A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our recycling event! Because of your incredible effort, we were able to donate $1,510.50 to Brumby Elementary School.
We recently received this wonderful letter of appreciation from Principal Sandra M. Alford , sharing that our contribution will go directly toward supporting programs and initiatives for their students, families, and staff. Thank you for continuing to bless our local community.
This Christmas season, you are invited to share hope through ELCA Good Gifts. Instead of traditional presents, you can give meaningful items like honeybees, a piglet, clean water, or vaccinations for a child. Each gift supports ministries around the world and helps families build stability and health.
Whether you give in honor of someone you love or simply want to make a difference, these gifts become part of God’s work of caring for neighbors near and far. Visit goodgifts.elca.org online to explore more.
Join us on December 24 as we celebrate the birth of Christ with carols, festive music, and Holy Communion. Each service offers a joyful and meaningful way to step into the hope and light of Christmas.
4:00 pm Family Service
A fun, joy-filled celebration designed especially for families. Children are invited to take part in a lively nativity procession, complete with costumes, as they help lead worship and sing the first hymn. It’s a wonderful way for kids to experience the Christmas story up close. Families interested in participating can reach out to Carter for details and ways to get involved.
8:00 pm Candlelight Service
A traditional evening service featuring candlelight, beloved carols, and a peaceful moment of reflection as we welcome the newborn Christ.
All are welcome. Invite friends, neighbors, and family to share in the beauty of this night
Bring your pets—furry, feathered, or scaled—for a joyful afternoon service of animal blessings in the spirit of St. Francis.
We’ll also be collecting donations for the Homeless Pets Foundation, a local nonprofit that rescues cats and dogs from high-risk shelters in Georgia. Working with Beyond Pets Animal Hospital, the foundation specializes in caring for medical and at-risk pets, giving them the second chances and loving homes they deserve.
Cleaning and Medical Supplies
Non-latex gloves (sizes Medium and Large)
Sanitizing wipes
Hand sanitizer
Paper towels
Laundry detergent
Dog Supplies
Exercise pens
Kongs (all sizes)
Nylabones (all sizes and flavors)
Rope toys
Assorted toys (durable and washable)
Dog treats (all shapes and sizes)
Large jars of peanut butter
Large rolls of Natural Balance dog treat
Soft (baby) blankets
6′ nylon leashes
Nylon martingale collars – petite, small, medium
Cat Supplies
Washable toys (without small detachable parts like bells, buttons, strings, etc.)
Cat wand toys
Catnip
Cat treats
Washable cat beds
Plastic litter pans (approx. 16″ x 12″)
Plastic scoops
Cat nail trimmers
Gift Cards to Purchase Supplies
PetSmart
Pet Food Express
Petco
Staples
Office Depot
Costco
ACE Hardware
Home Depot
Gas Gift Cards
Mark your calendars for Friday, September 12 at 7:30 PM and join us at the Atlanta Country Club for an evening of dinner, fellowship, and celebration in support of the Milagro Girls School. This special gala is one of the key ways we sustain our connection to and care for the students of Milagro.
Pastor Karen Castillo will be our keynote speaker for the evening, and the program will include both a raffle and auction featuring exciting items. Tickets are available for individuals or you can reserve a full table for ten guests. Sign-up will be available online soon. Watch our communications for the link!
As part of our God’s Work. Our Hands. weekend, the Guatemala Partnership Team invites you to help create a meaningful gift for each of the 19 girls currently enrolled at Milagro. We’ll be making personal jewelry gifts to send with our love and encouragement during Pastor Karen’s visit. No experience needed—just come lend your hands and your heart.
Your participation is vital to the success of this event and our ongoing partnership. To learn more or get involved, contact Suzanne at suzanne@demost.net
In the heat of July, when schedules loosen and summertime haze sets in, it’s easy to feel adrift. But what if this season invites us to see more, not less? Check out this article from Living Lutheran about how one mother’s summer moment became an invitation to pay attention—to the sky, to joy, and to God’s presence in ordinary things.
In “Keep Looking,” writer Kimberly Knowle-Zeller recounts a drive with her kids when they start spotting shapes in the clouds. What begins as a bit of backseat chatter becomes something more. “If you look long enough, you can see a shape,” her son says. It’s a reminder that clarity and beauty don’t always arrive instantly. They emerge slowly when we pause and keep looking.
This summer, many of us may feel like we’re floating through the weeks, unsure of what’s next or weighed down by the news. But Kimberly invites us to try something different. Instead of rushing to fill the blank spaces, what if we slowed down and looked up? What if we paid attention?
Here are a few ways she suggests we practice presence:
Lie in the grass and watch the sky. What shapes do you see? What memories or hopes stir?
Make a joy list. Write down the things, big or small, that are bringing you joy right now.
Pray over the headlines. When the world feels overwhelming, pause and lift up one person or place in prayer.
Kimberly writes, “What if we took my son’s advice and really looked to see what’s emerging?” In this quieter month, maybe that is our invitation too: to keep looking for grace, for wonder, for God.
This summer marks the 30th anniversary of the MUST Ministries Summer Lunch program, which now provides food to nearly 8,000 children each week. What began as a grassroots effort to deliver simple lunches in brown paper sacks has grown into a vital food program. Today, each Kids’ Kit includes five breakfasts, five lunches, snacks, and drinks—enough to nourish children for a full week.
For many kids, school lunches are their only reliable meals. When school is out, MUST steps in to fill the gap and prevent hunger during the summer months.
LCR is proud to support this important work. In May, Heather and Dana delivered a $3,800 donation to MUST Ministries, designated specifically for the Summer Lunch program. This gift will provide hundreds of meals to children in our community.
To learn more or to help pack and deliver meals, visit mustministries.org/summer-lunch
