Teaching Reaching and Healing, all with God's Love
Castle Rock, Colorado
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FAITH
LUTHERAN CHURCH Teaching Reaching and Healing, all with God's Love Castle Rock, Colorado |
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What
is Project Grace? Project Grace is our ongoing service mission to the people of coastal Mississippi devastated by Hurricane Katrina. So far, we’ve sent financial help, gift cards, and gift bags to our brothers and sisters at Grace Lutheran Church in Long Beach, Mississippi. Now we’re taking the next step to broaden our mission to the people of that region. Katrina? We’re still talking about that?
Isn’t Katrina so, like, “last summer”?
That’s the problem. The country’s attention has shifted to other matters, but people in Mississippi still need help. When Pastor Mike and Pastor Joe went to Long Beach in early December, they were amazed at the destruction they encountered and the amount of work left to be done. They spent much of their time at Camp Coast Care, a distribution center run by the local ELCA and Episcopalian dioceses. Even today, four months after the storm, up to a thousand people per day come to Camp Coast Care for meals, basic supplies, and medical care. Jobs are scarce. Stores remain closed. Homes are filled with muck and debris. Worst of all, with the passage of time, volunteers are slipping away. There are fewer and fewer people to do the vital work of Camp Coast Care and help the people of coastal Mississippi get back on their feet. So what are we doing? We’re going to Mississippi! We’re planning six service trips to Camp Coast Care – one per month – from January through June. Hands-on help is what’s needed most. As Rick Warren wrote in the aftermath of Katrina, “Disaster presents Christians with unprecedented opportunity to mobilize the the Church and become the hands and feet of Christ….This could be the Church’s finest hour.” How can I help? You can go! If you feel called to join us on a mission trip, fill out the information on the back and turn it in to the church office. A Project Grace coordinator will be in touch. You can help someone else go! Can you make a financial contribution? Make your check out to Faith Lutheran Church and write “Project Grace” in the memo line. Can you donate frequent flyer miles? Fill out the form on the back, and we’ll match you up with someone who needs help getting to Mississippi. What’s the schedule? We’re planning mission trips on these dates: • January 26-31 • February 23-28 • March 25-30 • April 20-25 • May 25-30 • June 24 – July 4 (youth / family bus trip) Project Grace □Yes, I can help! □ I want to go. I’m interested in these dates: □ January 26-31 □ February 23-28 □ March 25-30 □ April 20-25 □ May 25-30 □ June 24 – July 4 (youth/family bus trip) □ I can help someone else go. □ I can make a financial contribution □ I can donate frequent flyer miles My name: ____________________________ Best way to contact me (phone, email, etc.):
____________________________________ “Every
problem has
possibilities. Every hurt is an opportunity for new
ministry.” – Rick Warren |
| Project Grace Update Faith's
volunteer efforts are highligted in an article in The Lutheran's May
issue.
Click here to view the article. MAY 2008 Volunteers serve near and far It has been a busy spring for volunteers who have served near and far. During Spring Break, a group of Faith’s members participated in a Project Grace Mission Trip. Ask Kerry Timm, Ric Miles, Shelby Miles, or Rebecca Clark-Boll how they impacted the lives of people in Long Beach, MS, and how they felt about their experience. From April 30-May 7, Diane Kundracik and Cindy Buschagen returned to the Gulf Coast for their 3rd mission trip. One change that was made by these volunteers was to stay at & check out a new facility, Camp Biloxi, as a possible site for future mission trips. Because of summer heat, as well as the impending hurricane season, we won’t be sending out other mission trips until after September 30th. We are tentatively planning a trip during fall break, the week of October 20th. Because spaces are already filling up at the Recovery Camps, we’ll begin to enlist volunteers in Mid-May for that trip, so that we can reserve our lodging. Others volunteered closer to home by participating in the Lutheran Servant Event. This annual event gathers Lutherans from most of the metro area congregations to be sent out to agencies and sites that address issues facing those in need, mainly the poor, the hungry and those with special needs. This year, with the capable recruitment efforts of Jerry Wagner, we had seven members of our congregation spend Saturday morning, May 3rd serving in this way. Hats off to Ginger and Tom Brown, Nina and Royce Stein, Dave Stephens, and Sheri and Jerry Wagner. They made a difference with their gifts of time and energy. Thank you for shining the love of Christ on those who benefited by your selflessness!! Project Grace Revisited (Hanging by our Thumbnails) By Rebecca Clark– Boll The MS travelers (Kerry Timm, Ric and Shelby Miles, Rebecca Clark-Boll) returned from Long Beach, MS wonderfully refreshed and inspired. For me, it was my second time in a row to partake in the Palm Sunday Celebration at Grace Lutheran. The church again was wonderful to us and welcomed us to stay with them. Ric cooked a mouth-watering shrimp boil on Friday night. We worked all day Sat, Sun afternoon, and Monday morning on a client's house that Joanne (Grace's case