For these handlers, their focus every day is to share the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need, or who they meet within their communities. On Saturday, it was time spent sharing our mission with one another, lifting each other up in support, sharing ideas, and most importantly supporting one another in prayer. 

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Martha’s Bible verse is John 11:24, "Martha answered, 'I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.'"
 
Supporting Martha Comfort Dog and her team were the other six Texas LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Phoebe and Pax (St. Paul – Fort Worth), Abner (Bethany – Austin), Damaris (Memorial – Katy), Elijah (Our Redeemer – Wichita Falls) and Gabriel (Messiah – Houston). The significance of the Biblical story of Mary and Martha living in Bethany was very special to this congregation. They learned that Martha Comfort Dog’s sister, Mary Comfort Dog, now resides in Wisconsin but Martha Comfort Dog is now home at Bethany. LCC welcomes Martha Comfort Dog and her team to the LCC K-9 Ministry family and prays for God’s blessing.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Visit Kentucky Country Day School

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”  2 Corinthians 1:3-4
 
On Monday, April 16, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Rosie (Atonement Lutheran – Columbus, Ohio), Ezra (LCC Staff), and Mercy (Our Savior – Louisville, Kentucky), along with their handlers, deployed to Kentucky Country Day School in Louisville, Kentucky, after the death of one of their high school seniors following an illness. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs were invited to the school by the Upper School Director, Kent Martin. The handlers and Comfort Dogs were present for the students and staff throughout the day, bringing them comfort as they grieved the loss of their friend.

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs were in the media center at the school on Tuesday through Thursday for the arrival of students, as well as requested to visit many classrooms to meet most of the 1,700 students. On Wednesday, two LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs visited students at Trinity Lutheran Church preschool. Visits were also made to the fire station that served the high school and time was spent with the first responders who were at the school the day of the shooting. After classes on Thursday, the parents and siblings of the shooting victim came to the school to spend time with the LCC K-9 Ministry teams.
 
Please continue to pray for this family and the community

Lutheran Church Charities welcomes a second LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry team to Bethany in Austin, Texas.  This wonderful team of strong believers in Jesus Christ attended training on April 5-7 and received their LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Martha. They heard and answered God’s call to share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need.

Martha’s Bible Verse is John 11:24, “Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’”

Not many people believed that Jesus was the Messiah while He was on earth. Martha was one of the few who believed in the resurrection. Martha’s faith was strong and she willingly proclaimed Christ to all those she encountered. We are followers of Christ, and our job is simple; devote our time and attention to Christ, and to go out and share that mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation so that others may know Christ too.

The following new handlers for LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Martha are:

Kimberly Angerman
Sally Barry
Steve Drake
Gene Grottke
Cindy Jones
Erik Jones
Jill Moyer
Laurie Nowlin
Terri Rivera
Patrisha Rolan
Paul Rolan
Tom Barry  

LCC is honored to include Tom Barry, Air Force 1982 – 1986, as a new LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry veteran handler.

This is the second LCC K-9 Comfort Dog for Bethany Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas. They will be working alongside of LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Abner and his handlers to expand their outreach ministry.