By the Time We Got to Phoenix …

I admit that my reasons for looking forward to a recent trip southwest on behalf of Wheat Ridge Ministries included the hope of relief from this year’s endless Chicago winter.  Phoenix, Arizona in March.  No snow.  No sub-zero temperatures.  Clean cars.  No potholes. No heavy coats.  Sunshine.  A parting blow as Deb and I made our way to O’Hare airport was yet another “snow event” that resulted in a two-hour flight delay.

Fortunately, once we arrived in Phoenix, it didn’t take long to remember the real purpose of our trip and experience the joys of this journey to the Grand Canyon State.  I was so pleased to be part of two great gatherings there - our Board of Directors meeting and our annual President’s Circle donor retreat.  Here are just a few “snapshots” from these meetings:

Kathy Anderson, Executive
Director of Survivors of
Torture International

• Getting to know Shahzad, an amazing young man from Pakistan, who is bringing the concept of parish nursing to his home country in spite of the many risks involved.  Shahzad’s story of faith and courage is amazing!
• Receiving a report from Susan Work, CEO of Holy Family Ministries in Chicago, that posted the first successful project on our new WeRaise crowdfunding platform for the “Peace Exchange” project, an innovative effort to teach and promote peace and end violence in urban neighborhoods.
• Touring the Christ Cares Clinic, an amazing new ministry developed by Christ Church Lutheran in Phoenix that is already serving hundreds of uninsured and underinsured people.
• Learning about the important work of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services to train volunteers who provide a caring presence for refugees who often must live in prison-like conditions in U.S. detention centers before they are allowed into our country.
• Getting updated on the important work of Survivors of Torture International, an organization in southern California that received seed funding from Wheat Ridge a number of years ago. They continue to share health and hope with people struggling to recover from the trauma of physical and emotional torture that resulted in being forced to flee their home country.
• Being inspired, challenged, and encouraged by excellent speakers and resource people who joined us for these meetings, including Paul Miles, VP for Development for the Make A Wish Foundation; Dr. Don Christian, Dean of the College of Business at Concordia University in Austin, Texas; and Dr. Rich Bimler, past President of Wheat Ridge Ministries.

Dr. Rich Bimler with
Jan and Dale Van Wulfen

During the retreat, Rich Bimler suggested to us that the letters ‘WRM’ not only stand for Wheat Ridge Ministries, but also for Where Relationships Matter.  These gatherings in Phoenix of our board and other key supporters of our mission are great examples of the immense blessing of significant relationships that are so much a part of our ministry.  It is wonderful to gather with such caring and generous people, to be honored by their friendship and support, to learn from them, and to be inspired by their spirit of generosity in response to the Good News of Jesus Christ.  This spirit of generosity was especially evident in the testimony that several of our President’s Circle participants provided as they shared with other attendees what motivates their generosity and why they continue to make our work a priority in their charitable giving.

Deb and I are back in Chicago.  It’s only snowed twice (so far) since we have returned!  In spite of the weather, we returned warmed by great relationships and the reminders of how people around the world continue to be moved by God’s Spirit to initiate and support new ministries of health and hope that are offered in the name of our healing Christ.

Blessings as you visit the empty tomb this Easter season to celebrate Christ’s ultimate act of healing!

Olympic Spirit

Perhaps you enjoyed watching the Winter Olympic Games like I did during the past couple of weeks. While I’m not a fan of all the sports featured (I wish I could warm up to curling), it is always impressive to see the level of skill and fitness that the athletes possess. And, it is inspiring to hear the stories of athletes whose extreme commitment and sacrifice have helped them reach their goal of making the team.

Of course, possessing extreme skill, effort and dedication is not limited to athletes. I was reminded of this as I traveled during the weeks of the Olympic games and visited with leaders of some of our Lutheran social service agencies.

