Service to others — both locally and globally — is at the center of our church community. Each month, our Benevolence Program collects contributions from our social justice-minded congregation for deserving charities both locally and globally.
Benevolence presentations are made at services on the second weekend of each month. A special collection is made at that time, but donations can be made throughout the month for that month’s designated charity. The funds are then sent to the recipient organization following that month. Ten percent of each month’s donation goes to Divine Savior, ELC’s sister church in Cataño, Puerto Rico. The full remainder of funds goes to the designated recipient organization. If there is more than one recipient organization in a given month, the funds are split equally between all the charities.
See our list of monthly projects below.
JANUARY: Lutheran Disaster Response and Lutheran World Relief tackles global poverty by helping people adapt to the challenges that threaten their livelihoods and well-being. Our church creates and collects quilts, school kits and health kits, which volunteers load into railroad boxcars this fall, destined for Lutheran World Relief.
FEBRUARY: Compassion International provides educational, health and spiritual guidance to “our” kids: Vanesa, 15, in Mexico, and Simon, 8, in Tanzania.
MARCH: ELC summer youth programming. Through Vacation Bible School, Mission Week and camperships, we’ll touch the lives of dozens of kids over break.
APRIL: Reconciliation in Christ (RIC) builds relationships through outreach and education. Advocating for systematic change in policy and practice in church and society while working to alleviate not only painful symptoms of oppression but to also eliminate its root causes.
MAY: Divine Savior our partner congregation IGLESIA
EVANGÉLICA LUTERANA DIVINO SALVADOR (Divine Savior Lutheran Church) in Cataño, P.R.
JUNE: Neighbors Helping Neighbors provides free food, clothing, footwear, bedding and access to social services to our neighbors in need. As part of its services, NHN supports the summertime backpack lunch program, which offers a steady source of nutritious food to kids from homes where food insecurity is a regular issue.
JULY: LUAD
AUGUST: Little John’s Kitchen is the community’s kitchen for transforming food excess into accessible, chef-quality meals for everyone, regardless of their means. Little John’s is run by Dave Heide, the chef at Liliana’s in Fitchburg.
SEPTEMBER: Through SABA, International, we aid The Nest Children’s Home, New Dawn Orphanage, and Bethel Outreach Children’s Center in Kenya.
OCTOBER: Accessible local health care through Our Lady of Hope in Madison and Community Connections Free Clinic in Dodgeville supports people in our region who would otherwise have few or no options for assistance.
NOVEMBER: TBD – intentional open month
DECEMBER: Madison Area Jail Ministry features 1-on-1 devotion to the spiritual needs of people who are incarcerated and the sheriffs deputies who work at the jail.