manager) found for us. She was super appreciative of our help, and Ric managed to keep all of us on task, "We're here to get the job done!" he kept reminding us. At one point, I was reaching to paint in a far corner of the eaves, and the ladder fell out from under me. I grabbed onto the louvered vents and yelled for Kerry to rescue me. She calmly replaced the ladder under my swinging feet. Later she maintained I was only a foot or so off the ground! After Ric and Shelby left on the plane from Gulfport, Kerry and I oiled all the woodwork in the chancellery, the long hallway, and the kitchen cabinets at Grace Lutheran. In the afternoon of our last day, we took a walk along the beach. It was a blistery day and Kerry commented how empty the beach was. I do miss Mississippi and Grace Lutheran. On our Palm Sunday sojourn, we took the funds raised from our first Music for a Mission Concert. We were able to buy our own paint and repair supplies on our own time, and even had left-over funds to give to Joanne for future projects. It was great! Our second Music for a Mission is planned for May 18th. It has just been confirmed that Christ Lutheran in Highland's Ranch will host the benefit concert. Our first concert was a tremendous blessing. Taken together, the concert, the trip to MS, and singing in the choir on Easter, was definitely the high point of my winter. On our next mission trip to MS is the first of May, where the group will be staying at Camp Biloxi. It has cozy accommodations and they work on Sat. and feed their crews, what a plus! Camp Coast Care and Camp Victor do not do so on the weekend. May will find us also hosting Barbara Connolly whose home we worked on in '06. This will be a choice opportunity for us to have a potluck reunion and dinner parties. Carol Reed has graciously invited Barbara to stay with them during her visit. Stay on the look-out for our MS sojourn printed in the Castle Rock News-Press! GRACE
LUTHERAN CHURCH
19221 Pineville Road Long Beach, MS 39560 The Rev. Barbara J. Hunter, Pastor Phone 228-864-4248 Fax 228-864-4288 E-mail/gracelutheran3@cableone.net website-gracelongbeach.com April 16, 2008 Dear Friends in Christ, We are so very grateful that you continue to remember the need on the Mississippi Gulf Coast! Our church sees many people with many needs. Houses still need to be repaired, furniture replaced, the rent payments and utilities costs are skyrocketing, and there are medicines to but. Sadly, some of our members are moving away because they can no longer pay the high insurance rates and are tired of the problems we all still face. The rebuilding mode continues for many as people receive their homeowner grants, insurance settlements, or slowly gather enough money to complete another room. Many schools have either been rebuilt or restored, but some are still in trailers. Communities are finally deciding what height buildings must now be to be safe and receive insurance coverage. Our synod has been wonderful in working with the three Lutheran churches in the area to get funds to help with the alarming rise in insurance rates, especially for windstorm coverage. Churches of other denominations that were destroyed are still without a new building but are buying land and some are under construction now. Our church continues to host some of these churches when they have special events and would like to be in a “real” church again instead of a school or other temporary building, We also continue to host work teams from around the country. Our joy has been in seeing new buildings completed, favorite restaurants re-open, and new homes completed. We have a Burger King and McDonald’s now in Long Beach, the permanent utilities are finally hooked up, and a gas station is being re-built, so life is good! We are still waiting for a local Wal-Mart and maybe a Target! The simple things of life are very valuable when one has had to make do for so long. May God bless all your ministries and give you joy in this Easter season. Thank you again for your kindness and prayers. In Christ’s peace, Pastor Barb Rev. Barbara J. Hunter April 2008 PROJECT GRACE OFFERS HOPE by Cindy Buschagen, Minister of Discipleship Somewhere, between the keystrokes and the final copy, the point of what I wanted to say in a recent article, was “lost in translation”. It was too important of a message to write it off. I had offered a challenge regarding support for Project Grace, prior to our first spring mission trip and our first- ever “Music for a Mission”. The following excerpts, “hopefully” coming to you intact, impart a message of continued need of support for this outreach to those whose lives were overturned by Hurricane Katrina. But it’s also a message of hope. Hope must be attached to the call for action. It’s time to “take action”, to address some of the sorrow that lives among God’s people. That sorrow is profound, as people, whose hope has been dashed, whose lives and homes are in shambles, left to wonder if God has deserted them. Where can they find the hope to meet tomorrow? We can help to reinstate a measure of hope. Some of you will feel that God is calling you to give of your time, to personally help with the rebuilding. For others, you feel that God is calling you to contribute money for Project Grace. Our efforts may make a difference in someone choosing to return to the land they own, and build again. Perhaps it will impact a teenager, who feels that tomorrow won’t be any different than today, and why go on living? Perhaps it will help the folks