Greater Power...

Each month we ask a pastor/reverend from a different church to write us a new and inspirational prayer to offer the recipients of our food services.  We feel that most who come to us are having a pretty rough time and could use some comforting words to help them through...  
every little bit helps. 

Here is the offering for April...

God loves us all immeasurably.  And nothing … nothing can remove God's love from us.  God is there, is caring, is watching, and is sending angels of help and messengers of mercy.  This is the love on which we can always depend.  Nothing, nothing in all of creation can change that!

Lord God, you know all about my life.  My struggles.  My hopes and dreams, and of those days when my dreams seem distant and unreachable.  May your love so touch and move me that I find hope in each day.  May your love be so real that I am empowered to be that messenger of care and blessing to others that I meet on this day.  Amen.

Pastor Fred Melton

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church 

Behind the camera lens of Jeffery Batt

Every organization needs to have a strong visual presence if they are going to attract business their way. Jeffery Batt came on in September of 2012 and immediately started to help us out with all kinds of projects using his knowledge in graphic design and as a talented photographer. I wanted to sit down with Jeff and ask him a few questions about his experience here. Few have probably seen Jeff, but you have seen his work.

Jeff at the 2012 Governor's Awards

Jeff, what brought you to LCS? 

"I had been unemployed due to a long period of physical illness, it was difficult to find work with little experience to put on my resume. I went to the Delaware Department of Labor and was enrolled in the Training for Results program. Tanya Powell, my case worker, was the one who introduced me to LCS."

What are some of the responsibilities/projects you worked on at LCS?

"LCS had a new logo designed a few years before I started. I was given the task of "re-branding" many of the promo materials with this new logo and creating a visual identity for LCS, something many non-profit organizations have with limited resources.  I am also a photographer for LCS. You might have seen me in a pantry, on the streets, up a fire escape or other strange place, but not realized what I was up to. Sometimes I have to take pictures that are not always easy. Poverty, homelessness and hunger are very sad realities in life.  Many people would rather walk by a person in need than reach out a helping hand, this is the most sensitive work I have ever done."

How did the work at LCS make you feel?

At Shiloh Baptist Mobile Pantry

" Working at LCS has completely turned my life around. Everyone noticed how I have become more outgoing, more confident and more positive. This helped change my entire outlook on life. Thanks to LCS I was able to get a job again!

Aside from being an accomplished photographer and graphic designer, what did you learn while at LCS?

"I learned that regardless of money, fame or accomplishments, the most important thing you will EVER do in your life is to help another human being in need."

Did your time at LCS help you?

 "Without LCS, I wouldn't be where I am today and would not have the social network, support system and sense of self-worth I needed so badly."

How do you feel you made a difference at LCS? 

In front of St. Stephen's Church

"I feel like I have made a difference at LCS by making the visual impact stronger and increasing public awareness of what they do. Why? Because it has made me feel good and I have more original work to add to my portfolio."

Why do you keep volunteering with LCS?

"I keep volunteering my time at LCS because I like the community and the people. Handing out food and seeing the look on a client's face gives me a warm fuzzy feeling even on the coldest days. At LCS I feel like I am part of a family."

Anything else to add before we wrap this up?

"This is not the first food pantry I worked at. When my grandma was alive she ran a food pantry out of her church in upstate New York for over 30 years. She dedicated her entire life to providing food, clothing and shelter to the homeless and victims of disasters, such as the Chernobyl refugees living in the Ukraine and the survivors of the Haiti earthquake. I have brought a copy of the newspaper article about her pantry from 1994. I was nine or ten years old in the picture. My grandmother was a devout Christian and believed in everything LCS stands for, and I contribute everything I do in her memory."

Thank you Jeff, for all of your time and talent. We really appreciate everything you have done and continue to do for us!

Click article to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Check out Jeff's photo blog "I think in pictures" at: http://jbattdesign.blogspot.com/

                                                                                            

A friend is lost but never forgotten...

