Saturday ministries and letter from Lutheran Social Services

April 6, 2010

Dear members of Trinity,

Joy and hope of Easter be with you. I would like to express my joy and gratitude to all of you for your support and prayers for the new ministries we have launched at Trinity on Saturdays.
The Saturday Club and youth group (every Saturday from 12:00-3:00) engage 15-30 children and youth of all ages with positive activities such as crafts, discussions, games and sports. We have been working with Lutheran Social Services to provide a tutoring program for roughly 40-50 adults and youth per week. Four computers were purchased and one donated to start a computer lab. We have also begun a bilingual (Spanish and English) worship service every Saturday at 12:00. Everyone who participates in these ministries receives a nutritious lunch.
These ministries have been thriving thanks to our dedicated members who have graciously given of their time, talent and resources. It is amazing to see the Holy Spirit at work in these ministries in making manifest the love of Christ in the community.
I am forwarding you a letter from Ruth Foelber, the Director of Lutheran Social Services of Long Beach and the South Bay Area. This letter has gone out to all the Lutheran churches in the area to thank them for their support. In this letter Ruth describes the partnership between Trinity and Lutheran Social Services and the new ministries that have begun. Ruth also describes the needs of the programs, which are: volunteer tutors for children, donations/sponsors for the lunch, and financial contributions for program and staff costs for the tutoring, which are about $1500 per month.
By the grace of God and with the continued support of our church and other churches in the area, we believe that these vital ministries will continue to thrive. Thank you all!

In Christ,

Pastor Joshua D. Ebener

News from Lutheran Social Services (Long Beach and South Bay Area)