who feel that God has abandoned them, to feel the small spark of hope rekindled. You can make a difference, and maybe, just maybe “joy will come in the morning”, after the long nights of weeping. I believe that God, who has been weeping with those who experienced such loss and devastation, wants to see smiles instead of tears. With Easter’s dawn, joy has burst forth for God’s people who believe His promises. For the people of the Gulf Coast region, still doubting God’s promise of a new day, let Easter’s promise break forth, after experiencing the impact of our love, shown in our actions. Support Project Grace: Participate in our next Mission Trip (May 1-8) to Long Beach, Mississippi. The trip start-date and ending-date have a degree of flexibility, with most folks planning on traveling on Thursday, May 1st. and returning on May 8th. Skill levels are not as important as a willingness to “make a difference”. You’ll learn what you need to know to do a job. And, you’ll challenge both your heart’s capacity to serve and your abilities. Participants pay their own airfare, but lodging, and most meals are covered by staying in camps that were established for relief workers. Anticipated travel costs are approximately $350. There may be some additional cost involved for a van rental, and Camp Coast Care has a fee for helping defray the costs incurred for their meals and lodging. We already have volunteers who are committed to continuing our involvement in rebuilding the Gulf Coast. Please contact Rebecca Clark-Boll at 303-688-3784 or at recbme@yahoo.com if you have questions. There is also a sign-up sheet on the Community Concerns bulletin board. Both Pastor Mike and Cindy Buschagen are planning on accompanying the group. Make a financial contribution, by writing a check. Make it out to Faith Lutheran Church and write “Project Grace” on memo line. Contribute your frequent flyer miles to enable volunteers who need some financial support to fly to Gulf Port. Attend the next Music for a Mission Concert. The anticipated date of this event is Sunday, May 18th at Christ Lutheran Church in Highlands Ranch. Some of our performers from our March venue will again be on the program, along with performances by members of other Lutheran congregations. Watch for more publicity on this event. MARCH 2008 PROJECT GRACE MISSION TRIPS "YOU CAN'T OUTGIVE GOD" It is a tremendous joy to share in the rebuilding of homes and restoring of lives of those who lost all semblance of normalcy after the "storm." So many have reported being blessed by being part of the Project Grace ministry, whether its traveling to the coast or contributing through financial or prayer support. We all are blessed! God continues to want to open God’s storehouses of blessings, and asks us to open our hearts to participating in the rain of blessing! If you’d like to be part of this generous blessing consider one of the opportunities listed below: 1.Your talents are especially in demand for Music for a Mission Benefit Concert. Already many have signed up to entertain us by instrument and voice. All are welcome to join the inspiration and fun on March 9th at 6:30. The contributions raised will be used on the coast for buying building supplies, giving to Grace Lutheran's Samaritan Fund, Barbara's trip to Colorado, or possibly throwing a banquet for Grace Lutheran. 2. Your frequent flyer miles can be used to bring Barbara Connolly up from the coast. She has long talked about coming back to thank all of the churches here. She was ready to drive up here last summer until she found out how far it was. Through all that Barbara has endured over the past two years, she has been gracious and loving. The blessing would be twofold for all of us to have her here in person to thank us! 3. Your time is requested to journey to the coast this spring on March 13th - 19th and/or the first week of May. In March we will be staying at Grace Lutheran and the first week of May we are planning to stay at Camp Coast Care. There are already volunteers who are committed to continuing our involvement in rebuilding the Gulf Coast. Let us press on! July 2007 This is a letter from Rebecca Clark-Boll, a member of our church family, and long-term volunteer in the Gulf Coast. Since Hurricane Katrina, our church has sent over 100 volunteers to serve and help rebuild parts of the Gulf Coast. Hey, I had such a great time at home for a week. It was so refreshing to sit in church and just be bathed with love. I'm so thankful that Jay had some frequent flyer miles for me to go home for a week. The high lasted for one week and then reality settled in again. This week we have 200 teenagers from Nebraska staying here. It's a challenge to find unskilled work for them to do. It's also a challenge for the kitchen staff to work out the preparation. Trudi, the kitchen manager, is off for two weeks for vacation....the lucky duck! Jay is used to volume cooking, but the other substitute cooks are in over their heads. We came back last night from visiting with the hope that the chaos would be over by 9:30, but the teenagers were still eating. Evidently their bus didn't arrive until 7:30. The substitute cook used the taco hamburger which Jay had prepared on Sat. We came back during the afternoon and Jay asked her if she wanted to do Tacos and she said she didn't do Taco's, so we left again to drive around Pascagoula. When we returned we found out that she had added spaghetti sauce to the taco flavored meat. She also ran out of spaghetti noodles after