Celebrating the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

At Baton Rouge Lutheran School (BRLS), our kindergarten class celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a very unique way. The students decorated cookies to look like themselves to celebrate their many differences. They learned that Dr. King and his friends peacefully fought for our right to live, work, and go to school and church with one another, no matter what we look like on the outside! (What an awesome teachable moment for young minds!) Kenzie Woltemath, DCE and kindergarten teacher, said the children told her, “Miss Kenzie, we all have different skins but that’s okay! We’re all just some kids!” BRLS is a ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church in Baton Rouge.

Installation of Rev. Ken DeSoto

On Sunday, January 6, 2019, at 4:00 p.m., Rev. Kenneth DeSoto was installed as the pastor of St. Stephen Lutheran Church in New Orleans, LA. Rev. Eric Johnson, President of the LCMS Southern District, was the Installer and Preacher, and Rev. David Goodine was the Liturgist.

Rev. Jerome N. Terry, Rev. Richard Rudnik, Rev. Dr. Craig Rinker, and Rev. Robert H. Belknap J.D. also participated in the Installation Service. A dinner in Schoenhardt Hall followed the service.

Pastor DeSoto is also a Chaplain for the New Orleans Police Department and serves District 3 and 4. The members of St. Stephen Lutheran welcome Pastor Ken and his wife, Esther, and wish to extend our thanks to Rev. James Taglauer, Rev. Dr. Craig Rinker, and Rev. David Goodine for serving as interim pastors during our vacancy.

Pictured left to right –
Front row: Rev. Eric Johnson, Rev. Kenneth DeSoto, Rev. Jerome N. Terry, Rev. David Goodine
Back row: Rev. Richard Rudnik, Rev. Dr. Craig Rinker, Rev. Robert H. Belknap J.D.

Community Food Pantry at Shepherd of the Bay

Shepherd of the Bay Community Food Pantry would like to thank our community for their donations to help disadvantaged citizens. It is with this support that we are able to meet this growing need.

The food pantry is open twice a month: the second and fourth Tuesday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. On average, we provide about 80 families (or 140 men, women, and children) with basic food items, which is very important to those who need food. Anyone needing food assistance, please come by the food pantry.

Last year we were able to purchase over 26,000 pounds of food from Feeding the Gulf Coast, at less than $0.21 per pound. We are able to do this with the continued support of our community. Thank you again to all who have donated food items or cash. In the picture, a special thanks to the pastor and members of the Episcopal Church of the Advent; Lillian United Methodist Church; St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and LWML, Elberta; and to the church family and LWML of Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church, Lillian.