LCMS Provides Opportunities to Help Persecuted Christians

Below is a Statement by LCMS President Matthew Harrison

Making a faithful confession

The world is starting to perk up its ears. Reports of Christians fleeing cities in Iraq; pictures of Islamic militants marking the doors of the faithful as a sign that they must leave or be killed; stories of men being killed, women raped, children beheaded: All are now in the news … and all are for the sake of Christ.

We mourn. We pray. And yet we wonder, “What can I do? What does this matter to me?”

+ Repent. There may well come a day when we face the same suffering that has befallen the Christians in Iraq. And so we learn from them, pray for them and repent for our own lack of faith, for our confidence in passing, transitory things rather than in the holy things of God (2 Thessalonians 1).
+ Remember. Persecution reminds us that the world is not our friend and it is not our home. We are neither Iraqi Christians nor American Christians. We are simply Christians, citizens of a better land, a different kind of country, of heaven itself (1 Peter 2:11).
+ Ready. We are called to vigilance because we know that faithfulness and persecution go hand-in-hand. We prepare now; we do not wait. We have Scriptures to learn, catechisms to study and hymns to memorize so that — if God in His infinite wisdom allows this suffering to befall us, too, one day — we are emboldened by the Word of God, which is in our hearts and on our lips (Rom. 10:9ff).
+ Rejoice. On Aug. 10, the Church remembers St. Lawrence, who kept and distributed the church’s goods and alms. When the prefect of Rome demanded that Lawrence turn over the church’s treasury, Lawrence made a faithful confession, showing the prefect the widowed and orphaned, the blind and lame, saying, “These are the treasures of the Church.” For his fidelity, Lawrence was burned — roasted alive — over a gridiron, cheerfully remarking after some time, “It is well done. Turn me over” (1 Peter 1:3–8).

That is the kind of confidence with which we enter the days ahead, the times of persecution that we know are coming, that are here even now. We face Satan’s attacks and threats head-on, look them square in the eye, because we have been marked — just like the Christians in Iraq — with the sign of the holy cross on our foreheads and on our hearts in the waters of Baptism. In that gift, Christ promised us eternal life, salvation, comfort, mercy, even joy with Him, despite what the world and all its evil send our way. And He always makes good on His promises.

So let us pray and endure, trusting that, like the apostles and the martyrs and the saints before us, our Lord will preserve us too, suffering much but never letting us fall away. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are persecuted so ruthlessly in Iraq. And then join with me in reading our Bibles, singing the Church’s hymns, praying its catechism, so that we, too, may make a faithful confession, for “everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32).

Let me also note that many of you are asking where you may give to support persecuted Christians. The LCMS is providing funds for those in deep need. This type of work is quite delicate because of our mission and mercy presence in many non-Christian countries. We in no way wish to heighten the risk to our faithful workers. Our reporting on the use of funds in this area will be muted for obvious reasons (2 Corinthians 8–9).

Our new Fund to Aid Christians Under Persecution is a response by the LCMS to impact our brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing death or persecution, primarily in countries where the LCMS does not have an international mission presence through official missionaries and other LCMS or partner church personnel. Donations made to the fund will be bundled into one or more grants that will be disbursed through appropriate* nonprofit human-care and relief agencies. That fund is a restricted account, kept separate from other designated funds, in order to facilitate financial management, reporting and auditing.

May God grant peace for Jesus’ sake.

Pastor Harrison

P.S. Here are a few more resources I hope you’ll find helpful.

- Download the free June/July issue of The Lutheran Witness, courtesy of Concordia Publishing House.
- Pray: Merciful and holy Father, remember in Your unfailing love those who suffer now for the name of Christ. Strengthen them for a good confession, and uphold them by Your Spirit. Look in Your mercy on all who are entrusted with civil authority here and in all places throughout the world. Make them bold to stand against and fight every injustice. Especially bring to an end this widespread destruction of the fundamental human right to worship freely, according to the dictates of conscience. “Grant peace, we pray, in mercy, Lord; Peace in our time, O send us! For there is none on earth but You, None other to defend us. You only, Lord, can fight for us. Amen” (LSB 778). In Jesus’ holy and precious name we beg it. Amen!