It is with great sadness that we announce LCS has lost one of our own, board member Patrick Tomlan. We would like to send our condolences out to the entire Tomlan family and their friends. We would also like say thank you to Patrick for his time and commitment to LCS. He will be dearly missed by many.

Patrick F. Tomlan

Patrick F. Tomlan

AGE: 70 • Wilmington

Patrick F. Tomlan, 70, of Wilmington, passed away on March 16, 2014 in Season's Hospice at the Christiana Hospital after a battle with cancer.

Mr. Tomlan was born in Duluth, Minnesota in 1943 to the late Joseph Anthony and Evelyn Mae (Mork) Tomlan. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1965 with a degree in engineering and from the University of Illinois in 1969 with a PhD in chemical engineering.

He met his future wife, Judy in 1966 and they dated long distance, Illinois to Minnesota, until their marriage in 1969. They moved to Wilmington in 1969 where Pat accepted a job with DuPont. Wilmington became their permanent home.

Mr. Tomlan was active in his church as a deacon and in other administrative positions. He was involved with many nonprofit organizations, the most recent being Luther Community Services. He retired from DuPont in 2006.

Mr. Tomlan is survived by sons, Matthew and his wife Tina, and Jeffrey of Colorado and Nicholas and his wife Marie of Kennett Square, three grandchildren and sister, Wendy Shatluck of Minnesota.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 pm on Tuesday March 18, 2014 at Concordia Lutheran Church where friends may call from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Concordia Lutheran Church, 3003 Silverside Road, Wilmington, DE 19810. Arrangements by CHANDLER FUNERAL HOMES www.chandlerfuneralhome.com

Patrick F. Tomlan

AGE: 70 • Wilmington

Patrick F. Tomlan, 70, of Wilmington, passed away on March 16, 2014 in Season's Hospice at the Christiana Hospital after a battle with cancer.

Mr. Tomlan was born in Duluth, Minnesota in 1943 to the late Joseph Anthony and Evelyn Mae (Mork) Tomlan. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1965 with a degree in engineering and from the University of Illinois in 1969 with a PhD in chemical engineering.
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/delawareonline/obituary.aspx?n=patrick-f-tomlan&pid=170228247&fhid=7881#sthash.dpcnWUrP.dpuf

Patrick F. Tomlan

Obituary

Guest Book

• "I worked with Pat at Chambers Works for many years and am..."
  - Ginnie Caricofe

View Sign

Patrick F. Tomlan

AGE: 70 • Wilmington

Patrick F. Tomlan, 70, of Wilmington, passed away on March 16, 2014 in Season's Hospice at the Christiana Hospital after a battle with cancer.

Mr. Tomlan was born in Duluth, Minnesota in 1943 to the late Joseph Anthony and Evelyn Mae (Mork) Tomlan. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1965 with a degree in engineering and from the University of Illinois in 1969 with a PhD in chemical engineering.

He met his future wife, Judy in 1966 and they dated long distance, Illinois to Minnesota, until their marriage in 1969. They moved to Wilmington in 1969 where Pat accepted a job with DuPont. Wilmington became their permanent home.

Mr. Tomlan was active in his church as a deacon and in other administrative positions. He was involved with many nonprofit organizations, the most recent being Luther Community Services. He retired from DuPont in 2006.

Mr. Tomlan is survived by sons, Matthew and his wife Tina, and Jeffrey of Colorado and Nicholas and his wife Marie of Kennett Square, three grandchildren and sister, Wendy Shatluck of Minnesota.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 pm on Tuesday March 18, 2014 at Concordia Lutheran Church where friends may call from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Concordia Lutheran Church, 3003 Silverside Road, Wilmington, DE 19810. Arrangements by CHANDLER FUNERAL HOMES www.chandlerfuneralhome.com

Published in The News Journal on Mar. 18, 2014

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/delawareonline/obituary.aspx?n=patrick-f-tomlan&pid=170228247&fhid=7881#sthash.dpcnWUrP.dpuf

Patrick F. Tomlan

Obituary

Guest Book

• "I worked with Pat at Chambers Works for many years and am..."
  - Ginnie Caricofe

View Sign

Patrick F. Tomlan

AGE: 70 • Wilmington

Patrick F. Tomlan, 70, of Wilmington, passed away on March 16, 2014 in Season's Hospice at the Christiana Hospital after a battle with cancer.

