St. Martin's Mission Work
St. Martin's Lutheran Church is involved in many exciting missions in and beyond our community. Below are brief descriptions of several of these missions. Please contact Mission Team leader Maureen Berghoefer at 798-4820 if you would like more information about missions at St. Martin's or if you would like to get involved.
Lutheran World Relief
LWR seeks lasting solutions to poverty and injustice and in doing this compels American Lutherans to put their faith to work. St. Martin's concentrates on making quilts that bring warmth on a cold night. The people of St. Martin's also donate items for health care kits to help refugees maintain personal hygiene while living in exile. Ordinary items become extraordinary gifts of comfort and love. "They will know we are Christians by our love."
Plant a Row Garden
Plant A Row is a garden ministry at St. Martin’s. People in the congregation adopt garden rows and help with planting, maintaining and harvesting their row. The fruits and vegetable are donated to the Middleton Outreach Ministry (MOM) where they are distributed to needy families. In the past five seasons of donating over 3,000 pounds of produce, we have established a great relationship with MOM.
Men’s Homeless Shelter
St. Martin’s has been serving evening meals at the Men’s Homeless Shelter for 15 years. Members of the congregation sign up to make food and deliver it to the church kitchen and then a group of volunteers deliver the food to the shelter and help to serve. Our congregation shares this ministry with St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. During the summer months we have served 60-70 men per night and during the winter 90-125 men per night. At St. Martin’s we have a wonderful group of volunteers who help with this ministry. Several of the Confirmation small groups and the Senior High youth group have also helped serve. The men utilizing the shelter are very appreciative of the good we bring and the time we spend there.
Giving Tree
The purpose of the Giving Tree is to provide needed items to area families during the holiday season. This short-term ministry, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2009, runs from the week prior to Thanksgiving through the week following Christmas and is one of the largest ministries at St. Martin’s. In 2008 nearly 400 members were directly involved. The Giving Tree is largely dependent on individual donations and is organized by several small groups of volunteers. The miracle of the Giving Tree is St. Martin’s response to Mathew 25:35: "I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me…"
Befrienders
Befrienders believe that caring is an essential part of the church ministry. Reaching out to those who are experiencing hardships, tragedy, death, illness or isolation creates meaningful relationships. Out role is to be a friend – someone who listens, reassures, and attends to others when they are in need. We recognize that sometimes when we reach out to others, we might face situations that seem beyond our understanding. At those times, if we treat the person we are helping with dignity and trust in the healing power of Jesus Christ, we will generate a spirit of goodwill and hospitality. We are an extension of the church community. We believe in the power of Jesus Christ and the power of prayer in times of distress.
Some of the ways Befrienders extend care include: visiting and serving communion to shut-ins, sending cards and letters to the ill, providing and coordinating meals to needy members, helping with hospital visits, and providing support and information to those in need.
Habitat for Humanity
From the Dane Co. Habitat for Humanity website:
The mission of Habitat is to bring the community together to build homes with God's people in need. St. Martin's is an energetic partner in Habitat for Humanity. In 2009 we had a unique opportunity to team up with Habitat and Thrivent to build a home for a family in Mazomanie.
Operating Principles
- We build quality, affordable, simple and decent homes.
- We are an organization founded on Christian principles; we welcome all people to participate in our organization.
- We provide the opportunity for home ownership to people who might not otherwise become homeowners.
- We recognize that one strength of Habitat is the central role volunteers play in our work.
- We work in partnership with the people who purchase our homes, providing support and counsel to help them succeed in home ownership.
- We bring the community and our partner families together in the home building process.
- We work to assure that our families and homes are assets to the surrounding neighborhood.
- We seek to partner with others in the community to address affordable housing issues.
Rockin' for Kids in Africa
Free Annual Event
St. Martin's Lutheran Church
Featuring:
Madison Gospel Choir
Soul Purpose
Revelation
Rev. Charles and Alberta McNair
Free Will Donations benefit McKallies Home of Future and Hope, an orphanage in Malawi, Africa. www.mckallieshome.org