only feeding 50 people so the rest had to wait. That is one reason that they were so late in eating. The cook and her daughters left at 10:00 but Jay and I had to finish cleaning up. I worked until 2:00 am and Jay stayed up all night to finish preparing not only for breakfast but also lunch "prep" for the crews to make up their lunches to take to their job sites. I work helping him as much as possible but also work doing my data entry during the day. Please pray for the relationships with the kitchen staff. We did have a wonderful time visiting on Sunday morning. We drove over to Long Beach to attend Grace Lutheran Church. I really miss going there. Pastor Barb commiserated with us about the withdrawal of LDR funds from the work camp sites on the Gulf Coast. There was supposed to be money appropriated for case work from LDR, but now they want to cut back to only 5 caseworkers for all of the coast. That means that Joann who is a caseworker at Grace would lose her position. At the Atlanta Synod Assembly they passed a resolution to investigate the matter. There are still many hundreds of people on our waiting list here at Camp Victor for rebuilding. Other organizations are also cutting back. Everyone is giving their caseload to everyone else. I was also able to stop and visit with Barbara Connelly. She was so sweet. She is now doing caretaking for an elderly gentleman she calls Mr. Ed. She is still talking about coming to Colorado. She talked about driving up there with a friend and then found out how far away it is. She wants to visit every church and personally thank everyone for helping to rebuild her house. She has had the front "stoop" enclosed with screens. It looks really nice. She still needs a door for the screened-in "deck." When I see the enclosed deck, I still see the dumpster that was sitting by her front door into which we would throw all that junk. Her victory gardens look lovely. (The flowers we planted around the sign at Grace are still blooming even though no one waters them) I hope that we can figure out some way to fly Barbara up to Colorado this summer or early fall! Thank you for your prayers.... Rebecca (Rebecca Clark-Boll and Jay Hess, members of our church family, are long term volunteers serving in Ocean Springs, Mississippi at Camp Victor.) June 2007 Church on the Sidewalk Sitting in church during Celebration Sunday between "Dorcus" and "Ruth," I felt as if I was sitting between two spiritual pillars from the Bible. What a tremendous blessing to feel safe in Church! I felt as if I was a blind Samson holding onto two pillars, only this time the church did not crumble! I felt vulnerable in a way that you can't allow yourself to feel when you are living in Mississippi. How does the church reach out to those in pain? As I work early in the morning, God brings me into contact with the "passing painful" who walk, push wheel chairs and strollers, or ride bicycles past the flower beds in front of Camp Victor. I shared in church about Leon, who, when I first met him, literally took the shovel from my hand and began to dig, all the while mumbling about money. I was able to give him groceries but nothing else. He rides his bike by weekly looking for free stuff. I've seen him in Broomes Grocery buying beer. I'm always running into him. I remind him to go to church and that I'm praying for him. I want to tell him that the next time I see him, you all are praying for him! Your ambassador to Mississippi, Rebecca Clark-Boll (Rebecca Clark-Boll and Jay Hess, members of our family, are long term volunteers in the gulf coast.) April 2007 Our next mission trip to the Gulf Coast will be the week of April 15th. Volunteers for this trip will be staying at Camp Victor in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. If you are interested in this trip or future trips please contact Pastor Mike (pastormike@faithcrco.org). June 2006 Trip Update Rick and Susan Romain, a couple we worked with in Long Beach, Mississippi during our June 2006 trip, are in need of a window air conditioning unit. The hot summer is coming and their current financial situation will not allow for this purchase. Here is an opportunity for us to show God’s love and support for them. Our hope is that we can deliver in person the air conditioner during one of our upcoming trips. We want them to know that they are not forgotten. Any contribution will help us make this purchase. Please make checks out to Faith with Project Grace in the memo section. We will let you know when they have received the blessing of an air conditioner! Thank you in advance. Linda Bailey March 2007 Don Nelson asked T.C. what he missed the most. “The birds and squirrels,” came back T.C.’s reply. This was on Saturday as we worked on T.C. and Mary Robinson’s home and yard in Pass Christian, Mississippi. It was pouring rain and Don was stoking a huge fire to burn some of the Robinson’s yard waste and debris. TC and Mary had lost their home and all their belongings in Hurricane Katrina. Their house, just a few blocks from the Gulf, had been swept away in the wind and waves and the fury of the storm surge that horrible day in August 2005. Mary also had lost a brother in the storm. TC and Mary were about to move back into their newly completed home. They could not have been more appreciative of the efforts. “TC, What do you miss the most?” “The birds and squirrels.” We returned to T.C.’s home on Monday to complete our tasks. In the yard, Don caught a glimpse of a bird. “T.C. – What’s that!?” “It’s a