CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Mission Builders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) hope to work with a dozen congregations in 2002, building or rehabilitating church-related facilities. Dean Hiner, North Platte, Neb., Mission Builders program director, said more congregations have asked for help, but 20 volunteers are still needed to meet current needs.
Mission Builders is a program of the ELCA Division for Outreach. Builders work alongside members of the building congregation and various local professionals. Builders have also worked on several Lutheran Disaster Response projects following hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters.
Mission Builders are Christians with considerable construction skills and other "handy" folks helping congregations, schools, camps and social ministry organizations of the ELCA build their facilities. Most are retired, but others take an extended vacation with their families, willing to share their skills and faith and to work for minimum wage.
Hiner said Mission Builders worked with nine congregations in 2001: + Covenant Lutheran Community Church, Quartzsite, Ariz.; + Christ the King Lutheran Church, Cumming, Ga.; + Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Indianapolis; + First English Lutheran Church, Menahga, Minn.; + Hosanna! Lutheran Church, Liberty, Mo.; + Redeemer Lutheran Church, New Paltz, N.Y.; + Nativity Lutheran Church, Bend, Ore.; + St. John Lutheran Church, Chehalis, Wash.; and + Christ Lutheran Church, Somerset, Wis.
Sixty Mission Builders were involved in those projects, which makes a total of 660 Mission Builders that have been involved in helping congregations since Mission Builders started in 1986, said Hiner. Eleven workers were still working with the two congregations in Arizona and Georgia as the new year began.
The Mission Builders schedule for 2002 includes projects with 12 congregations: + Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Chesterton, Ind.; + Risen Lord Lutheran Church, Greenwood, Ind.; + Bread of Life Lutheran Church, Jenison, Mich.; + Bethany Lutheran Church, Deer River, Minn.; + Bethel Lutheran Church, Little Falls, Minn.; + Nativity Lutheran Church, Bend, Ore.; + Trinity Lutheran Church, Hermiston, Ore.; + Immanuel Lutheran Church, Elk Point, S.D.; + St. John Lutheran Church, Chehalis, Wash.; + Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Eagle River, Wis.; + Hainesville Lutheran Church, Sturgeon Bay, Wis.; and + Trinity Lutheran Church, Washington Island, Wis.
Hiner said 50 Mission Builders have signed up to work in 2002, but 20 more are needed. "There are other congregations that have asked Mission Builders to work with them this next summer, but I have had to tell them that it does not look possible," he said. -- -- --
Information about Mission Builders is linked to http://www.elca.org/do/builders.html on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
