Southwood Lutheran Church

Southwood has Raised the Roof!

Thank you for supporting the Tanzania, Nkiraawanga Church Project!  We have reached our goal of 1,500 blocks and surpassed it to bring our total to 1,543 blocks!  We give thanks and praise to God for our congregations generous hearts. 

The Nkiraawanga Church is located in a remote area in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Members in that area walk hours to attend church and worship at Uswaa, our sister church, which is 4-5 miles up the mountain. For the elderly and the sick, it is too great a distance, which means they are rarely able to attend worship. These donations will help “Build Hope” for our brothers and sisters in Tanzania by helping to build this church in Nkiraawanga. 

Thank you for your support!

Tanzania Church Project Update

Thank you for supporting the Tanzania Church Project! We have collected donations for 1,318 blocks and that number is still growing!  We are so close to reaching our goal of 1,500 blocks and only have 182 more blocks to go.

 
 
If you were out of town or didn’t get a block, you can still participate by donating $12 per block. You can stop by the Southwood Serves Wall with your donation or

Donate Online Today by giving through Southwood's secure Online Giving and entering "Church Project" into the "Other" field.

To read more about our church in Nkiraawanga, click here.

Tanzania Church Project Update

Thank you for supporting the Tanzania Church Project! We have collected donations for 1,169 blocks and that number is still growing!  We are so close to reaching our goal of 1,500 blocks and only have 331 more blocks to go.

 
If you were out of town visiting family on Easter Sunday or didn’t get a block, you can still participate by donating $12 per block. You can stop by the Southwood Serves Wall with your donation or

Donate Online Today by giving through Southwood's secure Online Giving and entering "Church Project" into the "Other" field.

To read more about our church in Nkiraawanga, click here.

Southwood Builds Hope in Tanzania

 

Thank you for supporting the Tanzania Church Project!  To date, we have collected donations for 714 blocks and that number is still growing. We are almost halfway to reaching our goal of 1,500 blocks.  If you would still like to participate, please bring your donation of $12 to the Southwood Serves table in the Café or you can also donate online  by giving through Southwood's secure Online Giving and entering "Church Project" into the "Other" field.

These donations will help “Build Hope” for our brothers and sisters in Tanzania by helping to build this church in Nkiraawanga. It is in a remote area in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Members in that area walk hours to attend church and worship at Uswaa, our sister church, which is 4-5 miles up the mountain. For the elderly and the sick, it is too great a distance, which means they are rarely able to attend worship.

Can you imagine walking 4-5 miles each Sunday to attend worship? Can you imagine walking that far with young children or an elderly relative with you? A person in our congregation has been actively trying to imagine what this would be like:

Yesterday I walked four miles, partly to walk off my Easter dinner and partly to relate to the distance traveled in Nkiraawanga to attend worship. Since I live here in Lincoln, I took my cell phone with me, just in case I couldn't make it I could call my son to come pick me up. Good News, I did make it. But while I walked I thought about how often I would do this to attend worship, I thought of my mother and the fact that she could never walk this far and would not be able to attend worship. I thought about how much I admired the commitment of the people in Tanzania and their desire to worship. I am thankful for the opportunity to help these people build a place to worship closer to their homes. DeEtte Turgeon

To read more about our church in Nkiraawanga, click here.

Southwood Builds Hope in Tanzania

Can you imagine walking 4-5 miles each Sunday to attend worship? Can you imagine walking that far with young children or an elderly relative with you?

Nkiraawanga is the church Southwood is helping to build in Tanzania. It is in a remote area in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Today, members in that area walk hours to attend church and worship at Uswaa, our sister church, which is 4-5 miles up the mountain. For the elderly and the sick, it is too great a distance, which means they are rarely able to attend worship. Southwood is assisting in building this new church to help these members attend worship as well as reaching out to non-Christians in the area.

Today, approximately 60-100 men, women and children are worshiping in a kindergarten schoolhouse until the Nkiraawanga church building is completed. Upon completion, the church will seat 800 people (similar in size to Southwood’s sanctuary).

To date, Southwood has assisted in the cost of building this church by purchasing the land, erecting the church columns and walls, and pouring the concrete flooring. The next two phases are to complete the roof and furnish the church.

Through prayer and generous giving, Southwood has supported the building of Nkiraawanga, but the people o f Uswaa have also been supporting the church building project. Each member of the Uswaa congregation was asked and expected to make a contribution (similar to a capital campaign). Most were asked to pledge $12 per year or one dollar per month. 

Unfortunately, this is beyond what most families at Uswaa can afford when the average person in Tanzania makes $1 a day. Can you imagine trying to support not only yourself but a family on this wage? 

Another way the people of Uswaa have been contributing is by doing manual labor at the church building. Now picture this—it is your free day on Saturday. You know you need to work at the church, so you walk the 4-5 miles up the hill (Most of us consider walking 4-5 miles a good workout). Then you spend the day doing manual labor only to turn around and walk home. That is a commitment to Christ and an example of a Servant Heart. 

