Outreach Ministries of First Lutheran Church

• Bethesda Children's Home

  Supported through Lutheran Social Services, Bethesda is a Christian ministry that provides superior behavioral health services to children and their families. First Church provides special support for this organization at various times throughout the year, as well as participating in a continual collection of "Box Tops" for Bethesda.

• HAVIN - Helping All Victims in Need
  HAVIN is a United Way agency. The mission of HAVIN is to provide supportive services and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and their significant others; to increase public awareness, and effect critical changes in public policy in response to sexual and domestic violence. First Church provides special support for this organization at various times throughout the year, as well as participating in a continual collection of pull-tabs from pop cans for HAVIN.

• ELCA World Hunger

  ELCA World Hunger improves the lives of people in need in the United States and around the world by: providing immediate relief for people affected by chronic hunger and poverty; assisting whole communities through long-term, sustainable development to help alleviate chronic hunger and poverty; advocating for justice by changing laws and systems; and educating members of the ELCA in awareness of issues relating to hunger, poverty and justice. First Church provides special support for this organization at various times throughout the year, as well as participating in a continual collection of pennies for world hunger.

• Lutheran World Relief

  Lutheran World Relief is a joint ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod. Lutheran World Relief seeks lasting solutions to poverty and injustice in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and Latin America. In doing so, compels U.S. Lutherans to put their faith into action. First Church provides special support for this organization at various times throughout the year.

• Relay for Life

  Relay for Life is an annual fundraiser hosted by the American Cancer Society that occurs across the United States. In total, more than 3.5 million people participate who are dedicated to eliminating cancer in our lifetime. At events in 4,800 communities nationwide, teams of families, friends and coworkers join together to CELEBRATE the lives of those who have battled cancer, REMEMBER those lost and FIGHT BACK against a disease that takes too much. First Church traditionally sends a team of walkers to participate in this ministry every year and participates in various fundraising events to support the team throughout the year.

• CROP Walk

  The Leechburg Ministerium annually hosts a Crop Walk to help fight hunger. Crop walk consists of neighbors walking together to take a stand against hunger in our world. Together we raise awareness and funds for international relief and development, as well as local hunger-fighting. First Church traditionally sends a team of walkers to participate in this ministry every year. Check out our walkers from 2007.

• Glade Run Lutheran Services

  This organization has been operating since 1854 to serve youth in need in Western Pennsylvania. Since that time, they have evolved into a multi-service organization providing behavioral health, education, and social services to the communities they serve. First Church supports this organization with special drives during the year, including a Christmas tradition of sponsoring a cabin of children who live at the Glade Run facilities and providing homemade pillows and/or blankets.

• Lutheran Social Services
  LSS is a faith-based, community-based provider of social services that enhance the quality of life and promote the dignity and independence of persons in need. To accomplish this, LSS maintains senior activities and programs; adoption services; food and nutritional service programs; Meals On Wheels programs; housing for low-income seniors; senior centers and senior support programs in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Westmoreland Counties; and transportation and technology programs. First Church provides special support for this organization at various times throughout the year, as well as sending several of our members annually to help support their continued Hurricane Relief Operations in the Gulf Coast.
  
  Check out the emails from the Gulf Coast Mission Trip. Pastor Ed Sheehan, then Hebron Lutheran in Leechburg, accompanied three people each from First Church, Hebron, and Trinity Lutheran in Butler to the gulf coast to assist with the rebuilding efforts going on there in the wake of hurricane Katrina.

• Leechburg Food Bank
  The goal of the foodbank is to make sure that nobody in Leechburg goes hungry. This ministry is operated out of First Methodist Church in Leechburg, in cooperation with all the area churches. First Church participates in this ministry through regular contributions and special emphases throughout the year.

• Ten Thousand Villages
  This fairtrade store, operated out of Pittsburgh and other cities across the United States seeks to support sustainable growth in developing nations. Handmade crafts of assorted varieties, as well as coffee and chocolates are bought by 10,000 villages at a fair living wage from artisans and farmers across the world and sold through their stores, internet site, and festival sales. As a part of our 2007 Harvest Home Festival, First Lutheran is hosting a 10,000 Villages sale on October 20th and 21st in Leechburg.