Lutheran Church Charities extends sincere thanks to our generous donors, whose donations have allowed us to provide scholarships for 16 students at Christ the King Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, Illinois.
 
Thanks to your generosity, we were able to raise the $48,000 needed to sponsor 16 children for the entire year!
 
Your donations make it possible for the children to stay in the Christ-centered environment of Christ the King Lutheran Church and School.
 
Thank you for changing the lives of children who otherwise would have no hope for their future.

Over the past 49 years, Pastor John Brazeal, Principal Geri Brazeal, and the staff of Christ the King have touched the lives of hundreds of children and their parents with the gospel of Christ's love and forgiveness, giving them hope, a purpose, and a future.
 
Christ the King has a proven track record with students, who learned their worth in Jesus by keeping them on the straight path, focused on making a difference in the lives of others, and staying away from an inner-city life, which could be so very easy to fall into.
 
Currently, Christ the King has only one full-time paid teacher, and the rest are volunteers. Out of her love for the students and commitment to the community, TaAqua voluntarily cut her salary in half and stayed to make sure the school would remain open.
 
Principal Geri and the teachers at Christ the King pour themselves into each student. Often bringing students who were falling behind in public schools, back up to speed and on track with their peers.

Your continued support and generous donations will enable Christ the King to continue the ministry of Christ-changing lives through their dedicated staff and provide hope for the future of their students. Supporting Christ the King is an investment in an incredible ministry where life-changing relationships are established, and an incredible education is earned.

At Christ the King Lutheran School in Chicago, Illinois, the students are taught how to serve rather than be served, to love in both actions and words, and to care for people they don’t even know.
 
Last week, Christ the King's students Zayd and Morgan, with help from Morgan’s grandmother, and daughter Regina, prepared and delivered 102 Thanksgiving dinners for the homeless in their community.
 
Christ the King offers hot meals for the students three times a week. The meals are prepared by Morgan's grandmother in the school's kitchen.

My name is Jaylen-Thomas. I am 12 years old and in 8th grade. Some of my interests are entrepreneurship, real estate, the stock market, world traveling, robotics, architecture, engineering, and psychology.
 
What I want out of education is to study psychology, engineering, business, architecture, coding, French and Spanish, and economy. I plan to become an investor, landlord, and architect.
 
Some of the qualities I like about Christ the King are how helpful the teachers are. I also appreciate the great society that Christ the King creates.

My name is Zayd. I'm 13 years old, and I'm in 8th grade. My interests are baseball, coding, gaming, technology, and biking.
 
The things I would like to achieve in my education are geometry, robotics, coding, business school, and studying Spanish and Chinese.
 
When I grow up, I want to be a software developer because I can change the world by using cybersecurity to stop hackers from attacking the country. I can use web designing and coding to make robots and websites function correctly.
 
The goal I want to achieve is to have a Masters's degree, so I can have a good education to pursue my dreams. I would also like to achieve a major in technology. And the last thing I would like to achieve is making my family proud and supporting people who need it.

My name is Magic, and I'm in 8th grade. I like to play basketball, and my interests are gaming and drama. What I like about Christ the King is that they are helpful and care for their students.
 
What I want to achieve in my education is to be an architect-designer. I'm also considering web design and coding.
 
One of the other things I would like to become is a fashion designer for ages five and up. I would like to produce my own clothing to satisfy the people.

Dear Friends,
 
My name is Brionna. I am writing this letter with the hope of receiving the tuition scholarship so that I would be able to pay the required tuition for my daughter, Brooklyn, to attend Christ the King Lutheran School.
 
It has been my dream for my daughter to attend Christ the King, as I had the opportunity to gain a fantastic education from the school from Kindergarten to 7th grade. Not only is Christ the King a great educational institution, but it is also a place that has provided a solid foundation for the educational, mental, social, and spiritual development for many children throughout the city of Chicago, myself included.
 
Christ the King instilled morals and values that I often utilize as I continue to maneuver through life. I am thankful for the educators at Christ the King as they continue to provide quality education to many children. Being that I've had such a pleasant experience during my time there, it would mean so much to me for my daughter to have the opportunity to experience such a nurturing and productive educational environment just as I did.
 
To receive a tuition scholarship would be a huge blessing as it would allow my daughter to attend Christ the King and would be a great help to me financially.
 
Thank you for your consideration.
 
Respectfully,
 
Brionna

Hello, my name is Kayla. I am 4 years old and now in preschool at Christ the King. You might have heard of the oldest grandmother at Christ the King, Mrs. Fenner. She is 101, and my great-grandmother. My grandfather told my mom about this school.
 
