LHM-SA Newsletter, JANUARY 2005

In this Issue...

1. APPEAL FOR HELP TO TSUNAMI VICTIMS

ST. LOUIS, Missouri—Immediately after the earthquake and tsunami ravaged a large portion of Southeast Asia, Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) received calls from its Asian international ministry centers directors appealing for help for victims in their countries. LHM has in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India, active ministry centers. LHM directors in each of these countries are coordinating with local Lutheran churches to deliver assistance to the most affected areas.

Based on the great need in these countries, LHM is focusing its help in the following ways: Providing spiritual counseling, tracts, and booklets to affected families who are struggling with issues such as "why did this happen?" and "where is God in all of this?"

The ministry center in each country is focusing its efforts in the communities that are most affected, particularly where a Lutheran church is nearby so the Lutheran churches can serve as assistance centers and so that their members can witness to people in their community through these efforts.

We are encouraged by the support we are receiving for the Tsunami Disaster Ministry and pray that the Lord will continue to provide for those most in need of His love and comfort.

For more information, please call LHM-SA on: 011 791-1661 Monday to Friday from 8 to 5. To donate to the Tsunami Disaster Fund, send your gift to: PO Box 555, Ferndale, 2160, or deposit into the LHM-SA account: ILLL, Standard Bank, Randburg, 021642745. Please write TSU/ in the reference box and add your name. Your gifts will be transferred directly to the LHM offices in the affected areas.

LHM will provide regular updates to you regarding its ministry efforts in each country.



2. DRAMA MINISTRY TO CORPORATE

Mr Egon Gevers of Normandy Foods worked through the "Real Life" Bible Correspondence Course and then promptly decided to offer it to all the employees at Normandy Foods. He fetched the lessons from the LHM-SA office and also brought the review sheets back to be graded. Here with a story that he shared with us:

In April 2004 we started a pork-packing and distribution company "Normandy Foods" in Kya Sands, Randburg. We currently employ about 25 workers, most of whom were unemployed and came off the streets.

A few months ago we introduced the "Real Life" Bible Correspondence Course from LHM-SA to them and 20 participated enthusiastically.

On the 14th January Lucas and Christel from LHM-SA came to congratulate the 15 graduates, hand out the certificates and minister to them. Lucas performed the "Prodigal Son" drama and sang a few chorusses.

The employees were all in high spirits and enjoyed the presentation very much. They were very proud to receive their certificates. I observed how their work, the morale and team spirit improved among the workers during this time. I am very thankful and look forward for further developments.

May God bless LHM and your hard work.

Egon Gevers



3. PRISON MINISTRY

With 273 prisons all over South Africa there is most probably a prison in your area. The needs increase as the number of prisoners grows. South Africa is currently locked in an evil spiral. Prisoners are not properly absorbed back into society after their release and 80% are back in prison soon after their release, having committed even worse crimes. This is not how it should be, and according to Matt. 25:31-46, we are called upon to make a difference.

You don’t need to be a pastor to reach out the prisoners and/or their families and there is excellent training available.

Examples of how you can contribute:

  1. The St Christopher Lutheran congregation in Reiger Park runs a weekly support group for parents of the inmates.


  2. Ralf Meysel of the West Rand Lutheran church registered as a religious worker at the Johannesburg Correctional Service (Prison) and goes there each Wednesday morning with Lucas Baloyi to minister to the inmates. He simultaneously enrolled for the one year Prison Ministry certificate at UNISA. Ralf successfully uses the "Alpha Prison" material to reach out to the inmates.


  3. Hugo and Annemarie Klingenberg , Eugene Naidoo and others have donated money for Bibles, which are given to all graduates of our "Real Life" Bible Study if they do not already have a Bible. They receive Bibles in their mother tongue as much as possible.


  4. Penpals. Many of the inmates do not have visitors and are very lonely. They would appreciate to receive encouraging letters from Christians. There are guidelines that need to be adhered to, because letters are inspected and the ministry is not abused.


