Our Deacons provide care for each and every member of our congregation.
- Leslie Westcott, Moderator
- Jan Beller
- Laurie Gordon
- Sally Hoyer
- Norma Koerkel
- George Kopittke
- Kecia Sears
- Mike Hartle
- Carla Thornton
About the Deacons
Romans 12: 10 – 11 (KJV) “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”
There are many verses in the Bible which talk about loving and serving. Although we have a very dedicated group of people serving as Deacons and Coordinators, we are ALL called to love and serve. During the month of February I will be highlighting the various serving opportunities within our structure at LPC. We will begin with a look at our Coordinators, who carry out important care giving ministries of the church. Coordinators are volunteers who are asked to serve for a minimum of a year.
Helping Hands: Joyce Thalheimer and Nancy Miller provide leadership for this very important ministry. The mission of this group is to provide meals during times of need, for funerals and for members who might need help with a meal as a result of illness or surgery. Joyce and Nancy have a list of LPC folks who have agreed to prepare and serve the meal and if necessary, deliver the meal to the home or another location. If it is a funeral lunch, they also take great care in preparing and setting tables with nice table cloths and centerpieces. We have received many notes of thank you from grateful families. The church providing a meal at a time of grief and loss is one more thing the family does not have to do.
Shut In Visitation: Nancy Miller and Nancy Von Kampen serve our church family by visiting the homebound and those residing in care facilities, at least once per month. The purpose of this ministry is to provide comfort and support to those who cannot attend church services and activities due to illness or disability. They often take flowers and bring news and comfort from LPC.
Transportation: Bill Miller and his list of volunteers serve LPC by providing transportation to doctor appointments, the Sunday worship service and other LPC events. Bill reports that he has not been called on for help in many months, so we hope to give this ministry some attention with the publication of this article!
Emergency Assistance: Terry Price (in conjunction with the Pastor and the Moderator of Deacons) coordinates this effort to provide our church family assistance when there is a need. This serving opportunity is designed to provide emergency assistance to a member who has fallen on hard times financially and needs help paying a bill or buying a needed appliance. We also direct the person to area community resources as appropriate. We are currently working on a procedure with clearly defined guidelines for those who seek help.
College Students: This ministry is designed to let the college students know that we are thinking of them and praying for them. Four times a year, Fall, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter (Spring), we send them cards and small gifts. Upon graduation, congregational recognition will be given during the worship service. We have received many notes of thanks and appreciation. Who doesn’t love a care package?! A list of the college students and the colleges they are attending are located on the Serve bulletin board in Nesbit Hall. See Leslie Westcott if you would like to contribute to this important ministry.
Prayer Chain: Sally Hoyer and Nancy Von Kampen provide organization and structure to this very important ministry. The goal is to serve our church family by providing prayer on an immediate basis. The Prayer Chain Coordinators receive a request for prayer and pass the need along to a chain of volunteers via a phone path, who provide prayer to a person or family in need. The call to the Coordinators can come from a Deacon, the Pastor, a congregation member, friend or family member. Several volunteers are needed for this service, so that several are praying at the same time. The person’s Deacon will also be notified to coordinate other needs as appropriate.
Tape/DVD Ministry – Pete Bissman keeps us up to date on all audio visual aspects of the worship service. If anyone desires a cassette tape or DVD of a worship service, Pete has those available, plus the tape and DVD players if necessary. Pete and Kristin also make sure the LPC web site is updated with LPC information, including Sermons, Bulletins and The Connection. This is a very useful tool for Deacons who may need to take a tape or DVD to a shut in. Thank you to Pete for keeping this going!
-Leslie Westcott, Moderator of Deacons
