Lutheran Church Charities was invited by Jeremy Sanders, Battalion Chief, Cal Fire, Employee Support Services, to bring the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs to be the with the first responders protecting life and property of those affected by the California wildfires.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Aaron (St. John's - Napa, California) and Micah (Light of the Valley, Elk Grove - California), and their teams deployed over the weekend to offer comfort to the firefighters and their leadership teams at Cal Fire Base Camp in Pleasanton who help battle the California wildfires.

California Governor Gavin Newsom revealed in an update Monday that the extent of the fire damage ravaging the state is now at 1.2 million acres, nearly the size of the entire Grand Canyon.

CLICK HERE to watch broadcast.

Due to COVID-19, extra precautions were added to keep everyone safe. The LCC K-9 Ministry teams entered through a tent and were temperature screened. This single entrance allowed them to be right there as the firefighters came in off the line.

Most have not seen their families or their pets since mid-August. The LCC K-9 Ministry teams were encouraged that the LCC K-9's were remembered from previous years. Some firefighters had the dogs' business cards and one had printed a picture of her and an LCC K-9 Comfort Dog that she carries with her protected in a plastic resealable bag.

Please pray for these courageous men and women who put their lives on the line to stop these dangerous and destructive fires. God bless them all and those affected by these fires.

“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” (Isaiah‬ ‭40:1)‬

Please consider a donation to the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry so that we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

On Monday, August 10, Northern Illinois experienced a rare derecho with sustained winds of 60 – 90 mph and 15 confirmed tornados, causing widespread property damage throughout many cities.

Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) Disaster Response Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) volunteers have currently completed work at 34 homes and will be working this week at two other locations. LCC has served at these homes through 18 different Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) Northern Illinois District (NID) churches located in their disaster-affected cities.

In Marengo and Union, Illinois, one of the tornados ripped through four homeowner properties, ranging from 5 – 26 acres each, uprooting multiple trees and leaving a trail of destruction and damaged roofs. LCC L.E.R.T. chainsaw and heavy equipment operators spent four days working at all of these homes.

Each of the homeowners expressed how they felt that God was blessing them with angels sent to help with what would have been an impossible job to do on their own or could have afforded to do.

LCC L.E.R.T. volunteers also worked at 6 homes in Kankakee, Illinois, mostly elderly or widowed congregation members, and also included Pastor Koeppen from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Bourbonnais, Illinois. He expressed what a tremendous relief our ministry has been for all those helped in his congregation.

Approximately 75 LCC L.E.R.T. chainsaw certified volunteers and heavy equipment operators from 24 different LCMS churches have willingly responded to serve at all of these affected homes.

Cross – Helmar & Yorkville

Good Shepherd – Elgin

Good Shepherd – Frankfort

Friendship – Champaign

Immanuel – Belvidere

Immanuel – Crystal Lake

Immanuel – DeKalb

Immanuel – East Dundee

Immanuel – Shobonier

Living Word – Orland Park

Lord of Life – Elburn

Prince of Peace – Palatine

Shepherd of the Hills – McHenry

St. Matthew – Hawthorn Woods

St. Paul – Rockford

St. Peter – Arlington Heights

St. Peter – Schaumburg

St. John – Elgin

St. John – Union

St. John – Wheaton

Trinity – Lisle

Trinity – Roselle

Zion – Ottawa

St. John – Racine

Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response L.E.R.T. teams are continuing to respond and serve with the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

Please consider a donation to the LCC Disaster Response General Fund or LCC Disaster Response Equipment Maintenance & Fuel Expense Fund so that we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

LCC DR is making plans with LCMS Iowa District to assist in derecho recovery efforts in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, after completing work in Northern Illinois. We are also closely monitoring Hurricane Laura as it approaches the Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura passed over Haiti this past weekend flooding roads in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. People were wading waist-deep in muddy water in some of the worst flooding the Haitian capital has seen in years.

The combination of wind, driving rain and runoff from the mountains rushing to the sea, damaged and destroyed homes, ruining some possessions and washing many belongs away.