Thrush!” A few minutes later another bird came and lit on an overhead branch. “T.C. – look another one!” “It’s a Mocking Bird!” “TC – lookie there!” “A Chickadee!” Before Don and T.C.’s eyes the birds started coming back. Don was just as excited as T.C. New life coming back to an area that had been desolate and lifeless for so long –hope in the midst of pain and loss. That’s the Gulf Coast story in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. That is also the Easter story of our church and our lives. Out of the ashes of our own pain and loss, comes new life. The only way to experience Easter’s new life is through the cross. St. Paul wrote to the folks in Philippians, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, sharing in the fellowship of his suffering, becoming like him in his death.” (Philippians 3:10) Don Nelson and his wife Dorothy traveled down to Mississippi during our most recent Project Grace trip (January 25 – 30th, 2007). They joined 40 other folks from our church and two other area churches to help rebuild parts of the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. Our next Project Grace trips to Mississippi and the Gulf Coast are scheduled for the weeks of March 25th and April 15th. Please contact Pastor Mike if you would like more information about these trips (pastormike@faithcrco.org). September 2006 GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH, Long Beach, Mississippi August 16, 2006 Dear Friends in Christ, As we near the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural disaster to hit the United States, many of you have asked for an update on our life here. We have learned to rejoice in small victories as new restaurants open or relocate and businesses get more supplies. Some of our members finally have been able to move back into their damaged homes and others are close to making their homes livable. Millions of tons of debris have been removed from the coastal areas, but we can’t decide if it looks better or worse with so much barren land sitting there. It has been estimated that it will be 5-8 years before the Gulf Coast is restored. A few new buildings are popping up and lights coming on in more buildings cheer us. We have lost members who have been overwhelmed by it all or have had to move in order to find work. No one seems to know how many people still are without homes, but we know that a lot of people are still sharing houses and there are thousands in FEMA trailers. Hospitals and psychiatric facilities are very busy with many sick and traumatized people. We will continue to be anxious until the hurricane season is over this year. However, blessings have come to us though new members as people now understand with great clarity how very much we need God and each other. We have had some wonderful dinners together and our worship is rich with praise for the God who has renewed us in ways we could have never imagined. The volunteer work crews from around the country have worked so hard and lifted people’s spirits so much. Many, many thanks to those of you who came to work with us, hug us, laugh and cry with us. Many, many thanks for those beautiful quilts, the welcome gift cards, the cookbooks, and so many other items. A thousand thanks for the monetary gifts that have helped people buy food, clothing, medicines, tires, pay bills, repair their cars, buy sheetrock and shingles, tools and furniture. You have helped us find hope in a bleak time and remember love when we have felt so bereft. The healing is not complete, but we have peace and feel comforted because God loves us and has introduced us to you. God grant that your ministries will flourish and that you will be blessed by our risen Savior and our Friend, Jesus Christ. In Christ’s name, Rev. Barbara J. Hunter Project Grace from Hurricane to Hope AUGUST 2006 Since December of this past year we have been sending monthly groups down to the Gulf Coast to assist and serve alongside folks who have lost everything in the wake of last summer’s Hurricane Katrina. We have been partnering with primarily two other area churches (Holy Cross, Wheat Ridge and Holy Shepherd, Lakewood) in these efforts but several other churches (Christ Lutheran, Highlands Ranch; Zion Lutheran, Loveland; and Peace in Christ, Elizabeth) have participated along with us as well. We continue to be burdened by the devastation that remains along the Gulf Coast. Although we don’t have any trips planned for the remaining summer months, we plan to resume sending monthly trips in October of this year. Please stay tuned for more information regarding these trips. If you would like more information regarding future trips, please contact Karen Block at (303) 663-9603. Hopefully I haven’t missed anyone but the following is a list of the folks who were able to participate in Project Grace by going down to the Gulf Coast: Joel Block Karen Block Rebecca Clark-Boll (2 trips) Brian Evans Jamie Green (2 trips) Renee Green Kayla Green Max Heacock Becky Dutton Larry Martin MeMe Martin Joe Hess (3 trips) Jacob Hess Bob Chase Donna Chase Tom Reed (2 trips) Carol Reed John Berry Linda Rucker Erin Schaden Paul Eakins Nancy Eakins Elizabeth Scott Brad Geiger Becky Geiger Marianne Zahnle Kevin Zahnle Thomas Van Sicklin Bonnie Burrell Konnie Willingham Cynthia Buschagen Diane Kundracik Patrick Kundracik Leslie Harney Ric Miles Taylor Miles Karl Kreueger Kyle Kreuger Ken Grey Keifer Grey Kelly Lynk Kip Lynk Keala Lynk Vince Mazur Wendy Mazur Laurel Mazur Mike Knauff (2 trips) Debbie