U.S. Impact Events

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross helps people in emergencies every day. Whether its half a million disaster victims or one sick child who needs blood, our vital work is made possible by people like you, who learn how good it can feel to lend a helping hand. Red Cross volunteers provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

Camp Victor Ministries (Rebuilding the Gulf Coast)

Within days of Hurricane Katrina, Christus Victor Lutheran Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, became a hurricane disaster response center for communities along the Gulf Coast. During the months that followed Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the church's walls were stretched trying to accommodate regular services and activities, providing office space for case management, and housing and feeding thousands of volunteers.

In June 2006, we moved our operations to Camp Victor, a new and larger facility inside a former factory. In September 2007, we became Camp Victor Ministries to better reflect our expanded mission.

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.

Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races, and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need. Founded in 1976, Habitat has built more than 250,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.

Laborers for Christ (for retirees both men and women)

Laborers for Christ are Christian men and women who do physical labor for Christ, working for congregations and other church-related organizations of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

The mission of Laborers for Christ is to assist LCMS congregations and organizations with the process of constructing their facilities while providing an opportunity for spiritual renewal within the congregation and a witness to the community.

Lutheran Disaster Response

Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is a collaborative ministry of the ELCA and LCMS that, following a major domestic disaster, seeks to minister holistically to the unmet needs of those affected, regardless of faith or creed. Its mission statement reads: “To demonstrate Christ’s compassion for people by promoting hope, healing, and wholeness for disaster survivors.” Volunteers make a great impact on the people they serve, and they, in turn, are impacted by the hope and perseverance shown by those who have survived disaster.

Lutheran Social Services, Inc.

To accomplish their vision of changing lives through innovative, quality, Christian care, Lutheran Social Services provides help, healing, and hope in the name of Jesus Christ in the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Orphan Grain Train

Orphan Grain Train (OGT) is a Christian volunteer network that shares personal and material resources with needy people in America and around the world. OGT volunteers gather donations of clothing, medical supplies, food, Christian literature, and other aid to meet real needs. The OGT movement is a loving response to Jesus Christ’s example as a servant and His love for us.

Mission statement: “In loving response to Christ, the Servant, the Orphan Grain Train movement encourages and enables God’s people to share personal and material resources in bringing Christ’s name and character to needy people both far and near.

Thrivent Builds (with Habitat for Humanity)

Thrivent provides opportunities to lead or participate in a Thrivent Builds Worldwide team, either locally or overseas. It also provides discounts on trip expenses for Thrivent members, and a generous donation is made to the Habitat host program on behalf of the group.

With God's Little Ones

In loving response to Jesus, With God’s Little Ones seeks to encourage and enable gifted individuals to share their resources for improving the welfare of children and the disadvantaged throughout the world. There are several ways in which any person/group can help and get involved. While WGLO does not have the staff to form and closely oversee international service projects, we do link interested people with trusted international partners. In 2007, North American individuals and groups went to Uganda, Nicaragua, Poland, Cambodia, and Russia.

Kids Against Hunger (A With Gods Little Ones Program)

Kids Against Hunger is a non-profit organization that calls upon volunteers to package and distribute a high-nutrition food developed by Cargill, Pillsbury, General Mills and Archer Daniels Midland, to starving and malnourished children locally and internationally.

Comfort Dog Ministry

Visiting with a LCC K-9 Comfort Dog can help people feel less lonely and less depressed. Visits from dogs can provide a welcome change from routine, or a distraction from the pain and infirmity associated with accidents or disasters. Lutheran Church Charities ministry using dogs to provide comfort and compassion will be used in crisis and disaster response situations.

Louisiana, Biloxi, New Orleans: Biloxi, MS and New Orleans, LA: RAI Ministries (Camp Biloxi and Camp Restore)

Host Church: Good Shepherd, Prince of Peace

Recovery Assistance, Inc. Ministries (RAI Ministries) restores faith, home, and community to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina in the Name of Jesus Christ through its operation of two volunteer camps: Camp Biloxi in Mississippi and Camp Restore in New Orleans. Our volunteers and staff physically rebuild family dwellings, churches, and schools and participate in numerous other restoration projects while providing emotional and spiritual care to those in need.

Texas, Austin: Can-Do Missions

Host Church: Concordia University

Through short-term mission trips to locations around the US and the world, CAN-DO provides opportunities for youth and adults to support specific missions with their financial gifts and volunteer hands-on labor.

Texas, El Paso: Ysleta Lutheran Mission

The Human Care initiative at YLM provides relief to impoverished communities in the border region. YLM serves many families that struggle with economic hardships and lack adequate food, clothing, and housing. With the help of donations from around the country and through the services of the Orphan Grain Train, YLM strives to meet some of these needs while proclaiming the saving message of the Gospel.

