Rev. Dean Rothchild's March Article

God does not need our righteous works, but our neighbors do.

We serve our neighbors through our vocation in life. An obvious example is the farmer who raises the food that feeds the world. That is God-pleasing service to others. Yet, there is also the truck driver who delivers that food to the grocery store. And don’t forget the grocer who sells that food to hungry people. Each person along the way is motivated by a need to earn a living and support life and family, yet each person is also acting within a God-ordained role of service to his and her neighbor as well. Unseen by most people, this is how God sustains His creation. Christians recognize this as God’s First Article of the Apostle’s Creed gifts.

“Righteousness” is holy perfection, and is thought of in two different ways. First, “active righteousness” is what Christians do when they are serving others, such as in fulfilling a God-pleasing vocation. These things are done in service to our neighbor, by Christians, but they are earthbound works. In that way, our vocations are lived out here, on earth, shoulder-to-shoulder with others, on a horizontal plane. “Active righteousness” is not accomplished to earn God’s favor, but in response to God’s grace in Jesus Christ.

Second, there is also “passive righteousness.” This occurs on a vertical, downward plane between God and us. When righteousness is called “passive,” it means exactly that; we do nothing! It is a righteousness that we only receive. It is the perfection of God that He has given to us.

Why is this vertical righteousness passive? Because that’s the only way it can be. It is passive because all people are by nature born spiritually blind, dead, and enemies of God—the opposite of righteous. The dead can do nothing other than rot and decay. We can’t do anything to accomplish our salvation. Righteousness then has to be earned for us and given to us by someone else. This is Christ’s work. As St. Peter explained it, He [Jesus] Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed 1 Peter 2:24.

Christians were born at the crossroads of Active and Passive righteousness. We were passive in our baptism. We received what Jesus had earned for us, namely the forgiveness of all of our sins, without being able to lift a finger. Yet, most of us were brought to the baptismal font in the loving arms of our parents, active in their vocation of Christian parents. In his vocation, the Pastor actively applied the water with God’s Word, God’s righteousness, and we became Christians. Even if you came to faith through the hearing of the Gospel from another Christian, it was the active action of someone proclaiming God’s passive righteousness in Jesus to you that saved you. God always works through the active means of Word and Sacrament which carry His passive righteousness.

Living at these crossroads of righteousness, the Church understands itself as having a vocation to serve others on behalf of Christ Jesus. This service is carried out within horizontal relationships with others. Therefore, Christians actively seek to recognize the relationships they have at home, at work, at school, and in our neighborhoods in which the good news of Christ’s gift of salvation can be proclaimed, knowing that it is God who provides all things, especially the opportunity to talk to others about Christ Jesus.

Want to discuss this some more? Desire to be better equipped to speak about Jesus Christ? One way is to host a Saturday Witness Workshop in your congregation. Contact me and we will find a time when we can do this together.

deanrothchild@lcmside.org
319-373-2112

King of Kings Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids

REV. LEON HAUSER RETIRES

On Sunday, February 10, 2008, Pastor Leon E. Hauser of King of Kings Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids retired . It was a special day starting with the Sunday morning worship services at 8 and 10:45 AM. Pastor Hauser's son, Rev. Dan Hauser from Katy, Texas, delivered the sermon at both morning services. Several special guests attended, including, Pastor Hauser's parents, Mr. & Mrs. Ed Hauser, from the Chicago area, and his brother, Rev. Larry Hauser and his wife, from the Milwaukee area.

Following the morning services, the King of Kings Board of Elder's and their wives hosted a brunch at the Longbranch Restaurant for the Hauser's and their visiting relatives.

At 2:00 PM, there was a Service of Farewell & Blessing for Pastor Hauser at King of Kings, followed by a Dessert Reception in the Fellowship Hall. Rev. Tim Zimmermann of Our Redeemer in Iowa City served as liturgist. The message for the service, titled "Words of Wisdom & Blessing" was given by 4 retired pastors, Rev. Roland Hischke, Rev. Allen Konrad, Rev. Don Loesch, and Rev. Fritz Wood, all members of King of Kings Lutheran Church. Music was provided by the choir, directed by John Lensch, and by "Prays Twice" the worship team led by Kari Sicard, Director of Music. Pastor Hauser's son, Rev. Dan Hauser was a special guest participant, leading and soloing on the congregational hymn, "Christ Be My Leader", a special hymn for the Hauser family. Pastor Hauser received a prayer of blessing from each of the Church Elders, and Pastor Hauser together with his wife, Connie received a special prayer of blessing from their son, Rev. Dan Hauser.

