LCC has supported the education of students from the tent city in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, since 2012.

Public and private education in Haiti costs money - there is NO free education. Our Lutheran schools also charge, but they are less expensive than the public schools. The cost of tuition is $60 per month.

In 2020 and 2021, the school year was interrupted by civil unrest in Haiti and COVID-19. Despite the disruptions, our students were able to finish their school year with a combination of in-person and online learning. This September, they plan to all return full-time to their classrooms.

Even though there is still unrest in Haiti, the children have been faithful with their schoolwork and have been doing well in their classes. They anticipate another 4 to 5 students will graduate from High School again this year.

Thank you to everyone who has supported these children as they seek an education. Your generosity provides them with hope for a better life. Please consider sponsoring a child that they may have hope for their future and learn the wonders of the Lord!

"Tell to the children the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done." (Psalm 78:4)

LCC has received a request from our Mission Partner Jackie Rychel with Ministry in Mission:

Lutheran Church Charities has been continuing to monitor the flooding and how we can assist with recovery efforts in the Appalachian Mountain areas in Easter, Kentucky, if we receive an invite from one of our LCMS churches.

Flood waters are now receding after many recurring days of flooding rain over the last two weeks. According to FEMA reports, five State Roads will be closed for some time due to damage, and 29 bridges that have been washed away.

They also report that water and wastewater systems in multiple counties are not operational or functioning in a limited capacity only. Unfortunately, there have been 37 confirmed fatalities and at least 25,000 homes and hundreds of businesses damaged or destroyed, 5 schools destroyed and another 6 damaged, and 2 hospitals damaged.

The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response Fund so that, when invited, we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

Thanks to your generous donations, Our Savior Lutheran Church in Buffalo, New York was able to host Camp J.O.Y. (Jesus, Others, Yourself), a 6-week day camp focused on spiritual and developmental growth, bringing stability and growth to children affected by the tragic Tops Supermarket shooting on May 14th.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Abraham (Trinity - Hicksville, New York) visited Camp J.O.Y. at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Buffalo, New York.

Camp J.O.Y. is serving this community by teaching the children not only life skills but the love of God. They are each given breakfast before starting their day filled with prayer, arts and crafts, reading, and community service.

Our Savior is just a few short blocks from the Tops Supermarket shooting, and many of the children were affected in one way, shape, or form, so to have a place to go that’s positive and uplifting for them is what they need.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Abraham and his handlers had so much fun spending time with the children and answering their questions.

The children showed Abraham and his handlers the Care boxes of items they made to give to the homeless in their community. The children are learning not only to have fun at Camp J.O.Y., but they also learn and show acts of kindness to others.

During their visit, the team met Barbara Glover, Church President at Our Savior Lutheran Church who is the founder and director of Camp J.O.Y.

Please prayerfully consider continuing to support Camp J.O.Y. as they seek to bring Jesus to the community of Buffalo, New York.

The LCC K-9 Ministry is one of presence. When the Lord calls, we must go and serve Him. LCC never goes where we are not invited and the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry NEVER charges those we serve.

The St. Peter, Schaumburg, Illinois Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T) worked on their church grounds this past weekend.

They felled, cut, and removed four large 75-year-old trees that were diseased, showing hollow trunks and posing a danger of falling.

These trees were located in the grove, where children play at recess, and the church uses for gatherings. Pastor Jerry Hays expressed his appreciation for making the grounds safe for school and in preparation for the upcoming 175th Anniversary celebration.

The team will also remove damaged trees and trim hanging limbs in their cemetery in the coming weeks.

The humanitarian needs in Ukraine continue to grow larger and larger. Many geographical areas in eastern Ukraine are in mere survival mode. Working through LCC staff member for Ukraine relief Rev. Larry Myers, the pastors and laity of the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) continue to put forth outstanding efforts in proclaiming the truth of the Gospel through Word and action.

The photo shows Pastor Valera Verba in one of several vans that are used by the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine to deliver humanitarian relief. He reports the following:

SELCU Pastor Sergii Bevz reports:

The SELCU pastors who receive support from Lutheran Church Charities are producing video recordings that will provide updates on their ongoing ministry. Those videos will soon be available for LCC donors to view.

On Monday, August 8, Tim Hetzner, LCC Ambassador for Spiritual Growth, and LCC volunteer, Jim Dunne presented additional donations to Archpriest Mykhailo Kuzma of the Ukrainian Church in Palatine, Illinois, to continue direct and immediate financial assistance to their contacts in Ukraine.

