Missio Dei "Mission of God"

 

ELCA

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a Christian denomination committed to service and justice throughout the world. 10,000+ congregations throughout the United States support local, national and global ministry through Mission Support benevolent dollars. These dollars support people and programs with an ongoing presence committed to service and justice in the name of a loving God.

ELCA Disaster Relief

A relief agency within the ELCA that engages emergency needs immediately, both on an individual and a collaborative way with other Lutheran Christian groups and Christian ministries from other church organizations. Every dollar donated goes to the needs they are intended to reach (this is possible because the infrastructure is supported through the Mission Support dollars mentioned above). The ELCA Disaster Relief has been engaged with people in Southern California (fires), to New Orleans (Katrina), Haiti (earthquakes), Pacific Rim (Tsunamis), to name just a few recent events.

ELCA World Hunger

ELCA World Hunger is a comprehensive and sustainable program that uses multiple strategies—relief, development, education, and advocacy—to address the root causes of hunger and poverty. ELCA World Hunger responds to neighbors around the corner and around the world. Between 70-75 percent of ELCA World Hunger funds are spent internationally, and 20-25 percent are spent domestically. The 2010 anticipated dollars in the program from gifts and offerings is just over $20 million.

2nd Harvest Food Bank

On the first Saturday of each month, volunteers from St. Paul meet at Richman Elementary School in Fullerton to distribute 5,000 lbs of food from 2nd Harvest Food Bank. On a typical Saturday, 150 families are served with food staples to assist them in providing sustainable food and nutrition in their homes.

Homeless Meal

On the fourth Wednesday of each month, volunteers from St. Paul gather at First Christian in Fullerton to prepare and serve a meal to the homeless and those in need of meal,

Garden Produce Project

A member of St. Paul had an idea. He thought it would be great to organize a produce and vegetable gathering spot at St. Paul where people could bring excess harvest from their homes. The harvest is then transported to FIES distribution center in Fullerton and passed to families who need food. He even developed a slogan……Don’t let your food go to the flies, let’s donate it to FIES! The activity has become a community event after being picked up and published in the Orange County Register. Now St. Paul Lutheran Church is making daily trips to FIES as people in Fulleryon and surrounding communities drop off their excess harvest! God is good!

FIES

Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Services is a special organization to the people of St. Paul. FIES works to provide food and shelter in the North Orange County area for those in need. Check out the FIES connection and website by going to the Link page on this website.

Crop Hunger Walk

St. Paul is key participant in the annual Crop Hunger Walk that happens every spring in Fullerton. A program of Church World Service, area faith communities walk and raise funds for hunger. The 2010 walk raised a state of California record of just over $88,000 for hunger. 25% of these funds stay locally, with the balance working nationally and globally to meet hunger needs.

Brown Bag Sunday

Empty brown bags are handed out to members one Sunday and then filled with canned food and brought back to church the following Sunday. The food in these bags will benefit LHRCC La Habra Resource Care Center  

Treats for Troops

Support for our troops in Afghanistan: Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 274 Utilities Platoon, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines Embedded Training Team and Bagram AFB - Largest Hospital in Afghanistan and in Iraq:CA National Guard Unit 224 th Sustainment Brigade are sent goodie packages throughout the year.

Operation Christmas Child

Each year in October and early November the children and youth of St. Paul decorate shoe boxes and fill them with gifts. These boxes are then collected and celebrated in worship with a blessing before being sent to an area collection point where they are then sent and distributed to children around the world. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse and St. Paul is excited about participating every year!

Christmas Angel Tree

A Christmas Tree appears every year in the Narthex and on the tree are tags with the brief description of a child (age, gender, etc). people pull the tags and then shop for an appropriate gift for the child, wrap it and then place it under the tree. About one week before Christmas the gifts are collected and then later distributed to area children in need.

Community Christmas Card

Each year A SPLC Community Christmas Card is developed by sponsoring families within the congregation. Dollars raised are usually split between two national needs, one local (i.e. families displaced by fires) and one national (i.e. hurricane, flood or earthquake victims throughout the United States).

Julie Stanley Memorial Fund

Julie Stanley was a beloved mom and spouse in the St. Paul Community when cancer grasped her from life as we know and understand it at an early age. The fund in her memory helps to assist elementary children who might not otherwise be able to participate in extracurricular school activities, particularly at the elementary level.

Brendan Nygard Memorial Fund

Brendan was a young man when life caved in around him. He touched many in our community and he is deeply missed. This memorial fund is intended to assist people who are in need of treatment for addictive behavior, especially those related to drugs.