After the horrific partial collapse of the 12-story wing of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs were invited in by Rev. Dr. Gregory Walton, LCMS District President for the Florida-Georgia District, and Rev. Dennis Bartels, Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church & School in North Miami. Pastor Bartels has served this community for 35 years and is well connected to the community where we will be serving. Tim Hetzner, LCC President/CEO, and Bonnie Fear, LCC K-9 Crisis Response Coordinator, are working closely with Pastor Bartels to determine where the K-9 Ministry teams will visit.

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs will serve first responders and their families who are working around the clock doing search and rescue for the 109 people who are still unaccounted for, as well as family members who have lost loved ones. First responders include emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, firefighters, police officers, city, state, and federal personnel. They are all working tirelessly with the destruction of the Champlain Towers. In addition, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs will serve all in that area who are working selflessly.

On Tuesday, July 6, LCC K-9 ministry teams arrived in Miami early and visited the host church Holy Cross Lutheran Church & School. Comfort Dogs Jewel, Mary, and Seth greeted 50 summer school students as they arrived and went to each classroom. The news has been filled with many stories of this tragic event, so the K-9s brought much comfort and friendship during these difficult times.

LCC Hearts of Mercy & Compassion sent hearts and markers for the memorial site in Surfside, Florida. One will be placed for everyone who has not survived this horrific tragedy. Currently, 36 people have been confirmed deceased with 109 still missing. Visitors to the memorial site can sign and leave condolence messages. The K-9 Ministry teams will be present to share love and compassion to help everyone who stops by process the grief they are experiencing.

Seventy-five volunteers from eighteen congregations plus LCC staff responded very quickly to cut, paint, customize, and load 170+ Hearts of Mercy & Compassion markers that were driven down to Surfside, Florida.
 
CLICK HERE to see LCC volunteers preparing HMC’s for Surfside, Florida.

Our LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams will be driving to and staying in Miami. Travel and accommodations in the area will be expensive. LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charge those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
 
Please prayerfully consider a donation to the LCC K-9 Travel and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses Funds as we prepare to deploy to serve the first responders and this devastated community.

Lutheran Church Charities extends a heartfelt thank you to the seventy-five volunteers and LCC staff who responded very quickly to cut, paint, customize, and load 170+ Hearts of Mercy & Compassion markers sent to Surfside, Florida. We also thank LCC volunteer Mike Flaherty for driving the van and trailer, which departed for Florida on July 4th.
 
A total of eighteen congregations from four states were represented by the volunteers:

LCC never charges those we serve! Your donations are needed to help LCC serve these families who have lost loved ones. The project cost is currently at $3,500.

After the horrific partial collapse of the 12-story wing of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs were invited in by Rev. Dr. Gregory Walton, LCMS District President for the Florida-Georgia District, and Rev. Dennis Bartels, Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in North Miami. Pastor Bartels has served this community for 35 years and is well connected to the community where we will be serving. Tim Hetzner, LCC President/CEO, and Bonnie Fear, LCC K-9 Crisis Response Coordinator, are working closely with Pastor Bartels to determine where the K-9 Ministry teams will visit.

LCC Hearts of Mercy & Compassion sent hearts and markers for the memorial site in Surfside, Florida. One will be placed for everyone who has not survived this horrific tragedy. Visitors to the memorial site can sign and leave condolence messages. The K-9 Ministry teams will be present to share love and compassion to help everyone who stops by process the grief they are experiencing.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Hope (Faith – Marietta, Georgia), Jewel (Christ Our Savior – Loudon, Tennessee), Lizzie (Trinity – Savannah, Georgia), Mary (St. Paul – Janesville, Wisconsin), Peace (Trinity – Orlando, Florida), Seth (Eternal Shepherd – Seneca, South Carolina) and Zoara (Island Lutheran – Hilton Head, South Carolina), along with their ministry teams, will bring comfort and hope to all who are grieving.

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs will serve first responders and their families who are working around the clock doing search and rescue for the 149+ people who are still unaccounted for, as well as family members who have lost loved ones. First responders include emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, firefighters, police officers, city, state, and federal personnel. They are all working tirelessly with the destruction of the Champlain Towers. In addition, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs will serve all in that area who are working selflessly.

Our LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Teams will be driving to and staying in Miami. Travel and accommodations in the area will be expensive. LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charge those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
 
Please prayerfully consider a donation to the LCC K-9 Travel and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses Funds as we prepare to deploy to serve the first responders and this devastated community.

On Tuesday, June 22, Police Officer Gordon Beesley, a 19-year veteran of the Arvada Police Department, Colorado, was killed during an eruption of gunfire in Olde Town Arvada. Office Beesley was spending his summer working patrols. He also worked as a school resource officer at Oberon Middle School and had previously been at Lincoln Academy and Excel Academy Charter School. The shooting also left John Hurley, acting as a good Samaritan, dead. Bonnie Fear, LCC K-9 Crisis Response Coordinator, with LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Cubby and Devorah (Redeemer – Fort Collins, Colorado), and their handlers responded immediately to bring comfort to the first responders and the community during the Tuesday night vigil at Peace Lutheran Church in Arvada.

