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For the Mite Box

My husband, a cardiologist, will tell you never to eat anything that can be served to you through a window. That being said, I do give in time to time on McDonald’s French fries. When I do, I look down and see the dropped change on the concrete beneath the window. If my car wasn’t so close to the window, I would reach down and pick it up!

When we were on vacation last week I was looking for sea shells on the beach and found a quarter! Bill knows when I see a coin I will pick it up and say, “for the Mite Box”. I also picked up a penny in the airport parking lot. 26 cents for the Mite Box! Wow, you say, not much of a haul. However …

Check out the first of our LWML grants and read the story of it. “Providing Food and the Gospel to Starving Children” a program administered by Mercy Meals of Siouxland, a ministry of Faith Lutheran Church, Sioux City Iowa. Their volunteers package fortified rice/soy meals that are shipped to many international and national destinations to feed hungry people—at a cost of 13 cents a meal!

So, my 26 cents will buy 2 meals for someone! Makes it worth the effort to pick up the coins, doesn’t it! Especially, when you think that not only does it deliver 2 meals, but it delivers the Bread of Life, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, feeding hungry souls as well as bodies.

If you can figure out how I can vacuum up that loose change under the McDonald’s window, let me know!

Enjoy reading John 6:22-59 and see what Jesus has to say.

Patti

Lutheran Reflection, Lutheran Women in Mission

Labor Day

“Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker” (from the U.S. Department of Labor website).

In 1894 the first Monday in September became a federal holiday.

One of my favorite books is “God at Work” by Gene Edward Veith Jr. It deals with your Christian vocation in all of your life. In one chapter he deals with your calling as a worker—your vocation. (I believe it is said that Martin Luther may have thought vocation to be the fourth pillar of the Reformation). For the upcoming Labor Day I’d like to quote from Veith’s book.

“As we have said, God calls people to different kinds of labor as part of His governance of the world. God Himself is operative in human labor, through His providential power. Though human beings tend to be oblivious to the spiritual significance of the ordinary things they do, and though their work is tainted by sin, the Christian, walking by faith and resting in Christ, can live and work as a channel for the gifts of God. God does not treat our works or our vocation as meriting His favor; rather, our relationship with Him is solely based on His free grace and forgiveness through the work of Christ. Good works, which are primarily done within vocation, are the fruits of faith. Good works are done not for God but for the neighbor. The whole purpose of every vocation is to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ (Matthew 22:39).

While looking at your work this coming Labor Day, think of how it is your vocation and how you serve your neighbor through what you do. Pick up a copy of Veith’s book or read Martin Luther’s on the vocations of the Christian. It will encourage you!

Patti

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“Captive Souls … Mercy for All”

Strategic Plan Facilitator Carol , President Patti, & Jr Pastoral Counselor Mitch

Traveling again for LWML found me in St. Louis this past weekend for the LCMS 2018 Prison Ministry Conference. If you look at the list of 2017-2019 Mission Grants you will see that Mite Box offerings financed this conference. Thanks to our faithful family of Lutheran Women in Mission these pastors and lay people involved in prison and jail ministry came together to share experiences, hear numerous speakers, and share resources.

To tell you that this was a worthwhile grant says way too little. These servants of the Lord actually risk their lives, face lawsuits, long hours, and long drives as they deliver the Word of Jesus that He forgives and loves. To listen to their experiences you realize these people are special, called to an incredibly tough ministry and deserve our daily prayer support to protect them from earthly and spiritual attacks. I was incredibly humbled to meet many of them and see their dedication to the marginalized and despised children of God who are in our penal system. They depend on the strength and action of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit.

If you have a local or district prison ministry I urge you have them come and share about how they do their ministry and then find out what you can do to help them.

We all read Matthew 25 and think, yes, Lord, I can feed people, I can give water to people, I can clothe people but whoa, I can’t go visit prisoners. However, through your Mite Box offerings, service projects, and prayer, you can hold up those wonderful men and women who do! As the hymn says, “We can be like faithful Aaron, holding up the prophet’s hands.”

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did is to me.” (Matthew 25:37-40)

Patti

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August travels

Oh boy, did this summer go fast! Our Oklahoma schools open again in a week! It’s been a summer of traveling!  

Traveling last weekend took us to the Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) SENT event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Members of the Lutheran Layman’s League, LHM staff, donors, and guests kicked off a five year special program to spread the Gospel. They have taken the scripture from John 20:21 to heart and made it their theme verse, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you”, spoken by Jesus to His disciples.

