Charitable living

Greetings Lake Tapps,

Today I want to share a few words about a vital ministry of our church. It's our Benevolence Ministry.

When I say ”Benevolence” what comes to mind?  Webster says it means the desire to do good to others; or to act with kindness toward others as with a charitable gift.  Another word for charitable or charity is love.  From this we get the name of the Benevolence Ministry at LTCC, Love One Another or LOA.

By now most of you are probably familiar with the LTCC mission statement, Loving God by Helping People Follow Jesus.  I like to think that the middle phrase “helping people” means not only discipling existing Christians to help them grow spiritually but also helping people in financial need see their true need for Jesus through our LOA ministry.

So exactly how do we do it?  Help people, that is?  A few years ago, it meant responding to a financial need with a check. We then transitioned to reaching out personally to each person we assisted financially with the hope of sharing Jesus and future relationships.  Currently, the LOA Team is meeting with, and coming alongside each person who is in need and helping them discover their own strengths and gifts that they can use to solve their need.  To be sure, we do help financially if needed, but our long-range goal is to help the person learn to use their gifts and talents to prevent the need from reoccurring in the future and to point them to Jesus, the ultimate solution to all of our brokenness.

One exciting new way we are helping people is through congregational involvement!  Through YOU!  You have been so generous to share your time, talents and special gifts. Such non-financial help takes the form of helping the person move, provide help with transportation or meals, fix an automobile, donate diapers, write notes of encouragement, or in one recent case, provide much needed hearing aids for a single mom who could not afford them!

Does this sort of ministry appeal to you?  If so, you can get additional information or be aware of current needs through our private Facebook Group, LTCC Loves One Another. You can also submit a Love One Another Connection Form found on our LOA webpage to identify skills you have that could be used to help others, or to identify your own needs or the needs of friends or neighbors. You could also sign up to receive occasional emails about ways you can help or pray.

If you sense the Lord's prompting, you may want to join the LOA team!  If so, connect with us in one of the ways listed above, or simply talk to one of the LOA team members (Trista Sutherland, Polly DeLapp, Robin Knutzen, Maegan Erb or Gary Warne.)

Gary for the Elders and Deacons