October 2021 Update

Eric Jurmu | The Voice of Zion October 2021 - News and Notes --

Shorter days and cooler temperatures remind us that fall is here again. It also reminds us of the cycle of life, when the flower of life fades and a human passes from this life to eternity. We remember you who have lost loved ones. May God give hope of reunion in the resurrection!

This summer, camp life resumed. Little ones were fed around God’s Word and many young ones were confirmed at Confirmation schools. Our young are to be remembered; we pray for God’s increase to the seed sown in the hearts of His own.

We can feel secure remembering how God blessed our online Summer Services and meetings, though we were unable to gather in person. At the LLC Annual Meeting, congregation delegates gave clear support to the work of the LLC board and staff. God has given us a day of work, for which we are thankful.

Updates on LLC Activities

Administration

• Kelso High School in Kelso, Wash., is reserved for 2022 Summer Services. Please note that the 2022 services dates have changed to June 30–July 3. This change was necessary because the school will use Monday, July 4, to prepare for summer activities.

• Due to travel restrictions, the SRK-LLC-SFC joint meeting will be postponed until February or March 2022.

Finance

• We are thankful for the contributions of labor, materials and financial donations for the LLC office project. With the generous contributions, current monthly outlay is less than the rent was at our previous location.

• Camp season is wrapping up. This year again there were many donations of labor and travel expenses, which in turn allows lower camp fees. This makes it easier for families to send multiple children to camp.

• Throughout the pandemic, many congregations were affected by changes to daily activities and regular services. This impact was also felt in LLC operations. With the return to a more normal schedule, LLC financial contributions have also returned to normal. For this we are thankful.

• With plans to build a bathhouse at Silver Springs in time for 2023 Summer Services, we are starting to see donations for this phase of development.

• Inventory reduction efforts continue. We are pleased that during the pandemic we were able to reduce old inventory as well as sell new products.

Facilities

• Approximately 350 youth traveled to Peace Gardens for the annual Youth Days. Many commented how thankful they were for the opportunity to again gather at these gardens in unity with the Canadians who were able to cross the border.

• The annual Joint Camp Boards meeting was held September 11, 2021. This year’s camps were reviewed and plans for 2022 were discussed. In 2021, we experienced God’s blessings for those who attended camps. We pray God will bless efforts to come.

• This year, approximately 3,000 camp participants signed up through the LLC camp registration system. Of this number,

– 350 attended Hasscib Lake Camp

– 840 attended Kamp Kipa

– 1,600 attended Stony Lake Camp

Of this overall number, 255 participants were confirmation school students who attended one of eight LLC Confirmation schools.

Communications

• Fourteen scholarship recipients were selected for the 2022–2023 Opisto year. The list of names will be published after all recipients have indicated whether they will accept the scholarship.

• LLC Publication’s workshop was held at the Monticello office on September 17–18. Participants had the option to hone their writing skills or to discuss various aspects of publications work at LLC. One result of the workshop was the realization that there is a need for more fiction written by and for believers.

• The LLC History Project reading group met mid-September to begin reviewing the work that Keith Waaraniemi has done. Support and encouragement was expressed for the continued writing of AALC/LLC’s nearly fifty years of history.

• The new songbook app is in the testing phase and is nearing completion. The app is scheduled to be released October 24.

• We continue work on our Publications app, which is named Hearken. This app will be released soon after the turn of the year. We will provide more information on this app and how to subscribe to it in the next two months.

Mission

• The Prescott Valley congregation blessed Ross Fredrickson into the office of the ministry on September 19, 2021. We wish Ross and Kayla and family God’s abundant blessings and protection with this calling.

• Forty-five couples gathered at Kamp Kipa, September 24–26, 2021, for the annual Ministers and Wives Camp. Mikko Pasanen of Phoenix, Ariz., served as camp director. God abundantly blessed the weekend. Approximately ten couples attended this camp for the first time; they were remembered with love and encouragement in their new calling.

• Foreign mission trips are still on hold due to travel restrictions. Online services continue for those mission fields affected.

We thank you for your prayers and support for the work of God’s kingdom!