Rake It Out

	“Rake It Out” was a project to recruit volunteers to rake leaves from the yards of elderly and disabled persons. Homes that needed raking were provided both from the shut-in lists of congregations and from the City of Omaha. Volunteers gathered for a devotional send-off on Sunday, November 8th, at St. Mark’s in Omaha. Volunteers represented 16 congregations, the Tree of Life Center, and Living H20 Campus Ministry.
Over 400 volunteers went to over 140 homes, where they raked and bagged leaves. Each resident was presented with a large print Bible, a pamphlet with a Gospel presentation, and a certificate that could be redeemed for a free “Children’s Bible” for a child or children that needed to know about Jesus. Again, Thrivent participated by furnishing the leaf bags.
	The Rake It Out event is just one project of many for Walking Together Lutheran Ministries.  Walking Together Lutheran Ministries, a shared ministry of Omaha LCMS congregations, sponsored its first two service events in the metro on Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8. Walking Together Lutheran Ministries has as its goal coordinating projects and ministries of outreach and human care among the congregations of Omaha, including outreach to ethnic groups and service to the economically disadvantaged.

On Saturday, November 7, volunteers gathered to assist in a project to help repair the home of a - - -, disabled Pastor, the Rev. - - Steven G. Herfkens.  Materials were furnished through the Omaha branches of Thrivent.  Paul Heitman from Lastime Roofing Company did the “on the roof work. A big thank you is due to this Christian roofer for his services. Volunteers helped with “on the ground” projects such as disposing of shingles, staining the front porch, working on the — garage, and constructing a dam in the driveway to divert rain water from entering the garage.

Another on-going program - developed by Walking Together Lutheran Ministries provides English as a Second Language instruction, computer familiarization classes, and citizenship preparation classes at the Tree of Life Center, 4O and Q Streets, in Omaha.  Several hundred people have participated in the ESL classes, and more than a half dozen individuals have become US citizens after completing the citizenship preparation classes. As time goes on, WTLM hopes to expand these classes to other parts of the city, and add classes in other areas of concern and interest to those newly arriving in the United States, including financial management and other practical courses. In all of these courses, there is a Christian witness component.

A “Ministry Plan Task Force” with representatives from the LCMS congregations has been meeting to suggest other programs of outreach and human care to the Board of Directors. In the near future, these ideas will begin to be implemented. One very exciting idea is for WTLM to sponsor an evening at an Omaha Royals baseball game. There will be opportunity for Christian witness from the players, as well as a Christian concert at the conclusion of the game. The intent will be for LCMS church members to invite their unchurched friends and neighbors to this game.

Walking Together Lutheran Ministries has I incorporated with the State of Nebraska, is in the process of applying for its 501(c)(3) (nonprofit) status with the Internal Revenue Service, and plans to become
a Recognized Service Organization of the LCMS. The mailing address for WTLM is P.O. Box 9082, Omaha, NE 68 109-0082, (402) 345- 1037. Oces are at Cross Lutheran Church in Omaha. Eleven LCMS members are serving as the initial Board of Directors: the Rev. Stephen R. Bartelt (Zion), Don Bader (Pacific HiUS/H20 Living Water), Vern Nemitz (Divine Shepherd), Carol Williams (Beautiful Savior), Paul Pettit (Nebraska District), the Rev. Wendell Stavig (St. John’s), Jennifer Stoner (Pilgrim), Donna Taylor (Bethany), Sandy Hannemann (Divine Shepherd), Scott Wollberg (Beautiful Savior) and Doug Wilshusen (Zion).