This past week, LCC Crisis Response Coordinator Bonnie Fear presented nine Uvalde School District Counselors, Uvalde, Texas, with a Heart of Mercy & Compassion (HMC). Each HMC has messages from the twenty-six LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams who served in the Uvalde schools during September 2022.

Bonnie Fear told each counselor that although the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams would be traveling home, the students and staff at each school would remain in our hearts. Each counselor was very appreciative, and many were moved to tears.

The HMCs will be displayed in each school as a physical reminder of the love and hope found in the midst of tragedy.

On Monday, September 26, LCC Comfort Dog Myra (St. Andrews - Park Ridge, Illinois), and LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dogs Brutus (LCC Squad) and Nigel (LCC Staff) visited The Phoenix Academy in Franklin Park, Illinois, to help bring some stress relief to the students.

The Phoenix Academy is a public day school, middle school through transition, designed to provide an educational environment where youth can develop and implement skills to expand personal insight to improve their academic success, emotional health, and long-term success in their community.

The K-9s helped the students relax and brought a much needed-comfort. 

This past week, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Hope (Faith - Marietta, Georgia) and her handlers delivered a Heart of Mercy & Compassion to the widow of Deputy Sheriff Gilstrap to honor his memory for the ultimate sacrifice he made protecting and serving the citizens of Oconee County, Georgia.

We pray for God's blessings and protection for all who continue to work as peacemakers in their communities.

On Saturday, September 24, LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dogs Brutus (LCC Squad) and Nigel (LCC Staff) were on hand to welcome the Gold Star 500 riders as they completed their ride at Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago, Illinois. This fifth annual event works to preserve the legacy and honor of those service men and service women from Illinois who have made the ultimate sacrifice in support of service to this great nation since 2001.

This year’s Gold Star 500 bicycle ride from September 20-24 had new faces from overseas as 12 riders and 12 volunteers from Poland joined the ride. These new participants included members of the Polish military and members of Polish families who have lost loved ones in Iraq or Afghanistan. This year’s ride started in Springfield with stops in Quincy, Galesburg, Rock Falls, and Woodstock before finishing at the Great Lakes Naval Station.

Many volunteers with Gold Star Mission are active or retired members of the Illinois National Guard, which has shared a State Partnership Program with Poland since 1993. Some of those volunteers co-deployed with the Polish to either Iraq or Afghanistan. The Polish participants learned about Gold Star Mission by meeting these troops and are considering starting a similar organization in Poland.

The Kare 9s brought their special love and compassion to the riders, families, and friends.

For the last two weeks, LCC has deployed to Uvalde, Texas, approximately ten LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their teams per week. On Monday, September 19, the third and final wave of nine LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their teams from across the country arrived in Uvalde to continue their calming and comforting presence following the tragic Robb Elementary School shooting in May.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Abner (Bethany - Austin, Texas), Charity (Brookfield - Brookfield, Wisconsin), Gideon (St. Michael’s - Bloomington, Minnesota), Jael (Trinity - Hobart, Indiana), Martha (Bethany - Austin, Texas), Mary (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin), Miriam (Emmanuel - Kingfisher, Oklahoma), Peace (Trinity - Orlando, Florida), and Triton (Messiah - Plano, Texas) will be a continual presence sharing love and comfort with the children and staff at the Uvalde schools as they begin their third week of school.

This week was off to a great start! When the students saw a new LCC K-9 Comfort Dog for the first time, there was much joy and excitement. Throughout the week, students will start to open up more as they find comfort in the familiar faces.
 
“Some kids who remember the dogs [from the memorial, a few months back] are starting to talk to the dogs,” said Bonnie Fear, LCC K-9 Crisis Response Coordinator. The kids are laying beside the dogs, hugging and kissing them. “We’ve had kids who were distraught or teary-eyed in the morning, and by the time the dogs left, they have smiles on their faces,” she said.