Tropical Storm Laura is now Hurricane Laura and still threatens lives in Haiti.

Lutheran Church Charities has been in contact with our Haiti Mission Partners to determine the immediate needs. Funds are needed to provide emergency food, bottled water, tarps and supplies to patch roofs and walls.

LCC received the below video from Lophane Laurent, Field Director, as Hurricane Marco unleashed its fury causing torrential downpour.

Haitian authorities reported five deaths so far, including at least two people swept away in flooding and a ten-year old girl crushed when a tree fell on her home.

According to reports, Peligre Dam, a flood-controlling and energy generating hydroelectric plant in the Artibonite River valley in Haiti’s lush agricultural sector, had flooded and was subsequently opened.

"We are in grave danger because when this river overflows it causes major problems. There are people who have children who need to evacuate but they don't have the resources to do that," a man who stood on the bank of the overflowing, muddy river told VOA News. He urged the government to send help immediately.

Haiti is under water! According to VOA News, river waters swept away parts of makeshift, tin-roof homes. Some people were seen standing helpless on the front porch of their homes as the river crept closer. Other residents attempted to salvage property.

The storms hit Haiti at a time when the Caribbean nation is still struggling with the coronavirus.

Due to COVID-19, many families have lost their jobs and are unable to pay the school tuition. Other families are behind in their tuition from the last school year but are struggling to pay a little at a time. As COVID-19 lingers on the future of the children staying in school at Christ the King grows bleaker.

In the Bronzeville community of Chicago, Christ the King Lutheran Church and School, as small as they are, has stood for 47 years and still stands as a big beacon of hope for the people around them. Pastor John Brazeal, Principal Geri Brazeal, the school staff and members of the congregation for 47 years have been sharing the life changing love and grace of God, in Jesus Christ and a quality education for the children of the families they serve. Students who have come through Christ the King School have had their lives drastically changed by the love of Christ showered on them through John and Geri Brazeal, and the staff.

On Monday, August 24, a massive fire erupted in an apartment complex in Glendale Heights, Illinois. The tragic incident resulted in the loss of life and the displacement of at least six families.

Lutheran Church Charities will be offering financial assistance to the displaced families through local community leaders.

LCC received the following vehicle request from Pastor Jason Pankau, Chicago Hope Church in Chicago, Illinois:

LCC was blessed to have students from Concordia University, Mequon, Wisconsin, attend handler training on August 17-19. LCC is happy to welcome these wonderful individuals who have been called to go out and serve their home communities to share the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

The handlers spent a lot of time learning new handling skills and building their knowledge about the ministry. Each handler worked with either their affiliate’s dog or with a LCC K-9 Comfort Dog-in-Training.

LCC welcomes the following new handlers from Concordia University, Mequon, Wisconsin to the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry:

Emily Frick

Abby Herrmann

Brittney LaPalme

Margaret Ray

Ciara Roberts

Abigail Roskuszka

Karina Seidl

Paige Splittgerber

Anne Van Den Elzen

Alissa Wagner

Kelsey Leaf

Nicole Muth

Thank you to Rob and Jennifer Fosness for their donation of a mini van to Chicago Hope Church as they partner with Chicago Hope Academy to minister to the students, their families and the community beyond the school. Your donation will help Chicago Hope Church to share God’s love and peace in a poor community where many people have lost hope.

For one of our larger schools this donation enabled them to save $6,000.00 that they did not have to spend from their already stress school budget. For day care, preschool, kindergarten, and first and second grade teachers it allowed them to create safe social distance spaces for their students on the classroom floor and allowing them to create the social distance space when they move the classroom outdoors.

Lutheran Church Charities was able to pass this donation of toddler yoga mats on to the following schools and ministries in Illinois:

•   Calvary, Wood Dale Baby Bank

•   Immanuel Lutheran School, Hillside

•   Immanuel Lutheran School, Palatine

•   St. John Lutheran School, Lombard

•   St. Matthew Lutheran School, Hawthorn Woods

•   St. Paul Lutheran Church, Oak Lawn

•   St. Peter Lutheran School, Schaumburg

•   Trinity Lutheran School, Roselle

Earlier this year Immanuel, Hillside, Illinois, began a new ministry called Put Your Hands Together Food Pantry. The mission is two-fold: to provide food for local families in need and to provide free food to congregations who have outreach ministries that serve their communities with food for people in need.