I love my teachers, Mrs. Lennix and Mrs. B. I want to stay here and get smarter like my cousins. I wonder if you can help my mom with the tuition so she can keep me here at Christ the King. They not only teach me my letters, but I am learning about Jesus and also counting pennies.
 
I hope my mom can get some help. While I am here I will keep you up to date on my progress.
 
Thank you,
Kayla

My name is Lamar and my son's name is Avery. I am a single father, and I am in need of financial assistance to keep Avery at Christ the King.
 
I pick up little odd jobs from time to time, but it's not enough to keep Avery at Christ the King. Avery was enrolled in a public school but with the large classroom setting, it was hard for him to keep up and stay on task.
 
Avery also had a lot of health problems. Christ the King is across the street from us, so it is very convenient in case of an emergency. Avery enjoys his class and teachers, and I would love for him to stay there.
 
Thank you,
Lamar

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Shuntia Johnson, and my daughter, Haley, is in need of financial assistance. I currently don’t have a steady job and am unable to make the tuition payments.
 
My daughter loves going to Christ the King! She enjoys playing with her classmates and building relationships with her teachers. If Haley gets this scholarship, it will help both of us tremendously. She’ll be able to continue to go to the school she likes and build healthy relationships with her teachers and classmates.
 
She will continue to learn in an environment that she knows is safe and welcoming, and I won’t have to worry about her education. I know she will be in good hands learning from her teachers at Christ the King!

I am submitting this letter on behalf of my son Michael. He is a brilliant, intelligent, kind, trustworthy, dependable, loyal, considerate, respectful 9-year-old that has had his fair share of bad situations but continues to endure to be an excellent man of substance. His father walked out on us to be an absent parent to suffer and navigate the violent neighborhood in the back of the yards 5 years ago. It has been a very scary time for both of us due to crimes committed right by our home.
 
Even though I don't have the financial support to pay for a more rewarding educational program for Michael, I knew him going to the neighborhood school would not be a wise decision due to the safety concerns and the low scores that the school is known to have. I decided to send him to Christ the King, where safety and education are a staple of the school. My income from SSDI (health-related income, multiple sclerosis) hinders me from being able to pay tuition, and I'd be extremely disappointed if he is expelled because of my lack of income.
 
If possible, I would be grateful if Michael could be considered a scholarship recipient to remain at CTK because he is soaring into greatness. He doesn't deserve to be removed due to his mom's lack of financial support.
 
Thank you,
Nikia

Hello,
 
My name is Mark White Jr., and I am a new enrollee at Christ The King in 2nd grade. I came from a school with over 20 kids in a classroom to now a very small setting. Wow! This is going to be different but different in a good way because now my teacher knows me and what I may need to improve my errors. It also wouldn't be hard making friends, which I've already done. It looks like I'm over the butterflies I had before school started, and it didn't take long.
 
Mark White Jr.
 
Hi,
 
I'm Ebony White, Mark's mom. I was referred to Christ The King by a family who also attended there. It has only been a couple of weeks, and already, Mark has made improvements on things that I thought I only recognized. I can already see that I've made the right decision to enhance Mark's education. Thank you, Ms. Lloyd, for seeing what I may not see.
 
I'm looking forward to the upcoming years of more achievements and overcoming hurdles Mark may run into. Thank you, Christ The King, for being that new family we needed in education.
 
Thank you to all who are assisting with tuition relief for my son Mark.
 
Ebony White

Hello,
 
My name is Regina, and I graduated from Christ The King. I was a troubled kid, but Christ The King never gave up on me. They always pushed me to be my best and to do my best. And I'm so grateful for them and the guidance they have on me.
 
Now that I'm grown, I want the same for my two small children, but I can't afford to pay the tuition. Since COVID-19, it's been really hard to find a job. This had been challenging for me, and I'm also homeless and living with my grandmother. I'm thankful for all the things I have. And I just want my kids to go to school that will never give up on them, no matter what. Christ The King never gave up on me, and that's why I'm still here today.

Jaylen lives with his mom. They both have been working virtually from home for the past two years. Jaylen has been working very hard in his Zoom sessions with teachers at Christ the King. Since 2020 he has completed the curriculum for 5th, 6th and 7th grade. This year he began 8th grade in-person.
 
It will be a pleasure working with him again in person. Even though he reported weekly to have his assignments checked, he was missing the interaction with his classmates.
 
His mom is thankful that she still has employment, although her salary was cut. She is also looking forward to Jaylen graduating this year after skipping 7th grade; after great scores on his end-of-the-year exams. He looks forward to someday going into real estate investments.
 
