How did we SHINE in our communities in April?
We are thankful for all who joined us in a District-wide focus on community service in April. This month-long emphasis gave congregations, schools, circuits, small groups, friends, and neighbors the opportunity to shine the light of Jesus while serving others. Approximately 1,700 people from the Nebraska District LCMS participated in SHINE this year!
Trinity Lutheran Church and School, Lincoln
Our second grade class put together twenty-two teacher kits and the first grade class put together sixteen student kits for Orphan Grain Train.
114 volunteers of all ages served with nine different organizations (Atlas: Lincoln, Food Fort, Fresh Start, Orphan Grain Train, Disrupting Traffick, City Impact, Trinity Lutheran School, Forward, and Trinity Lutheran Church) on Sunday, April 28. In place of our regular Sunday morning worship services, our members participated in a brief devotion/sending service at 9, served at their locations from 9:30-11:30, and then came back together for lunch and a time to share how they served that morning.
Jesus Our Savior Lutheran Preschool, Winnebago
Our team of eight installed “Put-in Cups” into our playground fencing that tells all who pass by, “JESUS LOVES YOU!” We also included the Native American Ministries Cross and a heart with a cross in our total design. The bright and bold colors of the design have received many compliments from community members. Sharing the love of Jesus with the Native American community of Winnebago!
St John’s, Cordova
Twelve members of St. John’s Cordova cleaned up community lawns by raking leaves and picking up sticks. We did two residential yards and the Cordova village park. Our group included seven adults and five youth. Recipients were very thankful and our group had a good time doing it.
Christ Lincoln Middle School
Our students love serving—we heard great stories of students interacting with nursing home residents over Bingo games, our middle schoolers enjoyed helping younger elementary students learn how to make tie blankets for the Child Advocacy Center, and our groups always speak so highly of the good work that Forward is doing to provide diapers and other essentials to the community. Our students learn a lot by serving with Forward and know they are meeting a huge need here in Lincoln.
Holy Cross, Kearney
We served at two events in April: a church work day on April 13 and a Jubilee Center meal (for the homeless or underprivileged/food scarcity population in Kearney). The meal was held at Holy Cross. We host the meals April-June each year on Thursdays and different groups of people provide the food.
Our group provided lasagna, salads, garlic bread, brownies, milk, juice, and water for 60 people. Our group prepared the food, served it, and cleaned it up.
LWML Deshler Zone
LWML Deshler Zone Workshop was held at Grace, Fairbury. We have been gathering items in our churches to benefit Hope Crisis Centers, a ministry to folks in crisis like sexual abuse, stalking, human trafficking, etc. The group assembled Shelter Welcome kits for the centers to share with folks who come, took needed supplies for the centers, and donated gift cards and funds to help with crisis center needs.
First, Plattsmouth Ladies Guild
First Lutheran Church Ladies Guild hosted the Sarpy Zone Spring Rally, ingathering items for the Baby Pantry at the local thrift shop, Under His Wings. Our Discipleship Outreach Team joined them in their effort by encouraging the congregation to participate in this ingathering through the month of April.
Nebraska District Office, Seward
The staff of the Nebraska District Office spent an afternoon with the Seward Foster Friends organization helping them sort and prepare donations of clothing, bedding, and other items needed by children who enter the foster care system.
Other SHINE projects in the District included:
➤Working in community gardens
➤Visiting, singing hymns, and playing games with people in care facilities
➤Assembling care packages for college students, military members, and homeless people
➤Sorting donated items for Orphan Grain Train, shelters, pregnancy care centers, and community pantries
➤Making cards for shut-ins and people in care facilities
➤Making meals and care kits for shelters
➤Construction and maintenance tasks for the homes of elderly and other families in need in the community
➤Preparing care kits for families with newborn babies
Last year, 18,000 people participated in SHINE in the Missouri and Northern Illinois Districts of the LCMS, and we are excited that we were able to join them in 2024. We’re looking forward to participating again in April 2025.
Learn more about SHINE in this article from the Synod Reporter magazine.