Servant Events provide extra helping hands in meeting the basic needs of these people while showing them God’s love. Servant Events provide medical clinics and house construction/repair in some of the poorest parts of El Paso and northern Mexico.

International Impact Events

Mexico: Casas Por Cristo

Casas por Cristo (Spanish for Houses because of Christ) is a non-denominational Christian ministry started in 1993 to address the needs of the poor in Mexico. Through partnerships with churches in the States, Canada, and Mexico, they build homes for the needy families in Juarez, Mexico.

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.

Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races, and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need. Founded in 1976, Habitat has built more than 250,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.

LHM Global Work & Witness - Short Term Trips

Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) Global Work & Witness offers unique short-term volunteer team opportunities for groups such as a congregation, district, school, youth group, Lutheran organization, or even a group of friends. Teams work alongside local LHM staff and volunteers in projects such as outreach events, ministry to children, construction, healthcare training, skills transfer, etc. LHM oversees all logistical details and manages the project in the host country. We also provide high-quality, DVD-based, short-term team volunteer training prior to the trip.

LCMS Short-Term Mission Trips

Mission Opportunities Short Term (MOST Ministries) is an independent short-term Christian mission agency that facilitates interested and committed Christians from all over the United States who are looking for opportunities to live out their faith by serving Lutheran Church—M Missouri Synod missionaries, partner churches, and related charitable organizations throughout the world. MOST strives to meet the requests of the foreign field through one or more of our team divisions: Regular, Professional, and Congregational. For one to three weeks, these teams of 10-30 people work with the local pastor or missionary to meet their specific needs.

Lutheran World Relief

Lutheran World Relief works with partners in 35 countries to help people grow food, improve health, strengthen communities, end conflict, build livelihoods and recover from disasters. With people in the U.S., we work for justice for those we serve.

U.S. Lutherans, freed and empowered by God's grace in Jesus Christ and called to respond to God's love for all people and creation, put faith into action through the mission of Lutheran World Relief. LWR values the contribution of Lutheran theology to our understanding of faith active in love and cherishes our Lutheran heritage and identity. LWR acts on behalf of U.S. Lutherans, the ELCA, and the LCMS as a common expression of our faith through

Mission Possible - Kokomo

Mission Possible exists to impact young people and adults so that missions become a vital part of their lives, and to offer opportunities to affect the world for Christ.

If you have a group and desire to have a team, we will custom make a team for you. Just fill out the group application with your destination choice and some possible dates. Then, let us prepare your trip! We will make all the arrangements and care for the details so you can have a dynamic, stress-free time with your group.

Orphan Grain Train

Orphan Grain Train (OGT) is a Christian volunteer network that shares personal and material resources with needy people in America and around the world. OGT volunteers gather donations of clothing, medical supplies, food, Christian literature, and other aid to meet real needs. The OGT movement is a loving response to Jesus Christ’s example as a servant and His love for us.

Mission statement: “In loving response to Christ, the Servant, the Orphan Grain Train movement encourages and enables God’s people to share personal and material resources in bringing Christ’s name and character to needy people both far and near.

Thrivent Builds (with Habitat for Humanity)

Thrivent provides opportunities to lead or participate in a Thrivent Builds Worldwide team, either locally or overseas. It also provides discounts on trip expenses for Thrivent members, and a generous donation is made to the Habitat host program on behalf of the group.

With Gods Little Ones

In loving response to Jesus, With Gods Little Ones seeks to encourage and enable gifted individuals to share their resources for improving the welfare of children and the disadvantaged throughout the world. There are several ways in which any person/group can help and get involved. In loving response to Jesus, With God’s Little Ones seeks to encourage and enable gifted individuals to share their resources for improving the welfare of children and the disadvantaged throughout the world. There are several ways in which any person/group can help and get involved.

United States: Iowa, Mapleton: Mission Central

Host Church: LCMS World Mission

Mission Central is one of the largest mission supporting agencies, as a part of your Synod's LCMS World MIssion global Gospel outreach. It has been blessed by God to be the conduit helping to raise millions of dollars every year to send and keep LCMS World Mission Missionaries in the field.

Since 2003, Mission Central has had more than 70 LCMS missionaries and their families visit (many have come several times) and has had tens of thousands of people from hundreds of congregations visit. God has indeed blessed this place to be a mission center, focusing on telling others about Jesus! This is a great visit for your men's group to hear more about mission work!

Contact:

Gary Thies
1-712-882-1029
Gary.Thies@lcms.org

United States: Texas, Austin: Can-Do Missions - Summer Servant Events

Host Church: Concordia University

Through short-term mission trips to locations around the US and the world, CAN-DO provides opportunities for youth and adults to support specific missions with their financial gifts and volunteer hands-on labor.