In March, we asked for your support for a fourth-grade teacher at Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee, Illinois, whose husband suffered a stroke. Thank you for your generous donations! The family's need is still great. Please read the following update from Pastor Bill Yonker. Chad came home from the hospital but is not able to walk, feed himself, or take care of his sanitary needs. His wife Shelly, our fourth-grade teacher at Immanuel, is having surgery and will not be able to lift over 5 lbs for the next 8 weeks. With school starting for Shelly in a month, this has added stress and strain not only on the caregiving but figuring out the logistics of Chad's continued care. Their children and parents have been so faithful in helping, but three of the four kids are going back to school soon and the fourth one lives out of state. Prayers and assistance are needed in this new chapter of their lives. God's blessings to you! Pastor Bill Yonker, Senior Pastor Immanuel Lutheran Church East Dundee, Illinois Please prayerfully consider donating to help the Pieper family in their time of need. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated and would go a long way in easing their burden. Let's come together to support this family in need. Posted: March 13, 2024 LCC received a request from Pastor Bill Yonker of Immanuel Lutheran Church and School in East Dundee, Illinois, to help support the school's 4th-grade teacher after her husband suffered a stroke. ![]() Recently, a tragedy happened to one of our school teachers and her family here at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School in East Dundee, Illinois. Chad Pieper, 49-year-old husband of our 4th grade teacher, Shelly Pieper, had a massive stroke while at a school basketball tournament in Peoria, Illinois. For the last three weeks, Shelly and Chad have been in Peoria at the hospital. Chad‘s recovery has been very slow-going to the point where they have not even been able to transport him back to our home area hospital. Shelly and Chad have four children. Their oldest son is out of college, their second son is in college, their daughter is a senior in high school getting ready to go to college, and their third son is an eighth grader at Immanuel. Twice, Chad has been admitted to the ICU in Peoria and continues to need advanced care for his recovery and rehabilitation. Immanuel, church, and school, as well as a neighboring church are seeking funds and assistance for Chad‘s hospital stay and future care. If you are able to contribute any support to past hospital bills or future rehabilitation and healthcare, the family and our church and school would be so grateful for the blessings you could give. Please prayerfully consider this request, and I also ask that you would offer prayers of comfort, peace, and future hope for the Pieper family. Yours in Jesus, Pastor Bill Yonker Immanuel Lutheran Church and School East Dundee, Illinois Pastor Henry Biar of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Skokie, Illinois, and Pastor Hesham Shehab of Salam Christian Fellowship (Messiah for Muslims) in Lombard, Illinois, are mentoring a young man named Hazim, who has a remarkable conversion story and is preparing to become a Lutheran pastor. Previously, Hazim and his family have received help with a vehicle and an apartment. His rent is $1,900 per month, and both pastors are asking supporters of Lutheran Church Charities for assistance. Immanuel Lutheran Church in Palatine, Illinois, has made a one-time donation, but the need for Hazim’s family remains. Would you consider joining LCC, St. Paul Skokie, Salam Christian Fellowship, and Immanuel Palatine in providing housing support for this future LCMS pastor? Read below to learn more of Hazim’s divine call and journey to faith in a letter from Pastor Hesham: ![]() Dear Supporters of Lutheran Church Charities, I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to share the remarkable impact of Salam Christian Fellowship in Lombard, Illinois, and the invaluable support provided by Lutheran Church Charities. Sixteen years ago, an Iranian refugee named Azad arrived in the United States with zero dollars to his name. Fleeing persecution by the Iranian regime. Azad faced immense challenges. Not only did he leave behind all his family wealth and belongings in Iran, but he also did not speak any English. However, Salam Christian Fellowship, with the support of LCC and other LCMS churches, stepped in to provide essential assistance. Salam Christian Fellowship offered Azad rent support, ESL classes, Bible study sessions, translation services, assistance with immigration paperwork, have him a car donated by LCMS, and even food support. Their commitment helped Azad settle into the Chicago area, where he eventually became a successful business owner with a shop and real estate properties. Azad, grateful for the support he received, wanted to pay back the support he received. He reached out to Salam, offering to help a young man named Hazim — an Iraqi asylum seeker. Hazim, a former imam in Iraq, had bravely protected Christian families from ISIS. His courageous act led to an assassination attempt that severely injured his leg. In a dream, Hazim encountered Jesus, who miraculously healed his leg and guided him to read the Word of God and to follow Christ. Facing ongoing persecution, Hazim and his family fled to the United States this year, and he was baptized in June 2024. Salam Christian Fellowship stepped in once again, finding them temporary housing in Wheeling, IL, and securing a donated car to ease their transportation challenges. Currently, Hazim attends a local LCMS church while preparing for seminary. However, finding suitable housing was a hurdle. Hazim lacked a credit history and official residency status, making it impossible to rent an