Greetings in these last days of summer. Three special notes to share with you:
Needed: Flood Scrub Buckets
The season for weather events is certainly upon us. Positioning in the Atlantic are a number of tropical storms and several bear careful watch. Already, we have seen the devastation that flooding creates. Supplies for cleaning homes that have flooded are very much in need. A flood scrub bucket contains many of the supplies needed to help with cleaning.
Within the Southeastern District, we are blessed to have a locally-based Orphan Grain Train Collection Center. They are willing to provide warehouse space for collecting, collating, and sending scrub buckets to disaster areas throughout the District and the LCMS. You are encouraged to hold a special collection for supplies or receive a door offering to help fill buckets and send them.
Each scrub bucket includes:
Comet TM or other cleansing powder
Lysol TM or other liquid cleaner
Bleach (1-gal. size)
WindexTM or other glass cleaner
Scrub brush
Rubber gloves
Sponge(s)
Roll of paper towels
Broom and/or mop
Please contact Orphan Grain Train to help.
And while you are thinking of helping in times of disaster, check in with your senior members, those who are ill or recovering, or families where a parent has been deployed. They may weather the storm better with a little help with cleaning gutters, trimming trees, or putting on storm windows. And while you are at it…remember your neighbors too.
ESL: English As A Second Language
If your congregation has an English as a Second Language ministry, then please look closely at this announcement, it has a September 10 deadline.
The LCMS Southeastern District recently received a Stand With Your Community grant through the LCMS to expand ESL ministry in the SED. In partnership with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, we are looking to develop an ESL toolkit to help congregations launch ESL ministries in their communities, as well as provide support and guidance to congregations curren
tly engaged in ESL ministry.
Given your experience and commitment to both ESL ministry and to welcoming new Americans into our churches and communities, I would like to invite your ministry to participate in this exciting opportunity to share your knowledge and wisdom of ESL ministry with other LCMS congregations in the SED. In addition to supporting the growth of ESL ministry throughout our district, your participation will provide you a unique opportunity to share and exchange best practices for ESL ministry with other programs currently operating in the SED. Furthermore, the SED will make an in-kind donation of ESL teaching materials, books or other resources to participating ESL ministries to continue to support you in your endeavors.
Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact me at [email protected]
Coming: Sandtown Baltimore Mission Project
During this week you will receive an email providing an update on what is happening in Sandtown, Baltimore MD. The Task Force has located a site that is in a wonderful location for developing a ministry presence, creating work opportunities for neighbors, and supporting families for their work of being healthy families. The anticipated cost for purchasing the three-story building and preparing it for ministry is less than $200,000. More than $50,000 has already been received in gifts and grants to help with the costs for procuring the building. Please consider supporting this project with a one-time gift so that the property may be purchased and this ministry move forward without a building loan.
