Seeds of Love Outreach Program

At RLC, outreach is one of the three focuses of our ministry. Along with worship and nurture, outreach is at the core of what we believe and what we practice in our mission statement:

"Celebrating God's Grace through Worship, Nurture and Outreach.

Outreach happens each day in many different ways. It happens each week in different forms and it comes to life each month in different events.   RLC's main focus in outreach happens with our two primary partners; The Lutheran Church of the Reformation in inner city Milwaukee and The Kikwe Parish in Tanzania.

We look at outreach very much like a farmer or a gardener would look at their crops/gardens. First, it all starts with "good soil" and we have prepared our hearts as that good soil where "love can grow and peace is understood." Good soil alone though will not produce the desired result. It needs a seed to make things happen, and that's where RLC's "Seeds of Love" program begins.

The Seeds of Love program is an overarching theme that encasulates a number of events and activities that happen over the course of our church year.   Like the harvest season, our program begins in the spring when those seeds are planted and continues through October and harvest time with our Harvest Sunday and HarvestFaire Celebration. Over the course of the year, these are just some of the elements of Seeds of Love:

- Reformation Sunday: Generally held in May, this is the Sunday where the congregation of our partner church, Reformation closes their doors and attends service with RLC in New Berlin.   A fellowship luncheon follows.   This event is an excellent opportunity to host our partners, forge stronger relationships and enjoy fellowship with our friends.

- Digging and Dining:   Traditionally, Digging and Dining has happened each Wednesday evening during the Summer months. Friends from Reformation come to RLC to help plant, tend and harvest the RLC garden each week, followed by dinner in the Fellowship Hall and an informal worship service. D&D has been a popular program and is under review for 2012 for a freshening of format and content.

- Kikwe Sunday: This Sunday celebrates our partnership with the Kikwe Parish in Tanzania and happens at a different time each year. Traditionally the Sunday includes a sampling of elements from out Tanzanian partners that could include: messages, music, food, shopping, fellowship and other elements that help us better understand our partners so that we may find better ways to more fully live that partnership.

- Blessing Sunday:   On this Sunday, usually in early October, RLC closes it's doors and worships with Reformation at their church home on 35th and Garfield in Milwaukee's inner city.   RLC and Reformation's other partner congregations come together for a celebration of partnership and fellowship with a special service and post-service fellowship event.

- Harvest Sunday:   This very special Sunday in October is the culmination of our annual Seeds of Love Campaign. Along with special messages and music, the service includes a special time when the congregation comes forward and shares their financial gifts for our partners. While the rest of the year involves sharing our time, talent, love and friendship with out partners, this is the one day each year where the congregation is encouraged to share their financial gifts with our partners.   All funds are provided to both Reformation and Kikwe partners from this day.

- HarvestFaire: Held on Harvest Sunday, after the special worship service, RLC enjoys HarvestFaire, the celebration of our harvest and our partnerships. This fun, annual event features a number of activities that always pleases, as well as a great opportunity for fellowship.   (the event is always scheduled to avoid overlapping with a football game of a certain Wisconsin team).   Activities can include: Harvest Bingo, Cake Walk/Sweet Treat Trot, Time&Talent Auction, Table Raffles, Men's Harvest Dessert Bake Off, Soup Luncheon, and many others.   Soup Luncheon proceeds support the RLC Youth Group and all other proceeds support our partners and are combined with the dollars from the Harvest Sunday service.

- Miracle on 124th Street: The annual "miracle" happens each year at Christmas-time.   RLC families provide Christmas gifts for selected Reformation families and share those gifts in a special Saturday morning celebration at Reformation.

ALL RLC events and activities have open participation to our members, their families and guests and the entire community. Membership in RLC is not required to participate.

HarvestFaire 2011 Photo Gallery

Resurrection Lutheran Church - 12400 West Coldspring Road, New Berlin, WI 53151 -262.786.8880 rlcnewberlin@sbcglobal.net
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