Peace Notes Fall 2018-Word of Peace Lutheran Church

Judy
Hanson
Judy Hanson has been a member of Word of
Peace since 2000. She recalls how she came to
call Word of Peace home.
“We drove down Main Street in Rogers one evening,
the street lights dimmed and then brightened as we
passed each one. At that time, I knew the Holy Spirit
was telling us that this would be our new home. One
Sunday morning, I visited Word of Peace and was
greeted by two gentlemen who welcomed me and
told me what a great church this was. I had never
been treated so graciously by members of a church
that I was visiting, and I thought that this was where
I could really belong.”
Judy served on numerous groups and committees
during her years at Word of Peace, including the
Evangelism and Visitation Team and Executive
Team. She also served as a representative of the
I-94 Chamber of Commerce.
For many years, Judy has spent much of her time
and energy advocating for the Rogers seniors, and
she was instrumental in providing affordable
transportation for area seniors. In 2007, the kids
who attended VBS at Word of Peace raised over
$5,000 to provide seniors with monthly transportation
to shopping centers. Judy has been the
faithful steward of this fund and was the director
of the Word of Peace Kids Care Bus ministry for
over a decade. She recently retired from this ministry
and handed over the leadership of the Kids
Care Bus to Word of Peace member, Kaye Allen.
Judy continues to lead the weekly bus program
that takes seniors to the grocery store each week.
When asked why she chose to serve in these
roles, Judy replied, “The friendship of so many
10
Judy Hanson (second from right) with the Kids Care Bus driver and passengers
seniors that I would not have otherwise known has
added immensely to my life. Sometimes people who
have led productive lives don’t feel important anymore
and slide into merely existing. But when you
give people ways to be heard and included, they
continue to feel valued. Knowing that our community
cares about them and their needs and will help
them find resources is a big part of maintaining the
health and wellness of the senior population.”
Thank you, Judy, for putting your faith into action
for all these years!
Each of us has a story of how we put our faith into
action. If you have a story that you would like to
share, please contact Pastor Tyler Strom at
tstrom@wordofpeace.org.
If you are looking for ways to serve, or are discerning
how God is calling you to put your faith into action,
please contact any of the following:
Pastor Rick Skare rskare@wordofpeace.org
Pastor Tyler Strom tstrom@wordofpeace.org
Pastor Kristin Skare kskare@wordofpeace.org
Lydia Svendsen lsvendsen@wordofpeace.org