Lutheran World Relief

The Social Ministry Commission of First Lutheran Church is proud to be able to gather needed items and ship them via semi tractor trailer to the St. Paul twice a year, through Lutheran World Relief. Area churches and individuals from all over southern Minnesota and northern Iowa gather quilts & layettes; sewing kits, school kits, and health kits - all to be sent overseas to people in need. Check this site for the latest news!

THE NEXT PICK - UP will be on SATURDAY, MAY 17th from 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

In 2006 we collected over 3001 quilts, 265 layettes, 283 sewing and Health kits, and 188 School kits. Thank you to everyone, and all the 56 churches that helped and brought items. We also received $887.80 to help with transportation costs associated with delivery by LWR. Praise the Lord!

Please go to the Lutheran World Relief web site www.lwr.org to get detailed directions. We cannot and will not gather used clothing or other used items anymore (new rules from LWR) due to government regulations.

Lutheran World Relief Van (semi tractor trailor with our sign) will be located on the north side of the church, on Clark Street. Park in spots marked out - do not block traffic (dangerous!) This van is a special service that First Lutheran and area donors have made possible for many years. Thank you!

June 14, 2007

The Social Ministry Commission sincerely thanks its faithful volunteers who helped make the May 19th Lutheran World Relief Parish Project another successful event. Fifty-two area churches ofSouthern Minnesota and Northern Iowa participated. Of the reported donations, we collected over 2600 quilts, 330 layettes, 220 sewing kits, 345 health kits, 245 school kits, numerous cartons of soap, plus over $1800 in monetary gifts for LWR transportation costs. (In 2006, over 1334 tons of LWR material resources were sent to 17 foreign countries, costing over $1.5 million.)

We gratefully acknowledge the combined efforts of Pro Trucking and Crossroads Trailers of Albert Lea who generously provide the truck, trailer, and transportation of our donations to the LWR warehouse in St. Paul. We are proud to report that First Lutheran is now listed as an "ingathering" (drop off site) on the LWR website (lwr.org) - check it out!

Our next LWR Parish Project will be Saturday, October 6, 2007.

Dave & Julie Gilbertson, Social Ministry Commission

Visitors to Lutheran World Relief's world headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, are greeted by thousands of colored bricks arranged in the quilt pattern called "Many Trips Around the World."

Donated bricks honor persons, parishes or groups named on each brick.

First Lutheran has been blessed to have several of these bricks with our name printed on them. We use the accumulated donations we receive from our congregation and other local congregations. The money is used to defray LWR world-wide shipping costs.

Thank you to everyone that helped donate toward them and all of the work of the Lutheran World Relief program.