St. Matthew Ev. Lutheran Church
Dallas, Texas
St. Matthew of North Dallas is one of ten mission congregations of the CLC. God blessed our 1995 Vacation Bible School (June 5-9) with an enrollment of twelve students, two of whom were visitors. He also provided a capable and dedicated staff. Dorothy Abbott and Debbie Schulz-Peters taught the Bible lessons. Sharla Burkhardt, Janet Krafft, and Vickie Wolff helped out with crafts and refreshments. Eileen Stangeland was the music teacher. Pastor Schuetze conducted the devotions. One special project of the students was to write a letter to the children living in the orphanage in India. Our Sunday School is sponsoring one of the children.
In the days leading up to our VBS a number of St. Matthew members walked door-to-door (some of them in 95 degree temps!) and distributed 950 flyers in neighborhoods near our church. Though our canvassing efforts did not meet with outward success (we did not get even one response), we are grateful for the opportunity to communicate the Good News of the Savior with others through the Gospel invitation contained in the flyer. We remember Jesus’ words: “The kingdom of God does not come with observation” and we trust His promise that wherever the “still, small voice” of the Gospel is heard, God will use it to work saving faith in the hearts of many.
We are trying to keep as “visible” as we can in our community (also through advertisements in the local newspaper). We pray that the Good Shepherd will lead the lost sheep to us that we might share with them the message of His forgiving love.
—Pastor Thomas Schuetze