent suburbs as four rivers crested at record levels, representing a 1,000-year flood event.
 
In response, LCC affiliate church Brookfield Lutheran is serving as a hub for disaster response, providing meals, phone hotline help, and Spiritual First Aid™ assistance. On Sunday, the church welcomed dozens of community members for a free breakfast and a time of worship, specifically sitting with them and listening to their stories, said Brookfield relief coordinator Mary Stafford-Nunez.

LCC Disaster Response is also on-site to make assessments and provide first-stage help with mucking, gutting, drying, and mold treatment. LCC is providing Tyvek suits and boots for LERT workers.

 “The first step has been to establish intake for case management files and help people start the recovery process,” said Mark Brueggemann, LCC Crisis/Disaster Response Coordinator for the Southern Wisconsin District. “This was the kind of flooding you see with a hurricane. A lot of people don’t have insurance coverage.”
 
Help is also coming from North Carolina. Trinity Lutheran in Tryon, N.C., which dealt with flooding in April, is donating mold remediation cleaner and other items.
 
The list of families needing help grows each day. Please keep the people of southern Wisconsin in your prayers during these difficult days and consider making a gift to help the recovery efforts of LCMS families.