Missions for God

Blessed to be a Blessing

“Blessed to be a blessing” is something I have always reminded myself during my lifetime. I have so many blessings from God, the best blessing being called to faith in Jesus Christ and living my life as a Christian woman. I am blessed that God led me to work in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.

This Tuesday, LWML—Lutheran Women in Mission across the United States have the opportunity to share their blessings during our participation in “Giving Tuesday”. www.lwml.org/givingtuesday I know you’ve been reading our posts about Giving Tuesday and how to participate. One thing that is very exciting and makes you feel so good about it is that two donors who wish to remain anonymous have provided matching funds of a total of $20,000. What that means is that anything you give up to $20,000 will be tripled. If I give $10 dollars, LWML mission grants will receive $30!

These donors trust the LWML to use their hard-earned dollars, their blessings from God, to bless the recipients of our mission grants. They are saying, “I want to support these grants and I want all the other LWML women to contribute what they can, as well.” We should jump on board with them. If two people can give $20,000 shouldn’t the rest of us be able to pull together and contribute that much?

If we raise $40,000 we can fully fund a grant like the Tanzanian Sewing Center for $25,000. Or, we could fund Nursing Students Serving with Mercy Medical Teams for $25,000. We could also fund Prison and Jail Ministry Synod-wide Conference in 2018 (August) for $36,500!

Giving Tuesday income can fund a complete mission grant!

Our delegates in Albuquerque said they wanted to fund all these grants by March of 2019. Let’s get out there and tell our friends and family about Giving Tuesday. If you can’t donate on Tuesday or don’t have computer access, you can mail a contribution and mark it for Giving Tuesday until November 30.

Let’s show our faithful matching fund donors and our mission grant recipients that we stand behind our vote and our promise and that we consider ourselves,

Blessed to be a blessing!

Excited to serve!

Patti

Our mailing address is:
LWML
3558 S Jefferson Ave
St. Louis, MO 63118

Lutheran Women in Mission

Interdepartmental Met in St. Louis Last Week – What exactly is that?

Interdepartmental is a meeting of all the LWML—Lutheran Women in Mission committees that were chosen in August to work on the programs and resources for LWML over the next 2 years. Committee members represented 30 of our 40 districts. Meeting with the entire group for Bible study, then as committees, and later committee with committee, they addressed the goals and objectives from our Strategic Planning meeting held last year.
The women attending this meeting opened their hearts and brought $524 cash and $623 gift cards for the Texas LCMS Disaster Relief efforts. Along with that was $389 for shipping of goods from the LWML store for use in ministry to the flood victims. They also brought mite offerings of $1,313.54 for our mission grants.

Thanks be to God for these women who dedicate their time, talents, and treasure to the mission of LWML and our work to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thanks, also, to all of you in your districts and congregations who are just as dedicated. May you be blessed as you serve the Lord with gladness!

Serving with Gladness,
Patti

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Chirst and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them … (Romans 12:4-6a).

Lutheran Women in Mission

Learning How to Let Go

Sometimes you have to let go! We’ve all faced time of letting go. Letting go of our children as they go to school, from grade school to college and beyond. We have to let go of our family traditions as our families move far away geographically—think of Thanksgiving and Christmas. We have to let go of the idea that our children will want our china and crystal someday! You can add your own.

What does this have to do with my thinking about LWML this week? I have to tell you, if a woman in my congregation came up to me and said she wanted to start an additional LWML group in my church, after I picked myself up off the floor, I would be so excited! If they wanted to meet once a quarter, or have Bible study and collect mites only, or do activities with their small children, I would be so excited! If they wanted to have an LWML as a service group alongside a women’s ministry group already in existence in their church, I would be so excited!

Yet I received two inquiries from women interested in starting LWML groups who met opposition because they are proposing an alternative look for an LWML group. Isn’t that sad. When we “mentor” women in LWML that doesn’t mean we make them do exactly what we have been doing in our LWML group over the years. If we are comfortable in our group and how it operates and when it meets, and don’t want to change, why not encourage formation of another LWML group? They, too, want a group that they are “comfortable” in. Why not try letting go?

I hope you will take it as a mentoring opportunity should some women in your church want something different in their LWML group and are proposing to start one with a different look. Teaching with love and encouragement can be a great example of “serving the Lord with gladness.”

Believing that God has molded each of us individually with love should help us let go. Individual molds means no two are exactly alike. Can’t we let go and let God guide the women to celebrate LWML as it meets their needs? Be a positive mentor. Just think how exciting it would be to have more than one LWML group in all our congregations!

I [Paul] therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift (Ephesians 4:1-7).

Love to you!
Patti

Me and the LWML office staff at a session on, “Effective Mentor-ship”.