I was fortunate to participate with CEOs of many of these agencies at the annual retreat of Lutheran Services in America. While the Lutheran church is blessed with many, many talented leaders in its congregations, schools and church body offices, I’m confident that none surpass the talent pool of this great group of “Olympic-caliber” church leaders. Effectively operating a social service agency, large or small, is a complex business these days. The agencies these CEOs represent make a huge impact in the lives of thousands of people. Did you know that 1 in 50 Americans is touched directly by the services of an LSA organization each year?! These CEOs “bring it” everyday, providing leadership in organization and fiscal management, human relations, board governance, development and marketing, social enterprise, etc., etc. And they do so with a deep commitment to sharing the healing touch of Christ with people in need.  

On the heels of the CEO retreat, I had occasion to get a closer view of a couple of these leaders on their home turf during a trip to the Cleveland, Ohio, area. 

Building Hope in the City is a 10-year-old organization birthed out of Trinity Lutheran Church, a 150-year-old congregation near downtown Cleveland. This organization exists to strengthen urban ministry and mission in northeast Ohio and beyond, pursuing the mission of “restoring the city to God by developing and linking people, communities and churches.” Brian Upton is a gifted leader who has been at the heart of this ministry since its inception and recently was named executive director. 

The staff and volunteers of Building Hope in the City are passionate about acting on God’s call to welcome new refugees from around the world who come to Cleveland. They assist in the resettlement and help make others aware of the many gifts and assets these new arrivals bring to their community. During my visit with Brian, it was my privilege to present him with the initial grant check for a new initiative being seeded by Wheat Ridge Ministries. This new program will provide culturally-sensitive counseling for refugees who are coping with and trying to recover from the trauma of violence, abuse and rejection from their countries of origin. They will train and equip volunteers from the refugee community in basic counseling skills. I’m very pleased that Wheat Ridge can assist in the initial development of this important health and healing effort!

Just a few miles down the road from Building Hope in the City are more outstanding leaders! Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) was established in the 1960s by revered founding executive director Dick Sering. LMM has been serving the needs of the underserved in Cleveland in powerful ways ever since with a focus on housing and shelter, community re-entry and support for at-risk youth.

Under the leadership of current President and CEO Andrew Genzsler, LMM is developing some very exciting and impactful new social enterprise ventures, including a metal works shop and what they call “Central Kitchen.” The Central Kitchen program provides food service training for unemployed and underemployed people in Cleveland. Many of the graduates of the program are employed by LMM. They prepare and deliver meals using food provided by local food banks to feed those living local shelters, including the men’s shelter operated by LMM and others who are living on the streets. Talk about a win, win, win, win plan! A very talented young man, Brian Mauk, directs the social enterprise program at LMM. If you are in Cleveland, stop by and see this wonderful program for yourself!

Praise God for the talented leaders in our church agencies who, through their heroic efforts, serve people who are so often forgotten and underserved. They are not driven by the Olympic spirit, but rather by God’s spirit working in them. Most likely there is a Lutheran social service agency in your community or somewhere nearby. Stop by sometime – you’ll see gold medal quality ministry in action! 

Care for the Caregiver

Almost without fail, when I’m in an extended conversation with friends, neighbors or colleagues who, like me, are “baby boomers,” concerns are expressed about the challenge of caring for aging parents or other loved ones. Of course, I have not yet fully confronted the fact that I’ll be the one needing care from family and friends sometime in the future. According to demographic trends, more of us will need care, and fewer family members will be available to provide it.

Recently, Holly Fiala, our Vice President for Advancement, shared with me a research summary published last September by the Wilder Foundation. It was based on interviews with about 200 primary and secondary caregivers in St. Paul, Minnesota. Of course, their research is not limited to those caring for older adults, but also includes those caring for anyone of any age who require significant and continuing care from others. Included in the Wilder research summary are some very interesting statistics:

• 43.5 million Americans provide part-time or full-time care for another adult age 50 or over;
• The nationwide economic value of unpaid, informal care provided by family and friends is estimated at $306 billion per year;
• The demand for informal caregivers is expected to increase by more than 20% in the next 15 years and by 85% in the next 40 years. 

