July 2004,
Newsletter #78
A Ministry of the Southwest Florida Outreach Council: LCMS
Dominican Republic
Tomorrow I, Pastor Bob, leave for
our annual mission trip to Santiago, Dominican Republic. This year we
have a team of 10 adults participating from St. Michael’s Lutheran
Church, Fort Myers. We go in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ to
serve the children, parents and community of Santiago. While there we
will paint a new building our Genesis School has built, and we will
celebrate with an open-air worship service. I am also taking 50 copies
of our “Project Jesus” CD. It includes several songs that we use in our
Spanish worship services, a short sermon by me and a personal testimony
of Nestor Silva, a member of our Hope Lutheran Hispanic Church, Bonita
Springs. The messages have to do with the change that Jesus makes in
our life. I am also thankful that Nestor Silva will preach and lead our
two Sunday Spanish Worship services while I am gone.
United Way of Lee
County
 Good
News. On June 4 we received a memorandum from the United Way of Lee
County informing us that their Allocation Team recommended admitting the
Amigos Center as a new agency. The Team recommended allocating $15,000
in 2005 to provide core funding to help expand our services to the
immigrants of our community. The allocation team recognized the
“definite and dramatically increasing need to provide the immigrants in
our community the tools necessary to become productive members of
society.” The allocation team final report also took note that the
Advisory Board of the Amigos Center “appeared to be knowledgeable,
supportive and very involved in the operations of the agency.” This
kind of community recognition reflects the active support and service of
many persons. Thank God for each of you.
McNew Foundation Grant
Once again the McNew Foundation
has come through for us with a $1,500 grant. The grant is in support of our “Welcoming
Ministry”. The McNew Foundation is a local foundation with special
interest in religious organizations, child illnesses, and displaced or
homeless children.
State Attorney Visits
Two
representatives of the State Attorney’s Office visited our Kingston
Amigos Center in Bonita Springs. Attorney Gilbert Perez and Victims
Advocacy Department Head Nancy Cruz spoke to about 20 people about the
services that the State Attorney's Office provides to victims of crime.
Our web site includes pictures of the event.
Dignity U Wear
We are
proud to announce a new partnership between “Dignity U Wear” and our
Amigos Center. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Dignity U Wear supports
hundreds of centers in many different states by providing free new
clothing for the needy. The clothing provided by Dignity U Wear is
supplied by Stein Mart Boutiques. We can order free clothing for up to
100 people three times a year. Amigos Center volunteers Judith
Meconitas, Lala Troncoso and Lidia Cisneros will administer the program
for us.
Thrivent Matching Gift
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
will match your gift to the Amigos Center if you are a Thrivent member.
Check out their website:
www.thrivent.-com/fraternal/churchcommunity/givingplus.html.
Give thanks to God for
. . .
Ø
Dignity U Wear and
Stein Mart;
Ø
Support from United
Way of Lee County;
Ø
Support from the
McNew Foundation.
Pray for . . .
Ø
Néstor Silva and his
leadership;
Ø
Our volunteers.
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