President and CEO of Lutheran Hour Ministries, Kurt Buchholz, led a gathering that interacted with LHM Ministry leaders who traveled from Liberia, Jamaica, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, and Paraguay. LHM staff presented information about media offerings that sound really exciting. For instance, go to www.lhm.org and check out THRED, LHM Learn, Sentido Latino, Digging Deeper, Action in Ministry, and of course, The Lutheran Hour. And before you ask, no, they did not announce the new Lutheran Hour Speaker yet.

LWML Presidents

Ran into fellow LWML travelers there. LWML Presidents #14, 15, 16, and 18 were there. Also Karen Soeken, past LWML Planner, Past Convention Manager and Chesapeake DP, Jan Reuter, Past LWML Texas President, Dorothy Hunger and current LWML Oregon DP, Carmen Nagel were enjoying the event. If you have worked on the LHM Rose Parade float, you will recognize the names Dick and Lynn Gast and Lou Marting who were there. Rev. Ingo Dutzmann and Rev. John Nunes led us in devotions and worship. It was an inspiring, uplifting and educational event.

The two mission grants that you have funded from the last two conventions for LHM are pretty amazing outreach efforts in the Middle East. Reporting on the outreach to Syrian refugees in Lebanon –four women shared what it meant to them to now be Christians. Common denominator? A God who loves and forgives them. Really, really beautiful! They and many others will be reached by the broadcasts from the Christian TV station in Cairo that our second grant supports! You are helping make the Word of God travel through the Middle East!

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” Mark 16:15.

Our travels are not over!

Patti

Dick Gast, Bill, Patti
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LWML Office is Moving Part 2

Concordia Seminary St. Louis chapel

The LWML office is moving to the Concordia Seminary St. Louis campus (CSL) this fall! This is the second part of a two-week blog. Please start by reading last week’s blog if you haven’t yet done so.

At our Board of Directors Strategic Planning meeting in October 2016 (elected officers and LWML district presidents), one of the major goals we adopted was to “Communicate a fresh image to LCMS pastors and church workers.” That was to be done by completing these objectives:

  1. Connect and engage with pastors and church workers in a strategic manner
  2. Intentionally invite and involve pastors and church workers in LWML events
  3. Connect and engage pastors and church workers to LWML’s mission focus, and
  4. Increase LWML visibility at LCMS meetings and events.

When the offer to move our offices to the CSL campus came up we found it fit well with this goal and its objectives. It will put us in a great setting for the students and staff on campus to get to know LWML and our mission a little better.

Being a presence on campus will put us visibly in their environment. It will allow our office staff to attend chapel, eat at the cafeteria, and visit with students and their families that come to visit them on campus. When new LWML resources become available they can be readily accessed. Although our staff is small—currently three full-time and one part-time, they represent the best of LWML. They are friendly, open, knowledgeable, hard-working, and love their Lord. They will be an asset to those on campus.

We praise and thank God for a faithful steward who years ago, left in their estate, two U.S. Savings Bonds for LWML. This year after reaching maturity they were cashed in on the advice and approval of the LWML Finance and Operations Committee and the LWML  Executive Committee. The amount of the savings bonds will cover expenses involved in the move. The rest of the cost will be paid monthly with our rent over five years with no interest charged.

We have been blessed! Little did this donor know years ago that they would be helping their LWML make this move and enable us to move forward on one of our goals! We thank and praise God for that donor and for the generosity and support given by CSL.

Be sure to come by and visit when you are in St. Louis!

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23-24).

 

Patti

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LWML Office is Moving

The LWML office is moving to the Concordia Seminary St. Louis campus (CSL) this fall! After years of renting at Concordia Publishing House (CPH) 3558 S. Jefferson we are moving to CSL campus. CPH has been a super landlord for us and we thank them for that business relationship, friendship, and Gospel partnership. They will continue to warehouse our resources and products for us and take care of our order fulfillment.

This first came about as a result of the Rose Parade in Pasadena, 2017. I had the honor of representing LWML riding on the Lutheran Hour Ministries Rose Parade float. I got to ride next to Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer, President of CSL. It was very much on my heart as to how we can make our pastors coming out of seminary more knowledgeable about and supportive of the mission of LWML. I asked him how we could have a bigger presence on campus and he responded, “Why don’t you move your offices to the seminary campus?” Well, I thought, why not?

I don’t know if you know the campus at all. There is a building directly across to the south from the Chapel called Loeber Hall. We are building out half of the lower level for our new office space. We estimate to move sometime late September, early October. Even as we have gone through the process of negotiations and building planning we have already been in contact with seminary students working in various roles on campus. They will get to know LWML as an integral part of our LCMS church with more contact. We are hoping to have some functions with the seminary wives, as well. Hopefully, when your new vicar, deaconess intern, or new pastor or deaconess from CSL arrives at your church next year or after, he or she will be better-acquainted with LWML!

