Past Issues of Good Works

  • Good Works: Wanted: A few (or many!) good women - 05/02/2013
    Ah, the Lutheran potluck. The meatballs, those gelatin molds, the made-from-scratch
    desserts served with coffee from an industrial-sized, stainless steel pot.
    Wherever Lutherans gather for circle meetings, quilting groups, Bible study or
    church council meetings -- there's always food.

  • You can give this story a happy ending! - 04/18/2013
    “It’s like sharing bedtime every night, even though we are not there,” shares
    Jacqueline, an incarcerated mom at an Illinois prison. “It’s just like I am
    sending her a hug.”

  • Pr. Denver Bitner retires: Thanking a servant leader – 04/02/13
    As the Christian Church celebrates God’s triumph over death in the resurrection
    of Jesus, we also celebrate that by baptism each of us has been called and anointed
    to continue Jesus’ ministry of responding with love and compassion to people living with various burdens and disabilities.

  • This Easter, give hope - 03/21/2013
    Easter brings us hope -- a hope that is firmly rooted in our faith in Jesus Christ.
    As we look toward Easter, I want you to know how your gifts to Lutheran Social
    Services of Illinois (LSSI) provide hope for the people we serve.

  • Celebrating social work & ‘the profession of hope’ - 03/08/2013
    March is National Social Work Month. As social workers are among my favorite
    people in the world -- especially the ones who work here at Lutheran Social
    Services of Illinois (LSSI).

  • Lucile: 'I'm staying right here.' - 02/21/2013
    “I believe in growing old gracefully. Because otherwise, you’re up the creek!”
    Lucile is indeed growing old gracefully as she approaches her 89th birthday
    in April.

  • Why it’s important: Mental health for kids - 02/07/213
    As parents, we worry about our children -- no matter what their age.
    But I think we worry the most about our young ones who are just
    starting out in life.

  • Our gratitude for an outpouring of gifts - 01/24/2013
    G. K. Chesterton once said that “gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”
    That’s how I feel when I think about the outpouring of gifts and support given to
    Lutheran Social Services of Illinois for our clients at Christmas.

  • A challenge for all of us in the new year - 01/10/2013
    Every year begins with new opportunities and new challenges. In 2013, we at
    LSSI will be called on to provide more human care services than ever before
    with the lowest level of funding in decades.

  • Before this year ends, make a life-changing gift - 12/27/2012
    It’s so hard to believe that Christmas has passed and we are about to begin
    a brand new year.

  • Finding stillness this Christmas - 12/13/2012
    How we crave a bit of quiet in the incredible hustle and bustle that makes up
    most of our days. Everywhere we go, we are deafened by the sound of traffic,
    electronic devices or the whirring of machinery.

  • Change someone’s life: Double the impact of your gift - 11/29/2012
    Each Christmas season, we celebrate the story of how God brought the
    great light of hope – Jesus Christ – into our lives!

  • Thankful for Family - 11/15/2012
    There is something that happens to me almost everywhere I preach on
    behalf of LSSI. In almost every congregation, someone comes up and says,
    “We adopted our child/children through LSSI. Thank you for the work you do!”

  • Honoring and celebrating our vets - 11/01/2012
    On November 9, more than 30 veterans from our Intouch Adult Day Services and
    Intouch Home Care Services in Moline, programs of LSSI, will join with other
    veterans being honored for their selfless contributions to our country.

  • Helping seniors stay ‘in the driver’s seat’ - 10/18/2012
    “I am still in the driver’s seat.” What a powerful statement that is. It was spoken
    by Ruth, an 89-year-old mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and current
    resident at P.A. Peterson Center for Health in Rockford, one of two long-term
    care and rehabilitation facilities run by LSSI.

  • It’s time to celebrate true friends - 10/04/2012
    A true friend is one soul in two bodies. That was Aristotle’s idea of amicus certus.
    For LSSI, Amicus Certus (“true friend”) is the name of the award given at our
    annual fall celebration, presented to a person who has made significant
    contributions to the human community.

  • Helping children tell the story of their lives - 09/20/2012
    Most of us know the story of our lives. We have fond memories from our childhood. Our
    parents and grandparents have shared family tales and photographs that last a lifetime.

  • A hundred youth, happy to serve - 09/10/2012
    Question: What would it take on a hot, muggy summer morning to motivate 100 teenagers
    to get out of bed and away from their social networking? Answer: A really good service project!

  • Doing good in memory of Josh - 08/23/2012
    Could there be any greater sorrow in this world for a parent than
    the loss of a child? I can’t imagine what it would be. Nor can I imagine
    how I would handle such devastating grief.