Thank God for the uniquely gifted people who provide care for others! But, who’s caring for these wonderful people as they invest time and energy for the sake of a friend or loved one? By the way, the caregivers surveyed in the Wilder study invest, on average, 37 hours per week in this role!
According to the study, most caregivers depend on assistance from an informal support system. Just over half of the caregivers surveyed depend on assistance from another family member while 25% rely on a combination of family members and others, such as friends or neighbors. And 15% indicate that no one is helping them.

Fortunately, more formal support is also available in most communities, including paid services from for-profit and non-profit organizations, health care agencies, county or state services, and other community-based organizations. However, the study also indicates that awareness of these resources by caregivers is an issue resulting in underutilization.

As I thought about the role of the church in all of this, one other statistic caught my attention. Only 7% of the caregivers in this survey reported receiving help from a member of their faith community. This seems hard to believe. 

Fortunately, there are great models of faith communities in action to support the needs of caregivers that serve as examples of what faith communities can do. Wheat Ridge has had the privilege to help seed several such programs in recent years: 

• A Caring Place Community Respite Care Program – Christus Victor Lutheran Church, Elk Grove Village, Illinois
• FUSION Special Needs Ministry – Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Naperville, Illinois
• Experience the Embrace – Respite Outreach Care for Kansans Organization and Ascension Lutheran Church, Wichita, Kansas
• Adult Day Respite Care Program – Lutheran Church of the Atonement, Barrington, Illinois  

I’d love to hear from you about your experience as a caregiver of a friend or family member. If you have a minute, please post a comment below in response to one or more of the following questions: In what ways does your congregation engage, assist, or encourage people who are caregivers? If you are a caregiver, how could your church or other faith community be helpful to you? What helpful models of support for caregivers exist in your community?

Perhaps no story in Scripture more powerfully portrays the commitment of care for loved ones as the story of Ruth, who expressed her commitment to her elderly mother-in-law with these words: Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. (Ruth 1:16-17) If you are a caregiver, thank you for your commitment, compassion and kindness! May God be with you and bless you as you continue to respond to the Gospel in this wonderful and important way!

Following God's Call

The early-bird weekday Bible study group at my church is currently making its way through the book of Exodus.  This morning, we read and talked about the early days of the Israelite’s 40-year journey through the wilderness after God led them out of Egypt.  I’m always amazed how easy it is for us to criticize the people of Israel, wondering how they, who were direct witnesses to God’s power and love, could so quickly and repeatedly worry and complain.  What we eventually had to admit, though, is how often our own lives reflect the same lack of trust in God’s caring presence.

Fortunately, there are people whose life stories encourage us to hear God’s call and pursue it, placing our trust in Him along the way.  I had the privilege of reconnecting recently with a man who has such a story.  Rev. Maxwell Anokwute is the Executive Director of Rebuilding the Breach Ministries in Gary, Indiana.  I first met Maxwell several years ago when Wheat Ridge Ministries was considering a seed grant for a shelter for homeless men being developed by Rebuilding the Breach.

At the time, their plan required remodeling a building they had purchased.  Remodeling is an understatement … it needed A LOT of work.  I recall having significant doubts about whether this new ministry would be a good seed investment for Wheat Ridge.  But good people like Rev. Jim Wetzstein, who, at that time, served as pastor of a nearby church and is now Associate Dean of the Chapel at Valparaiso University, convinced us to take the risk.

Today, the building houses 25 men who are trusting in God’s love and guidance as the foundation for getting back on their feet.  Shelter residents share management duties as they seek employment and permanent housing.  They are deeply engaged in the study of God’s Word along the way.  They also assist with one of Rebuilding the Breach’s outreach programs, the Bakery House, which provides food and clothing to people in the neighborhood.  Of course, the residents have unique and difficult stories to tell.  On this visit I met Hal, a 61-year-old graduate of Purdue University who spent a significant amount of his adult life in prison.  Currently still on parole, he recently found a full-time job in the community where he is applying his education and managerial skills to very positive effect.

