LCC received the following request from Pastor Hesham Shehab, Salam Christian Fellowship, Lombard, Illinois. Dear Friends, We have a Syrian asylum seeker family who needs help with immigration services expenses. There is no light at the end of the tunnel in the civil war in Syria that is still claiming innocent lives and destroying families. Please help this family of three survive and have a new life in this great country as they wait for the work permit that will take five months. The amount needed is $2,500. Please show the love of Christ to this new family coming to Salam by donating generously. In Christ, Pastor Hesham Shehab Salam Christian Fellowship Lombard, Illinois LCC the following request from Pat Layton, Director of Counseling, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Palm Springs, California: Blessings! I am writing on behalf of Nancy, age 43, a single woman seeking assistance for a month's rental coverage. She is attending Our Savior's Lutheran Church. Nancy survived an abusive home situation and is working on recovery through our congregation, seeking counseling and involvement in one of our church's ministries which focuses on breaking the cycle of dysfunctional lives. She plans to cover her future monthly expenses, including rent, but fell behind on this month's housing and is in danger of eviction. Her work income is minimal and bi-monthly. She is scheduled to have surgery in a few weeks, which will limit her income. She is seeking a better-paying job after surgery. She is receiving government assistance to help with groceries and is determined to get back on her feet. Nancy is a Christian, seeking to mature in her faith and be involved in our congregation's studies and fellowship. She has been proactive in educating herself through her study of the Bible, previously leaving an unhealthy religious background and relying on the gospels. She is very honest about her past situation struggles and is determined to better her life and be involved in healthy Christian connections. Please prayerfully consider donating to help Nancy her get back on her feet. Blessings, Pat Layton Director of Counseling Our Savior's Lutheran Church Palm Springs, California If you are so moved, please prayerfully consider donating to help Nancy stay in her home.
On Monday, September 12, LCC presented your generous donations to Pastor Doug Warmann, Assistant Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Roselle, Illinois, to help a recently widowed mom of five with a sixth baby on the way. Trinity has been caring for and financially assisting Jessica and her five children Cameron, age 10; Freya age 1; Logan, age 8; Mia, age 4; Dustin, age 2. The family is deeply grateful for the generous support. Their needs are still great and ongoing, and your support is a witness to this family of Christ’s Mercy and Compassion. If you are so moved, please prayerfully consider donating generously to help Jessica provide for her five children. Posted: August 16, 2022 Financial Assistance Needed for a Recently Widowed Mom with Five Children and Expecting Another Child in March 2023 LCC received the following request from Pastor Doug Warmann, Assistant Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Roselle, Illinois: I am writing to ask for assistance and help in providing for the needs of a young family in Roselle, Illinois, who are grieving the recent loss of a husband and father and trying to make ends meet. The 34-year-old mother, Jessica, with connections to Trinity Lutheran Church in Roselle, and her five baptized children (3 boys and 2 girls- ages 1, 2, 4, 8, 10) with another child expected in March 2023 recently lost her 40-year-old husband and children’s father suddenly in late June 2022. There is minimal family help from the father or mother’s side of the family, and the husband had no insurance. As a church, we are doing what we can to help the family and working with the family to receive as much government support as possible. The mother has been working at UPS for the past 12 years, up to 25 hours each week. She has worked the 3:30-8:30 AM shift so she can be there for her kids. Earlier this week, she was put on work leave because of an injury for the next six weeks with reduced pay. She will need to go back to work in September to provide for her children. She is a good mother who cares for the needs of her children and wants to keep them all together. The biggest challenge has been finding childcare (and having income to pay for it) because of the mother’s early work shift. Trinity Lutheran Church in Roselle is asking for your prayers, ongoing financial assistance, and other resources to care for this family in need. Thank you for the work you do in caring for people in our community and for your gracious consideration! Pastor Doug Warmann Assistant Pastor Trinity Lutheran Church Roselle, Illinois If you are so moved, please prayerfully consider donating generously to help Jessica provide for her five children. Updated: September 6, 2022 Lutheran Church Charities continues to partner with the Prospect Heights Police Department victim advocates as they identify needs and provide assistance to residents affected by the large condominium fire last week, very near the LCC office. These advocates are working closely with all affected residents to make referrals of available community resources to aid in their recovery, as well as provide interpretive services to the many Polish and Hispanic-speaking residents. The greatest need right now is to assist residents in securing new housing as quickly as possible. Residents are beginning to work with their insurance companies to understand coverage of their losses and to seek new housing, as many anticipate they will be out of their units for many months to a year. A few units did not sustain any fire or water damage, but because 32 units are in the same building, they had some smoke damage, and all utilities were cut off to the entire building. These residents have been told they could be out of their