Good News from  your Local Mission Field February 13, 2010
Dear Friends,
 
I heard about this simple way of sharing God's Word and the love of Jesus with people we encounter in our daily lives and I just had to share it with you. It's simple, but unique enough that the message comes through -- take a look at the piece on "Spiritual Vitamins" below. Then, be sure to check the "Mission Briefs" for information on several Haiti benefit concerts, an outreach idea, a learning event to help you think through a ministry to military families, and info on summer overseas missions.
 
Jackie Bussert for People Ablaze!
in the Northern Illinois District LCMS
Spiritual Vitamins:
Mission in a Jar

Blue Ribbon task ForcePhadi is a pharmacist. She is very good with her patients and very caring. She tries to help her customers feel as well as they can, and they have learned to trust her and count on her to tell them the truth. Phadi was introduced to spiritual vitamin jars at her church. Almost right away she envisioned a jar on the counter where patients come to get their medicine. It was a big hit; many times patients would come in just to get their spiritual vitamin as they learned more about the Lord and his care for them.
 
The manager of the drug store was Muslim but saw the value in giving his customers that extra assurance. He even paid for the "vitamin" refills.
 
One day a teenage girl came in to get medicine for her grandmother, and she took a spiritual vitamin from the counter. Each time she came to get the medicine she took another vitamin. After a few months she told Phadi that she had been on drugs when she first started coming in. The Word of God in the vitamin jar spoke to her, however, and she got off of drugs and now wants to help others get off them too. God's Word brings forth fruit.
 
So what's a "spiritual vitamin jar"?
 
Mission Briefs

Heart for Haiti Concert Tomorrow

A Valentine's Day "Heart for Haiti" benefit concert is being held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Downers Grove, beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday, February 14. Tickets are $15 at the door ($10 in advance). Musical groups include LED with Mia Koehne, Paris Delane, The 4 D's, and Dave and Chris Gessner. There will be a silent auction of Haitian art and food available; 100% of money received goes to Haiti recovery. The church is located at 5211 Carpenter Street.

 

Haiti Benefit Concert on March 14

St. John Lutheran Church, 305 Circle Avenue, Forest Park, will  host a Praise Sing-A-Long-Benefit Concert for Haiti on Sunday, March 14, at 4 p.m. The free concert will be led by Celebration, the praise and worship team of St. John. A freewill offering will be taken and donated to Lutheran World Relief to assist in their efforts in Haiti. Thrivent member donations will be matched $1 for every $2 donated. Refreshments will be served by the Friends of Music committee. 94.3 FM K-LOVE also will be attending the concert.  For more information call 708-366-3226 or 708-544-1336.

 

Thrivent Matches Benefit Events

Local groups planning a fundraiser to support the Haiti earthquake recovery can connect with the Thrivent member group (chapter) in their local area. Through the Care Abounds in Communities program, Thrivent chapters may support fundraising efforts for disaster response. To find a chapter visit Thrivent.com and click on Locate a Chapter. 

 

Sharing Passion with the Community

As an effort to reach out to the community as well as to bolster members' understanding of Christ's crucifixion, Bethany Lutheran Church in Naperville is showing The Passion of the Christ at a local theater on Sunday, March 7. Bethany has rented out the largest of Ogden 6's screens for a 1:30 p.m. showing that day. Bethany's members will be able to see the film and are giving out free tickets to friends and neighbors. After the movie, Pastors Tim Rossow and Stephen Schumacher will lead a discussion about why Jesus had to die for our sins and answer questions about the film itself. Bethany also hopes that showing the film will raise the awareness of the Naperville community about the church's mission of Connecting People to Christ and Keeping Them Connected. For more information please contact Pastor Schumacher at 630-355-2198.

 

Military Ministry

Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee invites congregations to learn how to start a ministry for military support on Saturday, March 27, 9 a.m. to noon at the church, 310 E. Main Street (on the corner of Hwy. 72 and Van Buren). Chaplain Michael P. Moreno, USNR, will explain how Operation Barnabas in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is supporting service members through "Ministry-by-Mail" and ways congregations can support both active and retired personnel and their families who live locally. If you wish to attend the presentation, please call the church office at 847-428-4477 for directions or more information. There is no fee to attend. Learn more about the Synod's military outreach at the website, operationbarnabas.org

 

Overseas Mission Trips

LCMS World Mission has posted its short term summer mission trip opportunities on their website. There is a great need for teams to serve in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia this summer to lead English language camps. Read about other opportunities in Thailand, Uganda, India and Peru at the website, lcmsworldmission.org/service.

 
In This Issue of Sparks
Spiritual Vitamins
Mission Briefs - Haiti Concerts
Blue Ribbon task Force
About Us

Thank you for being counted among People Ablaze! in Northern Illinois. Together, we are reaching into communities through a vision for New Starts...New Believers to share the love of Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit might use these efforts to multiply believers.
 
Northern Illinois District LCMS
2301 South Wolf Road
Hillside, Illinois 60162
888-708-5267 x 3114 
 
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