Providing Unconditional Love and Encouragement During Second Week of School (September 12-16)

As the second wave of LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their teams wrapped up their week in Uvalde, they were amazed by all the teachers, counselors, office staff, and principals in the Uvalde school district. These incredible educators have set their own fears and anxieties to the side as they put the children of Uvalde first.
 
“Our goal is to be present with those that are hurting and in need, and we show up and just be with them in whatever they’re feeling,” said Bonnie Fear.

LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry never goes where we are not invited and never charges those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. We pick up all of our travel, hotel, and meal costs.
 
Please prayerfully consider donating to the LCC K-9 Comfort Travel Expense Fund so that we can continue serving the Uvalde community.

SELCU Pastors Serving Ukrainians

Since March 2022, Lutheran Church Charities has been working cooperatively with pastors of the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) to provide humanitarian relief which combines the clear proclamation of the gospel.

It is estimated that since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, more than half of Ukraine's 44 million populace has either left the country as refugees or become internally displaced persons within the country.

Congregations and pastors of the Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche (SELK), a partner church of the LCMS, have also been actively involved in supporting Ukrainian refugees and work in Ukraine.
 
The Bugenhagen Foundation in Berlin provided 30,000 Euros for the purchase of a VW van to assist SELCU Pastor Yura Timerkan in his parish and community work in Bashtanka, Ukraine. This past week, Pastor Timerkan completed a trip to Homberg, Germany, to fetch the van and visit his family, wife, four children, and his mother.
 
Pastor Christian Utpatel of the St. Peter Congregation in Homberg reported the following:

“I have no words to express my deep respect for this young brother, Yura Timerkan. He is not conscripted; he could have stayed here legally with his mother, wife, and children. But with great joy, bravery, realistic planning, a lot of trust in God, and encouragement for us who stayed behind, he left.
 
With him went three church members who were here somewhere in Germany and who are returning. And we stuffed all the empty seats and every conceivable crevice in the VW van - and actually managed to get everything in that needed to be taken with them.
 
There was a devotion with prayer and Ukrainian chants, and we all cried as I sobbed and laid my hands on him and commended him to the protection of our God.”

In Dnipro, Ukraine, and farther east, SELCU Pastor Sergey Bevz and his congregation members continue to travel widely and provide both humanitarian aid and the gospel message to those whose cities are being ravaged by the Russian invasion.
 
His most recent report includes this story:
 
“The atmosphere in Izumi is hard to describe in words. Broken city; no light, gas, internet, communication, enough groceries, meds, and much more. There are traces of death, destroyed houses, and bridges. People have put up with it all.
 
As soon as we stopped downtown, one woman asked if we had a ‘humanitarian.’ She was upset and says she didn't get enough from those who came before us. Goes home empty-handed. In a minute, she holds in her hands some of God's blessings. Crying, hugs ‘us’ and says, ‘I'm so happy to see you; how would you know how much!’ Of course, ‘us’ means ‘our people.’”

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!

In mid-August, I asked Lutheran Church Charities to assist in helping a grieving family of five children with another child on the way in Roselle through their challenging time. Their father died suddenly at the end of June, leaving the mother and children in need.
 
The response has been amazing! God is so good! The family is so grateful for the support received. Without your help, I can’t imagine where they would be.
 
The mother has not been able to work for the last month because of a work-related injury and is currently undergoing physical therapy. She is hoping to begin work again in November. The two older kids have started school, and the three younger children go to daycare.

They continue to grieve the absence of their father. Their need continues as the mother prepares for another child in March, and she may need to move into another home to accommodate the additional child. 
 
Your help enables the family to pay their bills, especially rent, transportation, and childcare expenses.
 
If God so leads you to give, please prayerfully consider partnering with those at Trinity, Roselle, to help the pregnant mother provide for her five children. 
 
Thank you for your kindness and the hope you are giving the family! 
 
Pastor Doug Warmann
Trinity Lutheran Church
Roselle, Illinois