Maxwell’s story is quite amazing.  He was a Pentecostal preacher in Nigeria.  One day, he heard the voice of God instructing him to go to the United States to share the Gospel.  He had never been to the U.S. nor did he know where he would go when he got here.  He, very simply, trusted that God was calling him to go and he dedicated himself to finding a way to get to the U.S.  Doors opened for him in some very unusual circumstances (sort of his version of crossing the Red Sea) and, long story short, he eventually made it to the U.S.

According to Maxwell, the miracles continued once he arrived.  A U.S. citizen from Indiana that he had met in Nigeria invited him to stay with him for several weeks until he got oriented to his new surroundings.  Again, long story short, he met the pastor of a Lutheran church near Gary who, not long after, asked him to serve as the director of a new ministry the congregation was supporting called Rebuilding the Breach.  A few years later, Maxwell went through the colloquy process of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and today is an ordained LCMS pastor.  Eventually, his wife and children were able to join him in the U.S.  His children are graduates of Luther High School East in Lansing, Illinois.  Two of them are now physicians and one is in medical school.

Maxwell leads Rebuilding the Breach Ministries with the same trust in the Lord’s guidance that led him to the U.S.  He approaches their budget and strategic plan with the simple confidence that the Lord will provide.  And, for the past 10 years, God has provided.  Maxwell says that people literally “just show up” at times when they have need.  This is how the facility got repaired, how many of the men are able to find employment, and how other volunteers get involved.  Recently, just after the board had concluded that their dream of opening a second shelter for homeless women was out of reach, someone donated a nearby building!   Of course, Maxwell doesn’t just sit around waiting for these events to happen.  He works very hard to tell the story of the Bakery House and to build relationships with people in the community while God’s Spirit works in their hearts.

As we travel through the coming Advent season, we will read and hear again the stories of Mary and Joseph who, long after Moses led the children of Israel through the wilderness and long before Maxwell made his journey of faith to the United States, listened to God’s call for their lives and obeyed Him.  What a blessing that God is with each of us as we hear His call to the manger and to the journey of faith and hope that lies ahead!   

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your understanding.

(Proverbs 3:5)

What Happened to My Stuff?!!

Sometimes my travel on behalf of Wheat Ridge Ministries can be more interesting than I’d like it to be.  A couple weeks ago, I was in Texas and had a flat tire on my rental car in the middle of a rain storm.  I learned that these days, many rental cars, at least of the size I rent, don’t come equipped with spare tires.  Imagine my surprise to discover a little “emergency repair kit” in the trunk where I assumed the spare would be!

Just a week later while I was in California, something occurred that was a much bigger deal.  While enjoying a lovely dinner and conversation with a great friend of Wheat Ridge, someone broke a window in my rental car and took my suitcase and my computer bag.  Yes, the computer bag held my laptop, iPad, a variety of cords and accessories, and even my phone charger.  What to do?!  Police were called.  I made a late night run to the rental car agency to change cars.  Fortunately, my friend Mary located a phone charger in her house that worked for my phone, which was about to run out of power. 

As I attempted to do damage control, I was caught up in a variety of reactions – denial, fear, frustration, anger – as I tried to consider all that I needed to do to recover from this situation.  I worried about whether there was anything on my computer or iPad that would compromise my identity, bank accounts, etc.  Had I saved my recent work documents to our server?  (Of course not!)  Where was I going to find clothes, etc., for the remainder of my trip?  If you’ve experienced a theft or robbery, I’m sure you asked similar questions.

Of course, things eventually worked out.  I found a Target store the next morning and after 15 minutes of “power shopping,” I rounded up necessities for the rest of the trip.  Our Wheat Ridge tech guru helped me get all of my passwords changed.  Another shopping spree after returning home got me back up and running with clothes, a new computer, etc.  And, insurance claims are being filed that should pay for most of the stolen items.