Thank you for your faithful and generous support.

Thank You for your support in being the hands and feet of Jesus to those suffering!

Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses provides a physical and spiritual symbol through the giving of hearts and crosses to families and friends who have suffered loss or serious illness of a loved one.

Click HERE to read all the ways the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses Ministry has served this year.

Click HERE to learn more about the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses Ministry or how your church can be involved.

BEGINS THURSDAY, AUGUST 11th

Start your day with a free devotion from Tim Hetzner, LCC Ambassador for Spiritual Growth.

A new three-part devotion series "Night Vision” begins Thursday, August 11th.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Lutheran Church Charities sends your donations to Haiti through our Mission Partners, Ministry in Mission and Mission:Haiti. Both have people on the ground, who purchase and distribute desperately needed supplies to help save and improve the lives of the most vulnerable Haitians.

Here are the most critical needs:

To better manage volunteers and resources, FEMA has developed a guideline on credentialing volunteers for large-scale disasters. The federal guidelines indicate that volunteers responding to a disaster should be trained and certified.

Should a disaster strike, these teams would be put on call and may be asked to deploy in 72 hours or less to the disaster site. This training will prepare a team member for credentialing and will focus on the safety, work, and ministry of Lutherans as Early Responders.

The registration cost for new L.E.R.T. volunteers is $35.00. As a refresher to update your ID, the cost is only $15.00.

Lutheran Church Charities will present the following in-person Basic LERT Training. If you know someone who is interested in disaster response, encourage them to register and attend this training.

Krentz Center – Rm. 120 (southeast corner of campus)

7400 Augusta St.

River Forest, Illinois 60305

Time: Registration: 8:30 - 9:00 am | Training: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Cost: $35.00 per person for new LERT volunteers; $25.00 for CUC students only: $15 for LERT team members attending to update their ID

Payments can be made online or during registration. If you have attended a previous LERT training, please wear your ID and bring your manual with you.

REGISTER HERE: https://lcc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/1307/responses/new

The online LCMS Basic L.E.R.T. training is geared towards responding to a disaster with Lutheran Church Charities in the Northern Illinois District or wherever we are invited to serve nationwide.

For the online training, you will receive a letter with instructions to access the portal to view the Basic L.E.R.T. training sessions.

Upon verification of watching and completing all Basic L.E.R.T. training sessions and quizzes, LCC will then send your DR manual, badge, your personal certificate, and vest.

If your church is interested in hosting a Basic L.E.R.T. Training or if you have any questions, contact the LCC Disaster Response team at DRAdmin@LutheranChurchCharities.org or 866-455-6466.

Romans 12:15

We have been rejoicing and mourning with our neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family through the last year.

Whether it’s a virtual school, loneliness, under or unemployment, food insecurity, loss, anxiety, depression; we have also grown together as families, changed jobs/careers, established new and maintained friendships via video calls, and packed our belongings for a location change; we are privileged to support one another.

The LCC Nationwide Prayer Vigil provides each of us the opportunity to be in prayer for one another. Please submit all prayer concerns and/or prayers of thanksgiving.

Share answered prayer at prayer@lutheranchurchcharities.org

If you experience difficulty submitting names or signing up to pray, please call 800-524-5464.

Voice of Care Ministry

Do you shop on Amazon.com?

You can benefit Lutheran Church Charities automatically, without any extra steps to your purchases.

Just create an account on AmazonSmile and select Lutheran Church Charities as the beneficiary.

Every time you shop, Amazon will make a donation to LCC! What a difference we can make together!

Do you shop the Amazon app via your mobile device? You can now support Lutheran Church Charities by using AmazonSmile through the app!

We’re proud to be a Thrivent Choice®-enrolled organization.

Through the Thrivent programs, Lutheran Church Charities is eligible to receive grant dollars, fee-free donations, and support from Thrivent Action Team service projects.

Directing Choice Dollars is easy!

Visit thrivent.com/thriventchoice to learn more OR call 800-847-4836 and say "Thrivent Choice" after the prompt.

Through the Thrivent programs, you are eligible to receive grant dollars, fee-free donations, and support from Thrivent Action Team service projects.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Thrivent Action Teams.

As always, thank you for all of your generous support - it makes a difference! If you would like to hear more about LCC ministry opportunities, which would benefit from an Action Team Card, please contact Tim Laabs at tlaabs@LutheranChurchCharities.org or (224) 443-4223.