Mission Service Activity of the Month

September 2023: KEEP MY TEACHING

Let’s support and encourage teachers in our schools. 
Share with them that they are appreciated and are being lifted in prayer.

Put together Encouragement Gifts for Teachers. Ideas could be a bag for each teacher that contains individual items, or it could be an envelope with a small gift card from a local coffee shop or fast-food restaurant. 

• Select a school that you can bless.
• Contact the office to find out how many teachers are on staff. Consider including secretaries, principals, and other support staff. 
• Purchase or have an ingathering of gift sacks and a variety of items to include such as snacks, lotion, and eye masks or purchase gift cards from a local business. 

At your group meeting, write personal notes on notecards to include with each gift. Thank the teacher for his or her contribution to the student’s growth and love for learning. If you choose to recognize teachers in a Christian school, you could include Bible verses for example: Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us (Titus 2:7–8).  In the note, remind teachers that they are a blessing to the children and parents of the community. 

Optional: Take pictures of this service activity and submit them to share on your district website or in your district newsletter!

Gospel Focus

Keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart (Proverbs 7:2–3).

Devotion as You Plan

As you plan this service activity, you may want to share with your ladies the devotion: Day By Day – Growing in the Lord. This devotion reminds us we should continue learning all our lives. 

Prayer as You Plan and Prepare

Lord Jesus, in Your mercy, guide and lead us as we study Your Word daily. Help us to understand what it means to continue to learn and grow spiritually, in our relationship with You and others. May the Holy Spirit allow Christ's message to abide and be alive in our hearts. Thank you, Lord, for the teachers who touch the lives of young people each day, and bless their teaching. Amen.     

Download the printable PDF of this Mission Service Activity

KEEP MY TEACHING
 

The Gospel Outreach Committee would love to hear about, and share, your mission service activities! Please contact the Vice President of Gospel Outreach here. Thank you!

View past Mission Service Activities

Mission Service Activity of the Month

August 2023: OFF TO COLLEGE “GOODIE” BAGS

Once again it is time for school bells to start ringing to signify the beginning of a new school year. For those who are entering college for the first time, these days can be scary and the student may be a little apprehensive. This is an awesome time for us to make connections and bring reminders of God’s presence to these first-time college attendees.

Preparations for this activity:

• Check with the church office for the names of those attending college.
• Purchase or make small bags to hold items.
• Prepare Bible verse cards for each item.
• Purchase items and attach Bible verse card as noted below;

1. Flashlight: God will help you find your way: Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).
2. Tape: God sticks with you: It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed (Deut. 31:8-9).
3. Umbrella or Poncho: God is your protector: You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your Word (Psalm 119:114).
4. Para cord keychain: God will save you: For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
5. Hand Sanitizer: God washes your sins away: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
6. Pencils: God’s Word is written for you: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart (Psalm 40:8). 
7. Purchase one or both of the following, College 101: A Christian Survival Guide (CPH #124468) or Blessings & Prayers for College Students (CPH #124267).

Take pictures of this activity in progress if doing it as a group project. Get the individuals’ permission to take and share pictures. Submit pictures to share on your district website or newsletter.

Gospel Focus: Direct My Path

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).

Devotion as You Plan

Share this Mustard Seed devotion as you pray for college students, “Comfort from the Psalms:  Finding My Way”. 

Prayer as You Plan and Prepare

O God, source of all knowledge, through Word and Spirit, look with favor on those entering colleges and universities. Bless those who teach and those who learn, that they may apply themselves with ready diligence to Your will and faithfully fulfill their service according to Your plan; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

Download the printable PDF of this Mission Service Activity

OFF TO COLLEGE “GOODIE” BAGS
 

The Gospel Outreach Committee would love to hear about, and share, your mission service activities! Please contact the Vice President of Gospel Outreach here. Thank you!

View past Mission Service Activities

Mission Service Activity of the Month

July 2023: Fill Backpacks with School Supplies

Although it seems like summer has just begun, it’s back-to-school season already. Teachers are getting their classrooms ready, and schools are sending out supply lists. Over the last few years, school preparation has been difficult for parents, students, and teachers. Many parents struggle to fully supply their children’s back-to-school lists. Help ease the transition back to school by gathering school supplies for local children in need and placing the supplies in a backpack. 