Knauff Adam Knauff Stephen Knauff Caleb Knauff Angela Stark Royce Stein Denise Stein Drew Pearson Eric Johnson Karen Johnson Kirstin Johnson Kent Johnson Mackenzie Johnson Stu Bailey Linda Bailey Lauren Bailey Amy Schakel David Scott Matthew Scott Many thanks are also necessary to the folks who helped others get there through donations and frequent flyer miles, and who also gave materials and/or money for the rebuilding needs once down there. Thanks to the youth and Pastor Mike who worked so hard to raise money through the various fund raising efforts. Also, the trips would not have been successful without the folks who believed in this project since the beginning as well as the ongoing Project Grace planning team, especially Joel and Karen Block. Thank you to you all. JULY 2006 Project Grace Update: Katrina Relief Mission Trips PROJECT GRACE DEBRIEFING Debriefing is the chance to get together and reminisce about our shared experiences. It is the exquisite reminder of standing on scaffolding in the dripping heat and humidity while lining up siding, then remeasuring, and then lining it up once again, with sweat stinging our eyes, pouring off our noses and draining down our necks. It is sitting on the dock of the bay at Restoration Point playing cards in the evening accompanied by the creaking and eerie moaning emanating from the three tiered marina where boats have been left to rest and hang at precarious angles. It is the cherishing of memories of summoning every ounce of energy we had to give, but it is also the remembrance of planning a victory garden and then huddling and crying at Home Depot when Barbara calls us her family. And finally, it is standing and praying in a circle with Barbara on our final evening asking for God’s protection and blessing upon her home. It is being engulfed in Barbara’s warm humility and appreciation. Debriefing is a “happening” for past volunteers and recent to acknowledge the shared emotion we felt when we first encountered the overwhelming devastation and need. It is the opportunity to see our own spiritual awareness reflected in the eyes and stories of others who have journeyed to Mississippi. Our journey continues with the July 13th debriefing meeting for the June crew returning from Long Beach at Becky and Max’s place off Ridge Road. (303-688-4687). Bring a side dish to share for the meal at 7:00 p.m. JUNE 2006 Project Grace Update: Katrina Relief Mission Trips We will be sending our next wave of volunteers to the Gulf Coast on May 25th through May 30th to help work and serve along side the folks in and around Long Beach, Mississippi. This group will include our first wave of teenage volunteers and their parents. During our February and April trips we “adopted” a local family and began to physically help them move from a destroyed house back to a rebuilt home. Barbara Connolly from Pass Christian, Mississippi was our first “adoptee” and we have taken great strides in helping her get back on her feet again. We will continue rebuilding and re-supplying her home during our May trip. The folks who have registered for the May trip through Faith include the following: Cindy Buschagen Pastor Steve Hartten Kyle Krueger Rebecca Clark-Boll Lesley Harney Ken Gray Pastor Joe Hess Tom Reed Keefe Gray Jacob Hess Ric Miles Kelly Lynk Diane Kundracik Taylor Miles Kip Lynk Patrick Kundracik Karl Krueger Keala Lynk For more information regarding these mission trips check out our bulletin board and display table in the Narthex of our church. If you have any questions or are interested in upcoming mission trips, please talk to one of the following: Rebecca Clark-Boll; Joel & Karen Block; Pastor Joe or Pastor Mike. PROJECT GRACE – THE JOURNEY CONTINUES Tom Reed’s Story – Charter Member of Faith I joined the relief spirit and went to Mississippi in February with a small group of six, which included my wife, Carol and friend John. We, as most that go, felt we were there to help the folks in their effort to pick up the pieces of their lives and put them on the road to some form of a normal life. Well, I guess I was very naive in my thinking. The unforgettable volume of the disaster was beyond anything I could have imagined. So as we arrived and got settled, we received our first assignment. It was a project to help Francis clean up the debris from his house, which was scattered over his neighbor’s lot and into the bay. We attacked it with our full energy and by noon were saying a tearful goodbye to him. In the afternoon, we helped Ronnie with a cleanup, which included chain sawing a tree off his mobile home and cleaning brush from the roadside so the Corps of Engineers could get in and remove his destroyed trailer. This we completed, and we felt very good about our ability to help. The next morning, as the storm clouds were forming, we moved on to help Kathy. The assignment was to remove the mold in the walls of her doublewide trailer. The trailer was in such bad shape that removing the walls would have resulted in the trailer falling down. We were able to move some of the trash around the house to the street for removal, and then the rain began to fall. This was the low spot in the trip - a lady stuck in the welfare cycle with no foreseeable way out. We left depressed by both the story and the pouring rain. That afternoon we went to Barbara’s to remove the wood, tile, and vinyl etc. flooring so the mold removal process could begin. We soon saw that this was going to be a very big project. The thousands of nails were rusted