Cris and Ed Bock to Tallahassee
Trip To Florida Capital.
Eb Bock and Pastor Cris Escher went to Tallahassee with Alzheimer's Community Care to promote Alzheimer's care in Florida.
FLGA Middle School Gathering Photos
Great time this year
Pastor Cris, Coli, Pam, and Kyler had fun at the FLGA Middle School Gathering
SW Florida Hurricane Relief.
Latest Needs of SW Florida
Last edited 11/10/22
Next Truck Leaving from Grace Lutheran PSL Wednesday Nov 14 in the afternoon
Maybe, It might be later. Talking with the church.
I talked with Tim Richter at Zion Lutheran Church near Ft Myers. He surprised me at the needs that he expressed to me.
First off he said they have plenty of food right now. Food banks are full. Here is what they need.
Here is what they need.
Over the next few weeks. Goal to deliver these supplies in 2-3 weeks.
Baby Supplies. !!!!!
Diapers
Wipes
Pedialyte
Formula
Paper Goods.
Paper Towels
Cleaning Supplies.
toiletries
FLGA District LCMS
Info and Donations.
Photos of Donations for Ian
Collecting things for SW FL
100 Toiletry Kits in the black tash bags.
We also donated all the food to the local
Haiti Backpacks & School Supplies + Chairs July 10th
What we need, Physical Backpacks, Funds for School Supplies, Shipping Chairs for a church in Haiti
Last Day of Collection is July 10th
Give though Paypal at gracelutheranpsl.com/give
What we need
Physical Backpacks
Funds for
School Supplies
Shipping Chairs for a church in Haiti
We have chairs that have been donated to a church in Haiti. We at grace have committed to the shipping of chairs over the Haiti.
We are not collecting school supplies this year due to the high tariffs Haiti is charging habitat for children ministries for importing. We are collecting funds and this will allow us to also support local Haiti retailers.
The Big Picture in Ukraine by Scott Yaunt
While I’ve been giving updates about what’s going on here at the youth center in Slovakia with refugees,
a van loaded up with aid.
The Big Picture
While I’ve been giving updates about what’s going on here at the youth center in Slovakia with refugees, I haven’t had the chance to share about the big picture. I want to share some of the other ways the Spiritual Orphans Network Ukraine fund has been helping people in Ukraine as well as refugees who’ve left.
Erik Helgesplass delivering aid to a local hospital
As many of you know Ukrainian men between the ages of 18-60 are not allowed to leave the country. Many of the Ukrainian pastors we know have been serving their people in Ukraine for over two and half months while separated from their wives and children who evacuated the country. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult this time has been for them and I please encourage you to keep them in your prayers every day.
A van driven by Pastor Oleg with children written on it.
I’ll start with the Lutheran pastors from the German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ukraine, who SON has been partnering with for many years. There is the synod president Pastor Alexander Gross whose daughters will soon join us here in Slovakia to help out with the center and summer camps planned for Slovakia with SON mission teams. Pastor Gross and his wife are in the Odesa area, which has come under heavy rocket attacks over the last month. They run a social kitchen, providing meals to lots of shut-ins and people in need in the villages around Odesa, while also leading worship services and providing spiritual care for his flock.
There is the Bishop Pavlo Shvarts, who serves a congregation in Kharkiv, one of the cities with the heaviest fighting at the moment. He has helped set up humanitarian aid points, visited congregations all over the country including Bila Tserkva, and recently traveled to Vienna to meet with church leaders from all over Europe to give an update on Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis.
Pastor Ihor Shemihon preaching on Easter Sunday
Pastor Ihor Shemihon leads a congregation and ministry in Kyiv. He has also served the congregation in Bila Tserkva for many years and preached there a few weeks ago. He too has been helping provide and transport food and aid to people in need.
Pastor Kostya and Pastor Dennis loading up aid!
Pastor Oleg Schewtschenko is a Lutheran pastor with SELKU (Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ukraine). He has been helping transport women and children to the border, has helped provide food and humanitarian aid near Odesa as well and much more.
Pastor Kostya and Pastor Sergei buying aid in the west of Ukraine
Pastor Костянтин Кисіленко (Kostya) is with Church of Christ in Bila Tserkva and one of my favorite human beings to be around. He too has been helping transport people, food, and humanitarian aid. The congregation in Bila Tserkva has been doing repairs so internally displaced people can temporarily live at the church.
