Summer Service Project

If you are looking for a fun and easy hands-on project to do at home — or the next time your local group meets — consider coloring encouragement cards for your church or school staff as they gear up for the new school year. This is something you could do as a family service project, too. Use whatever supplies you have on hand: colored pencils, markers, or crayons. Free printable coloring resources are available on the LWML website. Looking for another option? How about Baptism cards?

If you don’t have a printer, you can take a copy or send the file to your church office and ask if they will print some for you. I prefer using cardstock, but you can use regular copier paper. For added stability, glue your finished piece onto patterned paper, blank cards, or heavier craft paper. Don’t forget to include a personal note and make someone’s day!

How will you use your heart and hands to Serve the LORD with gladness! (Psalm 100:2) this summer?

Eden Keefe

President, 2023–2027
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Fish Story = Fishers of Men

And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).^a

Our ranch has a fishing pond and the grandsons spend hours there catching fish — most are released. Early this summer, the two youngest had quite the fishing tale about a bass — “It was at least six pounds.” “No, I think it was ten!” They were excited to tell that the fish had pulled the pole into the pond, but they had to use the other pole to snag it, to finally reel in the fish.

Lutheran Women in Mission has hundreds of resources to fit your group’s programming needs. I searched for “fishing” and found a clever sketch of four “fishy” women and how their Bible study shared about Jesus — God’s own Son — with their new friend. They told how the world lures us with temptations, but being hooked by Jesus is much different than the world. Free in the waters of His Grace, we also gladly share this Good News as fishers of men!

Click HERE to access “Hook, Line, and Sinker.” Now this is a fish story you can believe!

Brenda Piester

Recording Secretary
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Small Amounts Gathered Together and Blessed by God

But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” … And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men (Mark 6:37–38, 44).

Jesus fed over five thousand people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. It doesn’t seem possible that such a large crowd could be fed with so little. The food was blessed and satisfied all the people with twelve baskets of broken pieces of bread and fish leftover.

Lutheran Women in Mission are spreading the Gospel to the world with their donations in their Mite Boxes. Amounts may be small, but when gathered together and blessed by God they are impacting the world with the message of salvation. Mite offerings collected within districts support both national (25%) and district (75%) grants. During 2022–2024, 31 grants nationally and 455 district-wide are being supported.

Mission grant proposal submission deadline for the 2025 LWML Convention is September 1, 2024. Visit lwml.org/mission-grant-proposals for details.

Sharon von Qualen

Mission Grants Committee Chairman
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Back To School Hospitality

Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality (Romans 12:13).

We are just weeks away from the start of another school year. It is one of my favorite times of the year as I stock up on school supplies at various stores and start the year fresh with new tools and new opportunities.

I have had the privilege of teaching in public and Lutheran K–8 schools. I have seen families that are able to provide for their children and I have seen families that struggle each week to provide the basic necessities. All of God’s children deserve to start each school year with a fresh outlook and fresh tools to be successful.

The LWML website has ideas to assist you in preparing kits to help teachers and college students this fall. I encourage each of you, as you are shopping in stores during the back-to-school season, to pick up supplies and put them in a teacher kit or a college student kit. Please pray for teachers and students as they head back into the classroom this fall that they may have the resources they need and that they may use their God-given talents to the best of their ability.

Amanda Hankemeier

Christian Life Committee Member, 2023–2025
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Communication

Lutheran Women in Mission have continuous interactions with multiple parties including congregational members, groups, zones, districts, and national. Successful and effective communication ensures the flow of information between all relevant parties, reducing the potential for misunderstanding, and helping to foster collaboration.

We learn from Scripture the following about communication:

• The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice (Psalm 37:30).
• “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24).
• “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37).
• So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding (Romans 14:19).
• And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).

For some ideas for improving your communication skills see these resources:

• Member Relationship to Other Levels of LWML
• Zone President Pointers
• LWQ Winter 2013 “Communication: Mixed Signals”
• Assembly of Leaders 2018 “Leaders Linked: Unbroken Chains of Communication”

This all sounds so simple! Yet as sinners, we fall short of the expectations that God has for us. The Lord is gracious and allows us to ask for forgiveness. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thank You, Lord!

Kathy Pavelock

Vice President of Communication
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Shine Your Light

And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Years ago, while teaching in the public schools, I had a 7th grade student whose family fled from Burma to escape religious persecution. He spoke of how he and thirty others left before they were killed for their belief in Jesus. As brave witnesses for Christ, they cleared a section in the forest, placed an enormous cross in the center, and burned it on the side of a mountain to shine for all to see as they flew away into the night sky.

This week, let the fireworks remind us of the freedom that our Savior has given us through His life, death, and resurrection and to always share this news with others. I recommend the LWML resource, A Missionary, Me? No Passport Needed for ideas.

Cheryl Mattil

Strategic Plan Facilitator
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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SUMMER!!!!

Do you have summer plans? Maybe they include long walks on the beach, swimming, hiking, camping, or maybe reading a good book under a nice shade tree. Do your plans include a vacation, cruise, visiting family, or attending a family reunion?

Have you thought about the plans God may have for your summer?

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

He might have many of the items listed above on His summer list for you. Or His list might also include Bible reading and Bible study, servant activities, assisting neighbors with yard work, volunteering with vacation Bible school, assisting at the church picnic, or serving on a short-term mission team.

On this LWML website there are hundreds of ideas for staying in His Word and ways to serve the Lord with gladness by serving others. For more ideas click on the service tab above.

God’s blessings on your summer!

Leslie Colligan

Meeting Manager
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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