Lutheran Reflection

Lutheran Mentors for the Next Generation

This week I want to continue on the topic of being a mentor to the next generation. I’ve invited Ashley Jenkins, Marketing and Communications Manager for the LWML to write an article about someone who inspired her:

It was 1993, a beautiful fall morning, and I was the young age of 5, dressed to impress for my first day of kindergarten. My mother always dressed me up. As we approached school, I remember being completely overwhelmed by the sight of Historic Trinity Lutheran Church. It was more than my 5 year old brain expected. I clutched my mom’s hand and refused to let go. She sat with me and didn’t leave. The other parents hugged their kids and said goodbye but mine didn’t. We sat in church and listened to Pastor Dave Marth greet us and pray for God’s blessings on our school year ahead. When the time came to enter the school hall I wasn’t ready. I burst into tears and grabbed my mom. She gave in and held onto me. We walked into the classroom together and my mom directed me to my desk. I was totally stoked because my name was on the desk “Ashley Elliott”. My mom stood back as the teacher introduced herself. Eventually she snuck out. From that day forward my mom was always there for me, and then she would silently sneak off when she knew I would be okay. The only reason I can call myself a Lutheran today is because of her. My mom was the best mentor I ever had. We regularly went to church and took Bible classes together. I’m so thankful to God for blessing me with Karen Elliott as my mother. I look forward to sharing God’s word with my own daughter. I will pass the torch to her as my mom did to me.

One week before my 29th birthday, my mom went to be with the Lord. She died from Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Association is a foundation I support in order to continue her fight. She held onto me for as long as she could but now she’s snuck away because she knows I’ve got this.

Let us all reflect on what Jesus has called us to do as mentors. Have you spoken to someone younger than you about Christ? Invited them to church? Even the simplest act of kindness can speak multitudes to those who need it.

Thank you President Patti for inviting me to share my story. I hope my story can inspire others and from one generation to the next we can continue to share God’s love to the ends of the earth.

Lutheran Women in Mission

School Day!

I play Mahjong with a group of women from Lutheran churches in Tulsa. One of our players is a young woman who teaches 8th grade in a public school. Kristin is amazing. She has a lot of patience, a great sense of humor and empathy for the situations her students are in at home and at school. She struggles with lack of materials and low pay as many of our public school teachers in Oklahoma do. But she is making such a difference in the kids’ lives!

So many of our LWML—Lutheran Women in Mission women are getting ready to begin a new school year this month. Many are blessed to teach at our Lutheran schools. Many are blessed to teach at public schools. All are blessed to be a blessing to the children they teach. I remember all of my teachers. Mrs. Hoover, my first grade teacher, eased my fears as a terribly shy girl starting school. Mrs. Gray, second grade, was a joy-filled teacher who also played piano and we sang a lot! Mrs. Grimsley taught us penmanship in 3rd grade. Mrs. Lemon in fourth grade was very strict. I thought I was going to have to confess to hiding Peggy Smith’s shoes in the ditch during recess until another child found them and returned them saving me the confession. And so it went through college—teachers making a difference and making a place in memories.

I’m sure a lot of you young moms will feel like I did. After seeing my oldest child on his first day of school waiting for the bus, seeing that huge bus pull up and the tiny child reach up the big steps, and see it drive off, I headed into the house and cried for half an hour. I know moms will be blessed if when their kids get off the bus there is an LWML woman waiting in their classroom!

I salute all of you LWML women who work or used to work in schools with children. As representatives of the love of Christ for children, who could be more important an influence on their lives outside of the home? I never had the patience to be a teacher. I’ve always admired those who could do that.

So, blessings to all of you who are getting ready to begin a year of school. You are important. You are appreciated. You are valued. You are a woman in mission!
I’m sending my youngest granddaughter to Kindergarten this year. You’re gonna need that patience!

Love, Patti

“Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them (Mark 10:14-16).

Lutheran Women in Mission

All for Jesus – Know him, Confess Him, Serve Him Philippians 3:7-11.

All for Jesus – Know him, Confess Him, Serve Him Philippians 3:7-11.
This was the theme and scripture for the 2017 Black Ministry Family Convocation held in Birmingham, Alabama, July 12-16. LCMS Black Ministry is celebrating their 140th Anniversary this year!

As LWML President I have the opportunity to go to many different events and bring greetings from all Lutheran Women in Mission across our 40 districts. I had the opportunity to give your anniversary congratulations and support to those attending the Friday morning session of the meeting.

LWML Vice President of Special Focus Ministries, Kaye Wolff, presented a breakout session about LWML on two different days. There were many LWML members in attendance, as well as several pastors who had been LWML Pastoral Counselors. LWML Public Relations Director, Michelle Zollinger, attended as did LWML Michigan District Past President and LWML board member, Willie Marie Henry. I also got to talk with several women I met at Louisiana-Mississippi district convention last year.

I was able to meet five pastors from the six New Orleans’ churches who received one of our grants for the coming biennium (Grant #8 NOLA 4H: Hearts for the Hungry, Homeless, and Hurting.) To say they were excited is to put it mildly. You have become part of their ministry to God’s people in New Orleans!

