Thank you for your response to our special appeal on Saturday. Thanks to your support, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams immediately began their journey to BE THERE for the community in Lewiston, Maine; many traveling over 1,000 miles. Getting Right to Work The teams got right to work as soon as they arrived. On Sunday evening, they joined hundreds of people at the Basilica of Saint Peter and Paul for the 'One Lewiston' community vigil. Faith leaders, city officials, first responders, and more paid tribute to the 18 victims who lost their lives and offered words of hope and healing to the grieving community. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their handlers have been spending time with people throughout the community - schools, hospitals, businesses - wherever there is a need, providing a safe and comforting place for people to cry, talk, or just be silent. People were surprised by the feelings they experienced when they started petting the Comfort Dogs and talking with the handlers. In those moments, where only love, comfort, and compassion are shared, the fear they had been carrying began to release. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…” 1 John 4:18. Hearts of Mercy & Compassion in Memory of Eighteen Lives Lost The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog ministry teams set up the crosses and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion (HMC) for each of the 18 people whose lives were taken too soon. Each cross, with a Heart of Mercy & Compassion, represents a precious soul who was loved and mattered. For the Comfort Dog teams, it was a very personal and emotional experience to be part of the process of assembling and placing the crosses and reading the names of each person killed on that tragic day. We pray that the HMCs will create a place for individuals to gather, reflect, and share their pain as they reflect on each name and write messages on the hearts. Remembering a Dear Friend As the teams were putting up the crosses, a gentleman drove by, saw them, and pulled over. He walked up to the group and asked if the name of Peyton Brewer-Ross was written on one of the Hearts. Peyton was a good friend of his, and he wanted to say goodbye. When the gentleman saw Peyton’s name and cross, his grief was evident in his tears. The crosses and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion give people a place to grieve and write messages of love. HMCs for First Responders The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams also delivered Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, signed with prayers and love, to the Lewiston Police Department, 911 Call Center, and Lewiston Fire Department. These dedicated first responders are part of the Lewiston community who suffer from these losses, as it lays heavily on their hearts. For the Comfort Dog teams to BE THERE with them and to let them know they are not alone but seen, heard and loved is what God asks us to do. Thank you for BEING THERE by working through Lutheran Church Charities God’s love shared with others creates a ripple effect that keeps moving forward. Thank you for helping the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion BE THERE, sharing the love and hope of Jesus.
Because of your generous support, we are blessed to be able to provide comfort during this difficult time and offer hope and healing to those affected by the tragedy. We look forward to seeing where God leads us this week and thank you all for your continued support and prayers. Pastor Scott Burmeister and lay leader Eric Wendelbo of Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, along with Rev. Chris Singer, LCC President/CEO, and Tim Laabs, Hearts of Mercy & Compassion (HMC) Project Manager, are eager to see the Lord work through the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry to bring comfort and care to the people of Tulsa. Eric has deployed to Uvalde and Allen, Texas, with LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Persis (King of Kings - Glenpool, Oklahoma) and has a profound understanding of the importance of being there to serve people in their time of crisis and need. Pastors Priem and Reimnitz, along with the board of elders of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Raymore, Missouri, have given their blessing to the addition of Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry to their church’s outreach efforts. Lay leader Roger Fox has gathered a group of Seasoned Saints who are eager to construct hearts and crosses, as well as bring these symbols of Jesus’ love to those in their community. Chris Singer and Tim Laabs look forward to working with this eager team as they share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus with the community of Raymore and beyond. Lutheran Church Charities now has 17 Hearts of Mercy & Compassion affiliates in 14 states. Click here to see the map. For more information about HMC, visit www.heartsmc.org. When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Job 2:11
BE THERE with Lutheran Church Charities |
It was a very busy week for St Paul's, Janesville, Wisconsin as they helped to restock LCC Hearts of Mercy & Compassion (HMC) with more painted hearts. LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Mary’s (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin) team and St Paul’s next Comfort Dog team joined together to get the job done of painting 100 new Hearts of Mercy & Compassion. It was an awesome time for these 10 volunteers to come together with a common goal. They sure knew how to get the job done! LCC is grateful for the support of its volunteers who give of their time, skills and presence in the name of Jesus. | |
LCC Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry is grateful to so many of our volunteers who give of their time and efforts. Volunteer Ed Dammann from Arlington Heights, Illinois, sure has a big heart to serve this ministry. Ed has been busy cutting the feet, vertical posts and arms for 70 new crosses with his radial arm saw. He then uses a drill press to drill the holes needed to assemble the crosses. We thank our volunteers like Ed for helping Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry to “Be There” for those who are hurting and in need. | |
The volunteers from Immanuel Lutheran Church in Des Plaines, Illinois, are certainly busy building crosses for the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry. They set up tables and had a great production and assembly team to complete this endeavor. It is a team effort that makes this all possible for the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion to “Be there” for the hurting and need. We are thankful our partnership with Immanuel, Des Plaines who work alongside us. | |
The team at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Collins, Colorado had a busy three days of painting Hearts of Mercy & Compassion (HMC) and building crosses so that whenever or wherever there is a need, the HMC can “Be There” for the hurting. The Redeemer volunteers came together quickly and painted 50 hearts and painted and assembled 25 crosses knowing they would soon be needed. LCC is blessed to have so many volunteers who respond so quickly. | |
Lutheran Church Charities Hearts of Mercy & Compassion (HMC) Ministry is growing. We now have fifteen HMC affiliates in twelve states. This year these HMC affiliates have responded to mass shootings in Monterey Park, California; Louisville, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; East Lansing, Michigan; and Allen, Texas. While we pray that future crisis events will end, LCC is actively preparing to be ready to respond whenever and wherever in the United States we are invited and where comfort is needed. |
In order to be more prepared to respond, our local HMC affiliate congregation volunteers were asked to build ninety Hearts of Mercy & Compassion to strategically place them with our LCC K-9 Ministry teams throughout the United States.
We are able to do that with the support of donors.
As a showing of thanks and respect for service to our Lord through serving others, LCC presented Wayne with his own HMC with scripture verse Jeremiah 29:11, which read, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you hope and a future.” LCC staff members also added personal well-wishes to the HMC.
Wayne was instrumental in helping the new ministry get planted and flourish. Also, he helped set up crosses or markers with hearts at memorial sites in numerous states where LCC was invited to be present to comfort those hurting by each tragedy. Wayne’s passion for prayer gave comfort to many individuals who were on site.
Great thanks are given to Wayne, who also plans to continue assisting LCC on a volunteer basis. May God bless your retirement, Wayne.
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