Author: Daisy Olmstead

During the months of December 2018 and January 2019, the members of Chapel of the Cross Lutheran Church, located on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, collected food items to be donated to the LSU Food Pantry. The mission of the LSU Food Pantry is to provide supplemental food to students in need who may experience hunger or food insecurity. The food pantry exists to address the issue of situational hunger among LSU students. Chapel’s LWML members are committed to making this food donation project an ongoing effort.

The members of Christ Lutheran Church in Albertville, AL, gave assistance to the children as they decorated the church for Christmas on Sunday, December 2, after the worship service. When everything was perfectly arranged, everyone gathered in the fellowship hall for a spaghetti cook-off dinner.

Ladies had prepared four pots of different sauces available to sample over ample amounts of noodles. This was all accompanied by salads, garlic bread, and lots of dessert. Gatherings of celebration were held throughout the Christmas season, ending with a scrumptious potluck dinner at a member’s home (Ralph and Lyn Dorsch) after the New Year. Here, Rev. Warren Ruland conducted a game of quizzing our members by asking biblical questions. There was laughter as everyone tried their best to out-do one another. Our congregation was truly blessed this Advent season as we prepared, celebrated, and welcomed the Christ child into our midst once again!!!

The senior high youth at Grace Lutheran in Pensacola, FL, hosted a community outreach night of great food and uplifting praise music by Vickie Truett, a Christian singer / songwriter. Free will donations for the dinner went to help fund the summer 2019 trip to the LCMS National Youth Gathering.

The youth, along with parents and friends, spent many hours preparing for this event. They cooked an Italian fare dinner for about 100 people, including gulf shrimp and smoked salmon appetizers and a chef salad, followed by pasta and lasagna choices as the entrees. There was a wonderful dessert bar loaded with many good things to complete the meal. After dinner we were happy to welcome Vickie Truett in concert to Grace Lutheran. Vickie brought an encouraging and uplifting message of faith during the hard times as the Lord carried her through her darkest hours. She shared about her walk with God through songs she has written over the years, including “Adonai,” “Tears in a Bottle,” and “Here Am I.” This was our first time hosting an outreach event quite like this and we are happy to say that the dinner and concert drew people from the community, friends from the community, friends from other local churches, and extended family of Grace members. We are thankful for Thrivent Action Team funds to help us host and promote the event as a community outreach. Leftover food was sent home with a group attending from a local Christian rehab center, to help them stretch their tight food budget.

The LWML of Holy Cross in New Orleans donated gift cards, Portals of Prayer, and Our Daily Bread to the Metro Centers for Community Advocacy shortly before Christmas. Our missionary efforts focus on the local community as we “Serve the Lord with gladness.”

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.

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.