Pastor Oleg and others with a truck loaded with humanitarian aid
Pastor Dennis Sopelnik is also with Church of Christ and helps run the Bear Valley Bible Institute. Dennis has helped drive people to the border, deliver humanitarian aid and even performed a wedding during the war.
A van driven by Pastor Oleg filled with humanitarian aid
Pastor Gross and I back in June.
Pastor Sergey Gritsenko also serves in Bila Tserkva. He has been helping prepare the congregation for refugees as well preaching and leading Bible studies. Sergei is my father in law and has helped take care of our house, watched our dog, and has helped us send money to different pastors and ministries helping out in Ukraine.
Pastor Alexander Gross with a van and trailer filled with humanitarian help
Pastor Ihor's ministry in Kyiv with food packets ready to go.
Finally, while not a pastor, I’ve been touched by the work of Erik Helgesplass, a Norwegian man who lives in the Bila Tserkva region, he has been non-stop driving families to the border and picking up aid. He offered my family and many others the opportunity to stay at their house in the village where it was safer than in the city.
Pastor Pavlo and the congregation in Bila Tserkva
Me with Pastor Oleg and his family back in June
We are blessed to know these men and support their ministry to people in Ukraine in different ways. We’ve also had the opportunity to provide direct financial aid to families in need, help with housing for displaced families and send aid to people in Ukraine. It is because of your generosity we’ve been able to provide funds to these different ministries. I also ask you to pray for Тарас Даниленко a driver from Church of Christ, Vadim, Valery Guk, Sergei, Ruslan, Zhenya and Yura, they are the men from God’s Hidden Treasures who I know have been working hard and doing so much. I know some of their families are abroad as well and they miss them dearly.
Special prayers for safe travel for the family of Kostya and the wife of Dennis, who are traveling to Bila Tserkva from abroad, there stay will be short as they are picking up necessary documents but I know the temporary reunion will be priceless. Please pray for peace, that this war will end and families will be reunited. Next time I hope to share about the many different ways the Slovak church are helping refugees beyond the center where we are staying.
God bless,
Scott
A Conversation with a Ukrainian Refugee Pastor (featuring Rev. Scott Yount)
So much is still happening overseas and it’s effecting the lives of millions of people in the country of Ukraine. Our friend Scott Yount has been a Missionary Pastor in Ukraine since 2014 and is now experiencing being a Refugee and helping so many across the boarder. We would love for you to hear his story and there is even other ways to help out his work.
So much is still happening overseas and it’s effecting the lives of millions of people in the country of Ukraine. Our friend Scott Yount has been a Missionary Pastor in Ukraine since 2014 and is now experiencing being a Refugee and helping so many across the boarder. We would love for you to hear his story and there is even other ways to help out his work.
To support Scott and other Ukrainian work, please visit.
Spiritual Orphans Network - https://sonetwork.org/give/
God’s Hidden Treasures - https://www.godshiddentreasures.org/
If you would like to Give through Grace Hit the give link on the top of the page.
Write Ukraine in Memo Line or Give through Paypal and choose Ukraine.
Brothers Keeper; New Way to Serve.
Helping the Homeless in our community
We are beginning a new ministry to replace Backpack.
With the arrival of Covid we were unable to continue our food backpacks for children at Manatee K -8. Grace Packs stepped in and Manatee has chosen to stay with them.
Grace ran this ministry with Sunlight and All Villages Church for eight years, and I believe all will agree it was a success.
Now it is time to move on.
We are joining Sarah’s kitchen in ministering to the homeless.
Every Tuesday Sarah’s kitchen delivers food to the homeless and we are going to piggyback on their deliveries with toiletries in a gallon Ziploc bag. We are beginning with 25 bags per month 20 adult and five children's bags.We will need the following items in travel sizes or the slightly larger personal size. You will find the dollar store is the best and most economical place to purchase these items.
Toilet paper (no jumbo rolls as they will not fit in the bag),
disposable face masks,
shampoo,
hair conditioner
,washcloths,
bars of soap,
toothbrush ,
toothpaste,
deodorant,
hand sanitizer,
Q-tips,
bug repellent.
For the children's bags we would include
towelettes and
children size disposable face-masks
( for the kids bag the toothbrushes and toothpaste with children's design or characters).
Gallon Ziploc bags and
mini Ziploc bags for the Q-tips. THESE ARE THE BASICS.
In addition we will take travel size
mouthwash,
hand sanitizer
towelettes,
individual bug repellent (the type in hotels when traveling).
