Comfort received, comfort given

With the theme “Always Alongside,” Southeast K-9 Comfort Dog teams gather for training, service, and a few surprises.

Six LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams from three states in the southeast U.S., plus four in-process teams, gathered last weekend at CrossWaters Ministries/Island Lutheran Church in Hilton Head, SC, for a regional training and service gathering. 

Nearly 50 top dogs, ministry partners, and caregivers from Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina met to worship, fellowship, serve, and sharpen one another in sharing Christ’s love and compassion under the theme “Always Alongside,” based on 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. 

“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.”

The three-day training included a service event at Shelter Cove Towne Centre, where teams practiced their outreach skills with a community visit, plus surprise guests, an impromptu prayer ministry moment, and blessing some of Island Lutheran’s own church family members.

After a welcome, devotion, and prayer, Friday’s session kicked off with team-building exercises followed by sessions on ministry goals and LCC’s key characteristics, mission, and practice. 

Unexpectedly, Pastor Daniel Prugh of Holy Trinity in Tampa, FL, and his wife and children joined the evening session as surprise guests. Pastor Prugh and his congregation had welcomed LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams to Holy Trinity as they responded to the community in the days after Hurricane Milton in September 2024. 

Hoping to meet Comfort Dog Zoara (CrossWater Ministries/Island Lutheran – Hilton Head, SC), the family also got to connect with Always (St. Paul – Boca Raton, FL), Faith (St. Stephens – Hickory, NC), Moriah (St. Luke’s – Oviedo, FL), Peace (Trinity – Orlando, FL), and Seth (Eternal Shepherd – Seneca, SC).

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On Saturday, the group took a break from training sessions to watch host church CrossWater Ministries/Island Lutheran honor and encourage their own. Team Zoara ministry partner Debbie Groteluschen, who had recently completed chemotherapy treatment. Then on Sunday, Regional Gathering attendees applauded the presentation of a signed frame to the family of CrossWater Pastor Kevin Duff, a Team Zoara ministry partner, who is facing his own battle with cancer.      

Regional Gathering attendees also practiced care and comfort skills within the community with a site visit to a local shopping center, greeting patrons as they cuddled and pet the Goldens. The highlight of the evening came at dinner as one of Peace Comfort Dog’s handlers prayed over Nick and Sheka, the group’s amazing servers at Hilton Head Tavern restaurant. 

The weekend of equipping uplifted souls as much as hands and brains.   

As one handler expressed, “I loved Island Lutheran’s church members welcoming spirit and their full support of this ministry.  We felt so special that Pastor Jeff Dorth greeted each of us. I think I can speak for Seth’s team, we left feeling loved, encouraged and renewed.”