Mr. Tomlan was born in Duluth, Minnesota in 1943 to the late Joseph Anthony and Evelyn Mae (Mork) Tomlan. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1965 with a degree in engineering and from the University of Illinois in 1969 with a PhD in chemical engineering.

He met his future wife, Judy in 1966 and they dated long distance, Illinois to Minnesota, until their marriage in 1969. They moved to Wilmington in 1969 where Pat accepted a job with DuPont. Wilmington became their permanent home.

Mr. Tomlan was active in his church as a deacon and in other administrative positions. He was involved with many nonprofit organizations, the most recent being Luther Community Services. He retired from DuPont in 2006.

Mr. Tomlan is survived by sons, Matthew and his wife Tina, and Jeffrey of Colorado and Nicholas and his wife Marie of Kennett Square, three grandchildren and sister, Wendy Shatluck of Minnesota.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 pm on Tuesday March 18, 2014 at Concordia Lutheran Church where friends may call from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Concordia Lutheran Church, 3003 Silverside Road, Wilmington, DE 19810. Arrangements by CHANDLER FUNERAL HOMES www.chandlerfuneralhome.com

Published in The News Journal on Mar. 18, 2014

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/delawareonline/obituary.aspx?n=patrick-f-tomlan&pid=170228247&fhid=7881#sthash.dpcnWUrP.dpuf

Love thy neighbor...

I love Tom Krause...he always seems to have the right words for me when I need them. As I am always meeting new people this one really hit home with me and I wanted to share it.

Like People First

Tom Krause MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER - Volunteers/Education/Business Top Contributor

 

Like people first

you meet everyday.

Don't just be aloof

and shun them away.

Think for a moment

of whom you might miss

if your first reaction is

to always dismiss.

People may fool you

if given a chance.

It is too soon to judge

with the very first glance.

They all have a history -

a story to tell.

You may find compassion

if you just knew them well.

So like people first

and maybe in the end

your life will be richer

because you found a new friend.

- Tom Krause

His name is Joe...

Exceptional: ex·cep·tion·al 

unusually good; outstanding.

synonyms:

outstanding, extraordinary, remarkable, special, excellent, phenomenal, prodigious; unequaled, unparalleled, unique, unsurpassed, peerless, matchless, nonpareil, first-rate, first-class; informalA1, top-notch "his exceptional ability"

A word I would use to describe all of our volunteers, but one I would like to pull out to use on our friend Joe today. My mother always told me growing up "Never judge a book by it's cover" and so I grew up taking that saying very seriously and never did. And because of that I have met some of the most wonderful and exceptional people in the world.

On Sunday, February 9 our friend Joe was featured in the News Journal asking people to help raise food donations. I was pleased to see a most worthy candidate for the job. 

I gave Joe a call and was able to sit down with him for a few minutes for a chat....


Cher: Joe, when did you start volunteering with LCS?

Joe: January 2012 at the Shiloh Baptist Mobile Unit in Wilmington helping unloading, organizing, and carrying orders to cars for folks.

Cher: What got you volunteering with Shiloh?

Joe: At first I was there to get food from the program for my family, then Sandy your program coordinator asked me if I would start helping out, and I  said “Sure, I have no problem helping out.”  That got me started on wanting to help out the community. Eventually I started working at St. Stephen’s pantry and produce on Wednesdays in addition to Shiloh, and I was added as a sub on the substitute list. I just wanted to help any way I could.