  5. Specific prayer support. Each week we receive prayer requests from the inmates. They feel much better knowing that others care and pray for them as well.

From 2005 onwards LHM-SA will strive to equip members of our congregations to become involved in each of the prisons, starting with all the prisons in Gauteng.

For more information or for a registration form for the Prison Ministry Certificate at UNISA, please contact Lucas or Marilda at 011- 791 1661.



4. DEAR SIR / MADAM

I faithfully greet you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. I thank God sincerely through Christ Jesus who gave me this blessed opportunity to write to you and share the love of God with you, the Agape love of God.

May I please get enrolled in the Bible lessons you are ministering please. My name is Joseph S Come. I am a sentenced prisoner serving 7 years charged for theft. I am come to be blessed by the divine meeting with my Lord right here in jail. Where some can say it is impossible to meet serve and praise God. But gracefully I then came to be saved by God and He changed my heart He made me free indeed more than when I was outside—Believe in me as I speak what God has done to me, He brought peace into my mind He made the load of my burden light and He forgave me He redeemed me He blessed me by the Abrahamic blessings. This is the reason why I unseasingly thank Him for His love to me and I wont be ashamed to testify about His mighty and wonderful deed to me. According to Revelation 12:11-12

Now I am writing to you because "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection as Peter Paul wrote to Philippians 3:10-13, again as a new born babe I am craving for my pure spiritual milk which is breasted right in the word of God which is what you teach in the Bible course you offer then I once again ask you to assist me in this regard.

Also pleace assist brothers (………… and…………..)*.

May God bless you and enlarge your territory

Joseph S Come *Confidential



5. EEP WORKSHOP

The second ENGAGE-EQUIP-PROCLAIM (EEP) Workshop is to take place in the "Evangelies-Lutherse Gemeente" in Philippi, Western Cape, on the 25th –27th February.

EEP Training is geared to mobilize lay people into an active Christian lifestyle, according to the talents, abilities, resources and particular gifting given by the Holy Spirit and in relation to the opportunities that present themselves in the congregation. Please join us in learning how to reach out to others with the Gospel.



6. SPECIAL OFFER: ZULU SERMONS IN HARDCOVER BOOKS

"Bheka, iNkosi yakho iza kuwe" and "Ukukholwa kuvela ngokuzwa" are two beautifully set hardcover books with sermons for the whole year in the Zulu language. The sermons were written by different missionaries like Rev G Stallmann, Rev I Dube, Rev T M Gabela, Rev J B Mathebula and others and put in book format by Rev G Tiedemann. The books were printed by the press of the "lutherische Buchhandlung Heinrich Harms" in Gross Oesingen in Germany.

The first twenty readers of this newsletter who call the LHM-SA office at (011) 791 1661 will receive free copies!



7. MINISTRY STATISTICS

Prison Ministry - 302 inmates requested "Real Life" Bible Correspondence courses or other material and spiritual ministry.

Radio Ministry - 120 people called us in response to booklet that were offered on Radio Pulpit and Rainbow FM.

Newspaper Outreach - 7 responses for the "Real Life" Correspondence course in the Daily Sun were received.

BCC Ministry - There are currently 1349 students enrolled in the "Real Life" Bible correspondence course.

Web site Ministry - 18 e-mails were received from people requesting Bible study lessons, booklets and/or other ministry support.

Thank You to the 11 donors who donated an amount of R5500.00. We truly appreciate all your prayers and support. God bless you all for your kind donations. We encourage other to join us in bringing Christ to the Nations and the Nations to the Church.



If we sent the newsletter to you by mistake or you would not like to receive it in future, please send a reply with "unsubscribe" in the subject box.

FOR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS, to unsubscribe or to be added to the mailing list:
please contact Christel Scharlach at scharlach@lutheranmedia.net, (011) 792 8440
We'd like to hear from you what you would like to read in our newsletter, what would interest you!