Missions Archive

NALC Carolinas Mission Event

Posted May 4, 2023 By admin

The Carolinas Mission region is hosting an event similar to the one last May in which we assembled health kits for the disaster response warehouse in King’s Mountain, NC. At this year’s event, volunteers will assemble flood buckets. As a part of the project, St. Jacob’s is collecting pairs of dishwashing gloves and scrub brushes. Our goal is 100 pairs of gloves and 100 scrub brushes by Sun day, May 14.

We also would like to have volunteers from our church family to participate in the event at Advent Lutheran Church in King’s Mountain. It will be a day filled with plenty of fellowship, music, fun, and of course, good food. You can drop off your donations of gloves and brushes in the designated boxes on the stage in the fellowship hall. Please consider attending the event at Advent Lutheran Church and help us help others.

We Care Most Needed Items

Posted April 17, 2023 By admin

Corn Muffin Mix
Boxed Pasta
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Ramen Noodles/Soup
Canned Tomatoes
Soup
Chili Beans
Canned Chicken
Jello
Instant Potatoes
We also always need toiletries paper products and cleaning supplies.
THANK YOU!

Countdown to Congo

Posted April 10, 2023 By admin

It won’t be long before my annual mission trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo will commence. On July 2nd, following worship, I will fly to Houston to meet up with my mission partner, Pastor Stéphane Kalonji and we will depart for Africa the next day. Our itinerary for travel will take us from Houston to Newark, NJ, then to Brussels, Belgium, Luanda, Angola, and then finally to Kinshasa, DRC.
Once on the ground in Kinshasa we will visit with the bishop of the Congolese Lutheran Church before taking another flight to Mbuji Mayi in the central part of Congo. This will be new territory for me as I have never traveled this far into the Congo. It is the province where I would have served last year had I been able to make the trip. Still, God is smiling upon Stéphane and I and allowing us to serve together as we planned one year ago.
Even as this will be a new place, the ministry we will share is along the same lines as before. Our chief endeavor will be to lead worship with the Lutherans in Mbuji Mayi and provide continuing education for the pastors of the region. We will also lead Christian education seminars for the women, men, and young adults.
Other staples of our mission will also take place such as feeding orphaned children, providing pastoral care and Bibles for those in such need, and freeing mothers and their newborn babies from the local hospitals and clinics. Of course, none of this can happen without the blessing from God that comes to us through the support of congregations such as St. Jacob’s.
For five years, you have been faithful supporters of the Congo Mission and we are certainly grateful for the opportunity to share this ministry with you. As we travel to the Congo, your love and prayers go with us. The people of Congo are always joyful and thankful for their Christian brothers and sisters of St. Jacob’s in Chapin and St. Paul’s in Rosenberg, TX in that you share so much with them. You share more than simply your gifts and your prayers. You share your pastors as well, in love for so many children of God, people whom you likely will never meet.
God bless you as you continue to support the Congo Mission. As a congregation of the North Ameri can Lutheran Church, this is a very important part of the ministry that defines us as a mission driven church. I thank God for the opportunity to share this work with you. While I am away, Pastor Gary Blobaum will be our supply Pastor on Sundays and Pastor David Tholstrup will provide any needed pastoral care. Thank you all, especially for your prayers as Pastor Kalonji and I serve in Christ’s name. To God be the glory!
In Christ,
Pastor David

Congo Mission Update

Posted March 11, 2023 By admin

My mission trip to the Congo is scheduled for July 3-21. Pastor Kalonji and I have a very ambitious schedule for these 18 days. The mission work we have planned includes the staples of our ministry; preaching and leading worship, providing seminars for Christian education, providing continuing education for pastors and church leaders; feeding orphaned children, freeing babies, and providing Bibles to those who have no access to them. Ministering together in a new area, I have no idea what to expect as far as amenities. All I know is that transportation within Congo will be difficult, and lodging extremely modest. I still have the many pairs of eyeglasses collected from last year so I will not be collecting these again this time around. Please do not bring used glasses for a donation as I do not have room to take them.
As always, the cost of this mission trip is significant. I am ever thankful for your donations and fund raising efforts to support the mission work we do. Truly, even though you will not be with me in Africa, your efforts are central to the ongoing mission and ministry. The people of Congo are always very grateful for the support from their brothers and sisters in Christ in the United States.
God bless you all as we accomplish this important work together.