apartment. Azad generously offered an apartment for rent to Hazim without any of the prerequisites that other landlords typically ask for. The impact of Salam Christian Fellowship and Lutheran Church Charities is immeasurable. With the power of Christ, together, we continue to change lives and create a supportive community for those in need. Noteworthy is that Iraqis and Iranians usually hate each other because of the devastating 8-year war between them that had killed 1 million people. But the Prince of Peace is always at work to reconcile enemies through His cross and resurrection. If you have any questions or would like further information, please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you for your continued support of our mission. Pastor Hesham Shehab of Salam Christian Fellowship LCC received a request from Vicar Nathan Linehan of First Lutheran Church in Yuba City, California, to help a devoted volunteer pay property taxes to keep his home. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ! Our small church in Northern California touches over 1,000 people each week with food. It is only possible with the sacrifice of time from our amazing volunteers from the community. One of those volunteers is a disabled gentleman who contributes a minimum of 30 hours a week to cooking and food distribution. He has had many surgeries, but the most recent is a double fusing of his back last week. It has come to our attention that he may lose his house due to back property taxes, which are around $4,000. He and his wife also provide housing to their daughter and her family. In addition, he also suffers from Guillain-Barre syndrome. His dedication to the food programs and God's work in the community is beyond description. Please help us keep his family in their home. Please prayerfully consider donating to help First Lutheran's devoted volunteer and his family keep their home. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated and would go a long way in easing their burden. Let's come together to support this family in need.
LCC received a request from Pastor Chuck Ridley of Fishers of Men Lutheran Church in Sugar Land, Texas, to help Becky, a mother of two, get back on her feet. ![]() Becky’s mother, Nancy, passed away unexpectedly on February 10, 2024, just ten days shy of her 76th birthday. Becky had been her mom’s full-time caregiver for the past six years, so she had not been working a regular paying job. Nancy had hip surgery a few years ago and needed surgery on the other hip, so she had been very limited in her mobility for quite some time, requiring Becky and her two daughters to move in and take care of her. Nancy was a registered nurse her whole life and always cared for everyone else, even providing for her daughter and granddaughters as they cared for her daily physical needs. Becky is now scrambling to make ends meet for herself and her daughters. In addition to cremation costs, she has regular monthly bills to take care of with no income now. $5,000 would go a long way in helping Becky in this time of unexpected loss and grief. Please help this mother of two get on her feet as soon as you are able. Peace in Christ, Pastor Chuck Ridley Fishers of Men Lutheran Church Sugar Land, Texas Please prayerfully consider donating to help Becky and her family get back on their feet. Any contributions towards helping her with current expenses would be greatly appreciated and would go a long way in easing their burden. Let's come together to support this family in need. Thanks to your generous donations, a dedicated Spanish-speaking pastor has relocated to Illinois to serve the local community. Your support will enable him to bring comfort, guidance, and hope to those in need, making a positive impact on the lives of many. LCC received an update and request from Rev. Jorge Mazariegos of Vida y Fe/Life & Faith Church in West Dundee, Illinois. ![]() Dear Friends, We wanted to give an update on Pastor Juan Aguilar and his wife Zarina, who made their move from Nebraska to Illinois the first week of February. They have been able to settle in well and are very excited to start serving the Lord at Vida y Fe Church. Unfortunately, during their move, they had issues with their only car, whose transmission had failed. Due to the financial situation of the church and the fact that they just moved, they are not able to afford to fix the car. They have been quoted the price of $3,900 to fix his transmission. Pastor Juan and his wife are people who have a humble and serving heart and deeply desire to be able to spread the love and message of God's word. Due to this, we ask that you consider our petition to help him be able to fix his car. Thank you, and may God bless you. Rev. Jorge Mazariegos Vida y Fe/Life & Faith Church West Dundee, Illinois ![]() Lutheran Church Charities is partnering with Faith Lutheran Church in Carpentersville, Illinois, to open a third Hospitality House. The congregation made the decision to use their parsonage to provide housing for an out-of-state family in need. The father has severe complications from Covid and needs a double lung transplant, and the nearest hospital that can perform the procedure is in Chicago. In order to be eligible for the surgery, the family must live within 50 miles of the hospital. The family, Mr. and Mrs. Jensen and their five adopted children, are devout Christians who have always been generous and sacrificed for others. They are now in need of assistance and are relying on their Christian family to help them during this season of life. This partnership between Lutheran Church Charities and Faith Lutheran Church is a wonderful example of how communities can come together to support those in need. How You Can BE THERE for the Family Faith Lutheran Church is a very small congregation that is doing as much as possible to make