Lutheran Women in Mission

A Convention Invitation Changed A Woman’s World

This week I wanted to share with you a story that touched my heart and adds reason to why I love LWML so much. Here’s Deborah’s story:

Between the doors of the sanctuary and the welcome center, she stopped me. “Would you want to go to the LWML convention in Des Moines with me?” “Sure,” I responded. Once a month, outside the sanctuary doors , a rectangular table covered with a purple cloth held a large container half filled with change and small purple and white boxes labeled “Mites” and “LWML”. That had been the extent of my LWML knowledge.

Sandy and I took the bus from Green Bay, WI to the convention center in Iowa. I experienced fellowship with other Christian women, sang praises to our Lord, and listened to devotionals—and that was only the bus ride! At the convention center, I observed in awe all the women gathered to celebrate God’s work in numerous mission fields, both in the United States and across the seas. I received communion at the opening service with thousands of others, participated in Bible Studies, Special Interest Luncheons, and Exhibit Hall events, and listened to Mites in Action speakers. I learned the far-reaching impact that small purple and white box had.

Outside the sanctuary doors of Our Savior Lutheran Church, the rectangular table with the purple cloth still greets people the second Sunday of each month. The change container awaits the emptying of Mite Boxes and new boxes are there for the taking. Now, I am there, too, telling people about the missions we are supporting and arranging speakers to give people an inside look at what their mites can do. Sandy’s invitation changed my world.

Deborah Young
Green Bay
Deborah Young

Like Deborah, I hope you all have been impacted positively by LWML. Registration for the LWML Convention is still open www.lwml.org/2017-convention. I hope you can join us!

Lutheran Women in Mission

Diving into His Word Part II

Karen Kolke is a member of Christ Lutheran, Albuquerque, NM. She will be an airport greeter for those of you flying to our June 22–25, 2017 LWML 75th Anniversary Convention. She also enjoys working as an LHM Petal Pusher every December! I have invited her to share her Diving into His Word story here:

My husband Jerry and I were involved in a very serious car accident 25 years ago. There were many prayers said for us. Those prayers were answered according to God’s Will.

The accident left me in a wheelchair, but I don’t let that hold me back! After the accident, I did a lot of water therapy. This gave me strength in my quads to move and stand; however, I don’t have any balance to walk.  In the water you are buoyant and don’t need any balance — what a freedom!

My husband convinced me to learn to scuba dive. This really opened up my world to traveling with my dive buddies and seeing “God’s Amazing Underwater Aquarium!”

I love to scuba dive … it is always an adventure diving into God’s Underwater Aquarium! To drop into the water and be free … free from the world above with its noise and seemingly endless problems and distractions — to be free from anything touching me, namely my wheelchair. When I am underwater there is no difference between me and anyone else. I don’t use regular fins on my feet, but I have webbed gloves that I use for my propulsion. There is no noise, your thoughts go right to the wonder of God and His workmanship. You see the brightly colored fish, the imagination that God had for the shapes, sizes, and beauty of a world that many will never see.

In one coral cave there was a wooden cross placed on a shelf with memorabilia around it. The cross replaced a cross-shaped coral that was broken off during hurricane Wilma. I had seen this cross — it was beautiful! Life changes above the water and below. God is always there through the easy times and the hard times. Changes occur, but God’s love is constant. There is such a peace underwater, I feel closer to God when I am on a dive trip. That freedom and peace fills me up, I take that back with me to the world above. When your focus is on God and His workmanship, the world is an easier place to be.

Lutheran Women in Mission

A View from Behind the Scenes of the LHM Float – Part III

Yvette Seltz and I have given you our views from the float but I wanted to highlight what happens behind the scenes and all the preparation that goes into the Rose Parade. I invited Lynn Gast, LHM Float Committee Petal Pushers Chairman to share her story here:

Since the mid-80’s, Petal Pushers have come from all over the U.S. to decorate not only the Lutheran Hour Ministries float but other floats in the parade. For the 2017 Parade, over 4,500 Petal Pushers worked on seven floats. The value of this labor of love offsets a large portion of the cost of the Lutheran Hour Ministries float.

Petal Pushers work for a day, two days, or perhaps for the whole week leading up to the parade, which takes place on New Year’s Day (on January 2 if the first falls on a Sunday). Anyone 13 years or older can be a Petal Pusher. Some come as a group with their church, as a family unit, with their youth group or on their own. Once there, the Petal Pusher decorates the float in a variety of ways. Some do more detailed work with seeds, bark, or parts of flowers. Some actually push the tiny vials that hold a delicate flower into the polyvinyl material covering the float. Every inch of the float must be covered by natural materials. Sometimes there is a special call for volunteers who don’t mind being high up on the scaffolding. Sometimes there’s a call for people to prepare the flowers in the flower tent.

Often the Petal Pushers work alongside other volunteers on other floats providing many Christian witnessing opportunities. On Sundays, a church service is held next to the LHM float, and all who work in the building are welcome to join. AWs Petal Pushers check in for their shift we often remind them of the song, “They Will Know we are Christians by our Love.” That’s why these Petal Pushers come: to be a witness not just by preparing the float that will broadcast a message of God’s love to the world, but to be loving witnesses to those they work with in the Rose Palaces.

The Lutheran Hour Ministries Float Committee received an invitation to be in the 2018 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade, for the 68th time.  The Theme of the 2018 Parade is “Making a Difference.”

On Saturday, January 21st, while The LHM Float Committee was celebrating their past year’s efforts, they voted to accept the Tournament’s invitation and are beginning the process all over again to have a strong Christian Message to the World on New Year’s Day 2018.

Thank you to Yvette Seltz and Lynn Gast for sharing their stories about the Rose Parade. Join me next week as I discuss Valentines Day.

Pictured below Lynn and Dick Gast

Lutheran Women in Mission

A View from the Front of the LHM Float – Part II

One of my fellow riders on the Lutheran Hour Ministries Rose Parade float on January 2, 2017 was Yvette Seltz. It was interesting to hear her perspective of the crowd from her view from the LHM float so I have invited her to share her story with you. Here’s what Yvette had to share:

Parades are typically held for celebration or for military purposes which are quite declarative and ceremonial. I believe that our LHM float represented both — a celebration and a proclamation that Christ is with us. Indeed, my position next to my husband, Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, Speaker of the Lutheran Hour, had us seated at the right hand of Jesus, represented by Pastor Matthew Nolte, of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Agoura Hills, CA. Our unique position on the float allowed us to view people’s expressions as Jesus came into their sight. So many children shouted out “Jesus, I love you!” and “Happy Birthday Jesus!” Many posed for pictures with Jesus and people wanted Jesus to hand them a flower.

 

Riding in the front was exciting and a bit unnerving as one doesn’t know what to expect in terms of reactions. I was fully aware that I was being viewed and representing Lutheran Hour Ministries, our Church, and other Christian communities.  Being a pastor’s wife and being a Christian who chooses to share faith in Jesus is a lot like riding in my position on that float. We sit at His feet, we proclaim Him, and we open ourselves up for any reaction all for the sake of others.

 

I couldn’t help but notice the different expressions between socio-economic classes and our float. Those who were weary were not as joyfully expressive; rather, their expressions were more expressions of hope. You could almost see them breathe easier as our float paused before them. Christ’s message of peace, love, and hope brings real comfort. Dick Gast said, “The float is a billboard”, indeed it is. And it carries a priceless message.