*Grant-recipient agencies that have been vetted to determine their capacity for getting aid into parts of the world the LCMS cannot reach directly and in ways that do not conflict with or subvert the Christian faith as articulated in Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison is the current and 13th president of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

A Prayer for Boston

Heavenly Father, we come to Your throne of mercy bowed down and wearied by the weight of suffering and death visited upon our country this afternoon. Bring peace amid the chaos and provide help to those in need. Be with all those who have suffered bodily injury due to the explosions in Boston. Guard and guide the emergency service workers, police, fire, medical and homeland security personnel whose vocation is to respond to events such as this. Grant to the leaders of this nation wise counsel, calm thinking and unselfish aims. Turn the hearts and minds of all to You, that they might find peace through the cleansing of Jesus' blood. Let us not be confounded or dismayed, so that we, as Your children, may courageously speak to this needy world of the hope that is within us, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.  (From the LCMS Facebook Site)

Here is a St Louis news article on our synod's work with Sandy.  On Sunday we will take a collection for hurricane Sandy.




St. Louis, MO (KSDK) - The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), headquartered in St. Louis, has contributed nearly $100,500 in grants to help the Superstorm Sandy relief effort.

On November 1, LCMS gave $15,000 to the LCMS Atlantic District to provide housing for families affected by damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

As of Tuesday, November 6, the LCMS will disburse an additional $25,000 to the LCMS Atlantic District, and $40,000 to the LCMS New Jersey District in emergency disaster grants.

According to LCMS spokesperson Vicki Biggs, grants are used to provide victims food, clothing, housing, generators and other basic human needs.

LCMS disaster response teams traveled to storm-damaged areas in New York and New Jersey October 31- November 3, and plan to return with a second team. But in order to meet the long-term needs created by the superstorm, LCMS needs help from contributors.

In the last five years, the LCMS have provided more than $35 million to domestic and international disaster response efforts.

For more information on the LCMS disaster response effort, visit www.lcms.org/disaster.

KSDK

LCMS President Update on Superstorm Sandy

Here is the latest post from President Harrison regarding the LCMS work with Superstorm Sandy.  We will be taking a door collection on Sunday, November 11 for LCMS Relief efforts.

Grace's Gracious Giveaway - Start Bringing!!!

The 17th annual Grace’s Gracious Giveaway is this Saturday 8-12.  You may bring your clean giveaways anytime and put out on the labeled tables anytime this week!

President Harrison on Hurricane Sandy

Here is an update from LCMS President Pastor Matthew Harrison on Hurricane Sandy.
Grace Lutheran webpage will keep you updated.

The 1440 Prayer for World Malaria Day

The 1440 Prayer for World Malaria Day
April 25, 2012


One child in sub-Saharan Africa dies every 60 seconds from malaria, a disease spread by a mosquito-borne parasite. In a single 24-hour period (one day), 1,440 people in Africa will succumb to this disease. Please join us in prayer on April 25, World Malaria Day, to lift up all those who are facing the devastating effects of malaria.  

Wherever you are on April 25, please observe one minute of silence at 2:40 p.m. local time (14:40 on a 24-hour clock) to remember all those suffering from malaria, and those who will lose a child or other family member to the disease.  

Here is a prayer you might pray during the moment of silence:

Lord God, our most merciful Father, in this fallen and sinful world death is the constant and impartial enemy of all. We humbly ask you to show mercy on all those who are suffering from malaria today. If it be your will, restore the afflicted to full health.  Surround them in their time of illness with your love, especially the children who are weak and afraid, through the family and friends who minister to them.  Comfort those who have already lost a loved one to malaria or will, especially the parents of young children, who in the minds of mothers and fathers are taken from this life too soon.  We plead you to perform the miracle of ending this disease, in part through the education and relief efforts of the Lutheran Malaria Initiative.  Grant that LMI’s educators, physicians, health care providers and missionaries are powerfully and fully equipped to bring an end to the human suffering and death in Africa caused by malaria.  And Lord, through the Gospel of your Son Jesus, proclaimed through Word and Sacrament, strengthen our faith and lead others to see that a life in His grace leads only to an eternal existence in your loving presence.  Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our savior.  Amen.


For more information on the Lutheran Malaria Initiative click on the logo above.

LCMS in the News

The LCMS relief efforts for the most recent tornadoes is mentioned in World Magazine a Christian news magazine.  You can read the article by clicking on the photo below.

LCMS Coordinates Response to Indiana, Kentucky Tornadoes

Here is an article about some of the work that LCMS World Relief and Human Care is doing for those effected by the recent Tornados.  To find out more click on the picture below.  There are videos and more information at this link as well as information on how you can help.