Another grant recipient at the convocation who expressed excitement and thanks to LWML was Rev. Matthew Heise of Lutheran Heritage Foundation (Grant #6 Lutheran Children’s Books for Families Worldwide.) Representatives from Bethesda Lutheran Communities (Grant #15 Sharing Jesus with People with Disabilities) were eager to tell us what they would be able to do now that LWML was supporting their ministry with a grant. And gratitude was expressed by the prison ministries included in the grant for the synod-wide conference in 2018 (Grant #20 Prison and Jail Ministry Synod-wide Conference in 2018.)

We got updates from former grant recipients Rebecca’s Garden of Hope, Rosa Young Academies and the Acts 2 Enterprise in Detroit. Inquiries about starting LWML organizations in Liberia and Kenya were very exciting as possibilities in the future!

Since I share your encouragement at these events, I wanted to share with you how thankful the recipients of our grants are. I am blessed to be in the position to hear their stories and their plans. You are answers to their prayers. God is enabling you to engage, encourage, and equip these dedicated fellow servants of God! Thank you for serving the Lord with Gladness by supporting these mission grants!

Serving with you,
Patti

LWML Convention

Young Woman Representatives

2017 Convention LogoWe were privileged to welcome 81 Young Woman Representatives to the Albuquerque Convention. I’d like to share a message written by one of those young women following her return from convention. Lisa Rhonemus attended her second LWML convention (her first was when she was 12 in Tampa, Florida). She cites the joy her grandmother had working in LWML and attending conventions as motivation for attending.
Enjoy!
Patti

My sisters in Christ, I was extremely blessed to be able to represent our district as one of the Young Woman Representatives (YWRs) at the National LWML Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was there that I got to serve the Lord with gladness alongside other young women from across the country as we collected and sorted the plethora of ingathering items. I got to hear the testimonies of former and current LWML grant recipients and hear how our “Mighty Mites” have helped build schools, provide tutoring to at-risk kids, provide for the physical and spiritual needs of refugees in Lebanon, train pastors, and oh so much more. More importantly, I got to watch as we voted to fund 22 national mission grants which will impact so many lives during the next biennium.

As I have returned to the real world and reflected on my experience; I was surprised by how long it took me to really adjust and grasp what we have done for 75 years and what we do as an organization. I think there are others who struggle with explaining who we are and what we have done as well. In the same way that the Church is made up of people who have been touched by the love of Jesus, the women of the LWML have been touched as well. As Lutheran Women in Mission we are active in the Mission of the Church in reaching the lost and the erring.

By ourselves we are women who deal with the ups and downs of our various situations and try to make a difference in the world. By ourselves we deal with grief and heartbreak while trying to pull up those who have woes much greater. By ourselves we donate a few dollars each month, maybe just two pennies. By ourselves we can cook a meal, give a hug, teach a child, and make a blanket. By ourselves we might be a hand, or a foot, or an eye, accomplishing one task alone. But together?

Together we are Lutheran Women in Mission. Together we can walk to the ends of the world, seeing the needs of God’s people, and reach out with a loving hand (or hug). Together we can raise $1,582,250 for mission grants and together we can change the world by spreading the love of Christ. Together, by the guiding of the Spirit and with God’s grace, we can serve Jesus Christ above all. Together we are the LWML.

Lisa Rhonemus

Pictured, Young Woman Representatives at the 37th Biennial LWML Convention in Albuquerque

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.

Missions for God

Diving into His Word

Imagine slightly claustrophobic me when my husband asked if I would consider taking scuba diving lessons along with our three children! Not a rousing “let’s go” from me, but sounded like an adventure. So began a family sport and 26 years later we are still diving! God has always used my husband, Bill, to push me, encourage me and love me.

So I find myself on a heaving dive boat, strapping on at least 25 pounds of gear, trying to balance on a slippery deck and making my way to the jump off area with fins on! Are we having fun yet? Jump in, try airing up the vest, adjusting mask, salt water in your mouth, fighting wind and sometimes rain, waiting to go down.

Going down takes some effort. Do I have enough weights on, are my ears equalizing, is my mask fogging up? Then at about 35 feet, all is adjusting and it’s clear descent from there on down. Now I am surrounded by the peace and beauty of God’s creation underwater. I focus on the tiny creatures with unique colors, shapes and hideouts. The beautiful shapes and colors of the corals serve as background for turtles and barracuda, while the sandy bottom hides rays and flounder and eels.

At times life feels like being on that rocking boat and being swamped by salty waves, doesn’t it! And working on LWML business can feel like that at times, too! But getting through those times is like being on the dive boat. If you keep going, heavy load and all, and get in, just 35 feet down things are going to be calm and peaceful. The only place you’ll find peace in the midst of life’s storms, is through the in-depth experience with God—a deeper relationship. Diving into His Word, going deeper into your prayer life, can bring peace that “passes understanding”.

Has someone urged you to take on something that puts you in a rocking boat? Feeling unsteady? Keep going and dive deeper into God’s peace that He wants you to enjoy! Experience it and then share it!

Calling on all LWML scuba divers! Let me hear from you!