Who is that with Cindy?

You might notice someone new worshiping with Cindy from our committee. Please take a minute to welcome Jonatan, Cindy's husband, during his first trip to the US! Welcome to St. Thomas Jonatan!

World Day of Prayer

World Day of Prayer will be celebrated on March 5. See the bulletin insert for details. Women around the world especially celebrate this day. See the article in the Lutheran magazine discussing how important this day is to so many people. Consider participating in some way to show your solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Christ around the world, whether at home or as part of the local recognition discussed in the bulletin insert.

Prayers for Chile

Please keep the people of Chile in your prayers after the massive earthquake there recently. Please pray specifically also for our sister synod and the family of Francisca, the youth who visited us this summer.

Here is an update on the situation in Chile from the IK Synod Office:

Partners in Mission,

As you know by now, Chile was hit with a serious earthquake the morning of February 27. The ELCA has released news about how the earthquake is affecting our companion church, the IELCH (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile). Here is a link to the most recent (as of 6:00 EST Saturday evening):

http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4461

In addition, through other communications channels I have received the following bits of information about some particular individuals and congregations, some of which is in the news release linked above.

From ELCA churchwide staff: The earthquake was really major and long. Both Pastora Gloria Rojas and Karen Anderson (ELCA missionary who works with EPES, a community health organization in Chile) are in their homes communicating by phone (cell phones do not work). Pastora Gloria has been able to contact all the congregations and pastors except Concepcion. Concepcion and Talca (near Concepcion) is where the major damage happened because of the proximity to the epicenter and has no communication. There are two IELCH congregations in/near Concepcion.

From an I-K Synod Global Mission Committee member's phone conversation with Pastora Gloria's son: Everyone in Santiago is doing well some structures tumbled they do not know how extensive the damage is at this time but they do know that Pastor Oscar (who serves in Concepcion) and his family are doing well.
I have sent a communication to Pastora Gloria assuring her that the people of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod are in prayer for her as she leads her church through this tragedy and for the people of the IELCH as they minister to one another and others around them even as many of them assess damage, work through grief and uncertainty, and look for a way forward.
Please share this information as broadly as possible, accompanied by encouragement to hold Pastora Gloria Rojas, the people of the IELCH, and the people of Chile in prayer. As more information becomes available we will share it synodically. In coming days we will also be in conversation with IELCH leadership about ways in which we as a synod can best express our companionship with our sisters in brothers in Chile, both in the immediate future and in the weeks and months ahead.

In the meantime, if folks desire to give immediate financial donations to Lutheran relief work in Chile they may do so through the ELCA's International Disaster Response at:

https://community.ELCA.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=537.

Thank you for your solidarity with the people of the IELCH and of Chile in general as they now seek to stand on the firm foundation of God's gracious promise of resurrection and new life.

Grace, mercy and peace be with you,

Pastor Bill Gafkjen
Assistant to the Bishop
(Campus Ministry, Candidacy, Global Mission & Synod Assembly Planning)
Director for Evangelical Mission

Note from Missionaries Kate and David

February 18, 2010

Dear Friends:

A couple of days ago our family boarded a plane from Boston to Buenos Aires and our two and half month home assignment came to an end. As we now reflect on what this time back in the United States has meant to us, the image of the medieval pilgrimage comes to mind. Medieval pilgrims usually set out toward a specific destination in light of a particular event. They traveled to be eyewitnesses of sacred events and places. They went seeking first-hand knowledge and experiences of a particular way God can "break into" human lives and transform us for God's own purposes. In our case the destination has been into the heart and hearths of your congregations and homes. The event has been the celebration of our shared faith in Christ and our connection through global mission.

As with the medieval tradition of showing hospitality to pilgrims and wayfarers -- who were warmed by the glowing embers of the hearths of inns and homes along the way -- you have so generously received us in your congregations and homes. You have welcomed us with potlucks replete with delicious food as we gathered around tables for joyful fellowship. We helped complete the circles around your Communion tables and joined our voices with yours in prayer and songs of thanksgiving and praise. We were privileged to be invited into the intimacy of many of your homes to swap stories over an evening cup of tea in your living room or a morning coffee at the kitchen table. We truly had the privilege of many delightful moments of fellowship during this time! Thank you!

Your hospitality has sustained us along the way and has strengthened us for our journey now back to our ministry in South America. Visiting your local missions and ministries has energized us with a renewed sense of passion and purpose. Like the pilgrims who returned to their ordinary lives with so many tales from afar, we return with all the richness of the life and faith stories that you have shared with us.

We also want to give a special thanks to our siblings and parents who helped to care for our children Emily and Matthew during much of the time we were visiting sponsoring congregations.

Tomorrow we leave for a camping retreat with the Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) volunteers who are serving in Argentina and Uruguay this year. It will be like the crossroads where the paths of several pilgrims meet as we share tales of our travels with them and hear their stories from these months that we have been away. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

In Christ,

Kate and David

Attached pictures:

One of several happy reunion moments with our children after being away visiting sponsoring congregations.

New Spanish Classes Begin at St. Thomas

Ever considered learning Spanish? Come and join the new class being taught by Cindy V. at St. Thomas. This is a great opportunity to learn Spanish and relate it to our mission relationships in Guatemala, Argentina, Peru and more. The class begins this month (Tuesdays) and will run probably through May - no need to commit to coming to all the sessions though. If you would like further information, contact the church office or Cindy V.

I-K Synod Mission Coaches

Our synod is trying to encourage and develop "mission coaches" to help support mission within the churches of our synod. I am participating in this process and would be happy to include anyone else interested. There is one information and training session this month and another in March. Please contact me for more information. (Shari)

Lenten Global Mission Devotions

Here is a link for the 2010 ELCA Global Mission Lenten Series. You might find a use for it either for your own personal devotions or perhaps for a small group you are involved with during Lent. The ELCA website actually has their Lenten Global Mission Series materials going back several years so you could choose among them in case you prefer one of the previous themes.

http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Global-Mission/Engage-in-Global-Mission/Lenten-Series-2010.aspx