Following the Service of Farewell and Blessing, the Hauser's were presented with congregational gifts, including a bronze wall cross, depicting the life of Christ, by James Avery. The special day concluded with the Dessert Reception held in the Fellowship Hall.

Left to Right

ROW 1- Rev. Don Loesch, Rev. Tom Hedtke, Rev. Jerry Doellinger, Rev. Fritz Wood, Rev. Larry Hauser (Pastor Hauser's brother), Rev. Harold Scheer.

ROW 2- Rev, Bill Eckhardt, Rev. Roland Hischke, Rev. Leon Hauser, Rev. Dan Hauser (Pastor Hauser's son), Rev. Allen Konrad.

ROW 3- Rev. Larry Schmidt, Rev. Tim Zimmermann and Rev, Dan Krueger

St. John Lutheran Church in Waverly

CONCORDIA SEMINARY TO OFFER SUMMER WORKSHOP IN IOWA EAST DISTRICT

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, is pleased to announce its summer 2008 series of workshops for pastors, professional church workers and interested lay persons. Eleven workshops, covering a wide variety of subjects, are offered nationwide, and all are taught by members of the Concordia Seminary faculty.

“Why Some and Not Others? The Canon of the New Testament in Historical and Theological Perspective” will be offered by Prof. Jeffrey Kloha, June 10-12, at St. John Lutheran Church, Waverly. Kloha is assistant professor of exegetical theology at Concordia Seminary. This offering explores recent history of American Christianity and the issue of which books should be included in the New Testament. The issue has been considered closed—every confirmation class student memorizes the sequence of 27 books. However, popular books like The DaVinci Code and Beyond Belief have raised the issue of whether certain writings were wrongly excluded from the canon. In addition, books that historically have been less important in the church’s life, such as Revelation, have become the source of bestsellers and major films. This class looks at the issue as it was dealt with by early Christians and the Reformation period, before the canon became “settled” in the modern period, in order to find a way to help Lutheran’s be confident in the Scriptures.

The cost for the workshop is $125. Housing and meal information is available by contacting Rev. Matthew Versemann, at (319) 352-2314; pastorversemann@msn.com. To register or for more information, contact the Office of Continuing Education and Parish Services, Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105; (314) 505-7486; ce@csl.edu.

College Hill Lutheran Church and Bremmer Student Center in Cedar Falls

LSF DINNER THEATER IN CEDAR FALLS

Congregation members, family, and friends were treated to a delightful theatrical evening at the Brammer Student Center. The theme was, “Saddle Up.”

Dinner was a delicious spaghetti pie with all the trimmings, followed by a video review of the ten prior dinner theaters, snippets of fun times to recall.

The entertainment was all original skits and DVDs created and acted by the students. From the “Invisible Bench” to the “Puppy in the Box,” it was great fun. During intermission, the “actors” served brownies and ice cream to the guests. The evening sped by and, when over, was acclaimed to be the “highlight of the theater season” by all who attended.

The students prepared all the food, served the meal, created and acted the program, and did all the dishes. Lots of work, but the goal was right as they were raising money for their servant event trip during spring break. The money raised will be augmented by a grant from the Black Hawk County Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Yes, the students are “saddled up” for their trip, and the audience has had the pleasure of being involved in this preliminary event.

St. Paul Chapel and University Center in Iowa City

Mark and Leslie Gannon,
members at St. Paul's Chapel

The "Sorting Stein" places "Home Away From Home"

chapelite and university student Katie Pearce
with host family Mark and Leslie Gannon.

Home Away From Home
By Leslie Gannon

During my very first meeting with Pastor Mons about joining St. Paul’s Chapel, he asked me the “Why” question. “Why,” as in, “Why St. Paul’s?” He clarified by explaining that the Chapel doesn’t offer the usual trappings for adults that a normal congregation does. There is no LWML, no Altar Guild, no Auxiliary, for example. “At St. Paul’s,” he explained, “it’s all about the students.” My answer to him was that nonetheless we liked St. Paul’s traditional Divine Service, the ambiance of the Chapel, and the sermons we had heard. We joined the congregation shortly thereafter.