Prepare for This Activity:

• Contact a local school to ask if you can donate school supply backpacks.
• Get a list of most needed school supplies.
• Fill a backpack from the list provided from the school. List might include notebooks, paper, pencils, crayons, glue sticks, scissors, dry-erase markers, folders, etc. 
• If the school gives you permission, include a colorful child-centered encouragement card.

Gospel Focus: THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22–23).

Devotion as You Plan

Read Back to School in the Word!

Then learn “The Fruit of the Spirit” song. You really can go back to school in the Word by sharing this song. Maybe start a new tradition and share this with your Sunday school class or other children in your life.

Prayer as You Plan and Prepare

Dear Lord, bless our teachers and schools as they prepare to begin another new school year. While we can provide supplies, you supply the grace that allows teachers to love and teach the students in their classrooms. May the children be blessed with the fruit of the spirit that you provide. In Your name, we pray. Amen.

Download the printable PDF of this Mission Service Activity

Fill Backpacks with School Supplies
 

The Gospel Outreach Committee would love to hear about, and share, your mission service activities! Please contact the Vice President of Gospel Outreach here. Thank you!

View past Mission Service Activities

Mission Service Activity of the Month

June 2023: Donate Used Blankets to an Animal Shelter

According to bestfriends.org, approximately 6.3 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.1 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats. Let’s try to make their stay there a little more comfortable. These animals need our love and care too!

Collect and donate used blankets to an animal shelter, or make and donate fleece-tied blankets for the shelter.

DIRECTIONS FOR A FLEECE-TIED BLANKET

You Will Need:                                                

• 1 yd of fleece for the top
• 1 yd of fleece for the bottom
• 1 ruler and pencil
• 1 pair of scissors
• 1 popsicle stick
• straight pins (optional)

Instructions:

• Lay the fabric out on a flat surface with the wrong sides together. Match up the sides and pin.
• Measure and cut out a 4 ½ inch square at each corner; cut through both pieces of fleece.
• Using the popsicle stick as a guide cut popsicle length fringe on all four sides of the blanket, cutting through both pieces of fleece.
• Tie each of the fringe pieces sets together with an overhand knot, tying the two pieces of fleece material together making one blanket.

Gospel Focus: LOVE IS

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4–7).

Devotion as You Plan

As your group meets to collect blankets, open the meeting with the single-session Bible study “Blessed to Be a Blessing”.

Prayer as You Plan and Prepare

Heavenly Father, please bless all the hands that will be collecting or making these blankets for the sheltered animals. We pray that these animals find their loving forever homes. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Download the printable PDF of this Mission Service Activity

Donate Used Blankets to an Animal Shelter
 

The Gospel Outreach Committee would love to hear about, and share, your mission service activities! Please contact the Vice President of Gospel Outreach here. Thank you!

View past Mission Service Activities

Mission Service Activity of the Month

May 2023: Making Blessing Baskets for Healthcare Workers

If you have ever spent time in a hospital or visited a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living centers, then you have seen the incredible mercy and service provided by those in the medical field. Let’s support and encourage medical workers in their workplace.  Share with them that they are loved by God and are being lifted in prayer. During your group meeting, put together Break Room Blessing Baskets for Healthcare Workers. Baskets can contain individual items such as chocolate bars, peanut butter crackers, chips, cookies, protein bars, water bottles, or other food and drinks. Create a printable copy of The Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3–12, to be included in the baskets.

Arrange your individual comfort food items in the baskets. Write personal notes on the back of The Beatitudes printouts and highlight verse 7. Pray for the healthcare workers who will receive the baskets. What a blessing it will be for healthcare workers when you deliver these baskets to remind them of their Savior’s love. 

Take pictures of this service activity and submit them to share on your district website or in your district newsletter!

Gospel Focus: BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7 NIV).