In the big picture, this incident was not that big of a deal.  I have been incredibly fortunate that thus far in my life I have not been the victim of a more serious crime than this.  I have never experienced the significant loss of property that so many people do through crime, accident or natural disaster.  There are millions of people around the world for whom the concept of “personal security” has an entirely different context than what I take for granted every day.  Many live in neighborhoods plagued by high levels of crime and violence.  Others have no place to call home and sleep on the street or in whatever shelter they can find.  Still others live with the reality that their basic human rights are not respected, or they are forced to leave their homes and seek refuge due to war or terrorism.

It’s wonderful to know that we have a God who is with us and cares for us, especially when we experience the parts of life that remind us that we live in a broken world.  Among the gifts God provides during these times in our life are other people who care about and for us.  Our seeding ministry at Wheat Ridge regularly brings us into relationship with these special people.  Thank God for our police and fire fighters, for leaders and volunteers of disaster relief efforts, for those who provide emergency and long term shelter, those who help refugees resettle in safe places, those who gather and distribute food, water and clothing, those who provide medical care, and those who tend to the psychological and emotional needs of those who experience crime and personal tragedy.  And, thank God for those whose generosity provides the financial and material support needed for this important work. 

Be well as you experience the love of Christ through the good times and the bad.  Thank you for all that you do share the healing hands of Christ with others in need!

From the Lone Star State

The newest member of our Wheat Ridge staff, Anya Knodt, is from Texas and like most Texans I know, she regularly reminds us of the many wonders of the Lone Star State.  Since I just returned from a brief trip to Texas visiting Wheat Ridge friends, supporters and projects, I thought I’d make Anya happy by sharing a few reflections about one of my favorite cities, the state capital of Texas.

Yes, of all the cities I’ve visited in this great state, Austin is my favorite.  It’s not as massive as Houston or Dallas.  It has a young entrepreneurial feel, likely fed by the major high-tech presence in town including companies such as Dell, Intel and Qualcomm.  If you’re a music lover, you’re aware that Austin has gained a reputation as the live music capital of the U.S. and home of my favorite public television show – Austin City Limits.  

 

Austin is also home to many great congregations and Christian organizations that give witness to the Gospel.  The footprint of the Lutheran church is much larger than can be capsulated in this brief space.  Here are just a few examples …

 

Very significant is the presence of Lutheran Social Services of the South.  This wonderful statewide agency, led by Dr. Kurt Senske, is known for its care and compassion for those with special needs throughout the state.  Wheat Ridge has been a proud partner of LSSS through the years.  One of the innovative programs developed by LSSS several years ago – with help from Wheat Ridge Ministries – utilizes Stephen Ministries as a tool for caring for colleagues and clients.

 

Another significant example of the Lutheran community’s impact in Austin is Concordia University Texas, which touches the lives of thousands of young people each year.  Thanks to the exceptional leadership of President Tom Cedel and a talented faculty and staff, Concordia is growing rapidly on its beautiful new campus.  It is producing students who are serving the Lord by using their God-given gifts and talents in service to the community.

 

Indicative of the creative spirit of service in the congregations of the Austin area is “Water to Thrive,” an impactful new human care initiative based in Austin that is currently being seeded by Wheat Ridge Ministries.  During this trip to Texas, I enjoyed a great visit with Dick Moeller, founder of W2T.  Dick was inspired to begin this new ministry after his Bible study group at Triumphant Love Lutheran Church decided to raise $5,000 to dig a well in Ethiopia in order to provide clean water.  They raised enough money for 12 wells!  W2T has partnered with non-government organizations in several countries in eastern Africa and its impact includes more than 300 water projects that have impacted the lives of over 150,000 people now experiencing the health benefits of clean water.