But the longer we’ve been members of St. Paul’s the more we have come to realize it is all about the students.

When my husband Mark and I moved to Iowa City, we had four nieces, two nephews, and Mark’s son all in various stages of their Uof I education. Seeing a need, we decided to have a semi-monthly “Family Night” in our home. It was an evening in which the kids could come to our house, have a home-cooked meal, do a load of laundry, and just hang out with family. We had ethnic themes, movie nights, birthday celebrations, game nights, and a whole lot of fun. Once they all graduated and moved on, we really missed those nights with them.

As we got to know St. Paul’s better, met members and students, we realized that the “Family Night” would fit St. Paul’s mission perfectly. We explained it to Pastor Mons and he agreed. After a few months of planning, promotion, and collecting names, we matched nine students with seven of the St. Paul’s permanent member families. It was a great start.

The program is just only off the ground, but we are sure that the participants (and St. Paul’s) will be blessed by these new relationships!

Bethany Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids

Bethany Lutheran Church will host the National Day of Prayer Breakfast Kick-Off on Thursday, May 1, at 7:00 a.m., in the Family Life Center.The speaker will be Dr. Richard Osslund. He is pastor emeritus at Memorial Lutheran Church and Student Center, the LCMS campus ministry at Iowa State University. He has been invited to be the presenter at numerous District Conferences and Conventions of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and is the Dean of the Lay Leadership Institute of the Iowa District West. He serves as adjunct staff for Concordia University, St. Paul, and is a volunteer mission presenter for Mission Central, which connects missionaries with congregations and individuals in the LCMS.

This will be Bethany’s 3rd Annual National Day of Prayer event. The sanctuary will be open for prayer from 8:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m. with prayer resources available. Please contact Ronda Anderson at 364-6026 for breakfast reservations by April 29. Free will offering accepted.

St. Peter Lutheran Church in Westagte

God Squad in action at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Westgate

One year ago, the Youth Group at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Westgate became known as the “God Squad”. They dedicated themselves study together God's Word, learning not only how they were saved by God's grace though Jesus Christ, but also how they have been transformed by Christ to be His servants.

As God’s servants to the congregation, many of the Squad members volunteered to paint the walls in the Education Wing of the church. Now each Sunday School room is connected to an “I AM...” statement of Jesus. The older members, especially those considering careers in teaching, have taken great interest in helping out with Vacation Bible School, Sunday School and the younger confirmation classes. The God Squad also held a dinner on Maundy Thursday. They taught the congregation what took place during the Passover Dinner Jesus celebrated. More importantly, they emphasized how each part of the meal pointed to Him, and what He continues to offer us in the Lord’s Supper. Many Squad members, as well as congregational members, are looking forward to doing it again this year.

In service to the community, the God Squad helped out on Westgate Day. They sponsored a number of activities for smaller children including a dunk tank and mini-tractor pull. In addition, one of the Squad’s members discovered a program which offers assistance to Foster Care children. The congregation got behind them and supported them on this particular project. Then, during the holidays, the Squad gathered food and cash donations for the local food bank.

Perhaps most exciting is the God Squad’s musical abilities. The member’s sing hymns from the hymnal as well as traditional hymns with new tunes. After a concert last fall, they were invited to sing at a number of other places. A sister congregation was hosting a special fund-raiser dinner and in need of entertainment. They heard about the God Squad and invited them to participate. The group also put together a special Christmas concert with instruments and bells. Many people from the community attended. This summer they have been asked to sing at the County Fair.

On March 15, the God Squad Choir will be hosting a concert. Callie Weiss, from Cedar Falls, will be the artist performing. The choir will be featured as the opening act for Callie. The event begins at 3:00, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, and everyone in IDE is invited. For some of the needy in the community, the God Squad will be collecting clothing items in good quality that afternoon.

A free will donation will also be taken at the concert to help cover expenses for the group's July trip to St. Louis. They hope to spend a few days at the Concordia Seminary, each day accomplishing a service project. While there, it has been arranged for them to sing one day at the morning devotions at the International Center of the LCMS.

