Prayer for the 4th of July

Gracious Heavenly Father, as the United States pauses to commemorate its independence, we think of the many blessings you have given us. Forgive our many complaints and our negligence in asking your blessings upon our land. Bless all honest endeavors. Do not let our wonderful freedoms be abused or removed. Let justice and right prevail. Place loyalty in the hearts of our citizens so that all may take an active role to do away with wrong and foster what is right. Above all, preserve our freedom to call upon you and praise you. Bless our land! Amen.

46th Annual LWMS Convention ~ June 25-28

The National LWMS Convention is in Denver, CO, June 25-28, 2009.  Women and men are welcome to attend.  This is a WONDERFUL opportunity to hear and meet our missionaries from home missions and world missions. The sooner you register, the better!

Click the picture above to go to the offical website

Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun

Awake, my soul, and with the sun
Your daily stage of duty run;
Shake off dull sloth and joyful rise
To pay your morning sacrifice.

All praise to you, who safe have kept
And have refreshed me while I slept,
Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake,
I may of endless light partake.

Lord, I my vows to you renew.
Disperse my sins as morning dew;
Guard my first springs of thought and will,
And with yourself my spirit fill.

Direct, control, suggest this day
All I design or do or say
That all my powers with all their might
In your sole glory may unite.

Praise god, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, O heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

By: Thomas Ken

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. ~Psalm 51:17

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ~Romans 12:1

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. ~Hebrews 13:16

God opens doors in unexpected places

Two years after an earthquake hit their area, a Hindu community in Northern Pakistan asks for Christian literature.

Author: Harold Essmann

A couple of years ago a devastating earthquake rocked communities in Northern Pakistan. In response to the needs of these people, WELS Committee on Relief made funds available to be distributed by our contact in Pakistan. Food, clothing, shelter, roofing for homes, and piping for water supplies were made available to this hard-hit area.

Recently an interesting development took place in this area of Pakistan. Our synod’s contact, who lives in the south central area of the country and supervises seed-sowing ministry, received a call for help from a community in the former earthquake area. It was a small, Hindu village described as being “segregated, suppressed, weak, and poor.” They asked for Christian literature. WELS Multi-Language Publications responded by sending 100 copies of “The Promise,” “Bible Teachings,” Sunday school lessons, and copies of a simple worship service. All had been translated into Urdu, the national language of Pakistan.

Pastor David Priebe, chairman of the Administrative Committee of Southeast Asia, says, “Praise the Lord. He continues to show us the way in a difficult part of the world.” Daniel Koelpin, administrator of WELS World Missions, also states, ”Our gracious Lord continues to bless his work in ways we can hardly imagine.”

This unexpected event teaches us to be patient. We pray that this outreach with Christian literature will be a means to lead many children to know their Savior and to believe in Jesus.

WELS.net

Hymn: We All Are One in Mission

We all are one in mission; We all are one in call,
Our varied gifts united by Christ the Lord of all.
A single great commission compels us from from above
To plan and work together that all may know Christ’s love.

We all are called to service, to witness in God’s name.
Our ministries are different; our purpose is the same:
To touch the lives of others with God’s surprising grace,
So every folk and nation may feel God’s warm embrace.

Now let us be united, and let our songs be heard;
Now let us be a vessel for God’s redeeming Word.
We all are one in mission; we all are one in call,
Our varied gifts united by Christ, the Lord of all.

by: Rusty Edwards

Women of Faith: A cancer survior reaches out to others

Wrapped in God’s comfort

One woman’s battle with cancer marked the start of a quilt ministry that now brings physical and spiritual comfort to others. . . . More»

Motherhood…God’s Idea

Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.  Genesis 3:20

God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” Genesis 17:15-16

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13

From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Psalm 22:10

Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast. Psalm 22:9

In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Luke 1:42-44

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.  John 19:26-27

I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.  2 Timothy 1:5

Happy Mother’s Day!

WSC April Report

The Women Serving Christ [WSC] Report presented during Living Hope’s quarterly meeting on April 26th

1. Bible Study during WSC meetings, 3rd Thursday of the month, all women welcome
2. Collection of donated foods for NELHS was successful
3. Easter breakfast successful, thanks to all
4. Befriend a Mission effort raised over $245 which was distributed.
5. Lutheran Woman’s Missionary Society (LWMS) rally held April 25th at Gethsemane; was a wonderful meeting and those who didn’t attend missed out on a tremendous event and experience – Some presentations included a special program for inner-city youth in Milwaukee.
6. LMWS effort, World Mission to orphanages in India.
7. The new Nebraska-Iowa Circuit president is from Living Hope for a two-year term. Looking ahead: 2014 National Convention held here in Omaha.
8. 2009 LWMS National Convention, June 25-28, will be held in Denver. Plans for attendance are being developed. Everyone (men & women) are encouraged to attend.  An “unbelievable” experience. Please consider it.
9. WSC is supporting the NELHS pre-graduation party. Any gift card donations are welcome.
10. WSC will not have formal meetings during the summer months.