  • Head Start: Getting Kids Ready for the Adventure of Learning -08/09/2012
    I have always liked September. It has a newness about it. And an air of anticipation.
    Maybe that's because, for me, the new school year started in September (although now,
    I know, it sometimes starts earlier).

  • Faith translated into action: Hands at Work - 07/26/2012
    As I have the opportunity to travel to churches around Illinois, I’m often struck
    both by how much our ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) congregations
    are doing to serve people in need and also by how much more need there is out there,
    especially for those hurt most by our challenging economic climate.

  • LSSI spells ‘Home’ for seniors - 06/28/2012
    Rockford is home for me, the place where I have lived for 40 years with my wife, Pam,
    and raised our children. I love living there.

  • A different sort of Father’s Day reflection - 06/14/2012
    Father’s Day is this Sunday – a time to honor the special connection fathers have with
    their children. Have you ever wondered what it’s like for a dad who is in prison and
    separated from his children? In one word, it’s tough.

  • Join me and Dr. Martin Marty for Jazz Psalms - 05/31/2012
    I would like to invite you to join me for a unique musical and worship experience: the
    30th anniversary performance of Andy Tecson’s Jazz Psalms: “I will praise God still!”,
    which will be held on June 17 (Father’s Day) at 4:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church
    in River Forest.

  • Walking women to their dreams - 05/17/2012
    "[When a mother is incarcerated], everyone does the time. The families count the days,
    months and years, just like the mom." That's Sheryl Thompson's belief, and she should
    know -- she is the warden of Dwight Correctional Center for Women.

  • Every child deserves a Lifebook - 05/03/2012
    Lots of people have foggy memories from their childhood in which the details
    may be vague, out of sequence or, in some cases, simply inaccurate. But most
    people have a parent or another person who can help them put the puzzle pieces
    of the past together.

  • Meet our amazing volunteers! - 04/19/2012
    April is National Volunteer Month, and I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize
    and thank the many volunteers who help Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI)
    each and every day to serve people in need in a variety of wonderful, essential ways.

  • LSSI brings Easter hope - 04/05/2012
    In many ways, the mission statement of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI)
    could read "bringing Easter to people and communities across the state of Illinois."

  • Celebrate Easter by sowing seeds of hope - 03/22/2012
    Farmers and gardeners are people of hope. And this is exactly the time of
    year when that hope is most evident, as farmers and gardeners think about
    what seeds they will plant in this spring.

  • Celebrating 'Opening Day' at Shady Oaks - 03/08/2012
    Last Friday, I took part in a very special celebration at our Shady Oaks program
    in Homer Glen. Shady Oaks is an intermediate care residence for 32 adults with
    developmental disabilities, including cerebral palsy.

  • Legacy Corps: Making someone's life better every day - 03/02/2012
    I’d like to share an excerpt of a letter we received from Jan Rabbit, a client
    of our Legacy Corps program, whose husband Lou was diagnosed with MS in
    February 2001.

  • Respite and relief for caregivers - 02/09/2012
    Are you a caregiver for an older loved one, perhaps one of your parents?
    These days, many people include caregiver as one of their primary roles in life.

  • Help and hope right here, right now - 01/26/2012
    If you’ve ever been in a hospital’s emergency room (ER) – as either
    a patient or visitor – I’m sure you can recall the chaotic atmosphere.

  • Celebrating generous hearts - 01/13/2012
    Thanks to the many people with generous hearts, we at Lutheran Social
    Services of Illinois (LSSI) were able to put three times the gifts under
    Christmas trees for our clients as we did last year.

  • You still have time to change someone's life! - 12/29/2011
    Christmas Day may be past but 2011 isn't over yet! You still have time this
    year to make a life-changing gift to help our Illinois neighbors who are in need.

  • This Christmas, a wondrous gift of love will be shared with others - 12/21/2011
    "How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given!" So begins the
    third verse of the beloved carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” recognizing
    that God’s best work is often done in the quiet of the night and without
    great recognition.

  • This Christmas, your gift makes twice the difference - 12/8/2011
    Sometimes life takes an unexpected turn, and it’s one of our employees who
    needs our services at Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI). That’s what
    happened to Dorothy, who suffered a brain aneurysm 11 years ago

  • The Stars Are Out Tonight - 10/27/2011
    Are you ever nostalgic for the golden age of Hollywood, when the movie
    stars seemed more elegant and sophisticated than they do today? If so,
    you'll fit right in at this year's Amicus Certus ("True Friend") celebration.

  • Finding balance in our lives - 10/13/2011
    As part of our commitment to bringing wholeness to people and
    communities, I’m very excited to tell you about a new wellness program
    Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) is offering to congregations.

  • Learning 'life lessons' at school - 09/29/2011
    I think you’d agree that for kids, school is about much more than
    learning math, English, science and computers.

