Mission for a New Millennium

February 1, 2012 By Faith Leave a Comment

The Christian landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years and is still unsettled. This new context requires new understandings of mission and how a church like Faith is called to serve others for Jesus’ sake.

Learn more about how Faith is supporting Christ’s mission in the world and how your offerings are used to further that mission Sundays during Adult Forum, February 5-26 at 9:15 a.m. in the Faith Center.

February 5

“Are Seminaries and Church Districts Really Mission Work?” –Pastor Randy Freund, Pastor Mark Richardson, and Marsha Schmit

February 12

“Can a Publishing House Be a Mission Outpost?” –Pastor Steve King, SOLA Publishing, Maple Lake, Minnesota

February 19

“Giving or Receiving? Mission with Missional Churches” –Pastor Paul Knudson

February 26

“Mission Fields in Our Back Yards” –Pastor David Christensen, Living Word Lutheran Church, Marshall, Minnesota

Filed Under: Adult Forum, Missions, News

Pillowcase Dress Update

January 12, 2012 By Faith 1 Comment

The women of Faith Lutheran were asked to sew and donate pillowcase dresses this fall to be donated to missions projects in Africa. The dresses for little girls (and t-shirts, which were sent along for little boys) have been received in Nigeria.

Girls from Nigeria wearing the pillowcase dresses they received.

Pastor Titus, who works with the New Hope Mission Society in Nigeria, recently sent Faith Lutheran member Dorothy Desens a thank you letter, in which he expressed his thanks. Also, Titus asked for prayers for his community as labor unions intend to protest against the removal of oil subsidies in his county. He also asked we pray for the Christian leaders in Nigeria, as they “are being hunted by the men of [the] underworld. Even last night, Deeper Life Church was attacked during the evening Bible sudies leaving six people dead, and many wounded in [the] Gombe state.”

Prayers and support are needed, and God has provided us with a way to support Pastor Titus and those around him, even from half a world away.

Filed Under: Giving, Missions, New Hope Mission Society, News, Women of the Word

Christ’s Love in Saudi Arabia

November 14, 2011 By Faith Leave a Comment

This story was taken from a recent prayer letter sent to members of the New Hope Mission Society, a mission-based organization with its roots from Faith Lutheran Church. Read and reflect about what a difference just one disciple of Christ can make in this world.

A few weeks ago in a small group Bible study with grad students, a young lady from Iran, Hediyeh, told us part of her story. As I heard this story it sent some tingles up and down my spine and some major encouragement to my heart.

Hediyeh grew up in a Christian family in Tehran. Her parents came to Christ out of a Muslim background. Her parents heard the good news of Jesus from two cousins. Those two cousins had gone to the USA for graduate school back in the 70s, which is where their lives were transformed by the Gospel of Jesus. Guess what those two did after that? They went home to Iran and started passing on this Gospel news to all who would listen. (And they are still doing that!)

Hediyeh’s whole family became members of Jesus’ family. The church in her city has been growing ever since. Could this story be repeated? Look at these young men in the picture below…

They are a bunch of guys mostly from Saudi Arabia who are here in Minnesota. Are there two guys in this group who will hear and believe the Good News and become Christ’s ambassadors to their family and country? We know God has been doing this sort of thing throughout history and continues to this day. Can you see it with your mind’s eye? 25 years from now you meet a young lady from Saudi Arabia who tells you she grew up with parents who loved Jesus and that the church in her town is growing. Her dad could be in this picture… amazing.

I hope this story moves you to marvel at how God allows us to be partners with HIM!

Click Here for more information about the New Hope Mission Society.

Filed Under: Missions, New Hope Mission Society, News

Christ's Love in Saudi Arabia

November 14, 2011 By Vivid Image Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago in a small group Bible study with grad students, a young lady from Iran, Hediyeh, told us part of her story. As I heard this story it sent some tingles up and down my spine and some major encouragement to my heart.

