ur Monthly Mission Offerings Helped Our Monthly Mission Offerings Helped
In June, 2007, the Mission Offering raised $1,653 and September, 2008 raised $720 to support the Lutheran Church of the Galilean in La Place, Louisiana, and its relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina.
This is the last year of our three year commitment to help this sister congregation.
excerpts from a letter recieved in July 2009 from the Church Council of the Lutheran Church of the Galilean in LaPlace.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ...
It is difficult to believe that it has been almost four years since hurricane Katrina forever changed the lives of everyone on the Gulf Coast of our nation. Moreover, it has been almost three years since Bishop Paul Blom’s call to our greater Lutheran family was answered and the Galilean church family became part of your church family.
We will be always grateful to him and to you, our brothers and sisters in Christ, for your continued concern, prayer and support.
Last year, the Gulf Coast was again ravaged by two more hurricanes, Gustav and Ike. While our church suffered only minor damage to our building and property, many of our mission partners in the greater Houston area were more greatly impacted and we continue to hold them in our prayers.
Since last summer our congregation, along with our other seven Thrivent chapter churches, has been involved in regional recovery projects to assist in disaster relief in the southern coastal area of Louisiana. We now have an opportunity to share the blessings that were shown to us over the past three years by aiding others affected by the hurricanes, Gustav and Ike.
The Galilean has continued to face challenges since we last shared an update with you. Calling a pastor and repairing major water and mold damage to the inside and outside of our building consumed most of the energies of our leadership. Just recently, we were forced to replace our aging and failing air conditioning system and a number of rotting windows. Yet inspite of these challenges, we continue to see the Lord’s blessings all around us.
Pastor Ken Shuman has been with us for approximately eighteen months now, leading our worship and Bible study. His compassion and skills have most certainly been a blessing to our congregation.
Last year at this time, we were excited to announce that our mortgage application to the ELCA Mission Investment Fund had been approved. After twenty-five years, we are finally the owners of property and can now focus on God’s mission for us in the community. This achievement would not have been possible without pledged funds from our members and you, our mission partners. In 2008, our membership met and exceeded their mortgage pledges while maintaining their weekly offerings.
We continue to reach out to the LaPlace community and to the Greater New Orleans area. We have joined with other Lutheran churches to share evangelism strategies and to increase a Lutheran presence in Southeastern Louisiana. Many members have also continued their work with the St. John Ministry of Care ... a local ecumenical group working with the needy and transient within our parish (county). We have also continued to make our property part of our outreach by equipping our parking lot with four lighted basketball courts for the area youth. We are inspired to see 30 to 50 youths gathering in the evenings.
We have been working towards additional outreach projects within our community to increase our presence. Last year we hosted a Halloween Trunk or Treat event in our parking lot and had between 350 and 400 local residents attended the event. We are currently working on several other similar events as well as making our building available to other individuals or groups.
We have been truly blessed by all of our mission partners. Each week during worship, we pray for our partner congregations. We hope that you recognize the tremendous contribution you have made to our ministry in LaPlace. We look forward to continuing our relationship in ministry with you and thank God daily for all of the support you have given us.
God’s Blessings...The Church Council of the Lutheran Church of the Galilean