  • What a difference a life can make - 09/15/2011
    "His success meant success to the community in which he lived. As a
    constructive city builder, he was surpassed by none in our beautiful city.

  • Help more children find loving homes - 09/01/2011
    Melanie, Stephanie and Faith were placed in foster care because of their
    parents’ substance abuse and an unsafe home environment.

  • Celebrating one year of being sober - 08/18/2011
    We know that children learn by imitation. They copy us, our behaviors,
    our attitudes, our preferences. Most of the time, this is a good way for them
    to learn and to form a pattern for their lives.

  • From prison to school to work - 08/4/2011
    If you think it’s hard to find a job in these difficult economic times,
    just imagine the obstacles faced by someone who has recently been
    released from prison.

  • More than vegetables growing in this garden - 07/29/2011
    Lately, I've learned that so much more grows in a garden besides
    vegetables and flowers.

  • What grows faster: carrots or sweet potatoes? - 07/07/2011
    The preschoolers at Messiah Head Start, one of Lutheran Social Services
    of Illinois' (LSSI) programs, know the answer to that question. In the past
    year, they've studied how plants grow in a new science curriculum.

  • A thousand voices tell our story - 06/23/2011
    There is a Native American proverb that says “It takes a thousand voices
    to tell a single story.”

  • 'I want to stay here forever - 06/17/2011
    Earlier this month, I had a wonderful time visiting with the residents
    and staff of Washington Place in Beardstown for a very special occasion:
    the home’s 20th anniversary. Washington Place, a program of Lutheran
    Social Services of Illinois, is a group home for adults with
    special needs.

  • Autism housing: Let’s address this need - 05/19/2011
    Almost every good thing that happens in a community occurs when an
    individual or a group of people sees a need and steps forward and says,
    "Let's figure out how to address this."

  • Easter's message: all is well - 04/20/2011
    At Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI), we are an Easter people,
    seeking to share the message and hope of this sacred season. But sometimes
    that hope can be hidden in the complexity and brokenness of everyday life.

  • Caring for elders in our 'village' - 04/04/2011
    You've probably heard the African proverb "It takes a village to
    raise a child." But I don’t think children are the only ones in need
    of a "village."

  • Read all about our Bookfair! - 03/16/2011
    Once upon a time, there were good people all over the United States
    who wanted to help children whose parents were in prison. But
    the good people really didn’t know what they could do to make
    a difference.

  • 'I had people who never gave up on me' - 03/02/2011
    Helping kids find a safe and loving home -- through foster care or
    adoption -- is an important part of our mission of bringing healing,
    justice and wholeness to people and communities.

  • Keeping families connected: The Storybook Project - 02/15/2011
    I love to read. Some of my fondest memories include being read to
    as a child and reading to my own children when they were young.

  • Moving toward health in body & mind - 02/01/2011
    On Chicago's northwest side, there's a place of hope and encouragement
    for people who are struggling with mental illness and poverty.

  • What does the tax increase mean for LSSI? - 01/24/2011
    Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) exists for one reason — to serve
    people in need. But we can't do this work by ourselves.

  • Christmas Wrap-Up - 01/06/2011
    Thanks to many people with big hearts, we just celebrated a very special
    Christmas at Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI).

  • Christmas Help - 12/21/2010
    What are you doing for Christmas? That's a question many of us
    are asking each other these days.

  • Christmas Appeal - 12/02/2010
    As you plan your year-end giving, please remember Lutheran Social Services
    of Illinois. Thanks to a generous match from LSSI and Cornerstone
    Foundation Trustees, every donation we receive between now and
    the end of December will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to $125,000.

  • Intouch Adult Day Services - 11/16/2010
    Judy Lovett, a friend of our Intouch Adult Day Services in Moline, recently
    said: "God provides people to help us, and God provides places like Intouch."

  • Amicus Certus 2010 - 10/26/2010
    Almost all of us ask the question, "Who am I?" at some point in our lives.
    But that's a question that is particularly critical to many people who
    are adopted.

  • Community Forum - 10/12/2010
    I sometimes wonder if in election years there's a full moon during the whole
    month of October. In the midst of all of the rhetoric, accusations and counter
    attacks that are part of political campaigns, I hear little discussion of the
    fundamental questions facing our state and our country.

  • Faith Love and Hope 09/28/2010
    I have an amazing story of faith, hope and love for you. Jamal, Jerome
    and Jorell were born into a family with a history of drug use, sexual
    abuse and criminal activity.

  • Women at the Well - 09/07/2010
    When she shares her story, Hara Scalin, 37, gives people hope. Hara is a
    mother and recovering addict who has been incarcerated multiple times
    on drug-related charges.