All St. Jacob’s men are encouraged to participate in the first annual South Carolina Mission District Men’s Retreat. The retreat will take place at Camp Longridge in ridgeway, SC on the weekend of April 14-16. The cost for the weekend is $125.00 per person and includes meals and lodging.
The theme for the retreat is “Becoming Fishers of Men.” St. Jacob’s and St. Peter’s Lutheran Churches in Chapin are the host congregations for the weekend. Registration brochures are available in the narthex.
Fathers and sons are especially encouraged to attend. More information will follow in the St. Jacob’s Newsletter and South Carolina Mission District Facebook page.
Jesus said “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

Mercy Bags Ministry for We Care

Posted February 11, 2023 By admin

What an amazing impact our congregation has made in helping families in need by providing meals to be delivered by We Care. Since we began this ministry less than a year ago, we have donated over 300 meals!! The Discipleship Team has organized volunteers into two groups that will meet only once a month (on the 1st or 3rd Sundays) to pack and distribute the meals to We Care on Monday morning.
There is room for more people to help with this! Do you have time to donate ONE hour of your time once a month to help shop for food, pack the bags with meals or deliver the bags on a Monday morning? Call or talk to Lynn and let him know!

Calling all St. Jacob’s Youth!

Posted February 7, 2023 By admin

Super Bowl Sunday is quickly approaching. Will your favorite team be one of the two playing for the title? Well, now you have a chance to cheer them on and be of help to your orphaned Christian brothers and sisters in Congo at the same time. The annual Souper Bowl of Caring involves youth church members all over the country in the mission of God. Here at St. Jacob’s you will collect a love offering in “Souper Bowls” marked with each team’s logo. The team that raises the most money for the Children in Congo will be declared the winner. The goal set for our competition is to raise a combined $200.00 for the Congo Mission.
If our “Souper” Bowl reaches the goal, all youth participating will be invited to provide “Head Coach” Pastor David Nuottila with the traditional Gatorade victory shower. So come on! Let’s have some fun and at the same time show the love of Christ Jesus to our far away friends and children who are in great need.
St. Jacob’s members, be sure to bring your spare change and loose cash to donate to this cause. Remember, the greater the gift, the wetter Pastor will get.

Christmas in Congo

Posted January 18, 2023 By admin

Thanks to donations from St. Jacob’s Lutheran Church, and other congregations in North and South Carolina, Congo Mission International received $1,100 to provide Christmas meals for orphaned children in the Democratic Republic of Congo. These meals are to be served to nearly 1,000 children between the dates of December 25th and January 1st. Three local congregations in three different provinces will serve as host congregations for these meals.

Though the need in Congo to feed hungry children is ongoing, these donations came at a time they were desperately needed. There were heavy rains on December 12 and 13 in Kinshasa. These rains caused flooding throughout the city. The flooding claimed more than one hundred human lives and a lot of other casualties including the loss of much of the food supply that usually comes to Kinshasa from Bas-Congo (another region we serve during our mission trips). The Christmas meals will bring much joy to many children and their families.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Congo Mission. Through St. Jacob’s hundreds and hundreds of children are fed hot, nourishing meals that they otherwise would not receive. Below is a snapshot of some of the work St. Jacob’s has helped to accomplish in 2022.

Teaching: Approximately 1,000 individuals were reached including: Pastors, Women’s groups Youth groups, groups of pastors and lay leaders.

Freeing Babies: 46 babies were freed in three clinics in Mbuji-Mayi (Kasai-Oriental). The babies also received clothes, hats, diapers, blankets, etc.

Feeding Children: Approximately 600 children received nourishing meals each week for the four week duration of the mission trip.

Bibles: over 200 Bibles in various languages were distributed to congregations in Kinshasa and Kasai-Oriental.

Eyeglasses: More than 200 pairs of eyeglasses were distributed to persons in need.

Thanksgiving with The HUB

Posted November 21, 2022 By admin

As we have done so many times in the past, St. Jacob’s will once again join several local congregations in supplying Thanksgiving Dinner for folks in our community who do not have the means to provide such a feat for their family. Working with the Hub in Chapin, St. Jacob’s will provide 200 pound cake slices for their dessert. Please provide slices of pound cake as you are able. Following our Thanksgiving Eve service, gather in the Fellowship Hall as we wrap the cake slices and prepare them for delivery.
Help us and the Christian Community in Chapin to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to our neighbors.

Time and Talent

Posted November 4, 2022 By admin

How might you participate in the life and ministry of St. Jacob’s? It is the time of year when all church family members are asked to ponder this very question. As you consider ways in which you might become or continue to be involved, please be sure to fill out the Time and Talent Sheet for 2023. Every member of St. Jacob’s (all ages) is encouraged to fill out a time and talent sheet.
Blank sheets will be included as an insert to the worship bulletin each Sunday through November 13th. Begin with prayer and then check the ways in which you are willing and able to serve our Lord and his church.