Drama and music mark special Lutheran celebrations

Children, parents, pastors, and deaconesses gather in the Martin Luther Chapel.

Children, parents, pastors, and deaconesses gather in the Martin Luther Chapel to celebrate the Reformation.

The Reformation Day celebrations in Martin Luther Chapel in Chinandega, Nicaragua, October 31 saw the fruit of three programs supported by Concordia Lutheran Mission Society (CLMS). More than 100 children gathered to commemorate in music and drama this special day in the life of the Lutheran church.

Deaconesses had prepared children in the Christian education program to sing, present dramas, recite the Gospel story of the Prodigal Son, enact the Creation story and study the story of Jonah. In addition, children from three communities assisted in playing songs at the celebration, a result of their training in music.

Young musicians sing the Lord's praises.

Young musicians sing the Lord’s praises.

“The entire Reformation celebration was a visible sign of the investment with the children and the deaconesses,” noted Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel, Lutheran Church–Canada’s mission executive. As an example of the deaconesses’ dedication to serving the children in their communities, Dr. Neitzel tells of Deaconess Lisbet who serves in Rancheria who “takes the bus to the market in downtown Chinandega as early as 4 a.m. once or twice a week to buy the ‘trims’ of vegetables and fruits to prepare and feed the children in the Christian education program.”

With your help, CLMS supports the work of deaconesses, the children’s Christian education program, and the music education program.

CLMS at LCC Convention in Vancouver

Concordia Lutheran Mission Society will have a presence at Lutheran Church Canada’s Tenth National Convention in Vancouver, June 6-9 on the campus of the University of British Columbia.

CLMS will have an exhibit set up in the concourse of the Student Union building. Please stop by to learn more about CLMS, to pick up brochures for your home congregation, or just to say hello.

Children’s Christian education program in Alajuelita

1407In the community of Alajuelita, near San Jose, several children participate regularly in the church programs. Deaconess Betty Solorzano together with Pastor Edmundo supervise this program.

The project funds will provide a small monthly stipend for the instructor as well as for Christian education and mission resources.

I want to help support children’s Christian education.

(Project 1407) Goal: $2400

Facility rentals for outreach in Cartago and San Jose

1406By God’s grace Lutheran Church–Canada’s mission in Costa Rica is expanding into the large city of Cartago and into the capital, San Jose.Several mission and social ministry services have started in Cartago such as Bible study for women, outreach to teenagers in challenging life situations, sewing, Bible study groups, international mission teams’ work and other activities.A new outreach has now started in the capital San Jose with the vision of making it a Lutheran national/international connection since the capital is the north-south road in Central America. The church is not able to afford property in Costa Rica so rental facilities are needed in both cities.

I want to help support outreach in Cartago and San Jose.

(Project 1406) Goal: $11,380

Children’s Christian Education Program

1405Deaconess Betty Retana, together with her husband, Pastor Edmundo, lead this program which gathers children weekly for special Bible story time, catechesis, fellowship, snacks and refreshment. This project funds basic needs such as a stipend for the deaconess, educational resources, Bibles, Catechisms, teaching resources and tools as well as helps with the cost of food and transportation for the children.

I want to help support the outreach to children in Costa Rica.

(Project 1405) Goal: $6000

South Asian Christian radio outreach

1404For many new Canadians, radio programs in Canada which reflect their language and culture are important. Knowing this, Javed Ahkter, a Lutheran Church-Canada Pastors with Alternate Training student, developed a radio program called Hamd-O-Sanaa – Praise and Worship – which features a 20-minute Bible study, 20-minute topical discussion and 20 minutes of Christian music. This program reaches the ears of Pakistani, Hindi and Punjabi people who are also Muslim, Sikh or Hindu by faith. It also enjoys a strong Christian following among its listeners. In addition, the program can be heard in Pakistan and Iran. (This is carried forward from project #1323)

I want to help support radio outreach to new Canadians.

(Project 1404) Goal: $5000

Three motorbikes for Deaconesses

1402The countryside of Cambodia has few paved roads. Getting from one village to another is a matter of using dirt roads, tracks and dikes. In the dry season they are dusty and rough yet passable. In the rainy season the roads, tracks and dikes become almost impassable except for motorcycles. This project will provide motorcycles to three deaconesses to use for their evangelism work.

I want to help support the work of Cambodian deaconesses in the most remote areas.

(Project 1402) Goal: $5400

Vehicle for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cambodia

1401The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cambodia (ELCC) faces a challenge transporting groups of people to visit the work of pastors and deaconesses in remote areas of Cambodia. This project will supply a used eight-passenger vehicle to allow the ELCC staff and leadership to visit the missions and social ministry sites and to meet with community leaders.

I want to help purchase an eight passenger used vehicle. 

(Project 1401) Goal: $8400

Vacation Bible school outreach to thousands of children

1410A great missionary method and strategy in Central America is outreach through activities with children. The population is large and the children bring the deaconesses and missionaries into their families and their relatives’ homes. Vacation Bible schools take place mostly during January through March each year. This project provides teaching resources, books, crafts, crayons, Bibles, Bible story books, pencils, pens, paper, transportation, food, snacks, water, refreshment, stipends for volunteers, medical emergency kits for the VBS programs.

I want to help support outreach to children through vacation Bible schools.

(Project 1410) Goal: $6000

Outreach and ministry in Olanchito

1409Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) fully supports the mission and educational work in Honduras, more specifically in the northern city of Olanchito. Missionary Douglas Aguilar has established a community of believers with a scattered church in the city. This project will assist LCC’s mission work in the city.

I want to help support Pastor Douglas’ proclamation of the Gospel in word and deed.

(Project 1409) Goal: $4500