So, if you happen to see active teens sporting bright yellow shirts featuring a cross, a dove, and a crown over the Bible verse, A servant of the gospel according to the gift of God's grace (Ephesians 3:7), you now know who they are: The God Squad from St. Peter Lutheran Church in Westgate.

Lutheran Schools

What is the Iowa Lutheran School Tuition Organization (ILSTO)?

During the 2006 Iowa Legislative Session a new program to benefit Iowa non-public accredited school families was put in place. It was designed to help parents who desire a non-public education for their children but are unable to afford it. For 2008, the legislature allocated $7,500,000 for Iowa Tuition Tax Credits.

Because of this, in January ‘07, the State accredited Lutheran Schools came together to form the Lutheran School Tuition Organization. During last school year, the ILSTO’s goal was to raise $346,000 for this tuition organization. The ILSTO had $224,928 in tuition tax credits to distribute. They raised $155,031, about half the amount designated. For the ‘08 tax year, the ILSTO will have $311,812 in tax credits to distribute to donors. The allocation was to raise $479,865.

How does this benefit Iowa East Lutheran schools and donors? In two ways.

First, those who donate to the ILSTO may receive a 65% state tax credit. For example, a donation of $1,000 may generate a voucher for $650 sate tax credit. In addition, there may also be a Federal income tax charitable contribution deduction.

A donor is able to designate which Iowa Lutheran School they would like there donation to benefit. Wouldn’t it be great to help a student attend an IDE Lutheran School instead of paying taxes?

Second, families whose income is up to four times the national poverty rate are eligible for tuition assistance from this program. This means that the ILSTO would be able to more fully fund students attending IDE Lutheran Schools, increase enrollment, provide ministry with the community, and share the Gospel with more children and their families. Now that’s something to think about.

The ILSTO’s goal is to fully fund the Lutheran STO this year, and they are asking each member of IDE to consider a donation. Not only will this help students attend Iowa East Lutheran schools, it will also benefit the donor through a tax credit. Please share this information with others. Any person who pays Iowa income tax may be eligible for the tuition tax credit.

Consult a tax advisor, to see how this program can benefit you.

Parents with students attending one of our Iowa state accredited Lutheran schools can apply by April 1 for scholarship assistance.

For more information, spend some time at iowalutheransto.org or contact Mrs. Buescher at 319-233-3967.

To receive tax credit for the 2008 tax year, donations must be made by December 31, 2008. Remember, they only have $311,912 in tax credits to give out. Once that amount is gone, there can be no more tax credits given. So donate early, you don’t want to be left out!

The ILSTO is now able to accept non-cash donations also.

Camp IO-DIS-E-CA

JR. High Retreat Pictures

Important Dates at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca

Spring Cleanup - April 26
Help us prepare for summer by raking leaves and doing other cleanup activities. Please bring rakes, gloves and any hand tools you might need. If you have no tools, please come - we have a few. Bring a friend. Bring your family. Bring your youth group. This will be a day of free exercise, free food, and free fun. Come join us to help make your camp a best in class facility!

$10 Early Bird Registration Deadline - April 27
Save up to $10 on your summer registration fee.

Scholarship Application Deadline - May 1
Scholarship funds are limited. Scholarships may not be available after this date.

Mother/Child Retreat - May 9-10
Spend a quality day and night with your child(ren) at camp away from the distractions and chores at home. Campfire, songs, games, smores and more! Only $40 for Mom and $20 for children 5-12. Children under age 5 are FREE. Call the camp at 319.848.4187 to register or learn more.

Register Now for 2008 Summer Camp!

Registrations for the 2008 summer camps have been pouring in by mail and online. In fact, summer camp programs are about half full. Now is the time to register to insure you can participate in the fun-filled week of your choice at camp this summer.

The summer theme is "Fulfilled in Christ." Campers will study an Old Testament Bible story and learn how it was fulfilled in Christ and then see how they have been "fulfilled" in Christ as they receive His perfect righteousness through faith. Campers will enjoy a variety of camp songs around a campfire, all-camp games like Eagles' Nest and Dare Base, feast on fabulous food, slide down the 70-foot long "Io-Dis-E-Ca Highway," ride horses, climb the tower, canoe, and much more. It will be another great summer at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca! All registrations received prior to April 27 will receive a $10 "Early Bird" discount. Register today at www.campiodiseca.org or call
319.848.4187.

