Missions
Missions We Support:
IMAGINE a city where 62% of the children live below poverty, where 40% of the houses are abandoned, where life for many is one big dumpster burn. Then imagine that some of these people in this urban setting (80%) hope for things we take for granted. They hope for a warm home, a roof over their head, healthcare, transportation, food and safe drinking water. Such a place exists: it is Flint’s East Side where the Lutheran Church (LCMS) has planted Franklin Avenue Mission (FAM) to serve the poor, hungry and homeless. St. Martin Lutheran Church assists The Franklin Avenue Mission in Flint, Michigan where God calls us to serve the poor, hungry, and homeless. You can serve, too!
AS A CONGREGATION, WE FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE FRANKLIN AVENUE MISSION IN FLINT, MICHIGAN. YOU CAN MAKE ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS MINISTRY BY INDICATING THAT ON YOUR CONTRIBUTION ENVELOPE.
People of the Book Lutheran Outreach: Dearborn, Michigan has the highest proportion of Arab-Muslim-Americans in the country: over 40% of the city’s population. The Islamic Center of America, the largest mosque in North America, is in Dearborn. Foreign-born immigrants comprise more than 6% of Michigan’s population. There are also an increasing number of refugees from places like Iraq and Syria who now call Michigan home. For these reasons, Michigan serves as the base for POBLO’s operations. With the high concentration of Arabs in Dearborn and the greater Metro Detroit region, outreach opportunities among Muslim immigrants and refugees are endless.
In Michigan, POBLO missionaries are sharing the Gospel with Muslims and other unreached groups one-on-one, in Bible studies, and through an Arabic radio station that broadcasts Christian messages across the U.S. POBLO missionaries disciple, encourage, and counsel Muslim converts and others interested in Christianity. There are five International Friendship Centers in Michigan that, in partnership with volunteers from local churches, provide English and sewing classes to immigrants and refugees in the community. POBLO also provides refugee resettlement services; citizenship classes; food, clothing, and furniture distribution; and friendship & hospitality to those in need. POBLO is also supporting persecuted converts in Michigan.
As a congregation, we financially support POBLO International. You can make additional contributions to this ministry by indicating that on your contribution envelope.
The Radke Family
Joshua (“Josh”) is a International Lutheran Council/LCMS seminarian who has recently completed his six-year academic formation and is awaiting his year-long field work placement for vicarage, the last step before ordination. He and his wife, Kasandra (originally from Germany), have two children, Timotheus (Timo; 12) and Isabelle (Belle; 8); both have autism. Josh was formed for the Holy Office through the MDiv program at Lutheran Church-Canada’s Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines ON, while also concurrently earning his BDiv degree from the University of London-UK (2021, ‘2:1’ honours). His years-long prayer is that both his vicarage and formal ‘call’ will be as an ILC domestic missionary-at-large in the Highlands & Crown of Maine.
His reading, research, and writing interests focus on C.S. Lewis & Tolkien, as well as the Arthuriad (in particular), and the intersection of Theology & Story (in general); this towards a more fruitful approach towards God’s Word as the Arch-Narrative of all History. He would also consider himself an “armchair historian” of various periods and subjects, namely the Church and the development of Christian Doctrine, the Crusades, Great Britain, the American Revolution thru the War of 1812, and Maine.
Both Josh and Kasandra are authors. Josh is working on an Arthurian-inspired graphic novel series, Stitched Crosses, and he’s written a children’s picture book, The Creation, The Fall & The Promise (illustrated by Kelly Schumacher). Kasandra is publishing a fantasy series for young adults, Shadow on the Stars, which she has been developing for over twenty-five years.
AS A CONGREGATION, WE FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE Radke FAMILY. YOU CAN MAKE ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS MINISTRY BY INDICATING THAT ON YOUR CONTRIBUTION ENVELOPE.
Becky Grossmann - Lutheran Bible Translators
Dr. Becky Grossmann
Dr. Becky Grossmann began serving with LBT in 1985 as an assistant to the language program manager in Liberia, West Africa. She became the manager for a short time before being assigned as translation advisor to the Bandi people of Liberia in 1989 and this translation was completed in 1996.
After several years in the U.S., Becky’s LBT service resumed in July 2012. Since then she has facilitated the completion of the Gola New Testament in 2019. She is also involved with two other whole Bible translation projects in Liberia, particularly for the Dan and Maan people. Becky assists translators via innovative technologies such as internet communications and teleconferencing, with periodic in-person visits to Liberia. She recently completed a Doctor of Ministry degree and is currently being mentored as a Bible Translation consultant to make the most of her gifts and raise her qualifications to standards compatible across the field of Bible translation.