Sharing God's Love in our Global Community

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith.” Colossians 2:6–7a

While we may be just one congregation in New Kingstown, we recognize that we are connected through Christ with Christians, and non-Christians, around the world. Rooted and built in Jesus, we seek to develop relationships with men, women, and children around the world, and feel as though we have much to learn from them, and much to share. Our primary areas of connection include: support of ELCA World Hunger, accompaniment ministry in El Salvador, and support of ELCA Missionary Stephen Deal.   
 

ELCA World Hunger 

More than 800 million people--that's 1 in 8 people in our world today--are hungry. As Christians, and as members of the ELCA, we are called to respond. We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work. 

Working with and through congregations in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Lutheran churches overseas and other partners, ELCA World Hunger is uniquely positioned to reach communities in need. From health clinics to microloans, water wells to animal husbandry, community meals to advocacy, gifts to ELCA World Hunger make it possible for us to respond to hunger in our world, supporting sustainable solutions that get at the root causes of hunger and poverty. 

St. Stephen commits to send $4000 to ELCA World Hunger in 2016. We will do this through special offerings and your giving. THANK YOU for helping us feed the hungry as we are fed by Christ. 

(Last year's special Lenten offering raised $1500 for ELCA World Hunger. We used some of this money to buy 1500 chicks for families in need!) 

For a brief overview of the work ELCA World Hunger does domestically and around the world, click here.

Accompaniment Ministry in El Salvador

St. Stephen has a long standing relationship with several congregations, communities, and pastors in El Salvador. Members from our El Salvador Committee regularly travel to visit these ministry partners, share their stories, and provide support as needed. Visit here for the most up-to-date information about this ministry.

During 2014, the El Salvador Committee broadened, expanded, and challenged existing, as well as new, ministries in order to be relevant to the needs and desires of the Salvadoran people.

They continued to honor scholarship requests for students wishing to further their education.  They also provided housing for a Pastor in San Miguel,  helped with needed church building renovations,  supported a solar cell project ($1500 per cell) in Puente Azul, faciliated microloans, and supported CRISPAZ, a faith-based organization. 

In partnership with the Mechanicsburg Rotary Club, they are continuing to work on a sanitation project in the Caserio Metalilitto community.  

Among the greatest gifts this committee offers are the stories of faith, struggle, and hope, they learn from El Salvadorans and share with us in New Kingstown, and many around the world. Their stories are available here (www.embracingelsalvador.org)

ELCA Missionaries

Building up God's global church — together.  

ELCA missionaries have helped establish growing churches throughout the world. As a result, we are now part of a much larger story — a global community of more than 70 million Lutherans in 79 countries. In this dynamic church, we walk with our sisters and brothers in Christ to share God’s love far and wide. 

St. Stephen supports ELCA Missionary Rev. Stephen Deal, who serves in Central America. Rev. Deal is one of 240 ELCA missionaries who serve in more than 40 countries around the world, invited by global church partners to work together hand-in-hand. Some are doctors in rural areas. Others teach children where there are few opportunities to go to school, or work in seminaries that prepare pastors and future church leaders. Others support, nurture and preach in some of the fastest growing Lutheran congregations in the world. And still others are young adults, engaging in a life-changing, year-long experience through the Young Adults in Global Mission.

No matter where or how they serve, we know that every one of these missionaries needs our prayers, support, and gifts to succeed in their work. We feel privileged to be a part of Rev. Deal's story, and give thanks for his ministry.

[Rev. Deal with his wife, Marta]