When you leave the service today you will be given the opportunity to “Build Hope” by helping to build this church in Nkirawaanga. On your way out of the sanctuary, you will be handed a building block with some information on it. We are asking that you return these building blocks next week, May 1, with a donation of $12. Our goal is to collect 1,500 blocks. 

For the people of the Uswaa Parish, God’s presence is their greatest comfort and hope. Through this special offering you can make it possible for more people in the parish to worship every week. Your $12 gives hope to a family by taking away the debt on the building that they feel they owe and allows them continue to give with their hands. This truly gives them a hope and a future.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord; plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV©2011)

 

Donate Online Today by giving through Southwood's secure Online Giving and entering "Church Project" into the "Other" field.

Honduran Communion

My ten-year old daughter had her first Communion on our mission trip to Honduras in March. It wasn’t planned or expected. During the Lenten service, the pastors asked us to serve Communion to one another - each person breaking bread for and distributing wine to the person to the right. Well, my daughter was sitting to the right of me, so I whispered to her, "Chloe, you are going to receive your first Communion today". And she did!

The word "communion" comes from the Latin, communio which means "mutual participation." It invokes sharing and intimate fellowship. In this context, our mission team celebrated communion throughout the week. At an orphanage in San Pedro Sula the children there played with us and babies obliged our desires to hold them. With the residents of La Cebita, we laughed, prayed, sang and worshipped together. We gathered one evening to share a meal and watch a movie. We built two homes with the families who would live in them working side-by-side with us. We hugged one another.

I think that there is a tendency to view mission work as being one-sided. The presumption is that missionaries provide services for people in need in poverty-stricken countries, but the reality is that the reciprocity of generosity and love from the people whom we are meant to serve equals or exceeds our intended goodwill. It is an experience like no other and is why I often struggle to convey my sentiments without choking up. I feel an overwhelming love for God who made it possible for me to witness and experience His Love through the kindness of other people. It is the sharing of love for one another and the strong sense of God’s presence that makes mission trips such powerful experience for me.

I am honored to have given my daughter, Chloe, her first Communion. As she grows in her faith, I hope that she better understands the significance of the sacrament. I pray that she will celebrate communion with people from all corners of the world – mutually participating in love for one another and worshipping God– in one global body of Christ.

John Andreini, Honduras Global Mission Trip Participant

This spring and summer, teams from Southwood will be traveling to Honduras and Tanzania. The Lent and Easter offerings will support this mission work by aiding in the construction of Christ homes, providing medical and dental care, education opportunities and vacation bible school. For more information regarding Southwood’s Global Mission work or to get involved, contact Nicole Mroczek.

Sharing Holy Communion

On March 20, we celebrated our partnerships with our sister churches in Uswaa, Tanzania and La Ceibita, Honduras in worship.   On that Sunday we had teams of volunteers serving in both locations.  While they were serving, each team presented a gift to the congregation - Holy Communion, so our churches could commune together that Sunday. 

Unlike Southwood, our sister congregations rarely have Communion due to the expense, so this was very special for them.  Here is a letter of thanks from the pastor at Uswaa and you can see how much our relationship means to them:

Real it was a wonderfull experience when we share together the bread and wine from our brothers and sisters from Southwood, almost 721 members shared the communion. Then after the service during the auction there outside Dian and Carth bought a lot of commodities and distributed to the need.

Our fellow christians celebrates when one of the them read your letter infront of the public, we real enjoyed the blessing and the word of God which you sent to us, it was exciting.  We thank you all for your gifts and donations which you sent to us for the Huduma gorup and 100 dollar for the jumping rope for the chidren to our Uswaa primary school; if that was not enough we received slips as a symbol for our partnership, a joint venture of our unification, to walk and work hard as Jesus to sent the goodnews to the world, we have the responsibility of this mission. We thank you very much, we real saw your brotherhood and sisterhood, you are the friend indeed. on 28th march we will be together with the group at Nkiraawanga to see the situation and tha process of our church there, I hope you will enjoy to get the picture.

Thank you and the blesses of Jesus be upon you all,
Yours sincerely,
Rev. Mmanga

How Uswaa brings hope to a Maasai village

As we prepared to leave Uswaa, I noticed a second vehicle leaving with us. I wondered what they were going to do. I soon forgot about them as we went down the mountain and out into plains. Bumping along in the van, I noticed how dry and desolate it had become with less and less grass—just rocks and dry, red dirt. The people living in this area were Maasai, a nomadic tribe that live by herding cattle and sheep.

The van stopped at a small brick building with a cross at the top—obviously a church. As we exited the van, Pastor Moshi (of Uswaa) guided us to a building site that was staked and laid out, and a pile of solid concrete “bricks.”

The occupants of the second van arrived and I recognized many of them as being from Uswaa (our sister parish). Then, others were introduced, an evangelist and a pastor, and I began to understand that this was a mission church for the Maasai that was being built and supported by Uswaa.

We were treated to “tea” and snacks—shared with us by people who have so very little. They sang and danced with great joy. Preparing to again board the van, I understood why the other vehicle had come with us—Uswaa was supporting this mission church to the Maasai just as we are supporting building the mission church at Nkiraawanga for Uswaa.

