Scam Warning

ELCA Global Mission personnel have received word of an appeal letter from a Pastor William Maheka Pamui, Senior Pastor of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Dar es Salaam.  He is asking for financial contributions to be made to a bank account in New York to help provide 10 wells for clean drinking water.  ELCA staff have been in contact with Global Mission's Regional Representative in Tanzania who has confirmed that THIS IS A SCAM.

Come to the Aid of the Needy

We hear this call often, but it was heard recently by numerous travelers near a Target store in Woodland.  The people of American Lutheran Church had gathered funds to purchase 1,650 cans of green beans there to distribute in Christmas baskets through Woodland Ecumenical Ministries.  More than 1,000 baskets will be given to needy families in Woodland and the surrounding area in December.

All of those cans were placed on a pallet, shrink-wrapped and carefully loaded into a pickup for the short trip over to the church.  But, as the truck was making its first turn the load shifted, sending green bean cans over the edge and into the intersection.  More than 300 cans bounced and rolled in all directions.  The pickup stopped and its three passengers quickly jumped out to attempt to control the situation.

The Sunday afternoon streets were full of cars.  Suddenly there were not just three people picking up the cans and returning them to the truck, but dozens.  People left their vehicles and quickly ran to pick up the loose cans and carefully stack them in the bed of the truck.   In a matter of minutes all of the cans were retrieved; all that was left was a four foot wet spot in the intersection and a small pile of loose green beans.  Only twenty cans had burst open upon impact.

Who were these good Samaritans?  As quickly as they had appeared, they went back to their cars and resumed their journeys.  Their generous spirit helped save the day of the "The Great Green Bean Crash of 2011."  124 cans that were lightly dented were given to two feeding programs for immediate use; 150 pristine cans were purchased to replace the shortage.

More than 1,000 families will still receive cans of green beans in their Christmas baskets this year thanks to the help of many unnamed people of Woodland.  They could have turned away but instead chose to take a risk and come to the aid of someone in need.  Indeed, this is a time of Thanksgiving.

Change for Empowerment

Davis Lutheran Church offered the opportunity to collect loose change for a month during the congregation's fall stewardship events.  Loose change bags were made to kick off the effort and the bags were brought back to church as part of a Stewardship Celebration Sunday.  Pony Express satchels were returned and a coin trough was filled with the loose change.  In one month the congregation collected nearly $675.00 in pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.  The congregation then had an open discussion and voted to give the coin collection to The Empowerment Plan, specifically the efforts of Veronika Scott in Detroit, who has designed and developed a coat that can also be used as a sleeping bag for homeless persons in need of warmth on the streets.

World AIDS Day - December 1

World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988 as a result of an international summit of health ministers.  The summit called for a "new spirit of social tolerance and a greater exchange of information on HIV/AIDS."  Observed annually on December 1st, the day serves to strengthen the global effort to face the challenges of the AIDS pandemic, which continues to spread in all regions of the world.  Click here for some ideas about how to observe World AIDS Day in your congregation.

2012 Clergy/ AIMs/Diaconal Ministers and Spouses/Partners Retreat

Santa Cruz Mtns.

Feb. 19-21, 2012 

Retreat cost is $500 (room and board); $250 is needed by Nov. 30th to reserve your spot; space is limited to 21 couples.  Make your check payable to Santa Clara Valley Lutheran Parish and mail to: ELCA Rostered Leaders & Partners, c/o Jim & Peggy White, 3744 Cadwallader Ave., San Jose 95121.

Contact Information

Cindi Eckert, Newsletter Administrator                            Pr. Jim Goldsmith, Synod Communicator