Hediyeh grew up in a Christian family in Tehran. Her parents came to Christ out of a Muslim background. Her parents heard the good news of Jesus from two cousins. Those two cousins had gone to the USA for graduate school back in the 70s, which is where their lives were transformed by the Gospel of Jesus. Guess what those two did after that? They went home to Iran and started passing on this Gospel news to all who would listen. (And they are still doing that!)

Hediyeh’s whole family became members of Jesus’ family. The church in her city has been growing ever since. Could this story be repeated? Look at these young men in the picture below…

They are a bunch of guys mostly from Saudi Arabia who are here in Minnesota. Are there two guys in this group who will hear and believe the Good News and become Christ’s ambassadors to their family and country? We know God has been doing this sort of thing throughout history and continues to this day. Can you see it with your mind’s eye? 25 years from now you meet a young lady from Saudi Arabia who tells you she grew up with parents who loved Jesus and that the church in her town is growing. Her dad could be in this picture… amazing.

I hope this story moves you to marvel at how God allows us to be partners with HIM!

Click Here for more information about the New Hope Mission Society.

Filed Under: Missions, New Hope Mission Society, News

Hunger Appeal 2011

November 9, 2011 By Faith Leave a Comment

Our savior sacrificed life itself… Sacrificial giving to feed hungry, and even starving, children of God is in order. This November at Faith Lutheran, we’re stepping up our giving goals for people in need both close to home and far away.

Jesus says: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:3

We See It Before Our Eyes

1000 pounds of food goes out of the McLeod County Food Shelf daily. Last week, FLC posted about our youth, who participated in Trick-or-Treat for the Food Shelf to help replenish empty shelves. Still, the more than 9,000 pounds of food gathered equals less than two week’s supply for the food shelf.

In addition to the food shelf’s needs, every other month Common Cup reaches out to 500 families in a major food distribution. They are initiating a monthly community breakfast at the McLeod County Fairgrounds, and they are inviting churches to initiate monthly community meals.

The Cries from Drought-Stricken East Africa Beg for Response

Over 1,000 stream into the Dadaab Refuge Camp daily. This camp was built for 90,000 and will soon be home to 500,000 desperate refugees. Mothers walking days to reach the camp must often leave behind children who have died along the way.

A breathtaking need met by sacrificial giving will make a huge difference.

The Challenge to Faith Lutheran Church:

Increase the giving goal to $10,000 for this Thanksgiving season. This doubles last years goal, and is a huge jump, but will provide assistance to those who need it. Here’s how:

Our gifts will help the McLeod County Food Shelf provide food for families each month
The increased donations will go a long way toward $2,000 needed for one food distribution through Common Cup
We can help Food for Kids our of Stewart, Minnesota, deliver 1 million nutritious meals to the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya
The money willassist Lutheran World Relief, one of the most trusted agencies in meeting the needs of the hungry as they, too, work at the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya

What would sacrifice mean for you? Pray about it. Have a family conversation. Decide to act.

Use the Mission Sunday Envelope, Thanksgiving Envelope or simply clearly mark your gift any time during November.

“This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Photo provided by Internews Network under Creative Commons

Filed Under: Adult Forum, Giving, Missions, News

Pillowcase Dresses at Faith

September 17, 2011 By Faith

Imagine the smile on a young girl’s face when she is presented with a new dress created by loving hands half a world away. You can help put that smile on young girls’ faces in Africa by sewing a pillowcase dress.

Using only a pillowcase and a couple pieces of accent fabric, Faith Members are creating easy dresses to send to girls an ocean away who will cherish them. Several example dresses for this mission project are on display now in the Faith Lutheran gathering area.

Example Dresses can be viewed in the Gathering Area

If you’d like to sew a pillowcase dress, contact Dorothy Desens at 587-8777. She’ll get you instructions for sewing and donating a dress. We’re also accepting donations of pillowcases, used or new, in the church office.

Filed Under: Missions, News