Higher Power

            Every month we have a pastor/reverend from a different church write us a new and inspirational prayer to offer the recipients of our food services.  We place a copy of this prayer into each of the grocery bags we hand out. 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 February's....

 

God of many names, Spirit of Life who sustains us,

Help me to find warmth when the cold is especially bitter,

Grant me peace when my inner turmoil is churning,

Guide me to hope when despair seems close at hand.

May I receive your grace as in turn I pass it on to others.

May I be made ever more whole.  Amen.

Rev. Michelle Collins

First Unitarian Church of Wilmington              [2/14]

Greater Power

Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come.  Come into our world bringing light and life.  Come into our world bringing hope and peace.  Come into our hearts with joy and compassion.  Bless our tables as we gather together, that we may be filled with your loving spirit.  Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come.  Amen.

Pastor Kathy Ierien

Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd [12/13]

Missing a Friend...

This year when we began gathering the walk/run committee to start planning for this years event, a face was missing. A very important face...Joseph Lange. His wife Linda was and she had the sad task of informing us that Joe was not feeling so good and probably would not be working on the walk/run this year. We all said our prayers for Joe and hoped for the best. 

He was hard shoes to fill with everything he did for that event. He would show up around 6am in the morning with a large truck filled with tables and chair, signage, hammers and I am pretty sure duct tape. (It fixes everything you know!) He made sure everything was set up, signs were hung up, including on the tower in Rockford park, so that the next wave of volunteers coming in could set up their stations. Without him, we couldn't get started. Years before he did a lot of hands on work with the money and registration. Linda, his wife, would pick up much of the food and bring it in and help set that up. The Langes have just been such an important part of that event.  Until the unthinkable.

On November 3rd we lost Joseph to his illness. It was a bit of a shock, and it will take some time for our group to recover from such a loss. I often wonder how people can think that volunteers are not that valuable, or so easily replaceable. They obviously have never worked at LCS. Or worked with volunteers at all or anywhere who has them for that matter. It is at such times as these that we sit and reflect on how blessed we are and have been as an organization to have such wonderful volunteers such as Joseph and Linda Lange. So thank you, thank you so much for all both of you gave to us for so many years!

Below is Joseph's obituary and I followed it up with Greater Power, November's monthly prayer we will be handing out.


Joseph B. Lange

AGE: 68 • Wilmington

Joseph B. Lange, age 68, of Wilmington, DE, passed away on November 3, 2013 at home surrounded by his family.

Joe was born and raised in Wilmington, to the late Joseph and Winona Lange. He was a graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School. Joe served two tours of duty in Vietnam with the Seabees and was a certified diver with MCB-7. He owned and operated Lange Construction, Inc. for 31 years. Joe was a Scout Leader for Troop 62. He was a Master Mason and belonged to Brandywine Lodge, #33 A.F. & A.M., where he served as president of the Hall Company. Joe was an active member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church. He volunteered at Sojourner's Place and Lutheran Community Service in Wilmington. Joe enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He also loved to travel, enjoyed hunting, woodworking and doing projects with his sons.

Joe is survived by his wife of 45 years, Linda L. Lange, his children, Michael Lange (Pamela) Stephen Lange (Jennifer) Sharon Gaskill (Jason), his sister Jeannette August (Ronald), his grandchildren, Ashley MacLeish, Skyler Elizabeth Lange and Jaxon Gaskill.


Greater Power 

Every month we have a pastor/reverend from a different church write us a new and inspirational prayer to offer the recipients of our food services.  We place a copy of this prayer into each of the grocery bags we hand out. 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 November's...

Merciful Jesus,

For your death on the cross which forgives my sins, for your resurrection into a glorified body which promises I too will be made perfect on the Day of the Lord, and for your promise that you will make all things new on that day, I THANK YOU! In the meantime, keep me faithful amidst the trials and struggles of life, and help me to be thankful for the love of other people. 
Amen.

Pastor David Kummer
Concordia Evangelical Lutheran Church
11/13

Joseph B. Lange

AGE: 68 • Wilmington

Age 68, of Wilmington, DE, passed away on November 3, 2013 at home surrounded by his family.

Joe was born and raised in Wilmington, to the late Joseph and Winona Lange. He was a graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School. Joe served two tours of duty in Vietnam with the Seabees and was a certified diver with MCB-7. He owned and operated Lange Construction, Inc. for 31 years. Joe was a Scout Leader for Troop 62. He was a Master Mason and belonged to Brandywine Lodge, #33 A.F. & A.M., where he served as president of the Hall Company. Joe was an active member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church. He volunteered at Sojourner's Place and Lutheran Community Service in Wilmington. Joe enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He also loved to travel, enjoyed hunting, woodworking and doing projects with his sons.
Joe is survived by his wife of 45 years, Linda L. Lange, his children, Michael Lange (Pamela) Stephen Lange (Jennifer) Sharon Gaskill (Jason), his sister Jeannette August (Ronald), his grandchildren, Ashley MacLeish, Skyler Elizabeth Lange and Jaxon Gaskill.

Greater Power

Every month we have a pastor/reverend from a different church write us a new and inspirational prayer to offer the recipients of our food services.  We place a copy of this prayer into each of the grocery bags we hand out. 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 September's...

Dear Lord of Heaven and Earth,
Everything we have comes from You. Everything we need comes from your blessing. So this day we ask You to multiply the bread of life for us that we might feed our families. Strengthen our faith and help us to hold on to You when days are hard and darkness surrounds.

You are the way, the truth, and the life.
Help us.
Amen
Pastor Greg Johnson
Zion Lutheran Church [9/13]

Greater Power

Every month we have a pastor/reverend from a different church write us a new and inspirational prayer to offer the recipients of our food services.  We place a copy of this prayer into each of the grocery bags we hand out. 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 prayer for August:

Let us all turn again and again to the Lord in our difficult and blessed times. Dear Lord, you know my circumstance, even more clearly than I do. You see how hard life can be and how hard it is for me at this time. I t would be easy, even normal for me to complain, or just to lose hope. Give to me the faith and nurture to stand strong in you. Give me the faith to find purpose each day, to see my brothers and sisters as opportunities for me to care for and serve them. Come Lord to both meet my needs and to give me insight to help myself. You are the author of my life, and I seek your love, your forgiveness, your strength and grace. 

Amen.

Pastor Fred Melton
St. Mark's Lutheran Church    [8/13]

Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul

Volunteer's Creed

Though 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.

~Tom Krause
Motivational Speaker
www.coachkrause.com
Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul