Eight Wheaton and Warrenville area churches and 20 public schools in District 200 invited 729 families to participate in the annual Christmas Sharing program this year. St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton was one of three host sites that partnered with Gary Methodist and Trinity Episcopal of Wheaton. Together, these three churches served 233 families. St. John received donations of money, linens, non-food items, boxes, cleaning products, diapers, and gift cards from local businesses and organizations in the community, along with donations from church members. Families received fresh food and produce, gift cards, a box of non-food items, diapers, and more at the festive event. It is joyous and organized chaos with many L.E.R.T. and congregation volunteers’ hands and hearts caring for our neighbors. All volunteers are humbled to serve. One participant LCC Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) chainsaw team volunteers helped St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chicago Heights, Illinois, remove two damaged trees on their property. One tree was leaning towards the church, and another large pine tree on the property was dead and at risk of falling. They carved a cross in the stump of the pine tree so that members and visitors see that God is always present in their lives.
We thank the following L.E.R.T. team members for their faithful service: Good Shepherd, Frankfort: Joe Powless and Curt Murff St. Paul, Matteson: Dennis Pieper On Wednesday, September 28, thirty LCC L.E.R.T. chainsaw team members participated in the 8th Annual Saluting Branches Day of Service at three different National Cemeteries. Saluting Branches is a national event for arborists and other tree care professionals throughout the country to unite and provide exceptional tree care to keep our veterans cemeteries safe and beautiful places for all those who visit. LCC L.E.R.T. volunteers served at the following cemeteries: Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery - Elwood, Illinois Dayton National Cemetery - Dayton, Ohio Southern Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery - Union Grove, Wisconsin Many of our L.E.R.T. team members are veterans themselves, but all who serve at this event feel it is an honor and privilege to give back to those who served our country. We thank the following L.E.R.T. team members for their willingness to serve:
Illinois Cross, Yorkville – Derek and Amy Kowalczyk Good Shepherd, Elgin – David Vollrath Good Shepherd, Frankfort – Joel Powless Heartland, Normal – Tony Buchberger Immanuel, Palatine – Steve MacKay Lord of Life, Elburn – John Griffin, Kevin Krage, Max Metz, Bill Pietsch, Larry Zagorski Shepherd of the Hills, McHenry – Alan Holm, Ron Jones, Gary Rucker St. John, Wheaton – Dave Mummah St. John, Wilmette – Tom Morrison St. Paul, Rockford – Dean and Carol Ulrich St. Peter, Schaumburg – Missy Dieckman, Bob and Barbara Royce, Laurie Trudell, Ken and Vicki Kiviranta Trinity, Villa Park – Jim and Debbie Long Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin Trinity, Davenport, Iowa – Ken Stotmeister St. John, Dillsboro, Indiana – Steve Black Brookfield, Brookfield, Wisconsin – Laura Ciletti, CJ Kraft, Curt and Kristen Kolell, Cheryl Delair Pastor Warren Schilf of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Palatine, Illinois, referred an elderly congregation member to the Palatine L.E.R.T. team for assistance with trimming overgrown shrubs, cutting hanging and dead tree limbs and weeding flower beds. The following Palatine L.E.R.T. team members willingly served this past week: Immanuel, Palatine - Steve and Marilyn Kosmella, Steve MacKay Prince of Peace, Palatine - Jim and Karen Beckley, Richard and Bonnie Habegger, Tod and Kay Kruse St. Peter, Arlington Heights - Lois Lehman She was very grateful for their Christian care and help, as it is something she can no longer do for herself. It truly was a blessing and privilege to serve!
On Saturday, September 10, LCC held a Basic LCMS L.E.R.T. training for new and recertifying team members at Concordia University Chicago in River Forest, Illinois. The training was led by Deaconess Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response. There were a total of 14 in attendance from the following teams or churches in Illinois: Concordia University Chicago - Church Worker Students St. John, Wheaton It is good to see how the disaster response ministry is continuing to grow with volunteers willing to share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ in service to those suffering and in need.
This past week, Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) chainsaw volunteers Alan Holm and Ron Jones felled a split tree and trimmed dangerous hanging limbs on the grounds of their church, Shepherd of the Hills in McHenry, Illinois. Pastor Tom Rogers was very appreciative of their willing service to make the grounds safe for all.
The St. Peter Lutheran Church, Schaumburg, Illinois Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) again was busy this weekend helping the property manager at St. Peter’s spruce up the church grounds in preparation for their upcoming 175th anniversary, scheduled for October 1. This workday provided a training opportunity for new team members. The following L.E.R.T. team members felled and cut two dead trees, trimmed low-hanging limbs in the cemetery, and disposed of all brush and limb cuttings: Marge Behrens, Christine Carlson, Missy Dieckmann, Sean Freres, Nate Graf, Ken and Vicki Kiviranta, Bob and Barb Royce, and Laurie Truedell. Their hard work is greatly appreciated for making the cemetery safe for visitors and completing ground preparations for the upcoming church anniversary celebration.
Last week, Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, Anna Piro, St. John, Wheaton, Illinois, Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) leader, and Marty Johnson, LCC/LCMS L.E.R.T. Chainsaw Instructor, were invited to speak to graduate students of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute of Wheaton College. They presented information on LCMS disaster response, L.E.R.T. team structure and deployment, and what our faith-based response looks like as we serve those in need. The students were also able to tour St. John Wheaton’s L.E.R.T. equipment trailer. Jamie Aten, HDI Executive Director, and Joy Lee, HDI Program Administrator expressed their appreciation to all for the information, willingness to share experiences, and knowledge, and for answering many questions. It was good to hear the students' interest and ideas as they learn how to serve those in need in a variety of ways.
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