homes for 4-6 weeks, but since there's no actual fire damage, insurance is not covering many of their expenses. Lutheran Church Charities anticipates assisting with temporary housing needs as identified and requested by the victim advocates in the coming weeks. Please pray for everyone impacted by this tragic fire. If you are so moved, please donate to help LCC help our neighbors as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. On Thursday, August 25, Kathy O’Day, Lutheran Church Charities Director of Disaster Response, received a call from the Prospect Heights, Illinois, Police Department regarding resident assistance for a fire at the Willow Heights Condominiums. This fire damaged 32 units and displaced over 100 residents. Lynda Streich, Interim LCC President/CEO, and Kathy O'Day responded immediately and assisted the Prospect Heights social workers with completing intake forms with affected residents. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs in training, Daniel, Grace, Lazarus, and Michael, with LCC staff and volunteers, also came to provide comfort and care to distraught and displaced residents. Prospect Heights police and fire departments expressed their sincere thanks to LCC for our prompt and caring response to their residents in need. On Friday, LCC reached out to Betty Franz from Immanuel Lutheran Church Good Samaritan Ministries in Palatine, Illinois, to see if they could offer residents who lost everything any assistance. On Saturday, several fire-affected residents were welcomed to fill a large bag with free clothing and household items they needed. Betty stated that the residents who came were very appreciative of what they received and for being able to share their struggles and concerns with caring Christian volunteers. Lutheran Church Charities will continue to partner with the Prospect Heights Police Department victim advocates as they identify needs and provide assistance to residents affected by the fire. They provide interpretive services to Hispanic, Russian, and Polish-speaking residents so they can be informed of the available community resources to aid in their recovery. The greatest need right now is to assist families in securing new housing as quickly as possible. Four families have already been identified by the advocates as needing some rental assistance as they seek a new place to live. Some of those affected by the fire have been staying in hotels that were funded by the Red Cross or their insurance company for this week only, but many will not have the funds to stay longer and risk becoming homeless. Some are staying with family or friends temporarily, and even a few are in their vehicles. As families seek to secure housing, LCC is ready and willing to assist as requested. Please pray for everyone responding and impacted by this tragic fire. If you are so moved, please donate to help LCC help our neighbors as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. LCC received the following request from Pastor Christopher Browne at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois: Friends, We have some church members who have lost several family members. One of the family members was the brother. They are in need of $945 to cover burial expenses. The cost is to open and close the vault and put in the Urn with ashes. Pastor Christopher Browne Our Saviour Lutheran Church Chicago, Illinois Please consider donating to help this family bury their loved one. LCC received a request from Pastor Hesham Shehab, Salam Christian Fellowship, Lombard, Illinois:
LCC received the following request from Pastor Jamie Holt of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in St. Charles, Illinois: Marcelle and her four children are members of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, St. Charles. The single mother of four has diligently worked to provide the best for her family. Last year her oldest daughter, 18-year-old Carli, had just graduated high school and was beginning her college education before the unthinkable happened. She was studying and working hard to help her mother make ends meet and help support the household. After falling ill, Carli was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). This aggressive cancer required intense, immediate, and continuing treatment. Over the next several months, Carli was subjected to constant medical testing, hospitalizations, and treatments. Her medical needs required Marcelle to leave her job to provide assistance to Carli's daily needs. Carli has been a warrior through this and is bravely battling her disease. In March, Carli received a bone marrow transplant from her sister. This stem cell therapy as part of her treatment plan along with continued chemotherapy provided encouraging results. The cancer was in remission. The specialized treatment and medical care have left the family with devastating debt. With little income, the bills are piling up. The family pleas for financial assistance, which will alleviate some of their stress and help Marcelle focus her energy on caring for her four children. St. Mark's asks that you prayerfully consider donating to this wonderful family and grant Marcelle's family some financial peace of mind. Thank you for your consideration and may the Lord continue to bless your work for His kingdom! Pastor Jamie Holt St. Mark’s Lutheran Church St. Charles, Illinois If you are so moved, please prayerfully consider donating to help Marcelle provide for her four children. Posted: June 21, 2022 “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?” 1 Thessalonians 3:9 Your faithful and generous donations have made this all possible! We are happy to share the good news that the final payment for the wheelchair-accessible van has been made. Just in time! Pastor Willig begins outpatient neuro-rehab this week and will be using the van on a consistent basis to get to his therapy sessions and many doctor appointments. CLICK HERE to watch the heartfelt message from Pastor Mark and Paula Willig – You are a blessing from God!