from weeks of sitting in floodwater and did not want to cooperate in being pulled out of their home. As we worked for two and a half days, we heard her story. She, in her quiet southern drawl, told of the hurricane and her fight to save her home. Most of us would have given it up for a total loss, but not Barbara. She worked side by side with us and showed her appreciation for each and every little thing that we accomplished. As we closed with prayer on the last day, we were exhausted but so thankful we came and could offer hope and create a small light at the end of her seemingly endless tunnel. “Will she ever be able to move back into her home?” was the question we all left with as we packed up and flew back to Denver the next day. As we debriefed and told our story back at Faith, we posed the question of adopting or offering support to one family, Barbara’s, instead of doing a little for a lot of different folks. We talked about how both kinds of projects needed to be addressed – helping lots of people a little or focusing on one family for the long haul. We didn’t have a group going down in March, so we continued to focus on the idea of helping one family – Barbara’s. The April group was given the background and status of where Barbara was with her remake, so we gathered resources (money) and people with a plan of attack to move her closer to getting out of her FEMA trailer and back into her home. The April group visited Barbara to see the present needs, ordered and picked up materials, and went to work. They were joined by other volunteers from other states and moved her to a place where she can now see the end of the tunnel. We have the possibility of seeing her move into her house in May, a dream come true for a wonderful person. As only one of the dozens and dozens of folks from across the country who have been a part of this rebuild, I feel honored and humbled to be a small part of this process. Did we give Barbara a new lease on life? Did we help her restore her faith and renew our own? Did we gain far more from this experience than she did? The answers are different for each person that went to Mississippi, but the Holy Spirit was present in making this happen. We are far more aware of the tremendous involvement of volunteers from the greater church across the country and appreciate their involvement with helping others. The church at large in action on the Gulf Coast is a living example of the commandment, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Thank you all for your support of money, time, and talents with the Project Grace movement. The outpouring of love has been so appreciated by the folks in MS. They have had their faith renewed and their hope restored. Since January we have been partnering with area churches to send mission teams each month down to help walk and serve alongside those along the Gulf Coast that lost everything in the wake of last summer’s Hurricane Katrina. Through May we will have sent over 80 folks down to Long Beach, Mississippi where we have been basing our support efforts. The journey is a long one ahead for those that are still trying to pull their lives together. Early estimates are that it will be 5 to 10 years before many of the communities most severely impacted will be back to some semblance of normalcy. Our church and other area churches are committed to continuing our support to the Gulf Coast as long as it makes sense. We will be sending another team down in June that will include a large youth contingent and then be taking a break through the hottest months of July and August. Our plan is to send groups again starting in the Fall. Please stay tuned for ways you can stay involved with this project including raising money to help us with the next “Hurricane Katrina.” Thank you all for your partnership with this ministry. Pastor Joe Hess MAY 2006 PROJECT GRACE CONTINUES ..... We’ve Adopted! During our Feb. and April help them move from a destroyed house back to was our first “adoptee” and we have taken great will continue rebuilding and re-supplying her home Our next wave of volunteers to the include our first installment of teenagers and their parents.; Cindy Buschagen, Tom Reed, Kyle Krueger, Pr. Steve Hartten, Pr. Joe Hess, Keefe Gray, Diane Kundracik, Taylor Miles, Kip Lynk, For more information check the bulletin board in the narthex Buy a “T” Shirt...Support Project Really cool “From Hurri mornings at the Coffee T-shirts are available in a Long Sleeve—$18 APRIL 2006 PRAISE GOD - OUR APRIL MISSION TRIP IS FULL! We will be sending out our third wave of volunteers to the Gulf Coast on April 20th through April 25th to help work and serve along side the folks in Long Beach, Mississippi, many of them who have lost everything. Somehow as we try to be a blessing to them, we are doubly blessed. Michael Slaughter, Methodist pastor from Ohio might have said it best, “When our sweat meets with Jesus’ blood, miracles happen.” We have been witness to both miracles and the presence of God’s Holy Sprit in the midst of tragedy. The folks who have registered for the April trip through Faith include the following: Paul & Nancy Eakins Elizabeth Scott Thomas Van Sicklin Marianne & Kevin Zahnle Brad & Becky Geiger Bonnie Burrell Konnie Willingham Brian Morse Laura Gardner We will be joining with some 15 others from Holy Cross Lutheran – Wheat Ridge and Holy Shepherd – Lakewood on this April trip. OPEN MISSION TRIPS We currently have two more mission trips that are scheduled. May 25 – May 30 (last