 Kincade Fire, Sonoma County, California The Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, which began October 23, has already consumed over 77,000 acres. The Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) K-9 Comfort Dogs responded to invitations by the Sonoma County dispatch in Santa Rosa, California and by the Peer Support Department from California Fire asking us to comfort the first responders risking their lives to serve and protect the many communities involved in yet another catastrophic disaster. Just days after the fire began, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Reuben (First Lutheran – Yuba City, California) was already giving support to the Sonoma County Fire and Dispatch and with officials at the fire briefings in Santa Rosa. Shortly after, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Aaron (St. John’s – Napa, California) joined in support of the California Fire teams at base camps and with the California Conservation Corps. Please join LCC in praying for the safety of all first responders and volunteers as they continue to respond to the current wildfires.
 Christ Lutheran Church and School, La Mesa, California From Wednesday, October 30 through Sunday, November 3, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Jessy (St. Paul’s – Concordia, Missouri) and Lois (First Good Shepherd – Las Vegas, Nevada) and their handlers deployed to California, responding to an invite by Rev. Travis Ferguson, Associate Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church and School, La Mesa, California to comfort families, students, and friends grieving the tragic loss of a parent of four children who attend their school. Many other students in the school have also suffered the loss of someone close to them making this a difficult time for everyone. On Wednesday, October 30, the K-9s visited six classrooms, and after school they spent some time with the father, four children, and the parents of the woman who passed away. On Thursday, October 31, the teams finished visiting the rest of the classrooms as well as preschool where the "little ones" had an opportunity to meet and pet the K-9s.
On Friday, November 1, the teams visited St. Paul's Lutheran School in San Diego, California. After everyone met the K-9s, the school had a "Jog-a-Thon" to raise funds for a project. During that time, the K-9s visited with many parents. After an afternoon off, the teams went to the first part of a "Junior High Lock-in" at Christ Lutheran. On Saturday, November 2, the teams were present at the church for the memorial service where the K-9s had an opportunity to greet people for one hour before the service. Jessy Comfort Dog got to be part of the Children's Message entitled "Hugs and Hallelujahs." The presenter talked about feeling better when you pet a dog, and that the comfort dogs were present to "lift the spirit" of the people at the service.
LCC never goes where we are not invited and the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry NEVER charges those we serve. We pick up all of our travel, hotel, and meals costs. We also always put boots and paws on the ground within 24 hours (often fewer) from the time we get the invite.
Please help LCC as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. Together, we can be the Hands, Feet and Presence of Jesus Christ to La Mesa, Northern California, and surrounding communities impacted by both of these tragic events. Please support us by prayer and if you are so moved, help us with travel expenses.  Whether comforting others daily within the communities they serve, or reaching out to individuals during times of disaster or crisis, Lutheran Church Charities brings the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Bethany (Trinity Lutheran – Danville, Illinois) has been bringing the same mercy and compassion to inmates at Danville Correctional Center. For a year, Bethany Comfort Dog has been bringing a calming presence to the inmates giving them hope and encouragement. After Bethany’s recent visit in October, Trinity Lutheran received a beautiful handmade and hand painted card made by one of the prisoners, and the following letter included with it: “I just want to say thank you so very, very much for bringing Bethany Comfort Dog to Danville Prison. It has been 34 long years since I’ve petted a dog. You can’t imagine the memories that flashed through my mind in the few seconds I petted Bethany. Little things like that, which we take for granted mean so much to me now. With the grace of God in 7 years my younger brother and I can put this all behind us, and as for myself, I will never take little things such as petting a dog, walking in the rain or hearing a baby cry, for granted again. With many, many thanks I close this letter.”  The Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) K-9 Comfort Dogs have been invited by Rev. Travis Ferguson, Associate Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church and School, La Mesa, California to comfort families, students, and friends grieving the tragic loss of a parent of four children who attend their school. Many other students in the school have also suffered the loss of someone close to them making this a difficult time for everyone. From Wednesday, October 30 through Saturday, November 2, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Jessy (St. Paul’s – Concordia, Missouri) and Lois (First Good Shepherd – Las Vegas, Nevada) and their handlers will comfort students during school chapel service as well as visit each classroom. They will also visit the family, a Junior High Lock-In, and attend the funeral on Saturday. In addition, more than 200,000 people have been evacuated and are displaced due to the Kincade wildfires in Northern California. LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Aaron (St. John’s – Napa, California) is the first to deploy to bring comfort to many of the displaced seeking safe shelter, as well as the first responders risking their life to serve and protect the many communities involved in yet another catastrophic disaster.
LCC never goes where we are not invited and the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry NEVER charges those we serve. We pick up all of our travel, hotel, and meals costs. We also always put boots and paws on the ground within 24 hours (often fewer) from the time we get the invite.
Please help LCC as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. Together, we can be the Hands, Feet and Presence of Jesus Christ to La Mesa, Northern California, and surrounding communities impacted by both of these tragic events. Please support us by prayer and if you are so moved, help us with travel expenses.
 On Saturday, October 19, Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) celebrated the national book launch for Extraordinary Dogs with author John Schlimm, photographer Liz Stavrinides, and many faithful followers who came to have their books autographed by the authors and “pawtographed’ by the Comfort Dogs. Extraordinary Dogs honors the work of more than fifty working dogs and canine ambassadors from across the United States: LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs, Search and Rescue dogs, and bomb-detecting TSA dogs. Twenty LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs are featured in the book and share many ministry moments from crisis and disaster deployments such as the Boston Marathon bombing, Superstom Sandy, and the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. They also share heart-warming stories of visits throughout the local communities in which they serve every day.
At the book launch event, attendees had an opportunity to meet the authors and receive love from some of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs featured in the book. One little girl especially pulled at our heartstrings as she took time to sit, talk with, and hug each K-9 present. On Sunday, October 20, the Extraordinary Dogs national launch celebration continued with a sidewalk Meet & Greet and book signing at Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville, Illinois.
Extraordinary Dogs is available on Amazon.
LCC is truly blessed to have 20 LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs featured in this beautiful photo book! Thank you to everyone who came to the national launch event to support the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry. LCC never charges those we serve. We are able to do that with the support of donors. If you would like to help us, please consider a donation to LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Fund.
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