 

During my brief stay in Austin last week, I also met the new pastor of Triumphant Love Lutheran, Steve Troisi.  I was pleased to learn that Pastor Steve’s previous church in South Carolina was the recipient of a Wheat Ridge seed grant for an Alzheimer’s support and respite program.  Pastor Steve and Triumphant Love were recently invited to join several other Lutheran congregations to develop a counseling and leadership training program for at-risk youth in the Austin community … a great example of creative ministry spirit in Austin!  I was not surprised to learn that a leader of this effort is Pastor Tom Grevlos, a good friend of Wheat Ridge Ministries, who recently arrived in Austin to serve as senior pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.

 

I returned from this visit to Texas reminded once again of the power of God’s Spirit to inspire people around the world to acts of justice and mercy in response to the Good News that Jesus came that we may experience the fullness of life (John 10:10).  It’s a privilege for Wheat Ridge Ministries to encourage and support the passion for service that exists in homes, churches and agencies as people share the healing touch of Christ with others!

Summer in the Synods

It has been a full summer for Lutherans all across America.  Three of the major U.S. Lutheran church bodies held conventions or assemblies.  There was also a national youth gathering in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, as well as a convention of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.

Our prayers are with Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop-elect of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as she transitions to this new and very important leadership role.  And our thanks to Bishop Mark Hanson as he completes his significant and impactful years of servant leadership to the ELCA.

There is no question that changes continue to take place in church denominations as they attempt to discern their place in a rapidly changing religious landscape.  Wonderful and exciting opportunities exist to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed.  At the same time, these opportunities require adaptation and change as our world becomes more diverse, as “churched” people tend to be less loyal to specific denominations and as church attendance decreases and congregations are often perceived as less integral to community life than they used to be.  As we respond to these changes, church body officials struggle with questions related to their authority and influence.  Should they exert control and require greater agreement around theology and practice or should they encourage more openness and variety of practice in an effort to serve an increasingly diverse population?

Thankfully, while our denominations continue to wrestle with these issues and questions, and while they pursue different paths, the Lutheran faith community continues to share some distinctive common hallmarks.  One of these is the strong desire to serve people in need.  Regardless of what our various church bodies call this response to the Gospel … social ministry, human care ministry, mercy ministry, peace and justice ministry … we seem to have in our DNA caring about and for the welfare of others, no doubt encouraged by Luther and others who describe so well the blessing of Christian vocation.  Efforts such as Stephen Ministries, parish nursing, Lutheran day schools, and deaconess programs are just a few of the countless expressions of this desire to serve.  And, of course, as Lutherans we can be very proud of the tremendous impact of our Lutheran social service organizations.  As you may know, 1 in 50 Americans are touched annually by the services of member organizations of Lutheran Services in America.

There are encouraging signs for the future of a church dedicated to service as Lutheran young adults and other young people of faith place high priority on personal involvement in service to others.  One of the programs that is causing much excitement among Wheat Ridge staff and board members these days is our Burst Grant program that provides initial encouragement and support for health and human care initiatives led by young adults.  We recently hosted a convening of some of the first recipients of this grant.  It was a high energy gathering as these talented leaders filled the room with their stories, experiences and questions, while at the same time building supportive relationships. 

Wheat Ridge Ministries is blessed to have a “bird’s eye” view of this service activity as we receive and respond to abundant opportunities each year to seed new ministries of health and hope from congregations and church agencies that are inspired by God’s Spirit to develop new ways to serve people in their neighborhood and community.

Wheat Ridge Ministries is privileged to connect and serve leaders young and old who are inspired to make an impact in the lives of others in the name of the healing Christ.  We are blessed to serve as a vehicle to connect these new ministries with generous people who serve and support these new ministries through their investment of resources.

Our staff just completed its annual planning retreat.  During our time together, Mark Schoepp, our Director of Congregation Engagement, led us on a wonderful journey through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.  Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians in Chapter 5 comes clearly to mind as we encourage one another in the important work of sharing the healing touch of Christ with others:

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!

Amen!