Sent to Serve

Live out your faith through intentional gratitude, grateful sharing and joyful giving!

Immanuel is deeply committed to caring for and serving people within and outside of our building. We believe that acts of caring and service are an important faith habit, as well as a response to the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Developing a servant heart begins with our children, continues with our youth, and is an integral part of the life of our adults. 

There are many ways for adults, children & youth to serve.  Please see the menu on the top of this page or the detail below for more information, or contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Summer Food For Kids 2020

Grape Jelly Drive

Immanuel will be supporting PROP’s Summer Food For Kids Program again this summer by providing 600 jars of grape jelly for the prepacked supply boxes that PROP clients may receive during the summer months.  You may:

• drop off 15-20 ounce jars of grape jelly (not the big jars from Costco please) at Immanuel.  The red grocery cart will be just inside the front door of the church.  Or,
• you may remotely choose to purchase a case of 12 jars for $40. Payment for a case can be made via check sent to Immanuel with “Prop Jelly” in the memo, or through the Give+ app using the tag “Grape Jelly”.  The cases of jelly will be shipped directly to PROP.

Questions? .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

COVID-19 response

Called to care. Sent to serve

(5.21.2020)
Immanuel supports a wide variety of feeding programs, Minneapolis Metro area programs and international partners.  This is a summary of their current status and needs.  Please respond as you feel called and led! We continue to support these ministries with Benevolence Gifts. First quarter gifts were sent early in April. Ministries that are not listed below, and to which gifts have also been sent include: Minneapolis Area Synod - $28,071; Lutheran Campus Ministry - $250; Feed My Starving Children - $500

Feeding Programs

PROP  https://propfood.org/most-needed-items/

• Food Donations being accepted with new drop off protocols
• Financial Support is requested. Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence gift was $1500, plus $265 in dedicated gifts.
• Distribution of large prepacked supply of food in place/once a month. Uptick in new clients needing support as well as an increase of employment support.
• No new volunteers being accepted at this time

Cornerstone Taco Tuesday  http://cornerstonemn.org/

• Volunteer Provided meals suspended through June, no Taco Tuesdays until July at the earliest. Immanuel will be providing funding for boxed meals from a restaurant for Cornerstone clients on June 23.
• Currently not accepting donations of in kind items
• Financial support is requested. Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence gift was $2500.

Loaves and Fishes  https://www.loavesandfishesmn.org/volunteer/

• Operating as an Essential service. Take away meals are being served.
• Some individual volunteer opportunities exist (see link above)
• Immanuel will not be volunteering as a group on May 14 at St Stephens. $500 has been sent to Loaves and Fishes which is approximately the cost of the meal we usually provide. 
• Financial support is requested

Simpson Shelter  https://www.simpsonhousing.org/

• Operating as an Essential Service.
• New protocols put in place to house people. 66 people are in shelter through Simpson.
• Volunteer provided meals are suspended including our scheduled date of June 13.  Shelter guests are being fed through a catering company. Immanuel will provide a financial donation to help with the costs of feeding shelter guests.
• In Kind donations needed.  Drop off by appointment only. http://www.simpsonhousing.org/ways-to-help/give-supplies/
• Financial Support is requested

Sheridan Story  https://www.thesheridanstory.org/

• Weekly distribution at Schools suspended for school year.
• Continue to work with local schools to provide food for families in need
• Financial support is requested

Partners Serving Minneapolis Metro Area

Redeemer Lutheran Church/RCFL  http://www.redeemermpls.org/  https://www.redeemercenter.org/

• Venture North Bike Shop is open as an essential service provider – get your spring bike tune ups completed at 1830 Glenwood Ave N, Minneapolis
• Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence Gift to Redeemer Lutheran Church was $2250 and to RCFL was $2500

Families Moving Forward  

• Families are being provided shelter in hotels.  Churches scheduled to host are providing food for the families.
• Our next week of hosting is May 24-31.  We will not be hosting families in the church building, we will help with food needs for the families in shelter that week.

Habitat for Humanity https://www.tchabitat.org/coronavirus

• All volunteer opportunities have been suspended, including Build Days.
• Financial support is requested. Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence Gift was $1875.

Onward Eden Prairie https://www.onwardedenprairie.org/

• Operating as an Essential Service providing housing and support to 4 young adults
• Financial support is requested. Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence gift was $1000.

Lutheran Social Services of MN  https://www.lssmn.org/get-involved/volunteer/opportunities-covid-19

• Some opportunities to volunteer including sewing face masks, delivering meals, etc- see the current needs at the link above.
• Financial Support is requested. Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence gift was $1500.

Christo Obrero Mission Congregation

• Cash and grocery gift cards requested to help immigrant families in Shakopee impacted by loss of employment.  Send to:  SW Metro Latino Ministry, C/O Fiscal Agent St John’s Ev Lutheran Church, 119 W 8th Ave, Shakopee MN 55379
• Seeking volunteers to help with a kids’ soccer program in Shakopee this summer contact Pastor Jorge Espinoza at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
• Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence gift was $625.

International Partners

AMEXTRA (Mexico) https://amextra.org/

• Responding as the crisis develops in Mexico. Hygiene and food kits are being distributed in Lomas de San Isidro to families in need.
• Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence gift was $2250.

Missionaries Dr Steve and Jodi Swanson (Tanzania)

• The ELCA called back all international missionaries in March, but Steve and Jodi have decided to continue their work in the hospitals in Tanzania. Their most recent newsletter: https://immanuel.us/images/uploads/Swansons_-_May_2020.pdf   
• Financial support for supplies is requested https://www.tanzanianchildren.com/. Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence gift was $950.

ELCA World Hunger (Global)   https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Relief-and-Development/ELCA-World-Hunger

• Financial support is requested. Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence gift was $750 plus $265 in dedicated gifts.

Lutheran World Relief (Global) https://lwr.org/

• You can continue to make quilts and kits at home.  Please return Personal Care Kits to Immanuel by May 31 at the cart inside the front door. https://lwr.org/lwr-quilts-and-kits-important-coronavirus-updates
• Financial support for serving at risk communities around the globe is requested. Immanuel’s 1st Quarter Benevolence Gift was $1375. 

• Kits for sewing dresses at home will be available later this spring

Contact Kim Rathjen, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), with your questions.