On Wednesday, June 23, Cubby and Devorah Comfort Dogs and their team were at Olde Town Arvada, where the shooting took place, to spend time with those grieving and in shock. A new friend of Cubby and Devorah lives near where the shooting took place and was in need of some love and comfort.

The teams also visited the Memorial at Arvada City Hall honoring Arvada Police Department Officer Gordon Beesley and John Hurley. The Comfort Dogs and the team spent time visiting with people from the community.

These moving sentiments were chalked at the Memorial by Officer Beasley’s children and students from Oberon Middle School.

Redeemer, Fort Collins also placed two Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses, at the public memorial at the Arvada City Hall for Officer Gordon Beesley and John Hurley the day after the shooting for visitors to sign.

On Thursday, June 24, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Cubby and Devorah, and their ministry teams, attended Officer Beesley’s Memorial Service to comfort those in attendance. The Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses, was displayed in remembrance of his dedicated service.

LCC’s K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charges those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. Please keep the families, community, and the Arvada Police Department in your prayers.

On Thursday, June 3, a Heart of Mercy & Compassion was presented to St. Mary Mercy Hospital of Livonia, Michigan, to Dr. Nick Nickolopoulos, Chief of Nursing, and Michael Hoyt, Director of Mission Integration. Members of Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, Livonia, desired to honor the sacrifice and work performed by St. Mary Mercy Hospital in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. This hospital epitomizes the message of the heart, mercy, and compassion - that message is part of their mission statement and core values.

The heart had been signed front and back by members and inscribed with heartfelt comments. Our recipients were very moved and grateful for this gesture of thanksgiving and stated that this was the first time a member of the faith community had presented them something. Pastor Davenport offered them Christ Our Savior's cooperation and partnership in future projects, to which Mission Director Michael Hoyt replied, "Oh, wow!" New friends were made in the community through the Heart of Mercy & Compassion Ministry, and hopefully, the relationship will bear fruit!

The Christ Our Savior Lutheran, Livonia representatives, are Rev. Dean Davenport, Gini Krenz, and Linda Waara of the Community Needs Assessment committee of the Strategic Operations Planning group. 

9 People Killed, Many Injured
232nd Mass Shooting Reported This Year

At 6:45 am on Wednesday, May 26, shooting began at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail yard in San Jose, California, during the morning shift change. At least eight of the nine people reported killed were employees, and many other employees were injured. The shooter, who was also an employee, took his own life as first responders arrived. Victim age ranges are from 29 to 63 years old.

In less than 24 hours, Tim Hetzner, LCC President/CEO, and LCC Director of K-9 Ministries, Anastasia, received an invite for the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs from Pastor Andy Koschmann from Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Los Gatos, California, and Rev. Michael Lange, LCMS District President for California, Nevada, and Hawaii District.
 
Bonnie Fear, LCC K-9 Crisis Response Coordinator with LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Aaron (St. John – Napa Valley, California), Micah (Light of the Valley – Elk Grove, California), Rahab (St. Andrew – Stockton, California), and Reuben (First Lutheran – Yuba City, California), along with their ministry teams, deployed to be present with employees, throughout the community, and first responders who were trying to cope with another mass shooting tragedy.

On Friday, May 28, Micah and Rahab Comfort Dogs, with their ministry teams, were present at the vigil at Sikh Gurdwara San Jose. The teams were there to honor the victims of the VTA shooting and support the hurting community.
 
Rahab’s Comfort Dog handler shared this reflection, “Saturday was my first time deploying and the entire day gave clarity to the word “Presence” that I have heard over and over since joining the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry. I think being present at the vigil was very much appreciated by those who attended. It opened doors and gave some much-needed comfort.”
 
Several families with young kids, as well as young adults, spent time with Micah and Rahab during the vigil.

On Saturday, May 29, the teams set up Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses at a memorial in the VTA courtyard headquarters for staff and families to sign.

In addition, Aaron and Micah Comfort Dogs, with their handlers, visited Yerba Buena High School. Adrian Balleza, one of the shooting victims, was a graduate of the high school, and a memorial is laid there in his honor. Aaron and Micah gave lots of love and comfort to the high school staff.

On Saturday, May 29, Micah, Rahab, and Rueben Comfort Dogs spent time with the San Jose 911 Call Center dispatchers. One of them said this was the first time she has seen smiles in days. The Comfort Dogs were certainly mood changers for the staff.
 
There was a lady who was afraid of dogs. She observed for quite some time, then eventually stood behind the dogs for a photo and finally got brave enough to pet Reuben. Talk about a smile!

During their deployment in California, the LCC K-9 Ministry teams were also present at San Jose Police & Fire Departments, and Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Los Gatos, Vasona Park comforting all those who needed it following the tragic shooting.

LCC’s K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charges those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. Please keep the San Jose, California community in your prayers.