by Dave Brazzle
About the Palatine LERT Ministry and Upcoming Certification & Training Class
October 12, 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Immanuel’s Fellowship Hall
Christ calls us to get out into the world and help His people who are struggling to cope with the many challenges of this world. LERT (Lutheran Early Response Team) is an LCMS- sponsored ministry that provides assistance to people who have been struck by a natural disaster, such as a tornado, hurricane, micro-burst or flood.
Last year, Immanuel and Prince of Peace joined forces and further expanded the scope of our unified Palatine LERT Team to include an even broader range of needs that includes helping people in our local community with their own “Personal Disasters.”
Equipping, training and credentialing our volunteers to serve effectively and safely is a foundation of the
LERT ministry. LCC is offering their “LERT Training and Certification” class on October 12 for those who want to join the LERT ministry team. Registration is $35, which includes the training, the LERT handbook, safety vest and other materials.
Christ calls us to be His hands and feet, so this ministry isn’t about talking; it is about doing. In 2019 to date, the Palatine LERT team has provided 740 hours of service to people in need! LERT assistance is always 100% confidential and is provided free-of- charge as a tangible demonstration of God’s love and caring. The best way to gain trust, open dialogs and reach out to people in the name of Christ is through our unselfish and unexpected service to them! To this end, our Palatine LERT Ministry presents three interlinked “faces” to our members and community.
When a Natural Disaster strikes a community, the resulting needs are overwhelming. People need to be shown that they are not alone, that there is hope and that God is still walking with them. This “Natural Disaster” aspect is the founding pillar of the LCMS’s LERT program, and it remains alive and well today.
LERT-certified teams such as ours are invited, coordinated and dispatched to areas of natural disasters to clear fallen trees, to help with property damage and to be a tangible Christian presence. To learn more about the Natural Disaster Response aspects of LERT, please see the LCMS and LCC LERT websites.
The elderly, the unemployed, the sick, the poor and even some of the veterans in our own local community are challenged by home maintenance tasks that clearly exceed their resources and abilities. Simply stated, they need assistance with their “Personal Disasters” but have nowhere to turn. Yet doing nothing adversely affects their safety, health, quality of life, property value and even their self-worth.
Our Palatine LERT Team always wants to stay busy helping people! It is for this reason that we expanded our LERT ministry to include these kinds of “Personal Disasters” within our own local community! Confidently discuss your or your neighbors’ assistance needs with Pastor Warren to determine if our LERT ministry team can help.
As noted above, Christ calls us to serve, help and care for others. That’s what a true follower of Jesus Christ does. The idea of helping people in need simply calls to us. How about you? Is it calling to you as well? We would love to tell you more and let you kick our tires with no strings attached. Serving opportunities abound, including many non-physical roles. Other opportunities include working in various capacities from general labor to trade- related skills, such as electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. From young to old, from physically weak to strong, we need you… Jesus needs you.
Contact Steve MacKay for more information on the LERT ministry at (847) 980-9963, or complete our online form at www.immanuelpalatine.org/lert. Lastly and most importantly, our ministry and our clients need your prayers and support.
Thank you for your prayerful consideration!