Cher: This must have kept you very busy, what motivated you to keep adding duties to your LCS resume?

Joe: Because you won’t let me leave. You all love me too much!!

Cher: (Laughing) This is true…  You are very reliable and every time we call you, you are here for us. Thank you! What are your future plans with LCS?

Joe: My plans are to stick it out with LCS until a better opportunity comes along, like a job.

Cher: We sure hope you stick around, but we sure won’t be sad to see you go because of a job.

Joe: LCS is great place to be and everyone here is very friendly and you are good to me. If I need anything I just have to call and I am treated with respect.

Thank you Joe, for everything you do. You bring a lot to the table to LCS and we are very grateful. I ran across a poem from one of my favorite writers and I thought it fit here really nicely. It's by Tom Krause.

Through my troubles and my worries are sometimes all that I can see - still I always must remember life's not only about me. 

Other souls are also hurting and I know that it's God's plan 

to reach out to help another - to extend them my hand.

With this purpose as my focus - to be a comfort to a friend -

all my troubles and my worries seem to fade out in the end.

It is one of God's true lessons - how my walk is meant to be -

true happiness I find when life's not only about me.

Thank you to all of our volunteers who give tirelessly and selflessly each and every month and make our mission possible!

Help Needed ASAP!

 The bath tissue has been picked up... Thank you!!

We are in need of a volunteer with a truck who can drive to Chester, PA to pick up 10 cases of bathroom tissue donated to us by the Kimberly Clark Corporation ASAP. This is a wonderful donation and we need it picked up as quickly as possible.

If you have a truck that can hold 10 cases of bathroom tissue, please contact us at (302) 654-8886 ext 107 so we can make arrangements.

We are also looking for someone who would like to pick donations up from time to time on a regular basis. If you are interested in this being a regular volunteer opportunity, please contact us.

News You Can Use

For Your Church Newsletter

From Lutheran Community Services                  March 2014

Editors: This information is prepared for church newsletter editors, secretaries and pastors. Your help in getting the word out is appreciated and will help LCS achieve its mission of “Sharing God’s blessings by helping others in need.” Comments about timing or content are welcome. Contact Steve Tindall (stindall@lcsde.org). 302 654 8886.

Gimme Shelter Golf Tournament – May 16, 2014

If you’re a golfer, join in the fun at the annual Gimme Shelter Golf Tournament. This year’s tournament is at Wilmington’s Porky Oliver Golf Club on Friday May 16 with an 8:00 a.m. shotgun

start. All of the money raised by the tournament, goes to help support LCS’s homelessness prevention program, which helps hundreds of people each year who are threatened with eviction. Larry Friday is the tournament director. Contact him about sponsorships and registrations -- (302) 438-1290 or fridayla@msn.com.

FAITH Center Supports Clients in Many Ways

Ms. Barbara A. came to our FAITH Center office with a broken heart and spirit, and facing eviction. It was almost too much to bear. She had been housed for the last eight months, but before that her life was a nightmare:  sleeping in shelters, friends’ floors, and cars; washing up in gas stations, train or bus stations. Then she fell behind in her rent due to reduced hours at work. With assistance from two of our member churches, and our own funds, we helped Ms. A. with her rent so she could stay housed – and also with referrals, prayer, and encouragement.

Annual Breakfast – May 7, 2014

Plans are underway for LCS’s 10th Annual Room at the Table Free Fundraising Breakfast, which will be held this year on May 7, 2014 at the DuPont Country Club. Money raised at this event is dedicated to LCS operating expenses. Operating support is crucially important at this time – when we are also embarking on a capital campaign for our new headquarters building.

Preparing for the Storm

Just as local grocery stores note a swell in customers prior to a storm, so do the LCS pantries.  Each low-income family receives enough food for 3 days.  St. Stephen’s pantry, our busiest, serves 30-50 families a day, but on the day before a recent storm (2/12) we served 83 families!