Download and print a 6 page listing of the 2008 - 2010 Mission Grant recipients.

We as Lutheran Women in Mission can be used by our Lord to make a difference for Him in the lives of several men and their families and many congregations and multitudes of people in the future by using our mites and prayers to help these men prepare for the pastoral ministry. 

          Fourth year and/or third year delayed vicarage students from our Oregon LWML District will each receive a $1000 grant to assist them with their seminary studies. 

          Concordia Seminary, St. Louis reports the average debt of men entering the seminary is $16,000.  The average debt of men exiting the seminary is $27,900. Let us help relieve this stressful financial burden for these dedicated men and their families, who will be teaching God’s Word and giving pastoral care to God’s children throughout the world.

                       Seminary families            4^th year student             Ordination

Trinity Lutheran Church in Lebanon, Tennessee, started with one school of 42 children in 1999, now feeds 6095 children in feeding programs at 43 Lutheran schools.  Their goal is to ultimately have feeding programs in all 135 Lutheran schools in Haiti. Providing a hot lunch at $.22 per meal helps meet the physical needs of the hungry children in Haiti so they are healthier, have more energy, and are more receptive to the Word of the Lord.

          The feeding programs in these schools are being used by the Holy Spirit to discredit the Voodoo teaching that God is unapproachable and non responsive to Haitians. Children in these Lutheran schools are coming to faith in response to the Word and its witness faster than any other population segment and, later, become instruments in bringing their whole families to the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Savior.

          Trinity Lutheran is asking the Oregon District LWML to provide the funds needed to provide a noon meal for 125 children, (an average school), for one school year. 100% of funds granted go into running the feeding program.  This grant will be assigned to one of the 135 Lutheran schools that does not have a feeding program.  

                    Students                              Lunchtime                      Young Student 

3.   Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne- Food and Clothing Co-op - $6,000

Though many individuals and churches do what they can to help our seminaries, LCMS Synodical support has diminished alarmingly and is almost nonexistent.  The cost for a seminary student is staggering.  The Food and Clothing Co-op provided 65-75% of the food and household needs of 563 seminarians and their families in 2007.  70% of students at Ft. Wayne are married/second career with families.  The #1 priority for the proclaiming of the Gospel is to provide faithful pastors who are trained in, and preach, the TRUTH.  This grant request was only submitted to 3 districts. 

                                                Food Store                                     Clothing Store

As Lutheran Women in Mission, we are catalysts to motivate, equip, and encourage the support of mission work at home and abroad.  So, to encourage “willing service whenever and wherever He has need of us, being obedient to His call for workers in the harvest fields,” this grant provides financial assistance (ten $500 grants) to enable Oregon District LWML women to go on Oregon District LWML planned mission trips.  The Lord will use our experiences to equip us for His work that He has planned for us in the future, “using her gifts in ministry to the people of the world.”   The relationships developed with the people met and served are God’s open doors to sharing the message of salvation in Word and Deed.  Not only does God use LWML women to be a blessing to those they go to serve, but He blesses them beyond imagination.  The blessings can be yours, too.

        Fisher River, Canada                Fisher River VBS                          Mission to Guatemala

5.   Latino Circuit Rider Ministry - $6,500

Oregon has become home to large numbers of Latino immigrants.  It is estimated that only 2% of the 600,000 currently living in Oregon attend church on a regular basis.  The Latino Circuit Rider Ministry, reaching four congregations with a growing attendance of approximately 100, is currently the only Word and Sacrament ministry to Latinos in the entire LCMS Northwest District.  The circuit rider works with the congregations, coordinating projects like:  English as a Second Language classes; transporting children to Sunday School; Bible Story classes for Latino children; Bilingual Vacation Bible School; computer classes; annual soccer camp; four-week academic summer school for immigrant children; emergency food program serving 80-100 families per month; a community garden; and scholarship to allow Latino children to attend Trinity Lutheran School, Portland. The ministry offers assistance for initiating Latino ministries in other parts of the Northwest District.

          Funds from this grant will play a critical role in providing salary, benefits and travel expenses for the circuit rider ministry. 

                       Baptisms                           VBS Crafts                  Christmas Pageant

A grant to LCMS World Relief and Human Care will provide two impoverished girls of the Zulu tribe of South Africa with academic scholarships to Siyathemba Girls’ High School.  This high school is in partnership with the Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa, the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa, and the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany.  The girls receive an academic education, vocational technical training and life skills education as well as catechesis in the Lutheran Christian faith that will result in the proclamation of Christ’s Gospel and His love for all people.  These young South African Zulu women will be prepared for a life of service to the Church that proclaims the goodness of our Lord’s Gospel through Jesus Christ.  

        Themba School Entrance         Chapel & Classroom                      Students

This grant would provide Spanish Children’s Bibles, Sunday School materials, Arch Books and Hear-Me-Read Bible Story books, materials for youth studies, a large flannel graph set, printing of song books, materials for children with DD, printing and laminating of teaching pictures, and cover the cost of training sessions and shipping of these materials.

          LCMS World Mission reports that in just over two years the Lord has opened doors: 

• Over 50 teachers of Dominican Child Care, a Christian organization, have been trained and equipped to weekly share Bible stories, songs and prayers with over 300 children with DD in their homes.
• Amigos de Cristo Bible clubs are being started for children with DD in neighborhoods.  Training of local volunteers who plan and lead the clubs is essential for more children to hear of Jesus’ love. 
• For the establishment of the first LCMS sister congregation in Santo Domingo.

                                        Government Home                         Theology Training

This project will allow the Oregon District LWML to minister together in sharing the saving message of the Gospel by providing mutual encouragement, inspiration, education, help in ministry, and honor to our Lord by financially assisting missionaries from the Oregon LWML district to attend LWML and Oregon District LWML conventions and retreats, giving them the opportunity to speak about their ministries.

          Often a missionary might be serving as one person in an area, without other missionaries/Christians with whom they can have Bible study, worship services, or social interaction.  Living in a different culture, learning a different language, adjusting to a different climate, and being away from family, friends, and church family, they have many adjustments to make. By coming “home” to attend a convention or retreat, we will get to know our missionaries and they will be blessed by joining us in Bible study, and worship service.  St. Paul said in I Thess. 5:11 – “…encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 

           Dominican Republic                 Africa                                       India

9.   The Morning Star Club and Mentoring Program - $5,500

The Lutheran ministry on the Makah Indian Reservation in NW Washington has established the Morning Star Club to minister to girls, grades 1-6.  The program involves teaching these young girls how to serve and witness to others while learning important life skills, valuable for the rest of their lives.  Local Christian women and key native elder women are involved in helping to teach the girls.  Regular monthly meetings, field trips, materials and staffing comprise the budget. 

          The Mentoring program is an outgrowth of the Morning Star Club which includes young girls, 12 years of age and older, who have expressed a desire and commitment to continue study of God’s Word and to hone their skills in sharing their faith, as well as in sewing, cooking, gardening, mission projects and community service projects. 

          In a society where alcoholism and methamphetamines are a serious problem, a legacy of dysfunction is being passed down from one generation to the next.  The vision for the Morning Star Club and Mentoring Program is to help young Makah women to be teachers and leaders in their church and community. Through their faith and skills, God will use them to change the lives of others.

                                                               Crafts Class                        Cooking Class