After 44 years of faithful ministry, Reverend David Hinck received ultimate healing in the loving arms of his Savior. First Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, Nevada, where Pastor Hinck served for more than 24 years, requested a Hearts of Mercy & Compassion to honor him upon his admission into hospice care. The heart was signed with words of encouragement and love by members of First Good Shepherd. It was delivered to Pastor Hinck by church members Rick Pollock and Kaylee, who were able to spend time in fellowship with Pastor Hinck this summer before his passing in October. Please keep the Hinck Family in your prayers. First Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is a Hearts of Mercy & Compassion affiliate church and is also the home of LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Lois. Lutheran Church Charities and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCSM) Southern District thank the following L.E.R.T. disaster response volunteers that deployed to serve Hurricane Ida-affected residents in Louisiana this past week. Good Shepherd, Elgin – David Vollrath Immanuel, DeKalb – Pete Springmire Immanuel, East Dundee – Matt Flynn Immanuel, Shobinier – Fran Collier Lord of Life, Elburn – Larry Zagorski Shepherd of the Hills, McHenry – Alan Holm St. John, Wheaton – Marty Johnson, Jeff Johnston This team provided many days of chainsaw work, cutting, and removing downed and damaged trees from affected homeowners’ properties in Slidell, Hammond, and New Orleans. They worked with Pastor Ed Brashier, Southern District Disaster Response Coordinator, and a team from Flower Mounds, Texas, through the Southern District Office in Slidell, Louisiana. The team spent the first three days clearing many large downed trees off of three neighbors' properties in Hammond. Each property had extensive home and tree damage, making their homes uninhabitable until repairs are done. They had the opportunity to speak to two homeowners who are still staying in temporary housing in Houston, Texas. Both expressed their gratitude for all of the assistance to make their home accessible to them and start them on the road to recovery, which they know will take some time. The team left each homeowner a slice of their tree with a cross in it to remind them that Jesus Christ is with them always.
Pastor Ed is welcoming and receiving L.E.R.T. volunteers through November, 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, Hammond, 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. Your Donations Meet the Financial Need of a New Jersey District Pastor Whose Home Was Destroyed by Remnants of Hurricane Ida
It’s hard to believe that we, as well as many of our neighbors on Mercer Street, are coming up on a month since we have been displaced from our homes. We have been on the first floor sorting through items that need to be thrown out or saved due to damage from the explosion. Recently, a contractor was able to cut a 4X4 hole out of our ceiling in order for us to have access to the second floor. It was a truly emotional experience to survey the damage that was done and look at where we all might have been if we stayed in the house at the time of the explosion. We know God was not only protecting us but guiding our footsteps every hour of that night before the explosion happened. We are grateful that we have access to the second floor to remove small items we need and treasure. Again, thank you for your overwhelming generosity. God Bless! The Fenco Family Your Donations Help Mekane Yesus Theological Seminary in Ethiopia with Rebuilding Efforts After Catastrophic Flooding Dr. Michael (James) M. Wyss, Vice President, Master Builder Center, Birmingham, Alabama thanks LCC donors for their support after catastrophic flooding in Ethiopia. Dear Saints at LCC, We at the Master Builder Center (MBC) thank you for your very generous support that will support the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus Seminary as the school rebuilds from the devastating flood that recently occurred. Your prayerful support will help the seminary shine the Good News of Jesus Christ to the lambs, our seminary students, families, and churches so that they can celebrate God's great love shown to us in Christ, our Savior. Thank you again for your generous support of MBC’s mission to positively impact the lives of the pastors, children, families, and communities in Ethiopia. May the Good Shepherd guide your ways as you walk with Him. You are His lambs, but also by your work with MBC and your other actions, you are His shepherds. Let His light shine in all you do. Your servant in Christ, J. Michael Wyss, Vice President Your Support Provides Clean Water Wells in Ghana LCC thanks all the donors who support Clean Water Wells for Ghana. Pictured are Rob and Cathy Geiger, from C-WOW-Ghana, receiving your recent donations. Rob and Cathy have been involved with the work in Ghana for years and just recently returned from a trip to Ghana. They were present for the dedication of the Hope Medical Clinic. In addition to the clinic structure, a well was dug and dedicated for clinic use. They also visited the completed well and tank in Nakpanduri. LCC received the following email from Rev. John Shadrack Donkoh, President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana: Greetings from Accra, Ghana trusting this finds you well. We acknowledge your partnership and support over the years! I am writing to update you on what happened recently in Gomoa Kumasi in the central region of Ghana. We have been together with Rob and Cathy Geiger, who have worked so hard to bring the Hope Medical Clinic and boreholes to completion and dedication. We dedicated the Clinic together with the borehole attached to the Clinic on Saturday, September 11. The chiefs, elders, and people of Gomoa Kumasi were thrilled, excited, and grateful for such a gift. The member of the Ghana Parliament for the district was present and showed appreciation for this gesture. We are profoundly appreciative of their visit even in the midst of COVID. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your friendship, prayers, and financial support. We give thanks to God for what He is doing through you. So many people are reached and touched by your support! We are looking forward to working with you in partnership into the future as we reach many with the saving gospel of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Sincerely in Christ, Rev. John Shadrack Donkoh LCC Thanks Volunteers for a Furniture Donation Pick-Up A special thank you to LCC volunteers Jeff Boberg of St. Paul on Canfield, and Sam Woodson of St. James, Chicago for picking up a furniture donation from Paul and Barbara Koch. Their furniture will be passed on through our churches to families in need.
