A church that cares only for its members is not serving Jesus!
We must reach out in loving acts and generous gifts to express Christ’s compassion for all people, everywhere.
Serving Others with Our Offerings
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church commits a percentage of its operating budget to assist others. Gifts in 2022 were directed to a multitude of ministries and organizations, including but not limited to the following:
St. Paul Area Synod (ELCA Mission Support Fund, Mlafu, Guatemala)
Valley Outreach, ELCA Disaster Relief
Luther Seminary, Lutheran Social Services
ELCA World Hunger, Open Hands on the Midway
Second Harvest Heartland, Lutheran Mideast Development
Solid Ground, Tubman Family Alliance
Camp Wapogasset, Feed My Starving Children
Habitat for Humanity, Operation Help
St. Croix Family Resource Ctr, Salvation Army Northern
Tutapona, Travel Fund for Pastor
Serving Others with Our Building
But our outreach is not only monetary. Our building is host to weekly meetings of the Valley de Croix, Croix Chordsmen, AA, local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and countless other community gatherings.
Serving Others in Africa
Members of the Mlafu Church Council and Our Savior’s from our last visit to Mlafu in 2017
Our church began participating in the St. Paul Area Synod (SPAS) Companion Congregation program in 2001. Referred to as Bega Kwa Bega or “Shoulder to Shoulder,” this program partners congregations in the SPAS with congregations in the Iringa Diocese in Tanzania, Africa. Our rural companion congregation is in Mlafu, located near the city of Iringa in central Tanzania.
The covenant we made with the people in Mlafu commits both of our congregations to Prayer, Presence and Projects.
Read more about our Mission in Mlafu…
Read more about the Bega Kwa Bega program at the SPAS…
Serving Others in Jamaica
Mission Jamaica (MJ) is a short-term “vacation with a purpose” mission experience that began at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, in 1989.
Mission Jamaica provides a way for us to love and serve our neighbor as Jesus taught us through His love and service to others. The trip combines a service project with time for reflection and spiritual rest. It allows a person to experience an international mission field that is close to home yet far enough away to immerse into another culture for a week.
Our Savior’s has taken part in Mission Jamaica since the 2000’s. Over the years, we’ve had several teams that have traveled to Jamaica. While Our Savior’s does not provide financial support to Mission Jamaica, we regularly pray during weekly worship for their work.
Our Savior’s contact for Mission Jamaica is Mary Anderson (pictured below), who can be reached by contacting the church office. The next trip is being planned for March 9-16, 2024.
For more information, visit missionjamaica.org.
