Missions
Local & Global Opportunities
The Mission Statement of St Stephen Lutheran Church states:
We Glorify and Grow in Christ to share God's Gifts and Grace with others.
Sharing God's gifts and grace is a response to the commandment Christ gave us in Mathew 22:37-40: " Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
As we work to follow these commandments join us in helping our neighbors nearby and globally..
Opportunities to serve locally:
St. Stephen community outreach includes these local non-profits, serving a variety of needs in Seminole County . Members are encouraged to contact these agencies for information on volunteering in a wide variety of skilled and unskilled positions.
The Christian Sharing Center, Inc.
600 N. Hwy. 17-92, Ste. 158
Longwood , Florida 32750-3638
Phone: 407.260.9155
www.thesharingcenter.org
The Sharing Center changes despair into hope for working people who have nowhere else to turn in a financial crisis. Formed in1986 by local churches working together to help with basic needs of food, shelter, clothing, and compassion, The Sharing Center also assists with essential needs for transportation, heat, lights, AC and medical costs. A Disabilities Caseworker helps disabled persons to get training in new areas of work and find a place to live. A MedNet Navigator assists patients with long-term health issues to find help with prescription costs. A Health Navigator helps patients find a family physician or specialist to care for on-going health problems. Clients may apply for food stamps on premises.
Locations for walk-in client assistance, 9 am-1 pm Monday-Friday, are at two locations:
600 N. Hwy. 17-92, Longwood and 515 E. 25 th Street , Sanford . A thrift store, the center's largest fund-raiser, also is located at the Longwood site and welcomes volunteers. The store is open to the public 9:30 am-5 pm Monday-Saturday.
Habitat for Humanity in Seminole County
1548 Seminola Blvd, Ste. 141
Casselberry , Florida 32707
Phone: 407.696.5855
www.habitatseminole.org
The Seminole County affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, an ecumenical Christian housing ministry, was started by St. Stephen Lutheran Church in 1990. HFH builds simple, decent, affordable housing in partnership with low-income families around the world. Homeowners are chosen through a careful selection process based on applicant's level of need, willingness to become partners in the program, and ability to repay the no-interest loan that makes the home affordable. Habitat works to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.
Pathways to Care
430 Plumosa Avenue
Casselberry , Florida 32707-2814
Phone: 407.388.0245
www.pathwaystocare.org
Pathways to Care is a 40-bed assisted living center dedicated to providing short-term recuperative care to poor, medically underserved adults who need a supportive environment where they can heal from an acute medical illness or injury or recuperate after hospitalization. Pathways accepts referrals from hospitals and emergency rooms. Here, patients without a caregiver or without a home find a place to rest and take their medications as they continue healing under supervision of a caring staff.
Safehouse of Seminole
24-Hour Crisis Hotline: 407.330.3933
Administration: 407.302.5220
www.safehouseofseminole.org
Safehouse is a coordinated response to prevent the epidemic of domestic violence. Services include: emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence and their children, 24-hour crisis hotline, counseling, court advocacy, and outreach programs, case management, early intervention and prevention, child assessments, support groups, and safety planning.
Sanford Crisis Pregnancy Center
1002 French Avenue
Sanford , Florida 32771
Phone: 407.323.3384
Option Line: 800.395.HELP (4357)
www.sanfordcpc.com
Sanford Crisis Pregnancy Center offers women alternatives to abortion, empowers them to make life-affirming decisions, and provides compassionate lay counseling. Among services provided are: care for any age woman; pre- and post-natal care education; information on pregnancy, adoption, and abortion alternatives; Earn While You Learn program; maternity and baby clothes and supplies.
Sanford CPC operates two additional centers: Life Choices for Women in Longwood and Apopka Pregnancy Care Center in Apopka.
Additional opportunities for local outreach:
Guardian Ad Litem
State of Florida , Eighteenth Judicial Circuit
www.galseminolecounty.org
Children's voices often are unheard and their best interests overlooked in the complicated and overburdened adversarial process. The Guardian Ad Litem is a volunteer representative for an assigned child before the court, social service agencies and the community. He/she also protects the child during the family crisis and court proceedings. Every day, over 4,600 Floridians serve as Guardians ad Litem, but 20,000 children are still in need of representation, leaving many of Florida 's abused and neglected children to make their way through the child protection system without an advocate.
