Serving the Savior

2009 ends with two news items of members serving the Savior. The first announcement is the musical debut of a member of the congregation. After two years of practice, he played for services for the first time this past Sunday. I want to thank Roxanne Martens for the musical course she developed for learning to play by chords. The member from the Moca congregation faithfully practiced and has learned to play almost all of the hymns in the book that we use. He is using his talents to serve the Savior.





Another example of service is a younger member, Alexandra. Formerly the congregation was using a ceramic dish for the gathering of the offering. This dish was accidentally broken and a new offering basket was needed. Alexandra had the desire to make one using plastic canvass and yarn. With some guidance from the women in the congregation, she was able to sew a lovely basket that now is used for Sunday offerings. She, too, is using her talents to serve the Savior.

What could $100 do in the ministry of the Dominican Republic? $200? $300?

Occasionally I'm asked by brothers and sisters in Christ how they can support our work. Below is a list of some of the ways your financial gifts are used. The list is by no means exhaustive, but I hope it helps you to see how your gifts support the spread of the eternal-life-giving Gospel.

$100

• 2 tanks of gas to San Pedro groups
• 3-4 months of electricity at worship center and seminary classroom
• 2 months of security guard for missionary residences
• 1/5 (one-fifth) monthly scholarship for a married seminarian

$200

• 3-4 months of phone and internet service for worship center
• 20 textbooks to teach seminary Greek
• 6,400 pages of Sunday School, Bible class and worship materials
• Advertising for special evangelism events

$300

• Translation work from Spanish to French for Haitian members
• 1 month rent of worship center / seminary classroom
• 1 month scholarship for a single seminarian
• 3-5 months of auto insurance

We encourage your gifts first and foremost to the synod's regular operating budget, because that budget provides for the bulk of our mission's costs. You may give through your local WELS congregation, or find out how to give online by clicking here.

But if you would like to give an offering specifically for the work here in the DR, above and beyond your offering to the regular synod budget, you may do so online by clicking here, or you may send a gift to the following address (be sure to specify it for the Dominican Republic):

WELS - Dominican Republic Fund
2929 N Mayfair Road
Milwaukee, WI 53222

The Lord bless you with his Peace,
NW