Devotion as You Plan:

As you plan this service activity, you may want to share this devotion: Serve the Lord with Gladness

Prayer as You Plan and Prepare:

Heavenly Father, help us to keep in mind the love and mercy You have given us through Your Son, Jesus. Bless our healthcare workers as they use their gifts and talents to care for others. Be with each of us as we live each day in the knowledge of Your gift of eternal life. Help us share with others the joy of having a Savior. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Download the printable PDF of this Mission Service Activity

Making Blessing Baskets for Healthcare Workers
 

The Gospel Outreach Committee would love to hear about, and share, your mission service activities! Please contact the Vice President of Gospel Outreach here. Thank you!

View past Mission Service Activities

Mission Service Activity of the Month

April 2023: Showers of Blessings

April showers bring May flowers! How often have you heard that phrase or even said that phrase?  As we consider all the blessings that are “showered” down on us from God, let us think about the blessings of birth. Making connections at this special time is a unique opportunity for us to share God’s love. 

Preparations for this activity:

• Contact your church for names of members expecting a baby.
• Contact the local hospital /pregnancy center to determine if it is okay to give a gift to the parents/child.
• Purchase a small diaper bag or backpack in a neutral color.
• Choose from the following items to fill the bag…diapers, wipes, portable changing pad, diaper cream, onesie, burp cloth, soft swaddling blanket, pacifier, socks, or cap.
• Mustard Seed Devotions (Link: Love, Laughter, and Lullabies, cph.org/LWML40219).
• Include a special card/note of encouragement.
• Add contact and worship service information for your church/pastor to include with backpacks given to hospitals or pregnancy centers (if approved).

Take pictures of this activity in progress if doing this as a group project. Obtain permission to take pictures of the recipients with their bags. Submit the pictures to share on your district website or in your district newsletter.

Gospel Focus:

I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing (Ezekiel 34:26b).

Devotion as you plan:

As you plan this activity, you may want to share this devotion “Love, Laughter, and Lullabies – A Sweet Tooth Craving”. 

Prayer as you plan and prepare:

Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd who delights in little ones and gently leads those who are with child, we thank You for your marvelous mercy. We praise You for the gift of children. Keep these expectant mothers and also those who have given birth, in Your care. Give them the strength for the coming days and help them be the kind of mothers who will please You. Send Your guardian angels to watch over and shield babies from all danger of body or soul. We pray that these little ones may be brought to the font to receive the life-giving waters of Holy Baptism. In Your most holy name. Amen. 

Download the printable PDF of this Mission Service Activity

Showers of Blessings
 

The Gospel Outreach Committee would love to hear about, and share, your mission service activities! Please contact the Vice President of Gospel Outreach here. Thank you!

View past Mission Service Activities

Mission Service Activity of the Month

March 2023: Thank you First Responder Kits

During emergencies or accidents, our local police, fire, and rescue teams are the first ones to respond. Many of these workers are volunteers. They bless our communities every day. We can show our love and care by lifting them up in our prayers and gifting them with Thank You Kits. Call your local precinct or firehouse and connect with their chaplain to ask about the specific needs of their officers, firefighters, or paramedics. Include your congregation in gathering items for donation. Have the children in the congregation color thank you pages to include with your kits. 

First Responder Kit

1. Drawstring bag to contain items
2. Hand sanitizer
3. Pocket tissues
4. Band-Aids
5. Beef jerky / Slim Jim
6. Energy bars/granola bars
7. Trail mix packets
8. Powdered electrolyte replacement drink mix
9. Chewing gum/hard candy/mints
10. Cough drops
11. A gift card to a local coffee shop
12. Lip balm
13. Bottled water
14. Small spiral memo pad and pen
15. Mustard Seeds Simple Trust or Living in Faith from Concordia Publishing House
16. Note of thanks with an indication that you are praying for them

Gospel Focus

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Devotion as you plan

Share this LWML devotion Caring for the Caregiver. 

Prayer as you Plan

Dear Heavenly Father, each first responders’ workday requires them to be prepared and ready for whatever may come. Give them the ability to stand strong. Fill them with courage. Help them be aware of Your presence and see You in every challenging situation. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen. 

Download the printable PDF of this Mission Service Activity

Thank you First Responder Kits
 

The Gospel Outreach Committee would love to hear about, and share, your mission service activities! Please contact the Vice President of Gospel Outreach here. Thank you!

View past Mission Service Activities