Indoor Sno-Olympics!

Too much snow and wind chills approaching 40 degrees below zero forced the participants of the Iowa District East Junior High Youth Retreat indoors.

The temperatures began to plummet as the participants arrived Saturday afternoon, February 9, but stiff cold winds were not enough to put a damper on a vigorous game of broomball on the basketball courts. By Sunday the temperatures and wind combined to create life threatening wind chills, but the spirits remained high as the Sno-Olympics were held indoors. Bible studies with the ever energetic Pastor Jesse Cearlock of Our Redeemer, Dubuque and a range of indoor games led by Program Director Daniel Sanchez made for a memorable weekend at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca.

College Hill Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls

LSF STUDENTS RETURN TO NEW ORLEANS

Lutheran Student Fellowship students from College Hill Lutheran Church and Brammer Student Center, Cedar Falls, made a return trip to assist with rebuilding in New Orleans. Nine students took the first week of January, a portion of their Christmas break, for the servant event trip.

Having made the trip last spring, and with Reverend Terry’s visit to the UNI campus last year, the trip very meaningful. Everyone knew what to expect, no surprises.

Work! Work! Work! Wearing hard hats the students gutted rooms, tore up carpet, and punched out a ceiling. A regular demolition crew. They also worked on restoration: spraying for mold, put up insulation and dry wall, mudded it in too. Another task found them working at a homeless shelter, cleaning and labeling items.

Relax and Enjoy! There was time for a trip to Gulf of Mexico beach for a dip in the water, to the French Quarter for beads, to the NASA assembly site among others. The food was awesome, especially the meal that included 120 # of crawfish. Don’t forget the homemade gumbo and the king cake.

College students Bible study in a restored church was another highlight. What a great service from the students and a great welcome from the people of New Orleans. A God pleasing duo.

LCMS STudents at Luther College in Decorah

Each Saturday during the college school year, IDE Pastors from the Westgate Circuit lead Divine Service with Communion for LCMS students attending Luther College in Decorah. The students also meet weekly for Bible study. Pastor Parker, from Westgate, provides the students with resources to make the most of their time together in God’s Word.

Throughout the year, this group is active in planning various service projects and fun activities. On February 8-10, for example, the students went on a retreat to the new Thrivent Resort in northern Wisconsin. A special grant from Thrivent covered most of the expenses. They enjoyed snow-tubing, miles of cross-country skiing, and time to study God’s Word. While there was some concern about a bear visiting the lodge during the night, and the van starting in the morning (it had gotten down to -10 degrees), all went well.

If you are interested in taking a group or your family to Heartwood Resort, you can contact Pastor Parker for more information.

Pictured: Pastor Tim Parker, Seth Worthington, Nicole Gesch, Heather, Reese Worthington, Katie Harrold, Andrea Funke and Christin Mickow.

Bethany Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids

“Choose to untie the ropes of wickedness, help the oppressed to go free, share your food with the hungry; take poor, homeless people into your home, cover with clothes anyone you see naked, and do not act uppish toward your own kin and neighbors! Then your light will break through like the dawn...and your light will rise in the dark.” Isaiah 58

On Sunday, January 6, Bethany Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids presented its 30th annual Epiphany Community Concert. Each year, the concert is a culmination of the Christmas Message focused upon the Wise Men’s arrival in Bethlehem.

This year’s theme, Living in His Light, was a tapestry of Scripture, prayer, Liturgical art and dance, and music. The music was presented by the Bethany Chamber Players, Bell Choir, vocal soloists, a professional brass quintet, and a 50-voice community choir with singers from Bethany Lutheran Church, Concordia Lutheran Church, King of Kings Lutheran Church, St. Paul Lutheran Church in Marion, St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mount Vernon, and Trinity Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. The guest musicians were Charles Harris (French horn) from the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra; Alan Naylor (Trumpet) from Coe College; John Manning (Tuba) an Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa; and Brett Wolgast (Organist and Cantor) from First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. Afternoon and evening performances were offered followed by a complimentary soup supper and reception.

