Pastor Gerber stated, “Every person who entered the church, whether it was an evacuee or volunteer, will feel the love of Christ and know they were family.” Dawn Gilfry, Top Dog for Katie Comfort Dog, and her team provided comfort and care to those who stayed in their church and are continuing to reach out to them as they were moved to another shelter. They are committed to following and helping these families through this long recovery process that is just beginning.
 
Pastor Gerber and Dawn Gilfry state they are currently assessing how many church and school families are affected. They know 1 staff member, 1 congregation member, and 5 school families have lost their homes completely. They anticipate many more families with losses will be identified in the coming days as the water begins to recede both within their congregation and in their community. They will be helping people with basic needs and housing expenses. 
 
Your donations are greatly needed to help LCC and Trinity Lutheran Church serve their members and their community. If you are so moved, please donate now, and please keep Trinity and their surrounding communities in your prayers during their long recovery.

LCC is also watching the river levels in surrounding areas of our district that may also experience flooding in the days and weeks ahead with snow melt and warmer temperatures occurring. If you know someone that is in need of assistance in the Northern Illinois District (NID), please contact Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response at 866-455-6466 or dradmin@lutheranchurchcharities.org. Our LCC LERT teams are willing to respond with the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

Please keep all those affected by flooding in the Northern Illinois District and surrounding states in your prayers as they face many losses and a long recovery.

Pastor Gerber stated, “Every person who entered the church, whether it was an evacuee or volunteer, will feel the love of Christ and know they were family.” Dawn Gilfry, Top Dog for Katie Comfort Dog, and her team provided comfort and care to those who stayed in their church and are continuing to reach out to them as they were moved to another shelter. They are committed to following and helping these families through this long recovery process that is just beginning.
 
Pastor Gerber and Dawn Gilfry state they are currently assessing how many church and school families are affected. They know 1 staff member, 1 congregation member, and 5 school families have lost their homes completely. They anticipate many more families with losses will be identified in the coming days as the water begins to recede both within their congregation and in their community. They will be helping people with basic needs and housing expenses. 
 
Your donations are greatly needed to help LCC and Trinity Lutheran Church serve their members and their community. If you are so moved, please donate now, and please keep Trinity and their surrounding communities in your prayers during their long recovery.

During the visitation and funeral on March 12 – 13, LCC K-9 Police Ministry Dog Julia was assigned to be with the family. At the funeral, the following Bible verse was featured. Amazingly, this happens to be Julia's Bible verse.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

The following LCC K-9 Ministry Teams were blessed to serve:

LCC K-9 Police Ministry
Shiloh (Christ Our Savior – Dixon, Illinois)
Julia (King of Glory – Elgin, Illinois)
Eve (St. John’s – Lombard, Illinois)
Susie (St. Peter – Arlington Heights, Illinois)

LCC Kare-9 Military Ministry
Flex and Veteran Fred (LCC Squad)
Spike and Veteran Raleigh (LCC Squad)

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry
Malachi (St. Matthew – Hawthorn Woods, Illinois)
Tobias (Lord of Glory – Grayslake, Illinois)

Please join LCC in keeping Deputy Keltner’s family, as well as all law enforcement officers, in your prayers during this difficult time

The employees and their families heard remembrances from their co-workers as well as messages from company leaders about how their lives were impacted by Clayton Parks, Trevor Wehner, Russell Beyer, Vicente Juarez, and Josh Pinkard.

The following LCC K-9 Ministry Teams were blessed to serve:

LCC K-9 Police Ministry
Eve (St. John’s – Lombard, Illinois)
Julia (King of Glory – Elgin, Illinois)
Shiloh (Christ Our Savior – Dixon, Illinois)

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry
Adeena (St. John – Burlington, Illinois)
Angel (St. John’s – La Grange, Illinois)
Bekah (Immanuel – Belvidere, Illinois)
Emma (LCC Staff)
Esther (Holy Cross – Collinsville, Illinois)
Kye (Immanuel – Belvidere, Illinois)
Levi (Immanuel – East Dundee, Illinois)
Malachi (St. Matthew – Hawthorn Woods, Illinois)
Rhoda (Prince of Peace – Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
Ruthie (LCC Staff)
Tobias (Lord of Glory – Grayslake, Illinois)

Please join LCC in praying for the employees of Henry Pratt, families who lost loved ones, as well as all law enforcement officers.

