The church has a community garden that has been operating since 2011. It began with a social justice advocate who learned how many people in their community face food insecurity. She partnered with another church member who had a passion for gardening. Together, they grew a team of volunteers who had the desire to help people in need. Over the years, they have developed local partnerships and share their food with several food pantries. The leadership team recognized more people want to be involved but are limited by their work schedules. They increased involvement by starting the adopt-a-plant program, passing out seeds to church members to grown in their own backyards, and bring the fruits and vegetables back to the church, to contribute to the food that gets shared with the food pantries. The 1,400 pounds of food they've provided this year is a testament to the impact of their efforts. Their commitment to addressing food insecurity through their garden and adopt-a-plant program is truly inspiring.
Their Breakfast with Babies program is equally impressive. Once a month, they serve over hundred families by providing a welcoming space for parents and young children to build community by sharing a meal and offering essential items, such as clothes, shoes and baby items. People who participate often bring the items back when they are done with them so they can share them with other families. As a way of thanking the church, many parents decide to become volunteers to pass the blessing to others. This cycle of giving, allows them to contribute back to the program, creates a strong sense of community and mutual support. These initiatives show how churches can leverage their resources and community connections to make a significant difference in people’s lives. It’s a great example of faith in action, meeting tangible needs while fostering a sense of belonging and support.  These initiatives show how churches can leverage their resources and community connections to make a significant difference in people’s lives. It’s a great example of faith in action, meeting tangible needs while fostering a sense of belonging and support.
 Breakfast with Baby Ministry (BwB) at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carol Stream, Illinois, just celebrated its 4th anniversary of the program in October of 2023. Over these few years, BwB has served over 752 families by providing diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, clothing, equipment, and toys. Over 233,000 diapers have been distributed to families in the community!
CLICK HERE to watch BwB "Happy 4th Anniversary" Video Breakfast with Baby has seen a 20% increase in families they serve this year. To serve the increasing number of families coming for assistance, BwB has expanded the ministry to include a featured Resource of the Month from the community, allowing guests to meet face-to-face with these resources. The organization is well known in the community as social workers, health agencies, friends, and relatives often refer guests to the program. Also, guests donate back items that their children have outgrown, and guests volunteer at the event to help serve their community. CLICK HERE to watch interviews with participants Families that come into the building to shop are also welcome to the buffet breakfast as a family. With the increase of families and the costs of food, diapers, and wipes, BwB continues to provide up to $1,500 per month in financial resources for these supplies. The organization's most significant needs are diapers, baby wipes, baby food, and formula, provided to families in need during their monthly event. Please prayerfully consider donating to help Breakfast with Baby meet this need to serve families in their community.
 LCC invites you to join us as we assist First Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois, and two other ministry partners, in ministering to new refugees.
The three inner-city ministries are working together to create a store where the new refugees in Chicago can shop for items they need at no cost, such as gently used clothing, shoes, backpacks, toys, small household items, and luggage. This would be an excellent opportunity for an individual, a church, or any church group to hold a drive to collect the items. We ask that you fill out a Non-Monetary Donation Available form once you have the items ready for donation. CLICK HERE to fill out a Non-Monetary Donation Available form. Please call John at 224-373-0083 or Dianna at 847-287-6624 so we can assist you with delivering the items to the store.
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:
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 [email protected]  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.
$6,000 Needed to Replace Broken Computers  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:  The Gryphons of Lutheran High School are moving forward! Classes and school activities are following a regular routine – finally! Our Chapel services are now enhanced by our school choir that used the first month back to practice, practice, practice! Our choir will be featured in our new video, singing for a parish-wide event, and performing for local Lutheran elementary schools. Our seniors and juniors are meeting college representatives during lunch periods and visiting local college campuses for tours. The boys’ basketball team will play a limited schedule this year because of our late start, but their enthusiasm for returning to the court is high! The last of the hurricane debris was removed from campus yesterday. An engineering firm is currently working to check the foundation on building number one – the building that received the most extensive damage and the first to be renovated. An architectural rendering of the new look for the outside of the building is in front of the school. Hopefully, in early spring, we will be packing up the last of the items in building one and welcoming a construction crew!
A funny “rebuilding” story! We were contacted by Disney to use the outside of our building in a movie shoot. (I asked if they were filming a horror movie!) The movie was set in the 1940s, so they told us our look was perfect! It was a one-day shoot during the Thanksgiving break. They changed the school signs to read Coventry High School. Of course, all the changes looked very real and authentic. A neighbor came over and said, “I know you all had much damage, but do you have to change the name of the school also?” Through the donation of an alum family, we have filmed a short video of the school to use for the continued support of our school and recruitment of new students. When the video is complete, we will post it on our website: www.lutheranhighschool.net. Thanks again for your generosity; it is greatly appreciated. We have a long road ahead, but with the prayers and support we have received from so many Lutheran Churches, schools, and other ministries, we will begin to take the first steps to our new beginning! In His Service, Nancy Hernandez Principal, The Students and Staff of Lutheran High School
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