Social Concerns Ministry
The Social Concerns Ministry of Lord of Life Lutheran Church seeks to provide outreach to our local, national and global communities. We especially are concerned about needy children of our Garner community. This ministry does weekly shopping and packing for Backpack Buddies for homeless and hungry children at Creech Road, East Garner, Aversboro Road, Timber Drive, and Vandora Drive Elementary Schools (in partnership with the Garner Mid-day Rotary Club). We coordinate the Back-to-School and Christmas Giving Trees which provide supplies and gift to students at four local schools. We support Garner Area Ministries monetarily as well as collecting needed items each month. The church supports a yard sale each year where all proceeds are returned to those in need in the community. We support many other outreach projects with the help of the members and friends of the Lord of Life congregation such as Relay for Life, Crop Walk, Interfaith Food Shuttle, MS, etc. These will be advertised on the church calendar.
Each month the Social Concerns Committee:
1. Provides up to $200 to be used by the Social Worker at Creech Road Elementary School
2. Provides up to $200 to be used by the Social Worker at East Garner Elementary School
3. Financially supports Garner Area Ministries ($200)
4. Gives 10% of its income to Synod benevolence.
January: Weekly Backpack Buddies for approximately 65 homeless children at Creech Road, East Garner, Aversboro Road, and Timber Drive Elementary Schools (in partnership with the Garner Mid-day Rotary Club)
February: Collections for Garner Area Ministries
March: Lutheran Family Services donation, Relay for Life donation, Relay for Life BBQ Dinner
April: Relay for Life at Lake Benson Park, Camp Agape Intergenerational Sunday School
May: Women's Tea Party
Camp Agape-Kure Youth Scholarships; awarded jointly with the Men's Group
June: Interfaith Food Shuttle donation, Assessment of the Fellowship Hall and storage closet usage
July: Back to School Tree for four local schools
August: Delivery of Back-to-School Supply Boxes and Backpacks for students from four local schools
September: MS Bike Ride support via Shannon Thomsen, Yard Sale- all proceeds used for outreach ministries
October: Crop Walk
November: Garner Area Ministries Holiday Food Baskets, Christmas Angel Tree - 20 students from Creech & 25 students from East Garner Elementary Schools
Lord of Life Mission Fair, Timber Drive Elementary School donation for Christmas gifts, Rand Road Elementary School donation to be used for Christmas gifts
December:Collect, sort and delivered Christmas gifts for 45 children enrolled as Creech Road and East Garner Elementary Schools, ELCA Good Gifts Program sponsorship
Where/When:
We meet the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm in the church library.
Contact
If you have questions or would like to volunteer to help with any of these projects, please contact any of our ministry members or contact the church office.
Mission Statement
"…for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:35-40