We are proud of his success, he has been with us since Kindergarten, and he will always be a part of this family as he moves on in his educational pursuits. Pastor John and Principal Geri

Zion has been with Christ the King since second grade. He has seizures and suffers from severe asthma. He enjoys learning new things and likes his classmates. His favorite subject in school is science, and he likes "Generation Genius" because the experiments are great.
 
CTK has a special ed teacher who helps Zion once a week because they have problems getting him assistance from the Board of Education.
 
Zion likes working on IXL and helping his grandmother. His mom is a clerk at Home Depot who has been out of work a few times during the pandemic. He does not want to graduate this year because he wants to stay at Christ the King, where he feels "at home."

Donte is in 7th grade. He lives with his grandmother, who has been having problems this year because of an accident she had while cutting trees for the city last year. It set her back financially, and she is trying to catch up on her account.
 
She much appreciated the help she received last year from the friends of Lutheran Church Charities. She is paying what she can and has not asked for help, but her family is her main concern.
 
Donte loves to play the violin and does not want to leave Christ the King.

Below is a letter from Terina, Mirahri's mom, who speaks to the importance and quality of education her children received at Christ the King:
 
My name is Terina, and I'm a mom of five. Mirahri is our baby boy that's currently enrolled in Christ the King as a 6th grader, and we would love for him to continue the outstanding education that this school offers.
 
Our son, Marquan, who's 20, graduated from Christ the King and is now a college student studying cyber security. Milan, who's 16, also graduated from Christ the King and is currently a junior with honors at Kenwood Academy High School. Torri is four years old and will soon be enrolled in Christ the King preschool program.
 
We are greatly appreciative of your support in helping us provide a life-changing education for our children. Thank you all in advance.
 
Terina

Cayman has been with Christ the King since Kindergarten. He comes from a single-parent home and is being raised by his mom. He lives across the street in a small apartment. The landlord is very kind, and if his mom gets behind on the rent, he allows her some time to catch up.
 
Cayman's mom has had difficulty paying tuition since COVID-19 started. She is a secretary but has worked from home for the past two years because the office was closed. She had to take a reduction in salary. Christ the King helps her through the food pantry.
 
"If it were not for the donors of Lutheran Church Charities, she would have had no way to meet her tuition obligation. We would like to see Cayman graduate from Christ the King. He is now a sixth grader who tries very hard and loves science. He wants to have good grades and perfect attendance so that he can be accepted at a good high school. He wants to have a good job so that he can take care of his mom when he grows up and finishes college." Geri Brazeal, Principal, Christ the King Lutheran School
 
"I have to work hard in school so that I can get a college scholarship," says Cayman.

Your Donations Make a Difference in Zayd's Life, 8th Grader

Zayd is 12 years old and will be entering 8th grade at CTK, his last year. Six years ago, his mother abandoned him at the airport, and he was found wandering around looking for her. When asked where he lived, he didn't know, but he remembered that he went to school at CTK and remembered Pastor Brazeal.
 
Through help from LCC, Pastor Brazeal, working with DCFS, was able to have Zayd's grandmother (who was in her 80s) be given full custody of her grandson. Grandma Kenny, now in her 90s, with the help of the Church community of CTK, the Brazeals, teacher TaAqua, and grandma Kenny's daughter, Zayd, has thrived in so many ways.
 
Over the past years, he has jumped the 1.5-grade level. A child age 12 would typically function in the later part of 6th or 7th grade. Academically Zayd can do 8th-grade work.
 
Zayd plays the violin, acolytes for worship services, and excels in math. When he enters high school, he wants to play on the high school baseball team. He plans to become a doctor when he grows up. Zayd has a servant's heart and is always willing to help other students. He helps Pastor Brazeal with the cleaning of the school, and when Pastor Brazeal goes to the tent cities, Zayd always goes with him to help.

Your Donations Make a Difference in Morgan's Life, 1st Grader

This school season Morgan will move to first grade. While in Kindergarten, Morgan was already reading at a 1st-grade level.
 
She's a voracious reader! She's also very artistic and inquisitive and loves to take pictures, especially of nature.
 
Morgan enjoys going on field trips and exploring the world around her.
 
She loves to help out Pastor John, Principal Geri, and her mom, a CTK teacher, around the school.

Lutheran Church Charities is helping to support Our Savior Lutheran Church in Buffalo, New York as they seek to help bring stability and growth to children affected by the tragic Tops supermarket shooting on May 14th.
 
Click the video to watch Barbara Glover, Church President at Our Savior Lutheran Church share her moving testimony about Camp J.O.Y.

