Pennies For Peace
During the months of June and July, the children of Immanuel's Vacation Bible School program took on a service project that is touching lives half way around the world.

Through the collection of pennies and with support from the congregation and a couple of outside donors, enough money was raised to purchase a Toshiba laptop computer that will be used by Ahmad Anati and his father, Dr. Salim Anati at the Shu'fat Refugee Camp located just north of Jerusalem.  The camp sits on just 500 acres and is extremely crowded and lacks many of the basic necessities.

Dr. Anati is the only physician in the camp and he lives there with his family.  His son, Ahmad, assits him both at the medical clinic and at the charitable society that his father oversees.

Back in the spring, Ahmad shared with Jerry Hayes the need for a new laptop computer to help him in his duties.  Jerry approached the church council for help, Suzette Brown came up with the idea for the penny drive and the rest is history!

Because there was a risk that the Anati's would never receive the computer if shipped directly to them, Jerry coordinated delivery through Pastor Mark Holman at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Old City Jerusalem.  Pastor Mark made contact with the Anati's and they all met on Monday, August 17th to present the laptop.  Here are some pictures that were passed along...

Here is an e-mail that Jerry received from Ahmad on Monday, 8/17...

"greetings my friend , today in the afternoon i met the pastor and he gave me the laptop , it was realy an amazing momment in my life which i will never forget forever after , and we also took pictures togather and had a soft drink , and the pastor was realy a wonderful man i liked him so much ,
 
till now the telephone and the internet lines are broken so ,,
and everytime i ask them when will they repare it they say it will take a week but you know that it is an israeli company and we are palestinians so i think it will take more and more than that time .
 
i realy feel excited for (receiving) this laptop ,
 
greetings and peace for all"

Ahmad Anati     
Shufat Camp - East Jerusalem

And another e-mail from Pastor Mark Holman...

"Jerry, today I had the incredible experience of delivering your very precious cargo.  I wish you could have seen the hard-to-contain sheer joy on the part of Ahmad and the gratefulness and pride of Dr. Anati.  Jerry, I think you and others have made a tremendous impact on a life, a family and indeed a community.  Peace, friend."  

Thank you to everyone who contributed to "Pennies For Peace"!

  

Quarterly Mission Project
The third quarter mission project will benefit the Daily Bread of Lenawee soup kitchen located in Adrian.  Donations will be received throughout the quarter with a special emphasis for this project on Sunday, September 20, 2009.  Thrivent representatives will join us that day to present a matching-funds award.



Lenawee Creative Ministries
Planning is underway for a very special worship service on Reformation Sunday, October 25, 2009.  The five ELCA churches in Lenawee County will be holding one mutual service at the Croswell Opera House in Adrian.

There are still many things left to do and we would love to see you at the planning table!  If you're interested in helping plan the worship service or if you would like to know more about the Lenawee Creative Ministries group, please see Pastor Leking.