Social Ministry
The ELCA has a long history of being present in communities, working to help and serve where the needs are greatest.
We are a church that does God’s work in the world and in local communities pursuing justice, peace and human dignity for and with all people.
At Mt. Lebanon Lutheran church, we strive to follow these same principles.
Daily Bread Outreach
Our on-going charitable fund-“Daily Bread Outreach”, collects donations from congregational members. This fund is designed to be used for helping the needy and addressing poverty in our region.
“Daily Bread” encompasses Martin Luther’s belief that daily bread does not signify food only, but rather pertains to life’s basic needs. Martin Luther teaches us that daily bread is everything that we need in this earthly life, such as food, clothing, and shelter, upright and faithful rulers, good weather, good friends, and faithful neighbors.
On-going projects
Meals with the needy: 6 times/year, our congregation prepares and serves meals for the homeless community at Daily Bread ministries located in Pittsburgh’s Northside
Homebound/Shut-in visits: 5-6 times/year we prepare gifts and cards for the homebound members of our congregation. Members visit the shut-ins and deliver the gifts. Members also write weekly to our homebound members to help ease the loneliness and isolation.
Meals on Wheels: Sunday School youth periodically create gifts that are given to the clients and volunteers of Castle Shannon Meals on Wheels.
Global links: Twice monthly church members donate their time at Global links Green Tree, PA to sort and package donated medical supplies. These donated items are then distributed to areas in need in Central/South America.
Annual events
Souper Bowl of Caring: The youth of the congregation collect monetary donations on Super Bowl Sunday to address hunger in the region. All donations are given to St. Michael’s food pantry.
Blanket tying event: Each winter, the congregation works in conjunction with the Bhutanese Refugee community seniors to create fleece blankets that are donated to Daily Bread Ministries who minister to the homeless in the Pittsburgh area.
Lenten Service Project: Each year, we conduct a service project during the season of Lent. This year’s project is collecting items from the most-needed list at one of Pittsburgh’s Refugee Resettlement agencies. These household items are then distributed directly to the families who are our newest neighbors. Refugees are adults and children who have been forced to flee the only home they have ever known is search of safety. Jesus was a Refugee!
Prior year’ projects included
- Conducting a toilet paper drive to help our friends at Daily Bread Ministries. (They identified this as their greatest need at that time.)
- Organizing a clothing and toiletry drive for the Homeless community at Daily Bread Ministries in the Northside of Pittsburgh
- Creating Personal Care Kits in conjunction with Global Links to be distributed to the needy in our area.
Food Care Bags: 2-3 times/year, we prepare 150 care bags with the curch youth to distribute to the homeless guests at the meals at Daily Bread Ministries
Vacation Bible School: Each year VBS coordinates a service project—School Supplies for SHIM, Food Drive for SHIM or St. Michaels, Wells for Water, etc.
Animal Friends: Every October during the pet blessing service, pet supplies are collected and donated to Animal Friends, a non-euthanizing pet shelter.
Thanksgiving project: Our church family works together to create Thanksgiving dinner baskets for some of the neediest families served by St. Michael’s Food Pantry.
Glade Run Lutheran Services: We adorn our Angel Tree each Christmas with 75-80 tags with requests for gifts for the youth at Glade Run Lutheran Services in Zelienople.
We also have many additional social ministry projects that occur throughout the year due to need in the area.
