COMMUNIT Y IMPACT REPORT 2021
Diaper Drive
A Much Needed Hug
Louisiana Hurricane Relief
Concordia Lutheran High School students serving in Costa Rica
“The face of Jesus is not only found in the deeds of the brave and courageous, but we see Him also in the sick, broken and vulnerable.” salem4u.com
Tim Niekerk Senior Pastor
At one time or another, we have all probably wondered what Jesus actually looked like. One reference to Jesus’ appearance was offered by the prophet Isaiah, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” Isaiah 53:2 Jesus never wanted to be known for His looks, He wanted to be known for His love, more specifically, His love in action. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, all for our sake, were the greatest examples of love in action ever demonstrated. Ever.
We all saw many, many faces this past year. Many expressed the brokenness of the human condition at its worst. But because the Spirit of God lives in His people, we also saw faces with the compassion, humility and selflessness only a Savior can show. The face of Jesus is not only found in the deeds of the brave and courageous, but we see Him also in the sick, broken and vulnerable. Our first Community Impact Report of 2021 features members of our own Salem family who are the spitting image of Jesus as they spend their days either serving or being served in Jesus’ name.
COMPELLING
GRACE As a funeral director, it was clear COVID was no respecter of age as we conducted greater numbers of services for young people, moms, dads, and both husbands and wives together this past year. The death of a loved one was a greater emotional burden for families. The restrictions on gatherings and other protocols imposed caused many people to die alone and families to grieve their loss separated from each other across rooms, across outdoor spaces and even across the miles. As a Christian, I believe where death separates, God’s Word unites. My heart for dealing with grieving families of all shapes, sizes and faiths moves me to find some way to share God’s word in a way that will be heard. For some those words were direct, while other words were displayed through the care we provide and the dignity with which we serve all people. I am very grateful for the opportunities I had to grow in my faith as I spoke words of hope and comfort into so many families in 2020. I try to ask ‘what is God trying to teach me?’ in any situation. This past year there were many days when I left work feeling exhausted. I’ve only been a part of the Salem family for a few years. In that time, I have found the rest, refreshment and restoration I need to serve joyfully through our worship together, my connect group and all the friends I have made. More than just a social network, God has blessed me richly through our ministry together, providing great encouragement for me to be a real Jesus to families in a difficult season of life.
Tom Laarman Funeral Director “My heart for dealing with grieving families of all shapes, sizes and faiths moves me to find some way to share God’s Word in a way that will be heard.”
COURAGEOUS
INFLUENCE Jesus calms storms and troubled hearts. For Sarah and Justin Austin, nursing professionals in the Texas Children’s Hospital network, many of the effects of the pandemic on the children they serve are the result of isolation from extended family and classmates.
Justin & Sarah Austin Front Line Medical Professionals “Through research and accurate information, listening to people’s fears and concerns with Christian compassion, we can ease fear giving kids and parents the hope and peace about whatever is going on in the world or whatever illness they face.”
While they can’t always have an emotionally satisfying answer to questions surrounding COVID, Sarah and Justin offer hope to ease the fear parents feel when their children are ill. Moms and dads may not see anxiety as part of their child’s condition. Yet, children sense fear, anxiety and frustration in a home and, unable to express it verbally, they may express it through misbehavior, moodiness, aggression, stomachaches or intestinal issues. Common fears of many involve being labeled through contact tracing or as bad parents for not taking precautions seriously. Children and teens often see themselves as failures, as students, as friends or simply for getting sick. Justin notes how suicide attempts by children prior to the teen years have risen sharply and the need for constant monitoring of suicidal teens has become common. When working with parents and children, Sarah and Justin encourage families to reframe their frustrations with isolation and the inconsistencies with schooling as occasions for families to develop healthy coping strategies. This also gives them an opportunity to ask about other resources available to them through their family or church, which often opens the door to deeper discussions and spiritual encouragement.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58
Kevin Pieper and Jonathan Schoffner in Louisiana after Hurricane Laura.
Salem Lutheran School students helped organize grocery distribution for Families Feeding Families in November.
Doug Snyder and Kirby Scott are both frequent members of service teams.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17
Honduras Hit by two hurricanes just weeks apart, a Honduran father seeks safety for his infant child. Unable to send a team, our Salem family provided more than $15,000 in recovery support to local Honduran churches.
Heart For Honduras See the face of hope as she receives food for her family during the February 2020 Heart For Honduras mission. More than 3000 people heard the gospel form local pastors as we provided medical treatment and supplies.
Kenya Unable to travel to Kenya, Salem coordinated a malaria net distribution in Kuria. One thousand nets delivered to 600 homes by a combined team of community health workers and pastors will serve to bring down the rate of malaria infections and grow the local church.