Beginning in 2009, we are now referred to as:
LSS Community Care Centers
Lutheran Social Services of Southern California
Long Beach and South Bay Area
2009 was a very busy and productive year for us. Thousands of people were served each month with vital services in our many programs, opportunities were developed for networking with community agencies, and existing partnerships were strengthened. Although we have a very small staff providing many quality programs, motivation is high among our workers as well as our over 820 volunteers. Staff members are guided first and foremost by our Christian faith. We talk daily about our work as Ministry and how we experience God’s help and protection. We have been truly blessed as we approach our work as Ministry and go to God for all our resources and direction.
Over 20 years ago when we began our long range planning process in Long Beach, we were guided by two major principles and beliefs which remain today: 1.To always keep in our minds and hearts that what we do is a Ministry, the Lord’s Work 2.To provide and develop quality and needed programs and services for people in our churches and communities. Today these programs take place in Long Beach and surrounding communities in the South Bay and Los Angeles County.
Our Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Program was our first program developed and is today our biggest program in terms of numbers served. Our area Lutheran church members and donors have provided generous in-kind contributions of food and other resources. People requesting and receiving assistance are extremely grateful. They often leave the agency saying things like “God bless you all… God bless the Lutheran Church… We do not know how we would survive especially during this difficult time without Lutheran Social Services… We receive the best services and help from Lutheran Social Services… You treat us with dignity and respect like no other organization”.
In our Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Program over 150 clients and their family members (a total of over 600 people) are helped each day with food, clothing, hygiene and grooming items, transportation, blankets and quilts, and referrals to community organizations and agencies. All services are provided as part of a case plan with the individual’s goals, progress, and outcomes maintained in the case records. The purpose of the program is to provide basic immediate needs as those served are helped to resolve their problems and develop long-term solutions and plans.
During 2009 and recent months there has been an increase in people requesting assistance to many times over 200 clients and their family members (a total of 800-1,000 people per day) because of unemployment, lay-offs, and cut in work hours. The unemployment rates for February 2010 (according to the Long Beach Press Telegram) were 13.5% for Long Beach and between 13-20% for surrounding communities we serve in Los Angeles County.
Our Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Program is the point of intake for our other programs providing long term solutions, education, and outreach. The clients’ total situations are assessed at intake, and the appropriate programs and/or services are offered within the agency or a referral is made to an outside resource.
Our First Lutheran Saturday Outreach Program held at and in partnership with First Lutheran Church in Long Beach, addresses needs of the whole family with several areas of service: literacy training (ESL) with adults; educational activities with pre-school children; Growing Days (sports, crafts, folkloric dancing, and Bible Lessons with older children); presentations concerning health and family issues; small discussion groups; and Special Outreach Events.
Our First Lutheran Saturday Outreach Program (FLSOP) Christmas Celebration held on Saturday, December 5, 2009 provided blessings beyond our greatest expectations. Over 1,600 program participants, their family members, and friends from the community attended the event.
The Christmas Celebration began with a service in the church led by First Lutheran’s Pastor Doug Johnstone with the assistance of Pastor Joshua Ebener of Trinity Lutheran Church. The church was overflowing with people, and every seat was taken in all areas of the Church. In keeping with one of the main purposes of the FLSOP to strengthen and address the needs of the whole family, all family members were encouraged to attend and invite their friends and neighbors. Throughout the service and event, it was observed and conveyed verbally by many people that those in attendance were very respectful and gracious and genuinely expressed their sincere appreciation for the First Lutheran Saturday Outreach Program. The families began arriving at 9am. Our Celebration was scheduled to begin at 11am that morning. It was amazing to see all the families lined up ready to go into the Church for the service. For those families who did not find room in the Church, chairs were placed on the outside so that they, too, could hear the Word of God. A meal followed and was served in the gym and downstairs below the church. Because of the large numbers attending the event, every available room throughout the First Lutheran Church property was used. The program in the gym consisted of distribution of gifts to over 1,000 children.
The activities of the Christmas Celebration represented the culmination of efforts of many people who contributed their time, talents, and treasure to the preparation and implementation of the event. Fifteen area Lutheran Churches (both LCMS and ELCA) from Long Beach to Inglewood contributed gifts, youth and adult volunteers. Hispanic students from the University of California (Riverside) and several other community volunteers participated in the event along with the FLSOP Participant Committee. Both of our area Thrivent Chapters, the West Los Angeles Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the South Los Angeles Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, provided tremendous help with funding for the meal, supplies, and presents.
Here is an Example of a struggling family whose Christmas Spirit was restored after attending Our Christmas Celebration:
Ms. M. (43, Hispanic) came to Lutheran Social Services in October 2009. She was referred by her neighbor who also receives services. Ms. M. was in desperate need of food and clothing. She has a job, as a housekeeper in a hotel, but her hours were cut from 40 hours a week to 30 hours a week. Ms. M. is a single mother of three children (sons, ages 12, 14, and 21). She and her children have been struggling to maintain a roof over their heads. Her oldest son is carrying most of the financial burden. He works at Target as a sales associate. He buys his monthly bus pass, and the rest of his earnings go towards rent and food. Ms. M. stated that she has not been able to buy clothes or shoes for her children, needless to say a Christmas Gift. “My children have gone through so much at a young age. While many children were concerned about what they were going to do the next day while playing, my children had to see their mother worry about how I was going to pay rent and if we were going to have food on our table”. Despite all her obstacles, Ms. M. receives no government financial assistance. She has always worked hard to be an example to her children. The two youngest ones are straight A students. Ms. M. has been placed on a weekly plan at LSS that includes Comprehensive Emergency Assistance with food, clothing, and hygiene items. In addition, she was invited to our Christmas Celebration at our First Lutheran Saturday Outreach Program with her children. She was extremely grateful to Lutheran Social Services for extending her a hand this Christmas. “We had lost all hope. My children were even saying that they did not like Christmas. I know it was because they knew I would not be able to buy them a gift. Thanks to this Celebration we learned the true meaning of Christmas and the love that God has for us”.
One of our newest programs is Healthy California Families: A Program Addressing Emerging and Vital Needs of Ethnic Minority Women, Children, and Family Members. From our very successful Healthy California Families Program, a new and expanded program has been designed based on evaluation of the existing components and topics which have exceeded all current program goals, objectives, and outcomes. The following topic areas, focusing on both intervention and prevention, provide an even more effective program: mental health issues and their relationships with prevention of chronic illness; healthy living and aging; decreased caregiver stress; improved family relationships and communication; and school drop out reduction and parent education. During 2009, 233 adults participated in our Parent Education classes of this program and 132 children received tutoring.
We have had several meetings with Trinity Lutheran Church in Long Beach and their new Pastor, Rev. Joshua Ebener, regarding our growing partnership with Trinity. Currently provided in the program with LSS staff and volunteers is tutoring for children ages 5-17 and education programs with parents including hands-on interactive activities utilizing computers donated by Trinity members. We also anticipate providing additional programs at Trinity as funding and resources are developed. There will be many opportunities for service in these proposed programs with Trinity, our oldest ELCA church in Long Beach, located in a neighborhood where the needs are great and the opportunities for Ministry are many.
In Long Beach and the community surrounding Trinity, we have an increasing problem with school drop out, especially with African American and Hispanic children between 9th and 10th grade. Experience and research demonstrate that it is best to intervene with tutoring and other support services as early as first grade. Also, it has been demonstrated that children whose parents are actively involved in their schooling are more likely to graduate. Our program at Trinity directly addresses the challenges of the increasing dropout rate with children and the need of their parents to effectively communicate with schools and teachers.
On March 27 we had a Palm Sunday Outreach Celebration in our partnership with Trinity Lutheran Church. Pastor Ebener led the service in the church which began the Event. The service was followed by a meal prepared and served by Trinity members and Folkloric Dancing and musical entertainment provided by community children. Over 80 people attended the Celebration.
Our partnership and programs with Trinity Lutheran Church are growing rapidly. We have several urgent needs to sustain and grow the program: 1.Volunteers to provide tutoring for children; 2. Donations for food for the lunch provided on Saturday for children and parents in attendance; and 3. Financial contributions.
We as staff of the LSS/SC Long Beach and South Bay Area are very grateful to have the privilege of assisting those in need and serving our Lord Jesus through acts of service. We deeply appreciate the honor of serving as Christ’s servants and showing His care and compassion. We especially give thanks to our Lutheran Pastors, leaders, and church members for all of your help, support, and prayers.