From LifeDate - Winter 2006.
 

"As Christmas nears and the old year ends,

We thank the Lord for such good friends."

This little verse means more to me every year. It certainly has come to mean more after my last two years as director of development at Lutherans For Life. At the end of every year, as I think of God’s Christmas Gift, I remember good friends who give gifts to LFL in thankfulness for the Gift of Life who was born in Bethlehem.

Lutherans For Life has thousands of good friends who pray for this ministry on a regular basis. We are strengthened by your concern for the mission of LFL. In return, we, at the national Life Center, also pray for you! Thank you for your friendship expressed through prayer!

Another group of good friends are our annual and sponsor members. Your monthly and yearly gifts show a commitment to LFL and are a key source of funds needed to carry on our every-day work. As of this writing, there are over 2000 annual and sponsor members, including more than 200 new members in 2006! Many of you are Life Ministry Coordinators or involved in local LFL chapters or state federations. Thank you, friends, for your commitment and connection through membership!

Many individuals support LFL with gifts throughout the year. Sometimes these gifts are in response to an appeal. Others are given in memory or honor of a loved one or a special occasion. Gifts of all sizes make a difference in the lives of your neighbors when the Gospel message of hope is shared through LFL materials and speakers. Thank you, friends, for supporting Lutherans For Life with your individual gifts!

Each year, LFL receives numerous gifts from churches and church groups. Sometimes these are the result of special offerings or fundraising projects. Some churches even include the ministry of LFL in their yearly budgets. We know that behind these gifts are church members who understand that life issues are spiritual issues and are making that connection because of faithful pastors. What good friends we have in Lutheran churches across the country!

Every gift, of any amount, is treasured by Lutherans For Life. Some of our friends have been richly blessed by the Lord of Life and share those blessings with us for special projects. Through careful planning, many of our friends can make a major gift! There are always projects at LFL that need special funding. Work continues on LFL’s "For Life" curriculum. Life issues in the news require timely, biblical responses. In order to meet the needs of God’s people, Lutherans For Life must have the facilities and resources to be able to respond quickly and efficiently. We are thankful for our good friends who take advantage of unique opportunities to spread God’s message of Life into our churches, schools, families, and communities!

There is one more group of LFL friends that deserve special recognition. They are the unsung heroes of LFL—our volunteers. At the National Life Center, we are blessed with wonderful friends who regularly give of their time and talents so that you receive LifeDate, Life News, Life Sunday materials, and other resources in a timely manner. Across the country, LFL volunteers spend countless hours in their churches and communities—helping spread the message of hope and comfort that only Jesus can bring when we face decisions on life issues. On behalf of all of the national staff, a big thank you to our volunteer friends!