Breaking Generational Poverty in Detroit

2023–2025 Mission Grant 31 — $58,988.62 (partial)

So many relationships are formed through the work of Camp Restore Detroit. Two little boys, one from the community and the other, a Lutheran from a different city, worshipping together. One is teaching the other about the use of the LCMS hymnal and enthusiastically sharing the love of Jesus with one another.

Camp Restore Detroit has been called to be a partner in breaking the cycle of generational poverty in Detroit by working with families and community leaders in a Christ-centered atmosphere, where families can learn and grow with access to education and needed resources. 

Camp Restore Detroit fills the Children’s Outreach House, Adult Outreach House, and the land surrounding it with programs and ministry aimed at sharing God’s love as they work together to restore hope, support health and wellness, raise the educational levels of children and adults, and support vocational skill building in a Christ-centered environment. 

This grant will fund furnishings for both houses, tools for learning including Bibles, SMARTboards, and computers. Additionally, a Maker’s Space and a Storybook Learning and Reading Garden for community members and their children will be created.

Resources for Grant #31

• Mission Grant Story
• Bulletin Byte (Word doc)
• Bulletin Insert (half page insert, 2 per page)
• Devotion
• Prayer Guide
• Zoom Background (JPG)

Large Print Resources for Grant #31

• Devotion — large print
• Prayer Guide — large print
• Story — large print

Updates and Articles

Turning Blessings into Blessings

Learn more about this mission grant and view more photos here.

Donate to the LWML Mission Goal

Repairs for St. Paul's Lutheran School

2023–2025 Mission Grant 29 — $50,000

The emergency doors in the gym are not locking properly after being opened and therefore cannot be used.

St. Paul’s Lutheran School has served the church and the Cullman community since 1887, and the current building was built in 1951. St. Paul’s is one of two Lutheran elementary schools in northern Alabama. It currently teaches classes pre-K through 6th grade, with the intent to add 7th and 8th grades. 

The building has been through multiple tornadoes and there are now safety concerns which need to be addressed, including replacement of windows, emergency doors, and updated heating technology. Because of its location, the school is a mission, reaching unchurched children and their families. Parents are encouraged to attend the daily chapel services and families attend Sunday Divine Service, especially when their child or children sing.

This grant would assist in the updating of the heating system and replacement of windows and emergency doors.

Resources for Grant #29

• Mission Grant Story
• Bulletin Byte (Word doc)
• Bulletin Insert (half page insert, 2 per page)
• Devotion
• Prayer Guide
• Zoom Background (JPG)

Large Print Resources for Grant #29

• Devotion — large print
• Prayer Guide — large print
• Story — large print

Updates and Articles

Turning Blessings into Blessings

Learn more about this mission grant and view more photos here.

Donate to the LWML Mission Goal

Showering Love on the Least of These

2023–2025 Mission Grant 30 — $100,000

After a refreshing hot shower offered by Mercy Holistic Ministry (MHM) in their mobile shower truck in downtown Sacramento, sometimes the first shower in months! MHM also provides personal hygiene kits and clothing in addition to the shower.

Mercy Holistic Ministry (MHM) is a Sacramento, California, based organization, established in 2010, that provides dignified holistic services to restore and transform the lives of the homeless community in and around the city. Its ministry partners include various area LCMS congregations. 

In 2021, MHM purchased a two-stall shower trailer, literally bringing showers and the Gospel to the location of the homeless. Beyond showers, MHM provides personal hygiene kits, haircuts, clean clothing, and food to the people who come. They offer the opportunity to speak with someone who can pray for them, provide active listening, and give referrals to other services, such as shelters. Bibles and prayer books are shared. 

This grant will enable MHM to offer an additional day per week of service and to purchase and retrofit a mobile closet trailer for clean clothing and hygiene kit storage.

Resources for Grant #30

• Mission Grant Story
• Bulletin Byte (Word doc)
• Bulletin Insert (half page insert, 2 per page)
• Devotion
• Prayer Guide
• Zoom Background (JPG)

Large Print Resources for Grant #30

• Devotion — large print
• Prayer Guide — large print
• Story — large print

Learn more about this mission grant and view more photos here.

Donate to the LWML Mission Goal

Due to the number of grants this biennium, this month there are two grants featured!

God's Word for Central and South American Missions

2023–2025 Mission Grant 24 — $100,000

Over 435 million people in our world speak Spanish, and many of those men, women and children are still waiting to be introduced to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. One good example: These students of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Uruguay are 80 percent unchurched. LCMS missionary Rev. James Sharp has been thrilled to provide free copies of the Spanish-language A Child's Garden of Bible Stories, which they can take home to share with their siblings and parents.

Lutheran evangelism efforts are being intensified in countries like the Dominican Republic, Chile, and Uruguay. The need for Spanish language Bibles, Luther’s Small Catechism, children’s materials, devotions, and other resources is continuous. New pastors who are being trained to be missionaries and evangelists need to be equipped with materials that help share the Good News. 

