Over the course of this year’s Summer Serve event, 68 high school students and adults from five Lutheran churches in Michigan and one in Illinois partnered together to minister to the city of Detroit. Each day, students were woken up at 6:15 a.m. and did not go to bed until 11:30 p.m. Every morning, they worked on five different service projects with organizations like Gleaners Food Bank, Forgotten Harvest, and local city churches. In the afternoon, they served at five 
different vacation Bible school sites in the city.
Parent Christine Nanzer shares, “I took my son, who was reluctant to attend because he was the only guy and came from a smaller church. He has not had many male Christian friends but was befriended and made to feel comfortable immediately by one teen and made many more friends during the week. He enjoyed serving and feeling needed. He grew up spiritually during the fellowship, praise, and worship. It is a mighty thing to be united with God’s people.”
Nanzer continues, “We also really appreciated working in the VBS at a Genesis House with Detroit Rescue Mission. One of the mothers was deaf and could not speak, but wrote us a note letting us know that her daughter was so excited to see us that she actually cried. The teens felt much needed there and loved the opportunity to give special attention to the kids.”
Students and adults worked hard, sorting and pulling over 110,000 pounds of food for Gleaners; packing 3,000 sandwiches, and sorting and bagging 3,000 pounds of frozen zucchini. They folded over 5,000 bags for Gleaners Food Bank and Forgotten Harvest. They ministered to over 300 different children by putting on a full vacation Bible school, complete with teaching, skits, memorization, crafts, and games. The message of hope in Jesus, forgiveness of sins, and His resurrection was clearly proclaimed throughout the vacation Bible schools.
Thank you to the Michigan District, LCMS for their support and encouragement for Summer Serve 2015. Summer Serve 2016 will take place June 19-24. Look for more information in future Michigan In Touch issues.
