Northfield Township Lutherans pack hygiene kits for Night Ministry

"God's Work Our Hands" Northfield Township Lutheran Congregations Sept. 9.

Dozens of volunteers from four ELCA congregations converged for a "God's Work Our Hands" project on Saturday, Sept. 9. "God's Work Our Hands" is an annual ELCA initiative that urges congregations to get their hands dirty- literally and metaphorically- in service to their communities. This year marked 10 years of "God's Work Our Hands."

The Northfield Township Lutheran Congregations (NTLC) hosted a "God's Work Our Hands" project for The Night Ministry (TNM). Almost 100 volunteers converged on an assembly line set up at Lutheran Church of the Ascension, Northfield, to fill 1,000 hygiene kits for TNM's clients. The event began with a welcome and orientation from Melissa Graham, TNM's senior director for Individual Stewardship. Volunteers then staffed multiple packing stations to fill hygiene kits and package them for distribution. The project provided tasks for people of all ages and abilities - the youngest volunteer was barely 3 years old; the oldest was in her 90s. After all the kits were filled, the volunteers gathered in the congregation's sanctuary to pray, sing, and bless the hygiene kits.

Total cost for hygiene kit contents was $5,000; the cost was shared proportionally among the four congregations. Hygiene kits will be shared with TNM clients across all their programs.

The Night Ministry's mission is to provide human connection, housing support and health care to those unhoused or experiencing poverty.

Northfield Township Lutheran Congregations is a four-congregation effort to provide service and fellowship opportunities with and for ministry partners. The congregations are Gloria Dei, Northbrook, Holy Trinity, Glenview, St. Phillip's, Glenview and Lutheran Church of the Ascension, Northfield.

The ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) is a denomination of Lutheran congregations across the U.S., committed to sharing the story of Jesus Christ in a world experiencing the difference God's grace and love in Christ make for all people and all creation.

For more information, contact Pastor JoAnn Post, Lutheran Church of the Ascension, Northfield at

pastorpost@ascension-church.org or (860) 543-5564.