Tumaini Kristo Lutheran Church, Jersey City, N.J., this spring purchased the building members had been leasing for worship and ministry space through member contributions, an LCEF loan, and gifts from the New Jersey District and its members.

Laborers For Christ Project Manager Jim Eberhart calls building the new child development center for Bethany Lutheran Church in Slidell, La., a special project because many Laborers are grandparents and they recognize the importance of good Christian education.

St. Martini Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, Wis., members strive to bridge the ethnic and linguistic gap among its church and school families. Monthly family worship services are translated into Spanish by the school’s bilingual secretary. LCEF provides loan support to St. Martini for the operation of the school.

Helped by an LCEF loan, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, a mission congregation in Bismarck, N.D., opened its doors to the community this past summer in a former retail store. Members are making good use of the space and members are actively reaching out to the developmentally disabled with its Faith and Friends weekly service. It is also a ministry partner to Bethesda Lutheran Communities, with the goal of providing a Lutheran, faith-based group home for people with the disabilities.

The congregation of Immanuel Lutheran, Wentzville, Mo., had outgrown its church building and had been worshipping in the school’s multipurpose room for several years. With a generous gift of land in an area along a major road and in close proximity to one of the local school district’s major campuses, the congregation constructed a new church. The new facility was dedicated in August. Immanuel used an LCEF loan to help keep its 100-year history going forward and continuing to touch people in its community.