This grant will provide for the translation and printing costs of approximately 25,000 books by Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF). LHF will distribute the printed books free of charge to people in Central and South America who live from week to week and have little to no savings. Even though economic or political conditions may force missionaries to come and go in these countries, they leave behind the Lutheran books which continue to teach for generations.

Resources for Grant #24

• Mission Grant Story
• Bulletin Byte (Word doc)
• Bulletin Insert (half page insert, 2 per page)
• Devotion
• Prayer Guide
• Zoom Background (JPG)

Large Print Resources for Grant #24

• Devotion — large print
• Prayer Guide — large print
• Story — large print

Updates and Articles

• Mission Grant disbursement update — Videos from Lutheran Heritage Foundation

Learn more about this mission grant and view more photos here.

Donate to the LWML Mission Goal

Siouxland Lutheran Hispanic Ministry

2023–2025 Mission Grant 27 — $50,000

The ESL (English as a Second Language) classes at Hope Lutheran have been a wonderful way to meet new Hispanic families in the community. In this photo, you see Shemilin from Guatemala, with her two children.

Siouxland Lutheran Hispanic Ministry, located at Hope Lutheran church in South Sioux City, Nebraska is building relationships with Hispanics in the Tri State border region of Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. Pastor Henry Witte, the vacancy pastor, collaborates with and trains local congregations to meet the needs of their Hispanic neighbors and share the Good News of Jesus with them. Siouxland Lutheran Hispanic Ministry is supported by local churches and at least two districts in their outreach to the Hispanic community. 

This grant will give additional support for Siouxland Lutheran Hispanic Ministry outreach and will be used for English as a Second Language classes, citizenship classes, community outreach events, Spanish Bibles, catechisms, hymnals, and other resources, plus retreats, conventions, and special holiday meals.  

Resources for Grant #27

• Mission Grant Story
• Bulletin Byte (Word doc)
• Bulletin Insert (half page insert, 2 per page)
• Devotion
• Prayer Guide
• Zoom Background (JPG)

Large Print Resources for Grant #27

• Devotion — large print
• Prayer Guide — large print
• Story — large print

Updates and Articles

• Funding for Siouxland Lutheran Hispanic Ministry

Learn more about this mission grant and view more photos here.

Donate to the LWML Mission Goal

Due to the number of grants this biennium, this month there are two grants featured!

A Legacy of Love for Special Needs Children

2023–2025 Mission Grant 23 — $100,000

In 2023, Lutheran Special Education Ministries is celebrating 150 years of serving God's children with special needs. They have a rich and full history which began as an orphanage for children after the Civil War, turned into Lutheran School for the Deaf, and has grown into Lutheran Special Education Ministries now serving children with all kinds of learning needs across the country and internationally.

One in five children in the United States has a learning need. Each child is unique, they all learn at a different pace, and some require different approaches to learning. Parents often must make the choice between public school that addresses their learning needs or Christian education that develops their spirituality. 

Lutheran Special Education Ministries (LSEM) serves schools, churches, and families to advance the success of children who have learning needs by providing resources to benefit them in the classroom but also in their church communities. They have served God’s children with special needs for 150 years. 

This grant will allow LSEM to continue to develop and research tools and techniques so they can provide resources to Lutheran churches to welcome, integrate, and support children with specialized needs and their families in their church bodies.

Resources for Grant #23

• Mission Grant Story
• Bulletin Byte (Word doc)
• Bulletin Insert (half page insert, 2 per page)
• Devotion
• Prayer Guide
• Zoom Background (JPG)

Large Print Resources for Grant #23

• Devotion — large print
• Prayer Guide — large print
• Story — large print

Learn more about this mission grant and view more photos here.

Donate to the LWML Mission Goal

Growing Our Place: Care for Special Needs Students

2023–2025 Mission Grant 28 — $20,000

Terri Siebrass (left) and Heidi (right) measure ingredients during activity time at Our Place After School Care Inc.

Our Place After School Care (Our Place) is a caring Christian community for special needs students between the ages of 13 and 20 years old, who are unable to be safe when home alone and have aged-out of the Hastings area daycare facilities. Our Place benefited from the generosity of Faith Lutheran Church which provided space in its existing facilities for their operations. 

To expand the outreach and activities of Our Place, the Advisory Board recommended locating a new space to rent. A space has been located which will require little or no modification. 

This grant will serve as a funding bridge to cover the monthly rent, allow them to purchase software to open a store, and allow for scholarship aid to students. 

Resources for Grant #28

• Mission Grant Story
• Bulletin Byte (Word doc)
• Bulletin Insert (half page insert, 2 per page)
• Devotion
• Prayer Guide
• Zoom Background (JPG)

Large Print Resources for Grant #28

• Devotion — large print
• Prayer Guide — large print
• Story — large print

Learn more about this mission grant and view more photos here.

Donate to the LWML Mission Goal