The wheelchair-accessible van fund has been met. If you are so moved, please prayerfully consider donating to the Accessible Van Maintenance fund to help LCC and Friends in Christ continue to serve the Willigs. Your prayers and support are truly appreciated! Posted: May 24, 2022 $1,200 REMAINING – LET’S DO THIS! Lutheran Church Charities is assisting Friends in Christ Lutheran Church in Morris, Illinois, to help raise funds for an accessible wheelchair van for their pastor, Rev. Mark Willig. YOUR DONATIONS CAN HELP US ELIMINATE THIS FINANCIAL BURDEN! Pastor Willig is working very hard on his rehab. The van has been a tremendous blessing to him and his wife, Paula. It will be used to travel to outpatient neuro-rehab when Pastor Willig is strong enough to consistently travel the distance to get there as well as many doctor appointments. Your donations have made a difference. We are so close to removing this financial burden for the Willigs! Posted: May 18, 2022 Accessible Van Helps Pastor Mark Willig Participate In Confirmation Sunday! $6,352 WILL PAY OFF THE VAN! Pastor Willig was so happy to have the accessible van so that he could participate in Confirmation Sunday at Friends in Christ Lutheran Church. Pastor Willig shared, “It has been a half year of struggle to learn to talk, move, communicate and begin to walk. My involvement was limited, but I was able to be there and be a part of the confirmation for three young people this month.” Being there to bless the students he taught meant so much to him and his wife, Paula. Posted: May 10, 2022 “It means so much after spending my life as a pastor, to have the church and LCC donors support me like this. It is an amazing blessing!” Pastor Mark Willig HELP US ELIMINATE THIS FINANCIAL BURDEN!
Help LCC pay off the balance of the van for Pastor Willig, who has faithfully served others during his thirty-nine years in ministry. If you are so moved, please donate generously to help LCC and Friends in Christ serve the Willigs. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated!
LCC received the following request from Pastor Hesham Shehab, Salam Christian Fellowship, Lombard, Illinois:
On January 18, LCC received a request from Pastor Michael Liese, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Brimfield, Illinois, for financial assistance for a family in need that St. Paul is assisting: Mark is a former Lutheran School teacher and principal, and his wife, Susan, daughter of a Lutheran pastor, is a nurse. They have two children. On Sunday, January 9, Susan suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and required emergency surgery. After surgery, Susan seemed to have lost her ability to speak and suffered a loss of movement in her right arm. Mark will be Susan’s full-time caregiver during her long road to recovery and will not be able to work until she is better. They will need financial assistance to cover extensive medical bills and mortgage, utilities, and household expenses of approximately $3,500 a month. Lord have Mercy! Pastor Michael Liese St. Paul Lutheran Church Brimfield, Illinois Update: Since Susan’s stroke, Mark and his family have been struggling financially. Last week Mark learned that the insurance company is cutting off payment of medical and therapeutic treatments for Susan. Mark is appealing it, but that means the coverage will only be extended to April 26.
From then on, they will be relying on Mark’s part-time income, savings, and the gifts of others. Mark has applied for Social Security permanent disability, but that will not kick in for several months. Please continue to pray for Susan’s restoration and healing and for the family as they struggle to care for and support her. Thank you for your donations received so far. If you feel so moved, please prayerfully consider supporting Mark, a former church worker, and his family as they care for Susan. |
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