More on this story next week!

Love, Patti

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17).

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Summer Night Sky

Summer in my family means a lot of time spent at Lake Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma, about 50 minutes from our house. My husband, Bill, is an astronomy buff and one of our favorite things to do is to go out in the boat after dark, park it in the middle of the lake and look at the sky. This weekend was really fantastic.

The ecliptic is an imaginary line on the sky that marks the annual path of the sun. It is the projection of
Earth’s orbit onto the celestial sphere. It defines the plane along which the moon, planets and asteroids wander. In other words, all eight planets essentially lie in the same flat plane and follow the same familiar ecliptic path.

This weekend along this imaginary line in the sky from the east horizon to the west you were able to see Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus all at the same time along with the moon. What am amazing sight to see! Mars actually does look red! In the book of Job, God questions Job, “can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children? Can you establish their rule on earth?” (Job 38:31-33)

Scientists say there are thought to be 50 billion galaxies! How tiny does that make you feel? Yet, looking at those stars in our galaxy we know and rejoice in a God who knows us down to the number of hairs on our head! One who loves us enough to die on the cross so that we can spend eternity with Him! It’s almost unimaginable, isn’t it!

Check out the footnotes to the Job passage about the constellations mentioned. Also, read Genesis 1:16-17. Spend some time gazing at the night sky and contemplate the greatness of God and His love for you.

Love, Patti

If you want to, download the App called “Sky Guide” to your phone to enhance your viewing!

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Where Love Abides!

“Where Love Abides” is now available for purchase and use to study God’s Word!

One of the emphases in LWML— is being in God’s Word. LWML provides many avenues to enable you to be in God’s Word. On our website there is a tab labeled “Word” and under that tab you can find different subject studies, different lengths, different formats, and see descriptions of what we have available.

This week is a big week as we debut the new DVD Bible study by Donna Pyle titled, “Where Love Abides”, based on the vineyard passages in John 15. This is an 8 part study with a lovely workbook that can actually be used for the study without the DVD. However, you are going to want to have the DVD.

Filming took place in Silver Creek, New York, in the vineyards at Gage Farms, just east of Lake Erie. The video work is beautiful as it shows the vineyard during different seasons of the year. Linda Gage is our LWML Gift Planner for our Gifts of Love Ministry that LWML provides for you. She and her husband, Don, grow concord grapes for the Welch company. They also have apples, peaches, gourds, pumpkins, and other seasonal crops. They most generously hosted the film crew and members of the Gifts of Love associates and Legacy Circle members who attended as the audience. I was also privileged to attend and although we shivered through a couple of days of filming, when the sun broke through and shown on the ripe grapes, the smell was heavenly! You will, like I did, learn thing about viticulture, as well as, taking a fresh look at a familiar part of Scripture.

 

Donna Pyle has been writing for LWML many years now. She is a member of LWML at her church, Salem Lutheran, Tomball, Texas. We thank her for her generous and enthusiastic support of LWML in all that she does. She is a beautiful singer, vivacious personality, and totally devoted to God’s Word and making it available in many formats so everyone can enjoy and learn from it.

Order your copy now and enjoy studying God’s Word as you appreciate the beautiful provisions He has given us for our nourishment and enjoyment and the gift of eternal life.

[Jesus said], “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1).

Love, Patti

 

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God Bless America!

When I’m behind a car with a bumper sticker on it that says, “God Bless America” I always say, God HAS blessed America so what are we doing about it? Are we praising Him and thanking Him for those blessings? Are we acknowledging that it is only through His blessing that we are living in the United States?

My thoughts go towards, yes, God has blessed America and we want Him to continue to bless us but what are we doing with those blessings? Are we squandering them? Are we using them to help other people in other countries not so “blessed”? Are we helping those in our own towns?

Frequent LWML speaker, Jan Struck, gave the keynote address at LWML North Wisconsin District convention last week. She compared LWML to the early Christian church as described in the book of Acts, chapter 2. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers (v. 42). And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people (45-47).

Perhaps when we say, “God Bless America”, we should acknowledge those blessings as the early church did with Bible study, prayers of thanksgiving and praise, partaking of the sacraments, attending church in fellowship with our congregation members, providing for those in need, being hospitable to all, and saying loudly, “God has blessed America! Thanks be to God!”

Let’s pass the blessings along! LWML has a long history of doing just that. As you attend your district conventions, fall fests, retreats, and Christian Life Retreats your Gifts From the Heart will help pass along blessings and your participation in Word and Sacrament with your LWML family will see that the blessings are shared!

Happy Birthday, USA!

Patti