date to register for the May trip: April 9th – Palm Sunday) June 24 – June 29 (last date to register for the June trip: May 7th) Our June trip is also being lifted up as a family/youth trip. Please talk to Pastor Mike if you are interested in this opportunity. Refer to the Youth section of this newsletter for additional information. The early registration dates allow us to purchase tickets as a group (for those that need tickets) at substantially discounted rates. Use of Frequent Flyer Miles For folks that want to take advantage of Frequent Flyer Miles, we encourage you to book your trip early. We are trying to fly together on the United Airlines Flight 464 departing Denver at 10:22 AM. Our return flight is United Flight 375 departing New Orleans at 2:38 PM. Please note that other flight scenarios are available into New Orleans including United thru San Antonio or Delta thru Cincinnati. Some very generous members of our Faith community have offered to folks that might not be able to afford this mission trip the use of their frequent flyer miles if tickets are available. Please contact Pastor Mike if you might be in this situation. All requests will be kept confidential. Driving? A few families have asked me about driving down to the Gulf Coast. If that works for your schedules, plan on it taking at least a couple of days there and back. If you have any questions about driving, please talk to Bob and Donna Chase who have already “been there and done that!” Trip Costs Right now the trip costs are your travel/flight expenses and the cost for meals on those travel days. Camp Coast Care, the Lutheran/Episcopal Disaster Relief organization set up for volunteers in Long Beach, Mississippi, continues to provide the lodging and meals. For youth who have been working to off set their costs through mission trip fund raising events, the cost of your mission trip will be reduced by an amount that has yet to be determined. MARCH 2006 February Mississippi Volunteers from Faith Faith’s second wave of volunteers are just returning from the Gulf Coast. They served a variety of ongoing needs in the community including: food and clothing distribution, medical assistance, and the “mucking” out of flooded homes. We thank Rebecca Clark-Boll (Jan 26th thru Feb. 28th), Linda Rucker, Erin Schaden, Tom Reed, Carol Reed, and John Berry for their gift of time and care. March Youth/Family Mission Trip Postponed Due to the many teens and college students from around the country that are volunteering over their spring breaks in March, we have postponed our March mission trip to the Gulf Coast. We are asking teens and parents and others that wanted to participate in the March trip to consider one of the other monthly trips (April, May, or June). Open Mission Trip Dates April 20 – April 25 (last date to register for April trip: March 5th) May 25 – May 30 (last date to register for May trip: April 9th) June 24 – June 29 (last date to register for June trip: May 7th) The early registration dates allow us to purchase tickets as a group (for those that need tickets) at substantially discounted rates. How to Register? Register by emailing Pastor Mike at pastormike@faithcrco.org and specifying your trip date(s). Please register electronically even if you have previously registered by completing the yellow “Project Grace” form back in December or January. Use of Frequent Flyer Miles For folks that want to take advantage of Frequent Flyer Miles, we encourage you to book your trip early. We are trying to fly together on the United Airlines Flight 774 departing Denver at 10:21 AM. Our return flight is United Flight 335 departing New Orleans at 2:37 PM. Please note that other flight scenarios are available into New Orleans including United thru San Antonio or Delta thru Cincinnati. Several very generous members of our Faith community have offered the use of their frequent flyer miles to folks that might not be able to afford this mission trip. Please contact Pastor Mike if you might be in this situation. All requests will be kept confidential. Driving? A few families have asked about driving down to the Gulf Coast. If that works for your schedules, plan on it taking at least a couple of days there and back. If you have any questions about driving, please talk to Bob and Donna Chase who have already “been there and done that!” Trip Costs Right now the trip costs are your travel/flight expenses and the cost for meals on those travel days. Camp Coast Care, the Lutheran/Episcopal Disaster Relief organization set up for volunteers in Long Beach, Mississippi, continues to provide the lodging and meals. For youth who have been working to off set their costs through mission trip fund raising events, the cost of your mission trip will be reduced by an amount that has yet to be determined. Miscellaneous Information Grace Lutheran Church, Long Beach Mississippi Contacts: Pastor Barb Hunter Joanne (Volunteer Coordinator) (228) 864-4248 (church) FYI Dates: 1. Sunday March 5, 2006 12:30 PM – Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church (6th Ave. & Kipling) Sharing of Katrina Stories with Holy Shepherd Congregation 2. Saturday, March 11, 2006 5:30 PM Worship –Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church (6th Ave & Kipling) Gulf Coast Reunion (Dec., Jan., and Feb. Trips) POT LUCK – Faith to bring side dishes to share. Camp Coast Care Contacts Diane Livingston (228) 282-4131 (Volunteer Coordinator) Van Bangston (662) 299-9593 (Assistant Director) Camp Coast Care Location: |