Clothing Drive Benefits St. Matthew in Chicago

LCC Volunteer Helmut Mueller delivered clothing to St. Matthew in Chicago on Friday, June 1st. The clothes were from a food and clothing drive held by Zion Lutheran Church in Beecher.

St. Matthews Soup Kitchen in Need...

 Update - St Matthews Soup Kitchen in Need of Supplies
St Matthew's Soup Kitchen serves meals on Tuesdays & Thursday the 2nd, 3rd & 4th weeks of the month.   They feed over 150 people at each meal.  The community around St Matthew's is a poor and ethnically diverse community. They are only able to continue this ministry through the support they receive from congregations and individuals.  They continuously need to replenish supplies for the kitchen.  It is most helpful when they can receive supplies in restaurant size quantities.
 
If your church or organization would be interested in sponsoring a food drive please contact Dianna Bonfield at 866-455-6466 or e-mail her at Dianna@LutheranChurchCharities.org

 

List of Items Needed:

Corn Oil Canned Tomatoes Canned Vegetables Canned Fruits Pasta Pinto Beans Rice in 25 lb bags White or Red Potatoes- They use 20 lb per day.

Styrofoam plates large dinner size plate Styrofoam cups 60z or 8 oz size Plastic table ware Napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, Cleaning products: pine sol, Clorox bleach, dish soap, cleansing powders. Aluminum foil Spices, garlic, salt, pepper, Sugar & powdered cream Sweet & Low

 

Click Here for the latest NEWSLETTER from St. Matthews

 Delivering Food and Clothing

Spring Cleaning in the Pilsen Neighborhood

 Servant Event gives St. Matthews a Special Cleaning
on Saturday, March 24, 2007 more than 50 volunteers spent the day cleaning St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Chicago. As part of a Servant Event organized by the Northern Illinois District circuit N4, north region churches, the volunteers joined members of St. Matthew and together wiped down and polished the pews, cleaned the floors, windows, stained glass and chancel in the historic 120 year old church. In the words of Pastor Gerry Schalk, St. Matthews, Barrington "If it could be cleaned, we cleaned it!"

At right: Pastor Ron Moritz - Hawthorn Woods, Pastor Julio Loza - Chicago, Pastor Gerry Schalk - Barrington

 

They also brought food and new clothing as well as a donation from St. Matthew, Hawthorn Woods, of 13 bicycles. They raised $1,000.00 which was matched by Thrivent so they were able to present Pastor Loza with a check for $2,000.00.

Collateral Damage effects St. Matthew's Soup Kitchen

  St. Matthews faces a financial need
 Even though giving is down, volunteers continue to cook for the hungry homeless. Many Americans have provided funding to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina... this was the right thing to do, but funding for. St. Matthew's soup kitchen for the homeless became a collateral victim of this past Hurricane season. We have faced emergencies with the generosity of some of our partner friends. Again the miracle of God's love goes on in our midst.  Consider donating to this Urban Ministry...
 To read the entire St. Matthew's Newsletter, Click here.
 To donate to the Comedor Popular Soup Kitchen, Click here

Congratulations to “Comedor Popular” Soup Kitchen

St Matthew Celebrates 15th Anniversary of "Comedor Popular" Soup Kitchen
Continuing Support Is Still Needed

On Thursday, July 28 th at 12:00 p.m. St Matthew Lutheran Church located at 2108 W. 21 st Street , Chicago , celebrated the 15 th anniversary of "El Comedor Popular" soup kitchen. Over the last 15 years the soup kitchen has provided 216,000 hot meals to people of all ethnic backgrounds, they are all welcome regardless of their religious affiliation or lack of it.

The 15 th Anniversary celebration had the participation of special guests and partners in a mission of love and compassion for the homeless, Tim Hetzner, President of Lutheran Church Charities, the Rev. David Speerbrecker of Salem Lutheran Church, Homewood, Illinois; the Rev. Dean Pittelko of St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Park Ridge, Illinois; Prof. Ruban Dominguez of the Hispanic Institute of Theology; the Rev. Stephan Kolanji of Zion Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois, hosted by the Rev. Julio A. Loza of St. Matthew Lutheran Church and East Region Vice-President of the NID. Because of the multiethnic nature of St. Matthew's mission, God's Word was read in English, Spanish, Polish and French Creole.

Special food was served and live music was provided by "Grupo Universo". St Matthew welcomes free will donations that may be sent to;St Matthew's soup kitchen, 2108 W. 21 st Street , Chicago , Illinois 60608

Because of YOUR Support through LCC, the Soup Kitchen has been able to meet the challenge to this point - please help them expand to meet the needs. To contribute click here

For more information from Pastor Loza, click here. Thank you!

El Comedor Popular Soup Kitchen

Operating since 1990 in the Pilsen Neighborhood in Chicago's Near West Side, El Comedor Popular has been feeding and clothing the homeless and needy.

St. Matthew Lutheran Church "Comedor Popular" Soup Kitchen
2108 W. 21st Street
Chicago, Illinois 60628
(773) 847-6458

St. Matthew Soup Kitchen - Pastor Loza
Because of increased need - With your help can expand.

A STEP OF FAITH. In July, 1990, without a budget, Mexican families at St. Matthew took a step of faith to organize "El Comedor Popular" soup kitchen to feed the homeless, enemployed, seniors and children in Chicago's Hispanic community. Thus far, thousands of hungry people have been fed by the "poor serving the poor".

HELP WITH A NEW STEP OF FAITH. While several community oriented charities have closed down and some have decreased their services and cut down their staff because of our nation's economic slowdown, St. Matthew Lutheran, in spite of a financially dry season of summer when many go on vacation, has taken a new step of faith in celebration of the 14th Anniversarey of El Comedor Popular" soup kitchen. Due to rising unemployment and increasing homelessness in Chicago, the soup kitchen, in addition to Tuesday and Thursday, added Friday to serve hot meals to the hungry in Chicago.

Because of the Support of you through LCC, the Soup Kitchen has been able to meet the challenge to this point - please help them expand to meet the needs. To contribute click here

For more information from Pastor Loza, click here. Thank you!