LWR is a ministry of U.S. Lutherans serving communities living in poverty overseas, whose mission is stated succinctly as “Affirming God’s love for all people, we work with Lutherans and partners around the world to end poverty, injustice, and human suffering.”
LWR’s vision is “Empowerment by God’a unconditional love in Jesus Christ, we envision a world in which each person, every community, and all generations live in justice, dignity and peace.”
Every fall, Lower Susquehanna Synod congregations participate in our synod’s LWR Ingathering appeal by collecting and making Mission Quilts, Personal, School, Fabric, and/or Baby Care Kits.
LWR does much more than distribute food, water, tools, medicine, tarps, quilts, blankets, and kits in response to emergency needs. Long range help to feed a hungry world comes in the form of training in new farming methods, irrigation, and food preservation, along with supplying seeds, trees, safe water and food-producing animals. Many of our synod congregations contribute to the LWR General Fund that helps make these life saving development programs possible.
Fair Trade sales programs of LWR assure that farmers receive a just wage for their products, thus enabling them to have the means to buy food and provide education for their families. A growing number of our synod congregations use and sell fairly traded coffee, tea, candy, olive oil, and snacks,often hosting seasonal “Fair Trade Fairs.” Some congregations purchase Fair Trade Eco Palms for Palm Sunday services.
Have questions? Contact the Lower Susquehanna Synod Volunteer Coordinators for Relief Projects:
The Rev. Martha Boyd stjohnpastor158@gmail.com or (717) 566-6296
Sue Gordon sap4jays@comcast.net or (717) 448-5074.