June LWM Mission Grant Story

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Written by LWML.org LWML.org

Created: May 24 2022 May 24 2022

This month we want to tell you more about the Illinois Expansion of Redeeming Life Maternity Home, a program of Redeeming Life Outreach Ministries, recipients of an $100,000 grant from Lutheran Women in Mission (LWM) in the 2021–2023 biennium.

Redeeming Life Outreach Ministries operates maternity and transitional homes for single, at-risk mothers in Florida. The opportunity has arisen to use their successful model to expand into the northern Illinois area. Illinois has some of the most liberal abortion laws in the country. In 2018, 42,441 babies were killed by abortion in this state, an increase of seven percent from the previous year (Illinois Department of Health).

Expanding Redeeming Life’s reach to the Chicago area will save women and babies by offering single, pregnant women in crisis an option to choose life for their unborn children. The success of Redeeming Life maternity homes is dependent on the nurture, mentorship and life skills learning offered to the residents by a caring deaconess devoted to their spiritual care. Residents learn to cook, parent, run a household, create and live within a budget, finish their education and find a way to become self-sufficient. Most importantly, residents are shown the unconditional love of our Heavenly Father with ample opportunities to grow in love, security and faith in Jesus, many for the first time.

While teaching life skills and supporting residents in furthering their education and job skills is a vital part of what Redeeming Life does, the heart of the ministry is Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. The nurturing and mentoring of a professional church worker who guides the residents on a daily basis is essential to the success of the women at Redeeming Life. As an organization with RSO status in The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, Redeeming Life may call rostered workers.

This mission grant will help Redeeming Life Outreach Ministries support a called deaconess to serve in the Chicago area. With the loving ministry of a deaconess, the needs of the residents, especially in the area of critical spiritual care, will be met. In addition to providing funding for diaconal service, the grant will help offset costs during the first two years, offering a safe and stable home (rent, utilities, food) and will provide program services for the women living there.

To learn more about this ministry go to rlom.org.

Lutheran Women in Mission (LWM) is the official women’s auxiliary of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Since 1942, LWM has focused on affirming each woman’s relationship with Christ, encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries and by supporting global missions. For more information on each month’s mission focus, visit LWML.org. Saint John’s Lutheran Women in Mission (Mission Guild) meets the first Tuesday of each month at 10:30 AM in Room 301. All ladies of the congregation are invited to attend.

Alpha Center: “Nicole’s Story”

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Written by Alpha Center Alpha Center

Created: May 05 2022 May 05 2022

The Alpha Center is a nonprofit Christian Medical Clinic in the heart of Fort Collins and takes pride in providing compassionate, exceptional medical care to those in need of a pregnancy test, options education, STD screening, professional relationship counseling and sexual health education. The Alpha Center does not provide nor refer for abortions. All services are offered at no cost, thanks to the generous support of many individuals, businesses and churches in our community.

Each month, Alpha Center will share a (anonymized) client’s story with us so we can see the impact made by our support.

Nicole (in her 30s) found us on Google and already had an appointment with Planned Parenthood to have an abortion due to a medical condition. She decided to call us, feeling emotional about the decision because she didn't want to have the abortion but felt like it was her only option. During the call, our scheduler was able to explain the pre-abortion screening process and why it's important to check on the viability and gestational age of the pregnancy - it could reveal that an abortion wasn't actually needed as 1 in 3 pregnancies end in miscarriage.

Empowered with that information, Nicole decided to schedule her appointment. When our nurse performed the ultrasound, it was determined that the pregnancy was not progressing as it should and that a miscarriage was likely. She found great relief in this information and when we scheduled an appointment for the upcoming week to check on the pregnancy's progress. When our Follow Up Coordinator called her later that week, she shared that she was indeed having a miscarriage and she canceled both her repeat appointment with us and her abortion. Nicole's story demonstrates how a pre-abortion screening can save our patients' potential future guilt or grief by preventing an abortion that was not needed.

We were also able to give her the information for our counselor to help her process everything that has happened in the past few weeks.

The Board of Human Needs finds opportunities for the members of Saint John’s to provide a Christian witness by helping people in the community struggling with daily necessities.

May LWM Mission Grant Story

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Written by LWML.org LWML.org

Created: April 12 2022 April 12 2022

This month we want to tell you more about the “Propelling the Gospel” program of Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots (LAMP) Ministry, Inc., recipients of a $65,000 grant from Lutheran Women in Mission (LWM) in the 2021–2023 biennium.

Currently there are nearly one million indigenous people who live in isolated areas of northern Canada. These areas can only be reached by aircraft or seasonal roads. The number of local clergy and missionaries has declined dramatically and there is currently an entire generation of children and youth who have not been taught the Holy Scriptures and the hope that is theirs through Jesus.

