Annual Report - Lutheran Services in America

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Person First Webster’s defines stew as “fish or meat usually with vegetables prepared by boiling slowly or with simmering heat.” I am sure each region of the country has its own comfort foods, many of which might be some type of stew. In the Southeast, Brunswick stew is one of our culinary comforts. While there is argument regarding its origin (both Virginia and Georgia lay claim), there is no argument of the value of good Brunswick stew on a cold damp night. Made with two meats, usually chicken and beef or pork (deer, rabbit, squirrel, road kill [yes, road kill is a source of protein in the south] have been included), potatoes, tomatoes and a wide variety of vegetables. Families have their own “special” recipe and guard them fiercely. Brunswick stew worth anything is cooked in big black cast iron pots for hours over a wood fire. While each ingredient maintains its separate identity, there is a unique merging of all the flavors that provides a rich and unique taste that demands not just one bowl but two. LSA resembles good Brunswick stew. Faith, community and a call to serve provide a solid base while all 309 members represent the rich and varied ingredients to make an organization with a unique mission. LSA members touch almost every facet of life – children, disabilities, aging, housing, counseling, refugees, advocacy and many more. What do we gain from LSA that cannot be gained from specialized trade associations? LSA provides technical / timely educational topics at its conferences and advocacy on a national level, but so do trade associations. So why do I participate in the offerings of LSA such as the CEO Academy, Leadership Academy, Annual Conference, Executive Retreat? Being with peers, sharing faith stories and worshiping together provides comfort food for my soul. There is a shared honesty, openness and willingness of my peers to express their faith journey with Christ. I leave each event with a sense of affirmation of my call and renewed inspiration to serve. I have been fed not only intellectually and technically but also spiritually. I know I am part of something much larger than me or my organization. We are members of the body of Christ (See 1 Corinthians 12: 12 – 31). Just like Brunswick stew – many but one! See y’all in Pittsburgh. Charles Harris is President/CEO of Lutheran Retirement Ministries of Alamance County/Twin Lakes Community in Burlington, North Carolina, a continuing care retirement community. Through the Norman C. Berg Fund, Lutheran Retirement Ministries is a founding supporter of LSA’s CEO Academy, providing scholarships for CEOs new to the LSA system to attend this seminal leadership event. The Berg Fund also support’s LSA’s Leadership Academy for non-CEO leaders in LSA organizations. 20 Together | www.lutheranservices.org
T:7.5” S:7.5” INVEST WITH A BANK AND THEY GIVE YOU A TOASTER. INVEST WITH US AND WE THROW IN A FOOD PANTRY. B:10” T:10” S:10” February 3, 2010. Grace Lutheran Church, Champaign, Illinois. A great interest rate is only the beginning of what you receive when you invest your savings with the Mission Investment Fund. That’s because the money you invest funds building and renovation loans for ELCA congregations like Grace Lutheran Church. Grace used an MIF loan to remodel its existing building, enabling it to remain near downtown Champaign, where it runs a much-needed food pantry. A building loan that helps feed the hungry? It’s enough to make an ordinary investment feel like manna from heaven. Ready to grow your finances and your faith? To learn more about the highly competitive interest rates and flexible terms we offer on a wide range of investments and ministry loans, visit our financial services center at elca.org/mif. Or call us at 877-886-3522. Mission Investment Fund investments are subject to certain risks. See “Risk Factors” in the MIF Offering Circular. MIF investments are not bank accounts. As securities issued by a nonprofit institution, the investments are not insured by FDIC, SIPC or any other federal or state regulatory agency. The securities are sold only by means of the Offering Circular. This is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described here.
Page 1 and 2: INSIDE 2011 Annual Report 1942 1853
Page 3 and 4: Welcome A God More Invites Trustwor
Page 5 and 6: Oaks Indian Mission 1842 Glade Run
Page 7 and 8: Lutheran Mission Society of Marylan
Page 9 and 10: 12 Above: Brett Smith works on a Va
Page 11 and 12: 1979 Lutheran Volunteer Corps Carro
Page 13 and 14: Caregiver Suite The Search is On Ev
Page 15 and 16: Lutheran Social Services of South C
Page 17 and 18: Save dateS September 27-30, 2012 Bo
Page 19 and 20: 00312 Mi Stories Ad Ken Crest:Layou
Page 21: “Go home to your friends and tell

Annual Report - Lutheran Services in America

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