TWENTY LCC VOLUNTEERS HELP REBUILD GRACE LUTHERAN IN ST. PETERSBURG, FL, AFTER HURRICANE DAMAGE

Grace Lutheran Church and School in St. Petersburg, FL, suffered significant damage from Hurricane Milton in September 2024. The storm caused severe flooding, which devastated several rooms within the church and school. Since then, they have been gradually rebuilding with the support of their congregation and Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) from across the country.
 
Last week, 20 LERT and Spiritual First Aid™ (SFA)-certified volunteers from Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle, IL, and Cross Lutheran Church in Yorkville, IL, teamed up to assist Grace Lutheran's Pastor Kevin Loughran with building projects at the church and school, all while serving and supporting the congregation and school families.

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The team members shared their experiences while working at Grace Lutheran:

"Our efforts at Grace Lutheran Church made a significant positive impact, bringing hope and joy to the teachers, students, and pastors of the community. Each day, the culinary class delighted us with delicious meals, fostering a spirit of collaboration and warmth."
 
"Amid the hustle and bustle of ongoing classes, we painted and engaged with the friendly students, creating a vibrant atmosphere of connection and support.

The resilience of the teachers, who maintained calmness despite the challenges, is inspiring, as they only missed eight days of school for the 310 students enrolled from pre-K to 8th grade. Some teachers lost their homes from Hurricane Milton.

Our conversations with them fostered a sense of belonging, as we felt like part of the community during this transformative experience."

"We poured our hearts into the work because we wanted to help in any way we could. We painted 40 or more outside classroom doors, 4 bathrooms, cafeteria walls, narthex, and walls between classrooms. We bought plants to put out in front of the church, hoping to make the congregation bring back smiles on their faces."
 
"Witnessing older students mentor younger ones and hearing the children's joyful songs during chapel was a beautiful experience. Each moment was infused with prayer, reminding everyone of God's guiding presence in our efforts. The experience left everyone with full hearts, a renewed sense of purpose, and a shared belief in the transformative impact of serving others through Christ's teachings."

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The team was grateful for the opportunity to serve both the church and the school. As they watched the team at work, the students frequently expressed their gratitude and grew increasingly optimistic, witnessing the transformation unfold right before their eyes each day.
 
Lutheran Church Charities extends sincere thanks to the following LERT and SFA volunteers and congregations from Illinois for their unwavering service, heartfelt prayers, and steadfast support. Your commitment makes a profound difference and brings hope to those suffering and in need.
 
Cross, Yorkville - Linda Arnold, Pastor Erik Gauss, Carrie Howard, Barb and Gary Lewison, Mike Moe, John Sleezer
 
Trinity, Lisle - Ed and Jan Boerman, Dale and Beth Durfey, Linda Fergusen, Jim and Veronica Reuter, Ed Schwartz, Skip and Karen Sorenson, Wayne and Sandy Witek, Kent Worrell

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DONATE - LCC HURRICANE SUPPORT FUND