LAMP Ministry focuses on taking the Gospel to the people. Each year since it began in 1970, hundreds of volunteer missionaries from the United States have traveled to remote areas to teach Vacation Bible School (VBS) to thousands of children using transportation provided by LAMP. The LWML has been an ongoing help to this ministry.

LAMP ministry uses small airplanes to get missionaries to these remote places. They depend on two aircraft to accomplish their mission. While the aircraft are older models—1977 and 1979—they are still extremely sound and dependable. The airplanes are required to have yearly inspections to make sure they are properly maintained and have received all the updates and requirements needed to keep them airworthy.

However, technology is ever-changing and the world of aviation has seen numerous advancements in avionics. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have become a standard and the newer Wide Area Augmented System (WAAS) and the recent completion of the Aireon space-based air-traffic surveillance system have increased the safety and efficiency of avionic components. These types of avionics are now necessary components for the pilots who fly out of the United States and into Canada.

With this grant the two airplanes used by LAMP Ministry will be upgraded and modernized to help ensure the safety of the pilots, missionaries and volunteers who propel the Good News to people living in remote areas of North America.

To learn more about LAMP Ministry, visit their website, lampministry.org.

Lutheran Women in Mission (LWM) is the official women’s auxiliary of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Since 1942, LWM has focused on affirming each woman’s relationship with Christ, encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries and by supporting global missions. For more information on each month’s mission focus, visit LWML.org. Saint John’s Lutheran Women in Mission (Mission Guild) meets the first Tuesday of each month at 10:30 AM in Room 301. All ladies of the congregation are invited to attend.

Alpha Center: “Brittany’s Story”

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Written by Alpha Center Alpha Center

Created: April 07 2022 April 07 2022

The Alpha Center is a nonprofit Christian Medical Clinic in the heart of Fort Collins and takes pride in providing compassionate, exceptional medical care to those in need of a pregnancy test, options education, STD screening, professional relationship counseling and sexual health education. The Alpha Center does not provide nor refer for abortions.

The center strives to ensure all patients are served with dignity by a licensed medical professional, approaching each client holistically, offering a safe place to share their experiences and ask questions.

Alpha Center began in 1985 as a pregnancy hotline in Fort Collins. They attained non-profit designation in 1987 and a year later opened the first office near Drake and College. In 2000, they became a medical facility by adding ultrasound, and two years later added STD screening as well. In 2016, they added a licensed professional counselor to their staff.

Today, Alpha Center is located at College and Pitkin, right across from Colorado State University. The staff of sixteen includes registered nurses, administrative staff and a licensed professional counselor. Alpha Center serves 400–500 patients yearly. All services are offered at no cost, thanks to the generous support of many individuals, businesses and churches in our community.

Each month, Alpha Center will share a (anonymized) client’s story with us so we can see the impact made by our support.

After taking a pregnancy test at home, a google search lead Brittany to us and we were able to see her right away. During her appointment, she shared with the intake specialist about her rough family history and the death of her parents, one just last year. She was really surprised when our Intake Specialist asked her to share about her faith. She said, “Nobody has ever asked for me to share about God before, thank you.” She then shared that when her dad died she really started to make her faith her own and grow in her understanding of who God is and that He is number one in her life now.

She expressed interest in getting connected with a local church, so we were able to share with her a list of churches. She is working on getting food stamps and getting connected to a doctor for prenatal care and also wants to take classes to help her learn how to breastfeed, so we will help her get connected with free breastfeeding classes. We are thankful to be able to serve patients like Brittany who have decided to parent but need extra love and support for success.

The Board of Human Needs finds opportunities for the members of Saint John’s to provide a Christian witness by helping people in the community struggling with daily necessities.

Your Change Changes Lives! Alpha Center Baby Bottle Campaign to Begin April 24

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Written by Linda Funke Linda Funke

Created: March 24 2022 March 24 2022

Honoring the sanctity of life, Saint John’s is proud to support Alpha Center, which serves as a crisis pregnancy center and provides free services and education related to sexual health. Through their ministry, many unborn lives are saved each year. Participating in their “Baby Bottle Campaign” is a way to contribute funds toward this life-saving and life-giving ministry. The center’s Baby Bottle Campaign funds its medical budget.

Bottles will be available beginning Sunday, April 24th. Pick up a bottle (or two!), fill it with change, dollar bills, or checks, and know that “your change changes lives.” Bottles may be brought back to church by Sunday, June 5. If you prefer to give online, you may do so at www.thealphacentercollective.org.

For more information about Alpha Center, pick up a brochure at the Welcome Center. You’re also encouraged to read the personal “Impact Story” that is shared in Saint John’s Eagle each month. The testimonials come from Alpha Center clients and illustrate how God is at work in the lives of many who seek help at Alpha Center.

Thank you for helping Saint John’s support Alpha Center and God’s precious gift of life!

The Board of Human Needs finds opportunities for the members of Saint John’s to provide a Christian witness by helping people in the community struggling with daily necessities.