Compared to the Maasai, Uswaa is economically blessed, as we are when compared to Uswaa. Just as we take pride in the building of the mission church at Nkiraawanga, the people of Uswaa are taking pride in their mission to the Maasai. Praise be to God for the work he is doing through the body of Christ.

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:11a NIV

Jim Rector, Tanzania Global Mission Trip Participant

This spring and summer, teams from Southwood will be traveling to Honduras and Tanzania. The Lent and Easter offerings will support this mission work by aiding in the construction of Christ homes, providing medical and dental care, education opportunities and vacation bible school. For more information regarding Southwood’s Global Mission work or to get involved, contact Nicole Mroczek.

Come, Eat, and Serve!

Southwood is doing something different this year for the Lenten Meals! For each meal we are focusing on one of Southwood’s Hunger Ministries by sharing serving stories, statistics, and ways that people can get involved. Also, in partnership with the Fellowship Team, volunteers will be serving the same meal that is served by our volunteers. A free will offering will be collected and all proceeds will be donated to the featured Hunger Ministry.

Our featured Hunger Ministry on March 30th is the Backpack Program.

Quotes from Backpack Students

“It helps give my family food because we needed it. We don’t have that much food so it really helped. We really liked the juice can things.”  –Athena

“Food program is helping us save some money because we are trying to go to California to see my cousin. Before the backpack program we didn’t have that much food.”   –Elijah

“It has helped us save some money and food. Before the backpack program we did not have enough time to go grocery shopping.”   –Alba

“It saves us money so we can rent a van. I kind of like the food. It gives us more food to feed our family.”   –Lennell

“I think it is cool that I get to share the food with my family. My mom likes it when she cooks the food. She likes to know where it comes from.”   –Le Dereyn

“I like to share the food with my sister and my brother. I love the food that is in it. I share with my mom and dad too! I love the oatmeal in the back pack—it is yummy.”   
–Sarah

“I like how they give us food each week. They give us vouchers, so we can go buy food.”
–Rice

“I am thankful that I get a backpack. I am thankful for the healthy food they give us and the juice.”  
–Josina

BackPack Program Facts:

• In 2010, Southwood provided 2,100 backpacks to Saratoga Elementary which is approximately 10,500 meals.
• There are 1,877 LPS kids in the Backpack Program
• There are a total of 14,851 K-12 kids participating in LPS free and reduced lunch, 7,825 are in elementary school.
• In 2010, 73,403 backpacks were handed out. At 5 meals per day, this equals 367,015 
• In Lancaster County there were 9,596 kids living in poverty in 2009, which is an increase of 23% from the numbers in 2008.
• In Nebraska, 1 in 5 homes with children are at risk of hunger.


Want to Serve with the BackPack Program?

Southwood provides funding and volunteers to bring 60 food-filled BackPacks every Friday to children in need at Saratoga Elementary School. You can get involved by:

• Sorting and packing food—Sundays at noon in the Fellowship Hall
• Delivering food to Saratoga—Thursday afternoons
• Distributing BackPacks – Friday afternoons

Contact: Marin Salisbury to serve!

Everyday, Ordinary Moments

The last time I visited our brothers and sisters at the Uswaa parish in Tanzania I: attended a funeral, taught confirmation, delivered quilts to new babies, preached at worship, served communion, visited families, prayed, sang and laughed.

These are many things that I do on a daily and weekly basis here at Southwood in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In Tanzania, those ordinary, everyday activities were anything but ordinary, and I knew before I got on the plane to return to Nebraska that I would go back. I found out that when you participate in ordinary, everyday activities with people halfway around the world, people who seem to be so different, that the differences are not so obvious. Jesus said, "who ever does the will of my father in heaven are my brothers and sisters." When we do those everyday, ordinary activities in the name of God they are not just ordinary, they are extraordinary. They are not just moments, they are sacred moments, they are sacraments. The sacred presence of God can turn strangers into siblings.

You won’t see me at Southwood this summer. I’ll be on sabbatical for 12 weeks. I’ll spend these days in Tanzania at our sister church, the Uswaa parish. I’ll teach and preach, visit families and pray with people, I’ll work with confirmation students and small group leaders, I’ll attend funerals and weddings, and I’ll worship, sing, and pray. Most importantly I believe that God will use this time to strengthen Southwood’s partnership with Uswaa in ways that will deepen our relationships with God and with each other.

I wait with great excitement and anticipation for the time that will be spent in Tanzania. I will be so grateful for your prayers for this trip and for the partnership we have in Tanzania. Please know that I will look forward to those everyday, ordinary moments spent with each of you when I return.

Pastor Sara Spohr

 

This spring and summer, teams from Southwood will be traveling to Honduras and Tanzania. The Lent and Easter offerings will support this mission work by aiding in the construction of Christ homes, providing medical and dental care, education opportunities and vacation bible school. For more information regarding Southwood’s Global Mission work or to get involved, contact Nicole Mroczek.