GOD-HONORING
EXCELLENCE As a lifelong member of Salem, Donna holds a deep conviction that her work as a Nurse Practitioner at Memorial Hermann Cypress is a call to live out her faith on a daily basis. In addition to hands-on patient treatment, Donna also leads a team of medical professionals addressing the future needs and contingencies as a result of COVID. For Donna, working directly with patients reveals the ongoing confusion about the preventive practices, causes and treatments of COVID. Donna recalls an elderly couple, married for nearly fifty years entering the ER with pronounced symptoms of COVID. Reluctant to accept treatment and not knowing who to trust, the couple insisted on going home to care for each other. Within twenty-four hours they were both re-admitted, only to spend weeks apart and in isolation. From panic to casual disregard, many patients are as much victims of misinformation and mistrust as they are from COVID. Situations like this are not uncommon for Donna to address. When the opportunity presents itself, Donna is quick to remind patients that nurses, doctors and hospitals are part of God’s provision. Trust in God is displayed when we also trust trained professionals in the healing arts. Donna acknowledges the mental and emotional toll on medical professionals can seem overwhelming on a daily basis. For her, the power of prayer and the trust in a loving Savior she experienced in her Christian family at home and at Salem are integral to Donna reflecting the face of Jesus on a daily basis.
Donna Schumann Nurse Practitioner “I have always had a passion for helping and I gain my happiness from the happiness of others and helping to make life or a situation a little better. I guess you can say caring for others is just what I feel I was born to do.”
PIONEERING
SERVANTHOOD Bridget Harrigan is another Salem family member who strives to be more like Jesus. You may have seen Bridget interviewed on many national news programs as the nurse who left Houston to help at Elmhurst Hospital –Queens, where the most severely ill COVID patients were admitted at the height of New York City’s pandemic surge last year.
Bridget Harrigan Nurse
“Make sure you keep singing.” Bridget’s mom, Donna
As the face of Jesus to her patients, Bridget often sings and prays as she comforts and cares offering words of hope and healing in a person’s final hours. “Make sure you keep singing, “ are frequent words to Bridget from her mom, Donna Harrigan. Raised in a strong Christian home, Bridget knows the power of being of Jesus’ voice to those who need to hear it. Bridget displayed Jesus’ compassionate heart to every patient she served in the NY ICU, but ‘Casey’ is one she remembers most. Admitted in critical condition, treatments slowly began to improve Casey’s condition. A sense of humor and positive attitude contributed to the point Bridget and her team became hopeful Casey would make a full recovery. Why Casey passed away on one of Bridget’s infrequent days off is left to God’s wisdom, but Bridget is confident Casey knew Jesus on that final day of life on this side of Heaven.
OPENLY
TRANSFORMED One of the more familiar faces of Jesus around Salem is Howard Okabayashi. A member of the parking team, Howard’s is likely to be the first face you’ll see as you arrive on campus for worship. Howard came to us when his sons began at Salem Lutheran School over ten years ago. Because his work schedule gave him weeks off at a time, he quickly became a regular volunteer around campus assisting with anything that needed to be done. His varied work background and years as an electrical troubleshooter in the oil field have equipped Howard with the skills to fix just about anything or be an invaluable member on any service team. Discussing his spiritual journey is never difficult for Howard. From serving at the school to connecting with new friends in Bible study and worship, Howard finally realized a life with Christ is better than a life without Him. For Howard, Salem was the welcoming and personable church family he needed. A regular on mission trips and being the home handyman many call when pipes burst or roofs leak, Howard’s circle of friends just keeps growing. Howard knows his years at Salem have shaped him to be a faithful follower of Jesus and a better dad. Raised in a home in which faith and church were rarely mentioned, Howard may have come for the school, but he’s grateful he stayed for a life transformation.
Howard Okabayashi Super Handyman
“I finally realized a life with Christ is better than one without Him..”
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
COMMUNITY PARTNERS Resale With A Purpose As a nonprofit resale shop, Resale with a Purpose offers low-cost, gently used goods from clothing to home furnishings. Not driven by profit, proceeds from the sale of donated items are directed back to over twenty local ministries within the greater Tomball area. Since opening in 2014, Resale With A Purpose has donated over $1,000,000 to local ministries and charitable organizations helping those in need. Tomball Emergency Assistance Ministries (TEAM) was established in 1985, when Tomball area churches joined to follow Christ’s command to love and provide for those in need in their community. TEAM operates a resale shop, food pantry and
a ministry providing short-term assistance with food, clothing, shelter, rent and utilities, as well as medical, prescription and dental needs. TOMAGWA is a comprehensive family practice clinic that provides medical services regardless of race, creed, ethnicity, religious affiliation or the ability to pay. Last year, more than 750 dedicated professional and service oriented volunteers, along with a small staff, provided more than 250,000 family member visits, from babies to grandparents, who could not afford health care and were without health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. The Tomball Renewal Center facilitates hope, healing and restoration. The insights gained from the recovery process are beneficial for those addicted to substances or behaviors or with
unacknowledged addictions to destructive thought, codependency, and other coping mechanisms. Recovery goes beyond healing from addiction to recovering truths about God and us lost long ago. All people have something to offer and something to receive in the building of faith, wisdom and belief. The Tomball Pregnancy Center (TPC) is a nonprofit medical clinic offering support for pregnancy-related issues and reproductive health education free of charge. TPC strives to empower clients to make safe, healthy and God-pleasing decisions regarding sexuality and pregnancy. TPC offers a caring, confidential environment as clients explore the information needed make the best choices.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
salem4u.com
Chuck and Kris Dewees’ Connect Group gather for prayer after their house was destroyed in a fire.