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry Needs Your Help!
We need volunteer Apprentice Trainers who can devote time and energy to train the newest golden retriever puppies so one day they can be placed as LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs in a Lutheran church and/or school.

Responsibilities include:
Fostering
Training
Socializing
Exercising
Weekly Training Classes

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Training Classes are held in Northbrook and East Dundee, Illinois. Lutheran Church Charities pays all food, supplies, and veterinary care expenses.

For more information about the volunteer commitment needed, please contact Megan at  mglowacz@LutheranChurchCharities.org or Anastasia at dt@lutheranchurchcharities.org or call 866-455-6466 ext. 112.

“Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”  Deuteronomy 31:6 – 8

LCC welcomes the following new handlers to the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry:

Lutheran Church Charities is honored to welcome the following veterans to the LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry:

Gary Cummings, U.S. Army, 1977 – 1982
Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church – Ashburn, Virginia
Kare 9 Amos

Tyler Moorehead, U.S. Army, 2016 – 2018
St. Paul Lutheran Church – Janesville, Wisconsin
Kare 9 Mary

Lutheran Church Charities is honored to welcome the following to the LCC K-9 Police Ministry:

Gary Cummings, Detective, Fairfax, Co. (VA) PD (Ret.)
Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church – Ashburn, Virginia
K-9 Police Ministry Dog Amos

Steve Dornan, Retired Officer, Yavapai-Prescott Tribal (AZ) PD (2009-2017), SD Unified & SD Harbor (CA) PD (2003-2008)
Redeemer Lutheran Church – Fort Collins, Colorado
K-9 Police Ministry Dog Cubby

John Falk, Officer, Wilmette (IL) PD (‘98 to Present)
Wilmette Police Department, Illinois
K-9 Police Ministry Dog Nigel (LCC Staff)

BRINGING COMFORT TO TEAM MEMBERS: “In response to the recent attempted robbery at one of our branches, Comfort Dogs from Lutheran Church Charities (LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs) made a visit to team members. Three furry friends named Kye Comfort Dog, Bekah Comfort Dog, and Samson Comfort Dog brought a calming influence to those that needed it. We can't thank them enough.”

When we work together, we are stronger, accomplish much more, and show God’s love to others. 

1 John 4:12 “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

Lutheran Church Charities continues to recruit more volunteers to work with our LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs in training.  LCC currently has puppies that need people who would love to make a difference through time, patience, persistence, and ability to house a pup in training.  Weekly training classes are at Lutheran Church Charities in Northbrook, Illinois, and at Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee, Illinois.

If you are interested in becoming an Apprentice Trainer, please contact by email Megan at mglowacz@LutheranChurchCharities.org or Becky at bkolzow@LutheranChurchCharities.org or by calling 866-455-6466.

Lutheran Church Charities is excited to announce the arrival of four more golden retriever puppies as they begin their training to become an LCC K-9 Comfort Dog. These 4 female puppies’ names are Salome, Gomer, Hagar, and Persis. Each pup has a Biblical name and Bible verse.

Lutheran Church Charities continues to recruit more volunteers to work with our LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs in training. LCC currently has puppies that need people who would love to make a difference through time, patience, persistence, and ability to house a pup in training. Weekly training classes are at Lutheran Church Charities in Northbrook, Illinois, and at Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee, Illinois.

If you are interested in becoming an Apprentice Trainer, please contact by email Megan at mglowacz@LutheranChurchCharities.org or Becky at bkolzow@LutheranChurchCharities.org or by calling 866-455-6466.