This year’s concert theme, Living in His Light, was inspired by Bethany’s 75th anniversary theme, Bethany Ablaze: Living in His Light! and Jaroslav Vajda’s hymn text In Darkest Night, to the tune of THAXTED by Gustav Holst (LSB 941). This hymn encourages worshipers to share their light and reflect God’s love with others, as part of God’s ‘global galaxy’.

The IDE LLL in 2008

The IDE Board of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League invites the congregations who made bracelets last year for the State Fair to do so again this year. The goal is 300 bracelets per congregation. The finished bracelets will be collected at the April 19^th LLL convention at Camp IO-DIS-ECA. (Please include a note with the bracelets so we will know which congregations have participated.)

The 65^th Annual IDE LLL convention will be, in the words of our League President, “Something they have never experienced before.” The speaker will be Rev. Terry Dittmer, Director of LCMS Youth Ministry. The event will focus on ways to encourage family participation in church life with the goal of building up Sunday Schools and encouraging youth. Everyone interested in these vital topics is invited to attend.

When 2008 is over, the members of IDE’s LLL pray that by these efforts many more people will be talking to their un-churched friends about their Lord and Savior, their church body, their congregation, and mission tools such as the Lutheran Hour.

Send your inquiries about the bracelets and the convention to John Moeller at Terrajohn1@msn.com.

Brammer Student Center in Cedar Falls

On Saturday, January 19 and Sunday, January 20, the Lutheran Student Fellowship of Brammer Student Center and College Hill Lutheran Church hosted a high school weekend visit to the University of Northern Iowa campus. There were ten high school students and two adult leaders from Zion Lutheran Church in Hiawatha, St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, and Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Davenport.

The students enjoyed a tour of the Student Center. On site there were ice breakers, games in the game room, and a Bible Study game. These students made up four teams competing for prizes which included UNI shirts. Teams got points from the game and the Bible Study.

The campus tour included fun time at the Wellness Recreation Center where the students enjoyed basketball, racquetball, volleyball, rock climbing, and swimming. Students also got to go into one of the dorms and see the facility there.

After a good time at the WRC and touring campus, the group had a prayer service back at the church. Students attended Sunday morning Bible study, worship service and a congregation hosted potluck.

It is expected that this activity will spark more interest for the students who attend UNI to be active at the Brammer Student Center as well as LSF hosting additional high school weekends in the future.

Lutherans For Life

Black Hawk Lutherans For Life, along with churches in the Waterloo Circuit, participated in many events in observation of Life Sunday, on January 20th.

Several area congregations participated in the Pennies For Life campaign to raise money to support the state chapter of Lutherans For Life. The members at Concordia, Faith, Grace, Immanuel of Waterloo, and St. John, Waverly were challenged to donate a penny for each year of their life. $269.82 was collected, equaling 26,982 years.

To help observe the day, Black Hawk Lutherans For Life provided local churches with Life Sunday bulletin inserts from the national office of LFL. They were a simple reminder of how precious God’s gift of life is, and the sacrifice He gave to redeem His people back from death.

That morning, Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo held a brunch between services to raise money for Black Hawk LFL.

Life Sunday concluded with a solemn service at Faith Lutheran Church in Waterloo, officiated by Pastor Killian. It was a remembrance of all those who have lost their lives to abortion, and to remember those who still need to hear God’s forgiving message of the Gospel. A total of $246.00 was given during the service. Half of that offering will go to the Alternatives Pregnancy Center to help mothers in some very difficult circumstances to choose life for their child.

On January 30th, confirmation classes from Immanuel and Faith Lutheran Churches in Waterloo joined together for a servant event. At Faith Lutheran 60 youth and adults painted 200 crosses for the Witness of the Crosses display. The crosses will be set up at churches in the area this spring and summer. Each of the 3,000 crosses in the display represents one life that is lost each day to abortion here in the United States. Thank you to both churches for helping organize the youth and adults to get this service project closer to completion.

A thank you to all who have and continue to support the activities of Black Hawk Lutherans For Life through their donations and prayers this past year.

Black Hawk Lutherans For Life meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, at 5:30pm, at Valley Lutheran School in Cedar Falls. For more information call Kie at (319) 231-5711.