IDE Youth Committee

A Time for Fellowship

The Iowa District East had two more activities that provided a chance for fellowship and spiritual growth for our youth.

The 5^th & 6^th Grade Retreat at Williamsburg has been an event where the youth can do a variety of activities like swim, bowl, play basketball or volleyball in the gym, and play games. The local school, bowling alley, grocery store, and pizza restaurant have been great supporters of this event. The Lutheran Interparish School of Williamsburg has also been wonderful for letting us hold this popular event for the past several years.

The Senior High Retreat (pictures at the left) was held at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca in November this year. The high school students had a chance to meet others, play games, eat pizza and s’mores, and learn more about witnessing and college campus ministry. This year we added a servant event. What a wonderful group of youth we have in this district.

The next events:

• Feb. 6^th & 7^th, 2009 - Junior High Retreat: This has always been a blast.
• March 21^st and possibly other dates, 2009 - Youth Leadership Listening Posts

Our next District Youth Committee meeting will be Jan. 17^th from 12:00-5:00. If you have any suggestions for future events, please contact Rev. Rothchild at the District Office (319-373-2112). Youth leaders may also consider getting on the list at the District Office to receive the professional packet which will have the youth activities and any registration forms. It is sent electronically.

Current Youth Committee Members are:

Chair - Rev. Ronnie Koch; Youth – Stephen Hoffman and Kristin Pipho; Other Members – Leon Kroemer, Leon Miles, Renee Moravec, Rev. Tom and Asunta Shumaker; District Youth Executive – Rev. Dean Rothchild; Camp Contact – Daniel Sanchez

St. Paul's Chapel in Iowa City

Kenya Mission Team – An Amazing Experience!

“Wazungus!” This surprise comment greeted the Kenyan mission team from St. Paul’s Lutheran Chapel several times, as they spent a week and a half in May serving and living on the eastern side of the African continent. “Wazungus” translates to “white people” – an uncommon site in the remote areas of Kenya. Fair skin, blonde and red hair, and blue eyes were fascinating especially to the children, who clamored to touch team members in an attempt to see if, indeed, their skin and hair were “real.” And yet, looking and sounding different gave the mission team the opportunity to meet and form relationships with the people of the village they served.

For 10 days after classes ended last spring, a team of students from St. Paul’s Lutheran Chapel in Iowa City traveled to Kenya to serve in the village of fellow chapelite, Martin Mwangi-Thuo. The team stayed with Martin’s family in Nyacaba, which is about 90 minutes northwest of Nairobi. Martin’s mother hosted the students and did an outstanding job of organizing the team’s responsibilities and service while in Kenya. While in Nyacaba, the mission team taught religion classes at the local primary schools. Using songs, skits, and simple lesson materials, the team focused on the three Persons of the Trinity, highlighting Jesus’ death and resurrection. The team also delivered donations which they had collected, including books for the school, shoes, pens, and other needed supplies.

In addition to long hours of serving, the team was able to enjoy the remarkable beauty of Kenya. They visited The Fourteen Falls, stood on the equator, and spent time sightseeing in Nairobi. The college students were also able to go on safari just before heading back to the States, observing elephants, gazelles, zebras, impalas, and many other amazing creatures in their natural habitat.

The trip to Kenya was the experience of a lifetime, and the mission team wants to extend heartfelt gratitude once again to all the people who helped them. Many, many thanks are extended to the congregations and LWML’s of both IDE and IDW, Thrivent Financial, and the families and friends who supported this mission trip with their donations and prayers.

Grace Lutheran Church in DeWitt

APPRECIATION SHOWN FOR VETERANS

The Prayer Warriors joined together at the 2:00 P.M. Prayer Service in the sanctuary of Grace Lutheran Church in DeWitt on Thursday, November 6, 2008, to honor dedicated veterans who have served in the military of the United States of America over the years.
All veterans and their mates, all family members of deceased veterans and all loved ones of those presently serving in the military were invited to come to this special service where they heard the guest speaker, Chad Dohrmann, speak about his military experiences while serving in Iraq. At the end of his wonderful speech, he asked the audience to have a moment of silence for all veterans.

One of Grace Lutheran’s oldest veterans, Pastor Garland Gostoski, delivered an inspiring prayer in honor of all veterans followed by his wife accompanying the Prayer Warriors in singing, “Onward Christian Soldiers.”
The privilege of living in America with its freedoms should never be taken for granted by its citizens---especially reading the Bible, attending worship, and praying to a merciful and loving Triune God.