the Hospitality House ready for the family. They have been working hard to make progress by connecting with local organizations for donated supplies and services and hosting fundraisers while church members contribute their own resources to make this house a welcoming home. Despite their efforts, the church is struggling with the cost of supplies needed for repairs. They are now seeking financial contributions from generous donors like you to continue their mission. Their goal is to raise $2,000 to install new flooring in the kitchen, bathrooms and living room. Please join us in supporting Faith Lutheran by making a financial contribution and be a part of this great ministry. Your support will go a long way in making the Hospitality House a welcoming home for the Jensen family. Please consider making a donation today and help Faith Lutheran Church continue their important work. Let's come together as a community and make a difference in the life of this family in need! Thank You to the Helpers
Lutheran Church Charities extends its heartfelt gratitude to Faith Lutheran Church for their unwavering commitment to answering God's call to help this family in need. We commend the pastor, church members, and Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) from Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Frankfort, and McHenry County for their hard work in restoring the home to a livable condition. We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to Inland Consultation for providing free mold and mildew testing services to ensure the safety of the family. Thank you for your selfless acts of kindness and generosity. Financial Assistance Needed For a Young Airman and His Wife Going Through Health Challenges9/6/2023
LCC received a request for assistance from Rev. James Buckman, Pastor, Faith Lutheran Church, Lake Forest, Illinois. ![]() I am the Wing Chaplain for the 115 Fighter Wing, and we are located in Madison, Wisconsin. I serve over 1,700 Airmen and their loved ones; we also have Airmen serving in Volk Field, Wisconsin. One of our Airmen recently came to me and shared that his wife has been suffering some severe medical challenges. She has successfully survived Leukemia cancer, but this has caused other issues such as Avascular necropsis and recently she suffered a labral tear in her hips. She has ongoing tests which need to be completed. Unfortunately, their medical insurance has left them with over $3,000 in bills, and they also need a ramp so that she can easily and safely get into and out of their home. She can not walk without aid, and she is terrified of pain pills because she has seen in family members what an addiction can cause. So, prayers are definitely appreciated. They are a young couple with so much of their life in front of them. Thank you for always supporting our Veterans and their loved ones. Rev. James Buckman Pastor, Faith Lutheran Church, Lake Forest, Illinois Wing Chaplain, 115 Fighter Wing, Madison, Wisconsin LCC received a request for assistance from Pastor Steven Warren of St. Paul Lutheran Church & School in Chicago, Illinois, for one of their teachers. ![]() One of our teachers at St. Paul has been prescribed the opportunity to have a service dog to assist her with her Complex PTSD. She is in need of funding to obtain her emotional support dog. The cost is $25,000. As a recent college graduate and a Lutheran school teacher, she does not have this money. Would you please assist our congregation with helping her to find this funding and the location of a service dog provider? Thank you for your time and efforts regarding this request. Any support you can provide would be a blessing. In His Service, Pastor Steven Warren St. Paul Lutheran Church & School Chicago, Illinois LCC received a request for assistance from Pastor Hesham Shehab of Salam Christian Fellowship in Lombard, Illinois. ![]() Dear Friends, Brother Boutros, 63, who is part of Salam's evangelism team on the south side of Chicago, needs help paying medical bills. Boutros has recently lost his wife, who helped in paying the mortgage, and is in the process of re-organizing his life around this new reality. $1,000 is needed to relieve Boutros of his debt. Boutros lives on the south side of Chicago, where a hundred thousand Muslims live. Those suburbs are called "Little Palestine." The mosques and Islamic organizations there are mostly run by radical Muslim leaders who polarize the Islamic population against the West and Israel and pressure women to don hijab, as well as work against the integration of Islamic communities in the American way of life. Recently, two Salam Bible study attendees were harassed by three radical Muslims in Bridgeview, Illinois, immediately after they left the Lutheran church in that neighborhood. Please pray for Salam and Boutros as we reach out to Muslims in that hostile environment and donate generously to support our widowed brother. In Christ, Pastor Hesham Shehab LCC received a request for assistance from Pastor Hesham Shehab of Salam Christian Fellowship in Lombard, Illinois. ![]() Dear Friends, Mutaz, a new Iraqi immigrant who has been coming faithfully every week to Salam meetings for four years, requires dental work that is not covered by his insurance. He is short of $1,500. When Mutaz first came to Salam, he was showing symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychosomatic ailments. Through the Grace of God and Salam volunteers' care, Mutaz's life has been stabilized, and he started to look with hope at life. At the age of 63, Mutaz confessed Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and the Church became a central part of his life. Please show the love of Jesus to this new brother in Christ by donating generously to this cause. In Christ, Pastor Hesham Shehab |
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