Fall 2016 - Set Free to Serve

Illuminations
LOVE WORKS
Set Free to Serve
Rev. Dennis Stueve
President, LBW
There is a ridiculous story
about a weight lifter who
appeared at an agent’s
office. The muscle bound
performer was carrying a
stone, a big hammer, and
a huge suitcase. “This big
stone,” he explained to the
agent, “is placed on my
head, then my assistant
takes the hammer and
swings it as hard as he can,
and breaks the stone.”
The agent’s head nearly ached just from the
description, but he was quite enthusiastic.
“Sounds wonderful!” he shouted. “But if you
need only the hammer and the big stone for the
performance why did you bring this big suitcase?”
The weight lifter replied, “It’s full of aspirin.”
There are a lot of people who function quite nicely
in society, who seem like they’ve got it all together,
who come across as if they have life all figured
out, but somewhere they’ve got a suitcase hidden,
because they’re in a lot of pain. If you look closely,
you see it in their faces, you hear it in their voices,
you sense it in the stoop of their shoulders, the
sadness in their eyes, the weariness in their walk.
Some people live hard, despairing lives. They long
to be set free, so do you and I!
Freedom is what Christian faith is all about. We
so often forget that. There are always those who
would turn faith into a new form of bondage.
Faith in Christ is freedom, delirious, unrestrained
freedom. Indeed, there is no freedom without
Him. What is that freedom that Christ gives?
1. Jesus Gives Us Freedom From The Bondage
of Sin. He does this by paying the full price for our
sins. In Him we are fully, freely forgiven!
2. Jesus Can Also Set Us Free From
Meaninglessness And Despair. Jesus is saying to
us that when we know the truth about who we are
(sons and daughters of God), then we no longer
have to wallow in despair and disappointment.
3. Jesus Can Free Us From Life’s Emotional
Wounds. In all adults there is still a small
child whose spirit
What’s Inside
somehow has been
“Love Works” in Texas............ 2
wounded along the
Update on Costa Rica............ 3
way to maturity.
Set Free to Serve Cont’d....... 3
(cont’d. on pg. 3)
Ministry Needs......................... 4
PO Box 5000 Yucaipa, CA 92399 • 800-925-6092 • www.LBWinc.org
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Fall 2016
From Nigeria
“Greetings to you at LBW. I received the
package you sent to me from post office on
30th June 2016. In the package are Audio CD ‘s
for Old and New Testament set. Also books of
Exodus, Leviticus, 1st and second Chronicles.
By the grace of God I will make my own
donation to support the organization, when
I get to USA. Thanks and God bless you.”
THOMAS
Promise Makers
Mary Helen Kelly
Roberta Werth
Marjorie Delafosse
Melvin Stueve
Milton & Peggy Turnipseed
Ida Mall
Richard & Nancy Challis
Ane Ertzner
Norman Loeber
Tax ID: 95-6048152
“Love Works” in Klein, Texas
LBW is blessed to have volunteer Work
Centers across the country such as WC #93
at Trinity Lutheran Church in Klein, Texas.
Their “Labor of Love,” the 10-volume Large
Print New Testament, has touched the
hearts and lives of hundreds upon hundreds
of visually impaired recipients here and
abroad.
From Australia, Sarah L. writes, “A big thank
you for sending the Large Print Bible, it is
brilliant!!!” Sarah requested the Bible for a
sight-impaired lady in her church who told
Sarah she “loves it, due to the format with
the verses being spaced out and the nonglare paper.” Sarah closed the letter, “Thank
you for your lovely generosity.”
One such grateful reader, Mary N. of
Washington State wrote to the center:
“Thank you for sending me the Bible in
Large Print. It is of a size I can read. There
is nothing like the Word of God that
helps a person in this life. Blessings and
thanksgiving to your giving hearts. Lovingly
in Christ, Mary.”
From Massachusetts, Rev. Arnold K. writes,
“Your ministry has been a blessing to me and
my family for sending us the Bible in large
letters and the teachings. This is the first
time in my lifetime that I was able to receive
a free Bible and literature in Large Print. You
are a great blessing to us and to others. Your
Servant in the Lord, Rev. Arnold.”
Center Rev Dennis Stueve, with
LBW Volunteers from Trinity
Lutheran Church, Klein, TX
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Back at Trinity, Klein, the
dedicated volunteers monthly
prepare 75 sets of these New
Testaments for shipping.
Students from Trinity’s day
school load them into a car and
pray for those who are about
to receive them. In addition,
in January of this year, the
school’s chapel donations were
presented to the center. This
money covered the production
costs of 50 NT sets, all 500
volumes. From the youth to
the seniors, all get involved at
Trinity, Klein to reach out with
Jesus’ message of hope and
salvation to all who believe in
Him. – Roy Fisher
Sky Ervin and Ed Jaimes
preparing to ship Bibles to
The Costa Rica Bible Society
Costa Rica, Bible Update
A heartfelt “thank you” to our volunteers
who increased production of the Spanish
Braille Bible books to help fulfill the Costa
Rica request. We appreciate the volunteers
who worked through the heat of summer
when normally they close the center.
A special “thank you” to You the donor for
financially giving to this project.
Thirty complete Bibles, 1,200 volumes, have
been shipped as of July 1st. Our goal is to
have all 100 Bibles produced and shipped
in time for Christmas. This would not be
possible without your giving spirit. – Rose
Jaimes
Set Free to Serve (cont’d. from pg. 1)
Jesus says: “I love you! You matter to me so
much that I died for you!”
First, would you put LBW on your daily
prayer calendar? Second, would you consider
making a one time or an ongoing gift to this
ministry that touches so many lives with
the Gospel? Finally, would you also consider
putting LBW in your will or trust? Thank-you!
People who are visually impaired are some of
the most marginalized people in the world.
Many of these people are hurting and don’t
know the FREEDOM that Christ has for
them.
For more information about Lutheran
Braille Workers and how you can become
more involved with this mission, find us on
the web: www.LBWinc.org or “like us” on
Facebook. – Rev. Dennis Stueve
The ministry of LBW reaches out with the
Good News of this FREEDOM Jesus offers!
If you have directed your Choice Dollars® to
LBW and would like to recommend that funds
go to a particular Work Center, please call or
email Deanna Bowles at (800) 925-6092 or
[email protected]
Lutheran Braille Workers would like to thank
Thrivent Financial for the Thrivent Choice®
program, which we receive grant funds
through monthly. From 4/01/16-06/30/16 we
received $9,710 from this program which will
help us to continue producing Bibles in Large
Print & Braille, to be given free of charge to
anyone who is in need.
Board of Directors
Mrs. Carol M. Zemke - Chair
Mr. Ken Loeber - Vice Chair
Mrs. Deborah Rutt - Secretary
Mrs. Ruth Martin - Treasurer
Rev. Dr. Daniel Mattson - Chaplain
Mrs. Julia Neimes
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“For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:21
LBW’s annual budget is $1,426,800. At the end of the
second quarter we had received 29% of our budgeted
amount for the year.
Ministry Financial Needs
$1,426,800
Through your prayers and financial support, we can
reach the income needed to support this ministry
of bringing God’s Word to people who are blind and
visually impaired, so that they, too, may know God’s
Love.
$1,426,800
$915,715
Ministry 2016 Budget
Actual Income
1st Quarter - $231,671
Jan - March Budgeted Income
$300,625
2nd Quarter - $417,888
April - June $590,900
$590,900
$417,888
$300,625
3rd Quarter $915,715
July - Sept $231,671
4th Quarter $1,426,800
Oct - Dec
Please prayerfully consider Lutheran Braille Workers in your Estate Planning.
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