In the midst of tragedy, God’s people remain faithful servants! Founded in 186, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Beecher, Illinois, was hosting its annual Oktoberfest on Sunday, September 19, when the church caught fire which quickly spread throughout the historic 156-year-old building. The building is gone, but the church remains strong.
 
Rev. Michael Stein, the Pastor, shared, “The building is gone, but the church remains. The building served the church of St. Paul’s well for our first 150 years. The church, the people of St. Paul’s, still stands. We proclaim the comfort, the forgiveness, the peace, and the joy of Jesus. We are reminded that even when things seem darkest, Christ’s light shines brighter.”

In addition to the devastation of the building, St. Paul’s lost all of the church-related items and supplies, including the pastor’s computer. Working in partnership with the LCMS Northern Illinois District, Lutheran Church Charities set up a fund to help Pastor Stein and the church during the recovery process.
 
“We are God's house of living stones, builded for His habitation; He through baptismal grace us owns, heirs of His wondrous salvation. Were we but two His name to tell, yet He would deign with us to dwell, with all His grace and His favor.” Hymn #467, Built on the Rock the Church Doth Stand, The Lutheran Hymnal.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church is a special part of this close-knit community. More than 30 emergency agencies responded throughout the afternoon.

On Wednesday, September 22, LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dogs Brutus (LCC Squad) and Nigel (LCC Staff) with their veteran handlers were present at a prayer vigil for St. Paul's to comfort the attendees.
 
LCC received the following note of appreciation from Pastor Michael Stein:
 
Thanks so much for coming to the vigil and everything y’all are doing. It does give me strength and comfort to know we’re not in this alone. My wife took this photo; the girl on the right is my daughter, and the boy on the left is scared of dogs. So it just shows the comfort they can bring.

For over fifty years, Lutheran High School of Greater New Orleans (LCMS) has been providing education for high school students while emphasizing the values and teachings of our Lord and Savior. We are a stand-alone high school that serves the greater New Orleans area.
 
Our school is founded on the teachings of the Lutheran Church, but throughout the years, we have shared the message of Jesus Christ to those of other faiths and fellow Lutherans, with a very diverse student body, which includes students from two city parishes of various socioeconomic statuses. Our mission at LHS exists solely by God’s grace …here to provide a quality body, mind, and spirit education to all of its students, enabling them to succeed in college and be exemplary citizens who go forth to Love, Honor, Serve.

Last school year, our school population declined due to the impact of Covid-19. After a hopeful and successful start to our new school year, Hurricane Ida struck. This storm dealt us another blow - one that severely impacted our school building! We have roof damage that is so extensive that most of our classrooms were flooded or received water infiltration. Our HVAC systems were destroyed, and our gas line had to be removed due to a leak. We are determined to open our doors for this school year! Our plan is to close off the 3/4 of the school building that needs major repairs and operate out of the remaining space of the school. We can and will make this work!

As steadfast and dedicated as our school population is, we still need assistance from our faith community and friends. How can you help us? First and foremost, you can pray for our school and us. Secondly, any monetary donation that you can send our way would be greatly appreciated. Donations will be used to replace damaged textbooks and smart boards for the classrooms, school uniforms lost by students, computers, teacher salaries, and tuition subsidies.
 
Thank you for any assistance you can give us. God’s continued blessings to you.
 
In His Service,
Nancy Hernandez Principal,
The Students and Staff of Lutheran High School

A second Lutheran Church Charities L.E.R.T. disaster response team has deployed and is assisting the LCMS Southern District to recover from Hurricane Ida this week. They also brought 20 flood buckets that the Palatine L.E.R.T. team had assembled to give to hurricane-affected homeowners. The teams are working with Pastor Ed Brashier, Southern District Disaster Response Coordinator through Atonement Lutheran Church in Metairie, and the Southern District Office in Slidell, Louisiana.
 
Nine LCC chainsaw L.E.R.T. volunteers have begun serving in Hammond and Metairie, Louisiana, and describe extensive home and tree damage in these coastal communities. They have continued to work on a property with multiple large downed and damaged trees that another LCC team had started on their week of deployment. The homeowner is very grateful for all of the assistance and care shown to him.

Pastor Ed is welcoming and receiving L.E.R.T. volunteers who are willing to deploy from around the country to provide chainsaw assistance. More importantly, the volunteer L.E.R.T. teams are offering the hope of Jesus Christ in the hard-hit communities of Metairie, Slidell, Lacombe, Houma, Baton Rouge, and other cities.
 
Please continue to pray for all of those affected by Hurricane Ida and for all of the public works, volunteers, and LCMS and LCC Disaster Response teams who serve them. If you are so moved, please donate generously to help LCC support the recovery efforts in Louisiana.
 
Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response is ready to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

In August, Faith Lutheran Church, Appleton, Wisconsin joined LCC staff for handler training. The team was very excited to meet their new LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Hagar and to become part of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry. The new handlers and caregivers spent many hours training in ministry and in handler skills.
 
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Hagar will serve as their handlers’ bridge so they can be the Hands and Feet of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. K-9 Hagar’s Bible verse is Genesis 16:13 “So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’”
 
The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry is one of presence. When the Lord calls, we must go and serve Him. Isaiah 6:8 tells us, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me.’”
 
