Two months out
Throughout the LYSO week, youth made cards for ELCA missionar- ies, local fi rst responders and members of the military.
‘S’ is for service V
In Omaha, what was once VBS is now LYSO
acation Bible school has gone from a low-key week of Christian education to an adventurous spree of service in downtown Omaha, Neb., thanks to Lutheran Youth
Serve Omaha (LYSO). The program began four years ago when three ELCA
churches—Kountze Memorial, St. Matthew Evangelical and St. Luke—discussed how to boost their dwindling Bible school programs.
“Service learning was a major focus in those early meetings,” said Ian Hartfield, Kountze director of youth and young adult ministries. “We knew it had to be a major component, reaching out to not just our neighbor churches but our neighboring communities. We wanted the kids to come away from the program excited to show the light of Christ and energized to make a difference in the world.” The churches pooled facilities and skills “to create a ministries event like no other,” said Stacia Vawter, former director of youth ministries at St. Matthew who now serves Rejoice! Lutheran in Omaha. That first year 35 youngsters from the three churches
participated. Last year 125 young people from nine congre- gations provided more than 1,000 hours of community ser- vice. Participants (kindergarten through 12th grade; free to all community youth) were sent out to some 20 (age- appropriate) service sites.
“Service learning really changes the kids,” Hartfield said. “It shows them how to live their faith each day and how to make it relevant to them. These kids want to know the ‘how’ of their faith, not just the ‘why,’ and doing hands-on work with their peers opens their eyes to a new world.” LYSO, which is June 9-13 this year (8:30 a.m.-noon), also fosters social and personal growth, Vawter said.
42
www.thelutheran.org
In Omaha, Neb., youth from nine churches and the community will gather June 9-13 for a week of service known as Lutheran Youth Service Omaha. Here, some of the youngest children plant fl owers at the Kountze Memo- rial Lutheran Church pantry garden, which last year provided fresh produce (planted by older youth) to 19,000 guests.
“The kids tell us every day that they’re having so much fun, and they tell us stories about the people they’ve met,” she said. “It can be hard for a kid to talk to new people, but this gives them exposure to new people and activities they need.”
For more information contact Hartfi eld at ian@kmlchurch. org.
Good one! Diaper Depot
For more than a year, Ascension Lutheran Church, Kentwood, Mich., has been doling out diapers. The first month, it gave 57 packages to low-income fami- lies (who may not buy diapers with food stamps); the next month, twice as many. Members offer funds and volunteer hours, and the ministry is helped by grants. The church also puts “Dimes for Diapers” canisters in various locations. The Diaper Depot is open one Thursday evening and one Wednesday morning each month. To receive diapers, parents show identification and proof they have children age 3 and under. In the first year, Ascension “diapered” more than 800 children with more than 76,000 diapers.
“Our goal is to help those who cannot help them- selves—babies,” said Judy Magnuson, Diaper Depot director.
Send congregational stories—both those for a specifi c month/holiday or your best timeless idea—to
julie.sevig@
thelutheran.org.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52