LCC sent your donations to Rev. Jim Buckman, Faith Lutheran Church in Lake Forest, Illinois, and Chaplain with the United States Air Force Illinois National Guard for Lt. Masoud, an Illinois National Guardsman show family escaped from Afghanistan. Thank you to all that have donated. The need for this family is great and ongoing. Please prayerfully consider supporting Lt. Masoud, who risked his life to serve our troops in Afghanistan, as he takes care of his family who made it safely to the United States. His family is still being processed by the State Department at Quantico. It is a slow process, but Lt. Masoud was able to visit with them recently. He is so grateful for the support that he has received. Help Put Your Hands Together Food Ministry Provide Food For Struggling Families This Holiday Season10/5/2021
There are many people coming to the Put Your Hands Together (PYHT) Food Ministry in Hillside, Illinois, for food relief during the holiday season. Bringing the love of our Lord Jesus, his hope, and comfort during a stressful time for many struggling families has always been PYHT's mission. PYHT has started its pre-holiday food drive for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, adding two special food distributions to meet the needs of many new struggling families. They expect to serve at least 100 families again this year with no holiday grant funding. Please prayerfully consider helping PYHT cover the cost of full turkey meal boxes or purchase the needed foods. Full Meal Box: $30
Turkey Only: $15 If you wish to donate food items, please contact PYHT to arrange a time to drop off items: Put Your Hands Together Food Outreach Old Schoolhouse Community Garden & Orchard Immanuel-Hillside Food Pantry 2317 S. Wolf Rd. Hillside, IL 60162 Cell: (708) 261-2006 (708) 562-5580 CLICK HERE for a list of needed foods LCC L.E.R.T. Chainsaw Volunteers Help Lutheran Church and School in Hillside, Illinois, with Tree Trimming and Removal Immanuel Lutheran Church and School in Hillside express their sincere thanks to Lutheran Church Charities L.E.R.T. chainsaw volunteers for removing several widow maker-hanging limbs from a large tree in front of the church with the boom lift. They also removed three dead trees from the field around the school playground and trimmed hanging branches on playground equipment. The younger children were thrilled to watch the work being completed and presented the team with a handmade banner of thanks. LCC L.E.R.T. Chainsaw Volunteers Help St. John Lutheran Church in Country Club Hills, Illinois, with Tree Removal On Sunday, October 3, Joel and Lori Powless had the opportunity to share about L.E.R.T. at St. John Lutheran Church in Country Club Hills, Illinois. After the service, Joel cut down a large dead tree in front of their church and carved a cross in the stump for all to see. The church sits on several acres of land, and Joel was able to assess other tree removal needs with the church trustee, for a L.E.R.T. chainsaw and equipment operators to do in the future. LCC L.E.R.T. Chainsaw Teams Continue to Help Families in Woodridge, Illinois, with Tree Damage from June EF-3 Tornado Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle, Illinois, is now serving with the Woodridge Tornado Long-Term Recovery Group, which is comprised of various community churches and organizations that are willing to help their town recover from the EF-3 tornado that struck in June. Trinity and Lutheran Church Charities continue to respond to requests by this recovery group and Mayor Gina Cunningham to help more families with tree cleanup. Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, and L.E.R.T. chainsaw team members Jim Beckley, Ed Boerman, and Bob Royce, worked at homes in Woodridge and Naperville to cut and move damaged trees to the curb this past week. LCC will be responding to two more requests soon.
