Planning a Lasting Legacy for Future Ministry

by MEGAN MCDANIEL

Congregation Spotlight: How YOU Can Join LHM’s Mission

by MEGAN MCDANIEL

Congregation name: St. Paul Lutheran Church

Location:

Bellmead, Texas (Waco area)

Congregation size: 900 members

Contact person: Pastor Brian Hesse

How does your congregation support LHM?

As a congregation located along a major interstate highway, we have an immense opportunity to reach out. We have supported LHM for a long time through the Project Connect booklet ministry and look to support LHM as they support us in our mission to be “the church on the highway that loves others into the love of Jesus Christ.” The partnership we have with LHM will grow over the next three years because we will be relying on their outreach materials to assist in training our members for more direct outreach into our community. This will happen through workshops being planned around the topics of “Households of Faith” and “Spiritual Conversations.” Also, whenever possible, we make use of the numerous videobased Bible studies produced by LHM.

What was the motivation behind supporting LHM?

LHM is a reliable Lutheran partner producing relevant materials to address the questions people are asking. Their research, in partnership with Barna Group, and other resources have proven to be helpful many times in reaching a community that is often not familiar with Lutheranism or even Christianity. LHM also has the history and track record of providing these vital materials that make them an authentic partner with a history that can be appreciated by young people who are looking for a solid footing in a chaotic world.

What has been your members’ feedback? What do your members like about LHM?

Our members like that the Project Connect booklets are providing hope and answers to the topical issues people are facing in their daily lives. The booklets dealing with the topics of family, marriage, cancer, and Lutheranism remain the most popular booklets on our Project Connect display. Often times we have members taking these booklets to friends, relatives, or neighbors and sharing them in real-world situations outside the doors of the church. As a church on the interstate, we know that life changes fast, and LHM is a trusted resource that helps us keep up the pace.

If your congregation would like to learn more about how you can support LHM’s mission, contact Robin Forsythe at 314-317-4152 or robin.forsythe@lhm.org. If you would like to make a gift of support, visit lhm.org/give

John Kateen grew up in New Jersey and went to a nearby college for a year before volunteering to serve in the United States Army. After serving in the Army for two years, he went back to school and got his Bachelor of Arts before moving to Denver to attend a hotel and restaurant school. After graduating, he was hired by InterContinental Hotels, where he worked in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Bogotá, Colombia. After a couple of years, he returned to the United States to manage an inn in Tucson, Arizona, for his brother before buying and running a restaurant in the area.

“While I was in Tucson, I met a beautiful young woman. We went to a chapel in southern California and got married there. When we got back to Arizona, we started going to Lutheran churches because she was Lutheran. I’ve been Lutheran ever since.”

Several years later, Kateen moved to Atlanta to manage two social clubs before eventually obtaining his real estate license. He has been in Atlanta for more than 50 years and now sells real estate and attends open houses every week.

“I really can’t pinpoint when I first learned about LHM, but I have become very familiar with their work after reading about their various ministry efforts over the years.”

Kateen has been especially impressed with LHM’s global ministry and how staff uses different approaches to reach out with the Gospel to unreached individuals. “LHM does great things around the world. They are able to bring the Gospel to non-Christians in Asia,

Africa, South America, and all over the world. I’m impressed with what they do and how the staff members care about how people feel in their relationship with Christ. I keep reading about all the amazing things they are doing, and it encourages me to support their work.”

Recently Kateen made the decision to include LHM in his will to ensure future ministry beyond his lifetime. For him, the decision was easy “because of what LHM does. The work of LHM is important to me. They are a great asset to our community and to the world. Since I don’t have any children, everything I have will be going back to various religious organizations.”

The process of working with LHM staff has been a positive experience for Kateen. When he visited with an LHM Senior Ministry Advancement Counselor, he shared that they had a delightful conversation and spent a couple hours together. “I enjoyed visiting with him.”

For anyone looking to include LHM in their will, Kateen encourages them to “learn about what LHM does around the world and how they are helping people grow their faith in Christ. And I think if they will learn about that, they would be very apt to make a gift. I don’t see why not.”

“I hope this encourages others and will help people get more involved in LHM’s ministry.”

To learn more about how you can continue LHM’s mission for years to come through LHM’s various planned gift options, visit lhm.org/giftplan or call 877-333-1963. u