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Outreach/Mission More than one pundit has noted that the days of cultural Christianity have forever disappeared into the murky bog of history. While some lament this, and pine for those glory days of yesteryear when the Church was seen as an institution of social power and prestige, we at LCHS find the collapse of cultural Christianity to be exciting and alive with possibility. Think of it, today, as rarely before, we are challenged with the opportunity to enter into partnership with the God who raised Jesus from the dead, recapturing some of the exciting and adventuresome spirit so intimately connected with the church of the first century. A verdant future stretches out before our congregation inviting us to engage the unique challenges of our time, namely, the willingness to express the radical hospitality of Jesus in thought, word, and deed. As people of God, we have been and are even now being shaped by the living and life-giving Word that opens us to diversity and new opportunity. It is this very diversity that enriches us. Though the journey may be long, and at times uncertain, there is no need to be afraid. Our Lutheran heritage helps us to speak a powerful word of hope in the midst of the journey because we trust that there is one who has gone before us, through the grave and showing us the way into whatever future awaits.
Following is a list of just some of the outreach ministry opportunities we are participating in as a congregation:
OTHER MISSIONS
Campus Crusade for Christ
Brett & Erin Weston & family China
Casas/Community Project
Cathy Goss 303-730-2437 cathy.goss@guarantybankco.com Willy Reusser 303-290-0699 Wreusser@comcast.net Bob & Patti Skiles 303-791-1430 skilestrio@comcast.net
A Reminder and Reinforcement of What Is Important In Life Often we get too involved and absorbed by our daily lives that we begin to lose sight of what is really important in life. We no longer see the forest and see only trees. The Casas Por Cristo experience and that of other underprivileged people provides a glimpse of what life is like without all the materialistic things we have in America. I begin to mentally envision myself in this rudimentary environment and what it would be like to permanently live in their world. All the problems or hardships that I thought I was faced with now appear to be inconsequential. Life is simplified. The basics of life and what is really important in life, comes into focus more clearly. Family, friends, health and our belief in God are what are really important. The hard physical work is cleansing and relaxing to me mentally. It makes me focus on the here and now and less focused on the future. I receive a good feeling from knowing that my work and sweat benefits someone in need. I can see the amazement and appreciation in Antonio’s and Maria’s faces as they watched us build their casa. People have continuing, unsatisfiable “wants”. The Casas Pro Cristo experience reveals to us how extremely blessed and privileged we are and what is really important in life. Our “wants” are of no consequence. Dennis Dobson
I have wanted to go on one of these trips for a long time. Dennis and I have made a lot of trips to Mexico for vacations always doing traveling outside of the resort communities and seeing how many of the people there are living in poverty. I always wished there was something I could do to help them. Building this house for Antonio and Maria was such a rewarding life experience for me of being able to help this older couple have a home they had never had in their lifetime and would not ever have if not for programs like Casas Por Cristo and if not for people like the 20 people from our church that went to Juarez. It was the greatest opportunity to eat, sleep and work together with others from our congregation for five days and get to know them in a way that I did not know them before this trip. I would definitely go on another trip like this and feel strongly that God was the inspiration for each person that went to Juarez. Imy Dobson I am not sure why I decided to go on this trip. I know I'm on the sundown side of life and yet in spite of a few health problems, the Good Lord has granted me the health and physical ability to make this trip. I decided it was time to go. The home we built was for a couple that, as I recall was 78 and 81, was about the size of a one car garage divided into two rooms, one with a fan. There wasn't any indoor plumbing. Average income is $7 to $10 per day. We weren't in the poorest part of Juarez. WE MUST HAVE SPENT ONE FAMILY'S TOTAL MONTHLY INCOME JUST FOR ICE IN THE FEW DAYS WE WERE IN TOWN. On the way home Rich and I shared a motel room that was about as large as the total home we had just built. Not only that, we had hot and cold running water, indoor toilet, air conditioning and big comfortable beds, not to mention a swimming pool and the money to pay for it. There was a great restaurant just down the street. What a difference crossing a border can make. This trip really made me appreciate what I have been given in life. We have a nice home with several rooms, refrigerator, air conditioning and indoor toilet facilities, newer vehicles, a second home and an income that has allowed us to do a few of the nicer things in life. I ask myself why God has blessed me and so many people in this great country and not the people of Juarez. I pray to God that we never lose our freedom that was given to us by our forefathers and the values and beliefs that have helped us achieve the greatness and given us the lifestyle that we have. As I was driving away from Juarez and looking back, you could see our new friends and their family waving with tears glistening on their checks and holding their new bible. I reached down on the seat of my pickup and felt a cross that was made from an old rusty nail and a piece of dried weed stem, held together by a rubber band and a piece of yarn. As I turned the corner and looked back, I felt a great sense of pride, satisfaction and inter peace like never before. Yes, I did help forever change the life of our new friends. I am also very proud that I can look back at our group and what they accomplished in such a short period of time. The guys had to pick up the pace just to keep up with the gals. From the youngest to the oldest, everyone contributed way beyond belief, from daylight to dark and in temperatures well beyond 100 degrees. New friends were made, friends that I will always remember and respect the rest of my life. One great idea I came away with was SIESTA TIME (nap time from 2 to 3 o'clock in the afternoon). It seemed to work fine when I got home. My thanks go to Willy Reusser, Rich Bell, Cathy Goss and the Davidson's, who planned, prepared and provided our meals. "The Machine" is already planning the next trip. And of course all of this would have been impossible had not all the members of our church participated so generously with their contributions and through our fund raisers. YES, IF THE BUS WAS LEAVING AT THIS MOMENT, I WOULD BE ABOARD. WILL YOU BE WITH US ON THE NEXT TRIP? Your friend, Ken Woelfle
I do this for many reasons - some I may not even be aware of. I believe this is a way to make a real difference in someone else's life; to give these very poor people a home to live in is a great gift to them. I get a real feeling of having done something important. I like involving young people in these projects, to give them a feel for 'third world' conditions, and appreciate what they have in America. I get to know other members of my congregation better by living and working beside them for a week than I do by sharing a church pew with them all year long. I find the heat, dirt and physical aspects of the building project challenging, different from the daily ho-hum of a normal week - beating those challenges recharges my internal batteries. I tend to be pessimistic about people in general - yet I come back from these trips in awe of my comrades - for their kindness, generosity, determination, hard work, humor, love for God and each other - it renews my faith in people. As I have said many times, nobody would do this for money, they do it because they are inspired by their belief in God to help another human being. Willy
Amen, Willy----same here. Another thought, we are all ages, sizes, different places in our spiritual journey. skill levels and we all come together to make a huge difference in another's life. The people in Mexico have no welfare or charity to help them out. We are the Hands, Hearts, Minds, and Sweat of our brows for Jesus here on Earth. It empowers me! Thx Edee
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