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Moses (Christ Lutheran - Cairo, Nebraska) has a very special handler who is also a teacher at Christ Lutheran School in Nebraska.
This year she put up a map in the hallway so the kids can see where all of Moses' Comfort Dog friends are around the country! The kids (and adults) love it! The other LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their teams have been sending their LCC K-9 Comfort Dog business cards to Christ Lutheran School to add to the map and bulletin board. We are excited to see how their school project turns out—what a wonderful way to learn more about the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and geography. On Friday, October 1, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry was honored to attend Tyler Edwin Levine’s visitation. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Adeena (St. John - Burlington, Illinois), Bekah & Kye (Immanuel - Belvidere, Illinois), Mary (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin), and Samson (Zion - Marengo, Illinois), along with their dedicated handlers, were present to give comfort and love to Tyler’s family and friends as they said goodbye to him. When Tyler was 6, he was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma, a rare form of childhood cancer. He fought bravely for almost seven years, enduring endless chemo, blood transfusions, radiation, and surgeries. Through it all, he never lost his gentle spirit. He took pride in being able to make friends no matter where he was, and his friends became his greatest source of joy. Even at the end of his life, Tyler wanted to make sure that everyone around him was okay and had an eagle eye for anyone who even thought about crying. Tyler was the brightest ray of sunshine, and he was so much more than the disease that took his life. He was taken way too soon and will be loved and missed always. Tyler had personally requested that the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs be at his visitation as his way of making sure that his friends and family were okay and would be comforted. Tyler’s mom, stepdad, brother, and sisters sat with Samson Comfort Dog and enjoyed their time in the comfort and softness of Samson that Tyler had provided them by his request. Tyler’s parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, and friends were able to take some time to gather around Adeena, Bekah, Kye, Mary, and Samson Comfort Dogs and feel their comforting presence and gentleness. Tyler touched so many people with his kindness, thoughtfulness, and love for others. He is forever in our hearts. LCC Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry was honored to be invited by St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, to participate in their congregation-wide “Sent to Serve” service project. Project Manager, Tim Laabs, welcomed the volunteers and led the project to help build up LCC’s ministry inventory, completing 50 painted wooden fish and 30 painted wooden hearts. Thank you, volunteers, of St. Paul! Hearts of Mercy & Compassion are physical and spiritual symbols to families and friends suffering a loss, experiencing an illness, celebrating a victory, honor service, as an expression of love, or encouraging in the face of adversity. All nine volunteers enjoyed learning about the HMC ministry, and knowing their contribution of painting hearts and fish will become a welcome treasure for many people. $3,000 Provides a Year of School for Students in Need Your Donations Helped to Raise $30,000 In the Bronzeville community of Chicago, Christ the King Lutheran Church and School has stood for 47 years as a big beacon of hope for the people around them. Pastor John Brazeal, Principal Geri Brazeal, the school staff, and members of the congregation have been sharing the life-changing love and grace of God in Jesus Christ and a quality education for the children of the families they serve. Christ the King Lutheran School offers stability, small class sizes for additional support to the student, lessons in serving each other, and giving back.family of faith, the importance of serving others, and resources to serve the whole student’s well-being. Principal Geri shares how the scholarship is Making a Difference in the life of Donte. Donte’s father was killed this year while sitting in his car talking with someone. His mother left them both a few years ago and lives near the west coast. Donte is being raised by his grandmother and grandfather. They are extremely thankful for all the support they have received from LCC and the people who helped them to keep Donte “in a school where he not only learns his lessons but he is being trained as a child of God.” Donte says, “as an artist, I would like to make illustrations for children’s books when I am grown.” Supporting Christ the King Lutheran School is an investment in an incredible ministry where life-changing relationships are established, and an incredible education is earned.
Your generous donation will enable Christ the King to continue the ministry of Christ-changing lives through their dedicated staff and provide hope for the future of their students. Please prayerfully consider sponsoring a child for a year of schooling, or donate as you are able. |
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