The following new LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry handlers have heard that call:
Donna Bub, Jim Bub, Carrie Foster, Diane Frisque, Lynn Kolbe, Ken Lederer, Joann Schwan, Tim Schwan, Jody Springer

Faith’s LCC K-9 Comfort Dog team was commissioned on Sunday, September 26. They were joined by the teams of LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield Lutheran - Brookfield, Wisconsin), Sage (Concordia University Wisconsin - Mequon, Wisconsin), and Tobias (Lord of Glory - Grayslake, Illinois).

God is with them as they begin this new journey as part of the LCC K-9 Ministry.

In August, Trinity Lutheran Church, Toledo, Ohio, joined LCC staff for handler training.  The team was very excited to meet their new LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Claudia and to become part of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry. The new handlers and caregivers spent many hours training in ministry and in handler skills.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Claudia will serve as Trinity’s bridge to show the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. K-9 Claudia’s Bible verse is Matthew 27:19  “Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: ‘Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.’”
 
The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry is one of presence. When the Lord calls, we must go and serve Him. Isaiah 6:8 tells us, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me.’”

The following new LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry handlers have heard that call:
Nancy Borders, Mack Borders, Jennifer Eck, Dianne Kleimola, Linda Lewis, Erin Marcis, and Jonathon Rusche

LCC is honored to include the following veteran handler to the LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry: Mack Borders – U.S. Navy (1969-1970)
 
Claudia Comfort Dog was commissioned on Sunday, September 26, at Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Toledo, Ohio. In addition, Anna and Ezra Comfort Dogs were re-commissioned and all handlers and ministry partners were installed or reinstalled!  It was a blessed day for the Comfort Dog Ministry at Trinity!

On Sunday, September 26, Lutheran Church Charities staff members Kathy O’Day, Deb Baran, and Marta Rees presented a special Hearts of Mercy & Compassion to Senior Pastor Karl Fay, Pastor Matt Koenig, and Susan Klemstein, Director of Outreach & Financial Controller at Prince of Peace, Palatine, Illinois.

Prince of Peace celebrates 50 years of ministry in Palatine; groundbreaking at their current location in September 1971 and being officially charted as Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in October of that same year. LCC celebrates with the members of Prince of Peace for all that they do and the wonderful partnership in ministry they have with them in serving the same King and building the same Kingdom!
 
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, … to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19

Our Mission Partners in Haiti - Ministry in Mission and Mission:Haiti continue to have people on the ground who are distributing desperately needed supplies.
 
The most urgent need is still for water, food, hygiene kits, and blue tarps.
 
We received this update from Ministry in Mission:
 
Food is in high demand. Inflation is up, roads are blocked making it very difficult to purchase food. Ministry in Mission can purchase food in country and distribute it to those living in outlying areas.

There is also a need for motorcycles. Mission:Haiti has identified three pastors in the area who need motorcycles in order to reach the people they serve:
 
Motorcycles are still needed for three Pastors; Pastor Jean Phenol in Fond Rouge, Pastor Pierre Onel in Abricot, and Pastor Bernard Jonis in Lebedin. All three are in the Les Cayes/Jeremie areas, where the earthquake did its worst damage.
 
The cost of a durable bike is currently $1,900.

This past week, the LCC L.E.R.T. chainsaw team was asked by Mayor Gina Cunningham of Woodridge, Illinois, to help four more families with tree damage from the June 21st EF-3 tornado. Each of the homeowners were grateful that we would still commit to helping them after several months have passed.
 
We explained that this is a volunteer ministry that serves through our local church in an affected community with the mercy and compassion of Christ.
 
The homeowners shared that the removed trees and volunteers were a blessing to them.

On Wednesday, September 22, twenty-three L.E.R.T. chainsaw team members participated in "Saluting Branches" at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois, and one L.E.R.T. team member at South National Cemetery in St. Charles, Illinois.
 
"Saluting Branches" is a national event for arborists and other tree care professionals throughout the country to unite and provide exceptional tree care to keep our veterans' cemeteries safe, beautiful places for all those who visit.
 
Many of our L.E.R.T. team members are veterans themselves, but all who serve at this event feel it is an honor and privilege to give back to those who served our country.

LCC thanks the following L.E.R.T. team members for their willingness to serve:
 
Cross, Yorkville – Derek Kowalczyk
Good Shepherd, Frankfort – Joel Powless
Heartland, Normal – Tony Buchberger
Lord of Life, Elburn – Jeff Johnston, Mike Rullman, Larry Zagorski
Shepherd of the Hills, McHenry – Alan Holm, Bruce Preston, Gary Rucker
St. John, Wheaton – Marty Johnson, Dave Mummah, Tom Prickette
St. John, Wilmette – Tom Morrison
St. Paul, Rockford – Dean Ulrich
St. Peter, Arlington Heights – Ed Damman
St. Peter, Schaumburg – Missy Dieckman, Bob and Barbara Royce, Ken Kiviranta
Trinity, Lisle – Ed Boerman, Bill Flowers, Mike Kostecki
Trinity, Villa Park – Jim and Debbie Long