News You Can Use

For Your Church Newsletter

From Lutheran Community Services January 2007

Editors: Following is some information about LCS that you might want to include in your newsletter. This information is prepared for church newsletter editors, secretaries and pastors. Your help in getting the word out is appreciated and will help LCS achieve its mission of “Sharing God’s blessings by helping others in need.” Comments about format, timing or content are welcome. Contact Steve Tindall (stindall@lcsde.org). 302 654 8886.

Walk Run T-Shirts In Africa

For the last few years, LCS has tried to get T-shirts left over from the September Hunger Walk Run events into the hands of folks less fortunate than ourselves. American-style T-shirts are highly prized throughout the world, so two years ago the excess T-shirts went to an orphanage in Poland. This year, they went to Tanzania with Phyllis Franklin Bierstedt of Good Shepherd. Phyllis said the trip there was a truly an inspiring experience. She was touched at how much the Lutheran Church is helping people in Tanzania.

Phyllis took the Walk Run T-shirts (about 75) and other supplies donated by Sunday School children from the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd on her trip to the Uuwo community in the Northern part of Tanzania, which is on the side of Mount Kilimanjaro. The T-shirts were given to the pastor who plans to give them to the needy members of his congregation. Within this congregation there are 158 orphans due to AIDS.

According to Phyllis, the Lutheran Church in Tanzania is alive and growing. Church services are in Swahili. On Reformation Sunday in the Uuwo Lutheran Church her group joined the local congregation singing "A Mighty Fortress" in Swahili accompanied by a brass band. During the service the gifts from Delaware were mentioned and a round of applause was given in appreciation for them. Phyllis was deeply moved to be a part of this sharing of the bounty and expressions of love that God has provided.

2007 Volunteer Appreciation Tea Planned

The folks at LCS love their volunteers. To show their appreciation, the staff is planning their second annual Volunteer Appreciation Tea and scheduled it for 1:30 pm Sunday February 25, at Grace Lutheran Church in Hockessin. All volunteers, past and present, will be invited. So if you are a volunteer, put it on your calendar. If you’re not a volunteer, become one! Call 654 8886.

Support Comes From Many Quarters

Most of the 500,000 pounds of food that LCS distributes to low income people in our area is purchased from the Food Bank of Delaware. The prices are low but when you purchase that much food it adds up! So we are always excited to get gifts of food through food drives, especially during the holidays when the need is so great. First and foremost, we want to thank the Lutheran churches, many of which make regular, generous collections for the LIFE (Lutherans Involved in Food Emergencies) program. But we also get contributions from other non-Lutheran churches, too. This year, we have been blessed with gifts of food from Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox, United Methodist Ebenezer, and McCabe Peninsula United Methodist, to name a few. Tatnall School delivered two truck loads in the last few weeks. On the corporate side, Dupont (through Days of Caring) and Citibank made contributions. Other gifts this year have come from the United Auto Workers, 1401 Condo Association, the Association of Records Managers and Administrators, and the Employee Association of the Wilmington Veterans Hospital.

Laffey-McHugh Funds LCS Critical Needs Housing Program

You may have read the recent news articles about how the poor are having to pay larger and larger percentages of their meager incomes for rent. LCS is on the front lines of the battle to find a solution and is well aware of the problem. That’s why we asked the Laffey-McHugh Foundation, a local philanthropic organization, to help us fund our “2007 Critical Need Housing Program.” They obliged with a $10,000 grant. This program is specifically designed to help those who need help the most – people who are spending 50 or more percent of their incomes on their housing needs. Our help comes in the form of zero interest loans or grants to those who are behind in their rent or mortgage or who need money for a deposit to secure decent housing. In 2006, LCS helped more than 500 people with its housing programs.