Many of our congregations have outreach ministries that provide food for people in need but cannot afford to buy food from the Illinois Food Bank or the Greater Chicago Food Depository. In this new ministry, Immanuel as a distributor for an airlines warehouse supplied free food to the following congregations to give away.

In just a few short hours on Monday, Immanuel received and distributed 10 pallets valued at $18,000 to six churches or ministries who are reaching out to serve people in need. As long as the food supply continues to flow, Immanuel will continue to serve these ministries and add on others.

We thank God for this and many other ministries of His Church that bring the Mercy, Compassion, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ amidst the darkness and hopelessness of our culture and the COVID virus.

Pictured new missionary to St. Timothy Lutheran Church Lombard, Pastor Karim Yaghleji and Jayne Siou, Coordinator of Immanuel’s PYHT-Food Panty take a break as Jayne explains how to set up a one day event of a mobile food pantry distribution in parking lot.

If your congregation is interested in this outreach ministry, please contact Dianna Bonfield at [email protected]

Lutheran Church Charities has set the following Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) Basic Training date for 2020. If you know someone who would be a good addition to your L.E.R.T. team encourage them to register and attend.

L.E.R.T. training will also now be offered to youth, ages 14 – 17, so they can also assist in general disaster response safely and under the guidance of their own youth leadership. LCMS Disaster Response has developed new guidelines for youth participation.

Lord of Life Lutheran Church

40W605 IL-38

Elburn (LaFox), IL 60119

Registration: 8:00 - 8:30 am

Training: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm

Cost: $35.00 per person for new L.E.R.T. volunteers; $15 for L.E.R.T. team members attending to update your ID.

When you submit your online registration and receive your registration confirmation number you will also be requested to fill out an online Liability & Medical Form for 2020. This form only needs to be completed once a year.

Payments can be made online or during registration. Walk in registrations will also be accepted the day of the training. Please wear your ID and bring your vest with you if you have previously attended.

BEGINS FRIDAY, AUGUST 28

Start your day with a free devotion from

Tim Hetzner, President/CEO of Lutheran Church Charities.

A new four-part devotional series

LCC K-9 Ministry teams continue to be present and serve in their communities by sharing the hope and love that can be found in Jesus Christ.

Following guidelines of the state and local authorities in regard to COVID-19, LCC K-9 Ministry teams use creative ways to reach out to those suffering and in need bringing God’s presence and touching the lives that need it.

Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital

Click HERE to read all the ways we are staying connected, including through LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry® Virtual Visits, in helping people during the current pandemic.

with one of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs.

We are available 24/7!

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. LCC never charges those we serve.

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

Our hearts are made of the highest quality wood. Material production and shipping costs for hearts are approximately $30 each. We need your help in sharing the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need.

Are you interested in having LCC provide a Heart of Mercy & Compassion for a loved one? There is no charge for the hearts. The hearts are made by caring Christian hands and provided with presence and prayer.

Is your church interested in becoming a mission partner? CLICK HERE to request information.

Click HERE to learn more about the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses Ministry.

12 days | February 19 - March 2, 2021

Hosted by: Tim Hetzner, President/CEO, Lutheran Church Charities

15 days | March 2 - 16, 2021

Hosted by: Tim Hetzner, President/CEO, Lutheran Church Charities

11 days | May 8 - 18, 2022

Hosted by: Tim Hetzner, President/CEO, Lutheran Church Charities

11 days | June 28 - July 8, 2022

Hosted by: Tim Hetzner, President/CEO, Lutheran Church Charities

Sunday, September 27, 2020 - Moms Connect

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!

Grant funding from Thrivent Financial through its Thrivent Choice® program can help support organizations you care about - like Lutheran Church Charities.

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