Happy Summer!

Summer is a time when many of our Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM) programs take a step back for a few months, or maybe even take the summer off. Have you ever thought of having or attending an event in the summer to help promote your JCM program?

Below are a few possible ways to promote your program.

  1. Does your church have a picnic? A church picnic is a great opportunity to give visibility to your JCM program. Have participants and volunteers participate by serving food or having some sort of activity. Have information about your JCM program available for those who ask.
  2. Have a special kick-off for your JCM program this fall. A picnic, a small festival type event with games or even karaoke (JCM participants love karaoke).
  3. Have Worship at the Cross as your congregation’s worship service(s) for a weekend. Many congregations with a JCM program have done this once a year to keep their JCM program before the congregation. If your congregation does not have Worship at the Cross services, please invite Bill Truebenbach or myself to lead one and to talk about the JCM program.

Are you on Facebook? To connect with us or to see what other programs are doing, "Like" Jesus Cares Ministries on Facebook!

God’s blessings to you! 

Pastor Joel Gaertner
National Director – Jesus Cares Ministries
JCM Picnic in the Park
On June 30th, St. John's Lutheran Church in Glencoe, Minn. hosted a picnic for its Jesus Cares Ministries participants, staff and community. St. John's has an active JCM program all year round and has been hosting this summer picnic for several years.
The picnic started with a cook-out where everyone socialized and ate dinner. When everyone was finished eating, time was given to a coloring craft telling everyone they are special to Jesus. Next, kids from St. John’s joined Pastor Dennis Reichow to perform a skit and hear a short Bible lesson. Christian singer, Chris Driesbach, entertained the large crowd with many original numbers, to which attendees were welcome to sing along. The participants were given a box of crayons from the JCM staff and a CD from the musician as parting gifts. 
Smiles, hugs, laughter and singing filled the night!
Worship at the Cross Preview

Pastor Joel Gaertner demonstrated a Worship at the Cross service for attendees of The Lutheran Home Association's National Summit on Senior and Disability Ministries in May.
Watch the preview of the program. In the video, everyone sang along to a popular church tune, which also happens to be a WATC favorite!
God Answers a Prayer

Morning Star Lutheran Church recently started a new Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM) program in Jackson, Wis. and church leaders and members are actively reaching out to engage the community. From personal invitations to city-wide mailings, Morning Star is welcoming and encouraging people with developmental or intellectual disabilities to come and learn about our Savior through simple, fun, easy to understand and interactive Bible classes, workshop services and events.
The start of this new JCM program hits close to home for a local mother who had heard about JCM in the past but didn’t need the programming at the time. The mother’s expressed her enthusiasm in an email to JCM: “You have no idea what this means to me. I have been searching and longing to share the good news with my son in a way that he can understand. I know his soul depends on it. God’s blessings to you all!”
A Child of God
An unplanned pregnancy, unsettled finances, uncertain health. Any one of these situations would give prospective parents a cause for concern. But all three at once?  These circumstances brought parents Laura and Jair Reyes to the brink of a life-or-death decision.
From the beginning, the doctors classified Laura’s pregnancy as “high risk,” and later a blood test discovered their baby had the markers for Downs Syndrome. The doctors suspected other abnormalities as well, and clearly, they said, this baby would face serious challenges. The Reyes were given two options: have the child and know he or she would face serious obstacles in life, or abort the baby.
The Reyes were forced to consider the difficulties involved with both options. How could they afford the medical costs of a child with special needs? Could they raise this special needs child on their limited income? How could they add to the responsibilities of already parenting a kindergartener and a sixth grader? Even family and friends warned them to consider the difficulties involved and make their decision carefully. 
Thankfully, the family also sought counsel from God’s Word and their pastor. Utilizing resources from Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM), Laura and Jair were strengthened in their conviction that God is the author and giver of life, and although He may be testing their strength and faith, they recognized this child was a gift. Since God was giving this special baby girl to them, they trusted that He would also give them the ability and resources to care for her. They would keep the baby, while preparing for the worst and praying for the best.
On May 31, their little girl, Eliana Nevaeh (her middle name is “heaven” spelled backwards), was born. Eliana didn’t have any of the life-threatening complications the doctors predicted, and even with Downs Syndrome, she is still a happy and healthy baby girl.
Laura and Jair recognize they still have a long road ahead of them, but they also realize they are not alone.  Their family supports their choice of life and their church family embraces them with love. And most of all, God promises to provide for his children, for we are all special to him.
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