Our Savior is hosting Camp J.O.Y. (Jesus, Others, Yourself), a 6-week day camp focused on spiritual and developmental growth for area children. After any community tragedy, children are often scared, confused, and looking for stability and comfort. Camp J.O.Y. seeks to provide that stability and comfort through faith-focused personal development for children.

With massive changes in the economy, Camp J.O.Y. has had to hire four additional staff members and cover more expenses than usual in order to make sure that community children are supported. This additional cost has become a hardship for a ministry that has impacted the community of Buffalo for many years, bringing faith and personal development to a generation of children who need it most.

On Saturday, June 18, LCC Staff member John Pejchl visited with Karen Farruggia and Dawn Janke, founders of Breakfast with Baby at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carol Stream, Illinois. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for their services has grown.
 
Their most significant needs are diapers and baby wipes. They spend nearly $1,000 per month to purchase the items they provide to families in need during their monthly giveaway.
 
Please prayerfully consider donating to help Breakfast with Baby meet this need to serve families in their community.

LCC received the following request from Pastor Steve Kass, Family In Faith, Glendale Heights, Illinois:

Family In Faith is planning to put in a good-sized vegetable and herb garden on our property behind our food pantry building. The purpose is to grow vegetables that we can then harvest and give away at the food pantry. We have the strong support of our local community.
 
To make this garden a reality, we are in need of:
 

• Donations of the materials; CLICK HERE to see the list of materials needed
  
• Financial donations to purchase the materials as needed
• Volunteers to help install the garden. Our plan is to install the garden on Saturday, May 7 at 12:30 pm, with a rain date of May 14.

 
If you have materials that you can donate or if you are able to volunteer, please contact Dianna Bonfield or John Pejchl at 866-455-6466 or email LCC@LutheranChurchCharities.org

Thanks to your generous donations, Christ the King Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, Illinois, received new computers after multiple computers broke down that were essential to their ministry.
 
All computers were installed this week. Principal Geri Brazeal and Christ the King students are overjoyed and grateful for the new equipment!
 
Thank you for your support of Christ the King as Pastor John Brazeal and Principal Geri continue to touch the lives of countless families and individuals in the south side of Chicago.

For decades, Christ the King Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, Illinois, has been a staple of their community, serving children through their school, the elderly through their food deliveries, and their neighbors through Word and Sacrament ministry. When COVID struck, Rev. John Brazeal and his wife Geri had to adapt to continue making a difference in the lives of their community.
 
They were able to pivot to remote teaching for their students and online worship for their members, reaching far more people than they have before. This past week multiple computers broke down that were at the core of their ministry, including Geri’s computer, which holds all of the school and church records.
 
They are in great need of $6,000 for multiple computers to keep their ministry thriving as they touch the lives of countless individuals in the south side of Chicago. If you feel moved, please join in partnership with the life-changing ministry of Christ the King by donating to help fund these needed devices

Christ the King Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois, has an ongoing ministry with a homeless tent city in Chicago. This Thanksgiving, the tent city they have served with meals in the past was fed Thanksgiving dinner by another agency.

Pastor John Brazeal of Christ the King and some of the school students delivered the 120 meals they had prepared to five smaller homeless sites in the city. As they delivered the dinners, Pastor John talked and prayed with each of the people about their lives in the tent city and their challenges and needs. He learned that one of the shocking struggles for many people is the battle with the mice and rats for any food they bring home for the next meal.

These folks desperately need three items: totes with lids to store food, small propane tanks for cooking and warming themselves, and hand warmers.

Please help Christ The King serve these homeless communities by donating generously for the purchase of totes, propane tanks, and hand warmers.

LCC received the following update from Nancy Hernandez, Principal of Lutheran High School of Greater New Orleans in Metairie, Louisiana:

There are many people coming to the Put Your Hands Together (PYHT) Food Ministry in Hillside, Illinois, for food relief during the holiday season. Bringing the love of our Lord Jesus, his hope, and comfort during a stressful time for many struggling individuals and families has always been PYHT's mission.

On Saturday, November 13, Redeeming Life Outreach Ministries (RLOM) Illinois expansion committee was honored to host a booth in the 41st Annual Holiday Craft Show at Trinity Lutheran Church of Lombard, Illinois. The craft booth was our first-time craft show event to raise funds for the new maternity home in the Northern Illinois District. This first-time craft show helped raise over $5,000, and this amount is not exact because funds are still coming in. The RLOM Illinois expansion committee thanks all donors who donated baked goods, handmade craft items, knitted or crocheted items, and handmade quilts.
 
Redeeming Life is a Christ-centered maternity home that provides a stable environment for single women with unplanned pregnancies. Their structured program provides mentoring, counseling, and life skills education to help them become independent and provide for their children as single mothers.