Hospice of the Comforter
480 West Central Parkway
Altamonte Springs , Florida 32714
Phone: 407.682.0808
www.hospiceofthecomforter.org
Hospice of the Comforter is the only non-profit hospice in Seminole, Orange and Osceola Counties . Patients with a life-limiting illness and their families are assisted by Hospice with a family-centered program of care emphasizing pain control and palliative symptom management. Volunteers of all ages and skills may choose to work directly with patients and families or in other ways.
Kids House of Seminole, Inc.
5467 N. Ronald Reagan Blvd.
Sanford , Florida 32773
Phone: 407.324.3036
www.kidshouse.org
Kids House is a children's advocacy center that seeks to provide all necessary services for children who are victims of abuse, from report and investigation through treatment and prosecution in a friendly, non-threatening environment. To reduce trauma and distress, Kids House takes a team approach in dealing with child abuse. This allows for all involved agencies and victims to come together at one single facility, working together on a complete investigation including case history, sharing information and ideas, carrying through to assist with prosecution and then determining the best course to provide mental health treatment and medical follow-up for the child and family.
Shepherd's Hope, Inc.
Longwood Health Clinic
600 N. Hwy. 17-92, Suite 124
Longwood , Florida 32750
407.876.6699
www.shepherdshope.org
Shepherd's Hope provides basic, acute, non-emergency medical care, including some diagnostic testing, for men, women, and children who do not have a regular source of care. This clinic is staffed by volunteer healthcare providers and is a partnership with Seminole County churches, hospitals, and community agencies. Examples of illnesses commonly treated are upper respiratory infections, skin disorders, gynecological concerns, and urinary tract infections. Shepherd's Hope is not a permanent primary medical home and cannot handle emergencies, obstetrical, well baby care, and Workers Compensation cases. Patients who are Seminole County residents may be seen at the Longwood Health Clinic on a walk-in basis Monday-Thursday 6-8:30 pm (plan to arrive at 5:30 pm).
SPCA of Central Florida
(Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
2800 County Home Road
Sanford , Florida 32773
407.323.8685
A non-profit agency dedicated to protecting and caring for companion animals, with shelters in Sanford and Orlando. A variety of programs include spay/neuter clinics, shelter and vet care for pets of families in crisis, education programs for children, food for pets of seniors on fixed incomes, adoption and referral services, public clinic, and much more. Shelters open Mon-Sat. 10 am-5 pm; Sundays noon-4pm.
Global Mission Opportunities :
Our Missionary
Rev Brian and Mrs Kristen Konkol
P.O. Box 28694
Haymarket
3200 South Africa
Web: http://briankristenkonkol.blogspot.com
Contact person: Karen Solberg 407-788-2311 ksolberg1@cfl.rr.com
Please keep Brian and Kristen in your prayers
Companion Synod Haiti projects
Pig and Pastor - Funds are collected to support the education of Haitian Pastors in Lutheran Theology and to supply veterinary care and supplemental food for pigs. Contact: Karen Solberg
Good Samaritan Foundation Inc .
P.O. Box 5778 Lake Worth , Fl 33466
A 501c charity building a school in Beaufort , Haiti and supporting children in the school for $100 a year
Contact person: Karen Solberg
ELCA World Hunger Appeal
contact person: Karen Solberg
Lutheran World Relief
1-800-248-1930
Contact persons: Lucy Hammer- quilts and kits
Karen Solberg Fair Trade Hand Crafted Merchandise
Wycliffe Bible Translators
Needed are prayers, volunteers, donations and advocates
www.wycliffe.org and www.wycliffe.net
Church World Service
Programs include CROP Walk contact person Nancy Nolt,
407-774-0974 and nnolt04@embarqmail.com
Tool and blanket program, Refugee resettlement