Grant Request

17 December 2021
Federation Board and Delegates:Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Elizabethtown is submitting this grant request for 2021 in theamount of $130. The funds would be used to purchase 70 daily devotions books based on CPH’s“Symbols of Salvation” Christmas program and to help purchase supplies for the “Jesus’Birthday Party” after the program is presented.Gloria Dei operates the Lutheran Child Care Center (LCCC) for about 80 children, from infantsthrough 4-year-olds, with after-school and school break care for children up to age 12. Most ofthe children’s families are not members of Gloria Dei, and the LCCC is regarded as an outreachministry to the community. The LCCC children (age 2 and up) have daily Bible lessons and aweekly chapel service. The older children who come to the LCCC after school and during breaksalso have devotion time daily.The Christmas season is the time when the LCCC and the church come together to present aspecial program. The younger children learn a very simple set of songs and verses, which ispresented to families, friends, and church members on a Saturday afternoon. The 3- and 4-year-olds join with our Sunday School children to prepare and present a more challenging program ona Wednesday evening, as part of the Advent sequence; older children participate as ushers,lighting control, and readers. Both services are very well-attended by families, friends, andchurch members.Gloria Dei has selected the CPH program “Symbols of Salvation” for both the older children’sservice and the regular Advent services. We used a Thrivent grant to purchase copies of thechildren’s book that tells the same story as does their service for each child in the LCCC and thecongregation. This outreach will serve to reinforce the Christmas message that they hear in theservice.We also gave the families of the LCCC school-age children, the LCCC staff, and thecongregation a copy of the associated daily devotions booklet. In the LCCC, staff use the dailydevotions (simplified for younger children) during devotions. The story and devotion books willbe tangible reminders of the message of God’s love and will, we hope, encourage them to returnfor other services or to be faithful in attendance at their own churches. The cost of the devotionbooks, already purchased, was $111.58. Gloria Dei is happy to pay the shipping cost(approximately $12).It is our tradition each year to throw a “Jesus’ Birthday Party” after the service when the childrenpresent their program. Serving cake, cookies, and punch to the children and their families giveschurch members and LCCC families an opportunity to socialize and begin to form relationships.The cost of ingredients for the cakes (decorated by the LCCC four-year olds), cookies, andpunch was just over $22. Gloria Dei will be responsible for the cost of the plates, cups, andnapkins.Thank you for considering this request. Please contact me if you have questions.God’s blessings on the work you do!
Charlotte Campbell270-319-1383ccampbell24@gmail.com

17 May 2021

TO: Kentuckiana Federation of Lutheran Churches

FROM: Charlotte Campbell and Michelle Petersen

Gloria Dei Lutheran Preschool and Child Care Center Elizabethtown KY 42701

SUBJECT: Grant Request for Vacation Bible School

For Vacation Bible School 2021, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (Elizabethtown) will beoffering a hybrid on-line and at-home adventure. We will be using Concordia PublishingHouse’s Rainforest Explorers package from 2020 (we weren’t able to use it last year). Eachchild who is participating will receive an Explorer Backpack with all of the materials for thelessons, music, crafts, and snacks, as well as instructions for games. We will also provide aguide for accessing the on-line lessons from CPH and our own videotaped welcomesegment.As in previous years, all of the children at the Lutheran Child Care Center will participate,but we have also invited children from the congregation. extended families (grandchildren,nieces and nephews), and the community. For local families, the Explorer Backpacks will beavailable for pickup at the church. For those who live further away, we will mail thebackpacks.The response so far has been amazing – we are expecting well over 100 children toparticipate! We have two Thrivent Action Team cards ($250 each) to help purchasesupplies, and the congregation budget includes $400. We are applying to the Federation fora grant of up to $300 to cover part of the cost of the music DVDs and downloads (one perfamily).We are excited to be able to offer this opportunity to hear about God’s love and care to somany children. Both the welcome segment and the closing videotape will includeinformation about Gloria Dei, and we plan to follow-up with all of the families to invitethem to join us for worship. Both the degree of interest during the follow-up and thenumber of views of our welcome will give us an indication of the success of our efforts.