Checks to purchase items should be made payable to Grace Lutheran and marked Brothers Keeper.
Our first packing will be Friday, September 24 at 9:30 AM at Grace in the new building.
Photos of items are on the bulletin board in the narthex to guide you. List of items for shopping is available for your use. If you have questions please see Leigh Liagre or Carol Coffman
Here's what you need to know about the City's stormwater system
Heads up, Port St. Lucie: Our area could see some wet weather this weekend, so here’s what you should know about the city’s stormwater system and how to maintain the swale on your property.
Learn more about the City's stormwater system at www.cityofpsl.com/swale
Heads up, Port St. Lucie: Our area could see some wet weather this weekend, so here’s what you should know about the city’s stormwater system and how to maintain the swale on your property.
Learn more about the City's stormwater system at www.cityofpsl.com/swale
Winn Dixie Bags benefiting community care building
Be sure to shop at this local Winn Dixie and look for the display,
Usually near the checkout counters! All proceeds for this event will go to help us furnish our new building – the church body voted to not include furnishings in the mortgage but to raise them separately. So, we need your help, and this is one of the ways to do it!
GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH chosen by Winn Dixie to benefit from the Community Care Building Recyclable Bag Program – for the month of July 2020 for our Grace / Alzheimers Community Care Building!
Grace Lutheran Church / Alzheimer’s Community Care Building Project has been selected by Winn Dixie as part of their Community Bag Program that benefits non-profits!
For the month of JULY 2020, we will receive $1.00 for each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at the Winn Dixie store located at 281 SW Port St. Lucie Boulevard.
The Community Bag Program makes it easy for shoppers to support our project.
Be sure to shop at this local Winn Dixie and look for the display,
Usually near the checkout counters! All proceeds for this event will go to help us furnish our new building – the church body voted to not include furnishings in the mortgage but to raise them separately. So, we need your help, and this is one of the ways to do it!
Back Packs for Children in Haiti
Backpacks for Children in Haiti
Last Pickup August 9th
BIG NEED: Backpacks
See pictures of possible (simple/basic) bags ideas.
Normal school supplies are needed.
I have been told Dollar General has a great selection.
The PO Box is incorrect on the handout.
Send Money to the Church with the proper note and we will make sure it gets to Them.
Bahamas Hurricane Relief
We really need money right now.
Any donation sent to grace for Bahamas relief will be sent to one of our churches commuted to helping in the Bahamas. Any donation will be sent along with no fees.
OLD INFO
Grace is Collecting Items to be Sent to the Bahamas
We are collecting
Water
No Perishable Food Items.
Gift of Money
The FLGA District of the LCMS is committed to helping the effort and will send 100% of your Disaster Relief gift to help.
Give online by going to https://flgadistrict.org then clicking online giving. Then designate how much to Disaster Response.
Or you can give money designated to FLGA Disaster Responses to grace and we will send it to the FLGA District.
Here is a Letter from our Distinct President Greg Walton
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings in the name of our gracious Savior Jesus!
You have no doubt heard the news of the devastation in the Bahamas. Many of you are also aware that we have one congregation there, Nassau Lutheran Church, located on the Island of Nassau. It sustained no damage, but the big Island, Grand Bahama, is utterly destroyed. These folks need our help. Your help is urgently needed. We are working with Pastor Sam Boodle of Nassau to help assess needs and respond. We invite all congregations to designate a special offering to the Florida-Georgia District for Disaster Assistance for the Bahamas over the next few weeks or donate directly to our disaster fund through the FLGA District website (flgadistrict.org). Jay Wendland (jwendland@flgadistrict.org), our District Disaster Coordinator, will be working with local agencies and contacts in the Bahamas to ensure that donated funds are correctly directed to help those in need get emergency food, clothing, shelter and other basic necessities.
We do understand that there are many local initiatives and agencies also reaching out to help the nation of Bahamas. We do not want to compete, and encourage you to support those ministries and agencies locally as they collect supplies to be shipped to Freeport and Abaco. However, there is plenty to be done, and the Florida-Georgia District will continue to work with the Synod to receive financial contributions to support the long-term work that will be happening in the Bahamas in the coming months and years. We invite you to partner with us in this endeavor as we lift these people in prayer. Thank you!
In His peace,
Rev. Dr. Gregory S. Walton, President
The Florida-Georgia District, LCMS