AMAZING NOT NORMAL ENDOWMENT GROUP FROM LONE ROCK, IOWA
Over the last 18 years in all the traveling and contacts with well over a thousand churches in the United States, there is a great challange that can confront congregations when they receive a large inheritance! That challange is the fact that it can become a "Blessing or a Curse". I have seen that some churches suddenly have all this money and they no longer have to rely on the stewardship of the members of their congregation! That can be very dangerous for the future of the congregation. Congregations suddenly have access to "their money" and can use it for "their" operating expenses!
However, it can become a great, great blessing and encouragement for the entire congregation! About 18 years ago at Immanuel Lutheran Church at Lone Rock, Iowa (Lotts Creek) this congregation received a wonderful gift of love from the estate of one of their members. A special endowment committee was formed and the focus of that committee from the very beginning was "outreach" and the "vision of the Lord's mission of sharing the Good News of Jesus" to people outside of their church who haven't heard the name of Jesus our Savior. The long history of being "mission minded" was evident in the membership, as they realized their members all knew Jesus, and knew where their real home was located, but so many in the community and the world did NOT know Jesus.
Therefore, every year this amazingly mission minded congregation has the privilege of selecting special mission outreach projects to select from, and how exciting to see how the Lord has truly blessed their efforts! When Missionary Gary comes to visit them, it's such a JOY and blessing to provide wonderful opportunities for them to pray about and the Lord always directs their actions and so many missionaries have been helped over the years. Because of this congregation many, many missionaries and their families have been able to stay in their position telling more and more people in darkness about Jesus.
Pictured here is this famous committee, which includes: Denise Chrischilles, Brent Opheim, Roger Radig, Sherri Luedtke, Duane Seegebarth the chairman, Judy Kuecker, and the Honorable Missionary Pastor David Berquist. The committee wanted a photo of their group with old Missionary Gary and that's included also. What a blessing to work with special Missionaries like these!!! We thank God for their love for the Mission of the Lord's Church over the years! 
