Outreach & Social Ministry Overview

God’s Work…Our Hands

First Lutheran Church is freed in Christ to love and serve our neighbors! We have found many ways to use the gifts we have been given to serve our community. For example:

For many years, First Lutheran has broadcast Sunday services over the radio to reach homebound or working worshipers
We host food drives to help stock The Lord’s Cupboard and the MSU food pantry
We financially support the important work of the Minot Area Homeless Coalition
Each Christmas our members purchase nearly 100 wished-for Christmas gifts for children at McKinley and Ramstad and their families
Our quilters create and donate almost 100 quilts each year through Lutheran World Relief
We regularly provide meeting space for several community organizations such as the Heritage Singers, the Chamber Chorale, The Nodakords, and the Boy Scouts

We also focus time and energy in additional social ministries as well as partnerships with other local ministry groups. You can learn more below about Luther’s Kitchen, Give Some, and Lutheran Campus Ministry.

In January 2021 we also partnered with Minot State University and two other area churches on a pilot program called ‘Putting Faith to Work’. This program was started at Vanderbilt University with a focus on congregations connecting job seekers with disabilities to employment opportunities by networking within the community and our congregation.

We felt this program was a good fit for our committee because it focuses on making sure everyone feels included and accepted for who they are. First Lutheran Church has a reputation for being a place that includes people with disabilities (physical, mental, intellectual, and the whole spectrum of autistic disorders). We learned a lot throughout the year, and we were fortunate to have a student from MSU join our Wednesday night dinner crew. You can read more about this program at: https://faithanddisability.org/projects/putting-faith-to-work/

We would all like to thank everyone for your time, donations, and efforts to make FLC an inclusive place for all people.

Luther’s Kitchen

Luther’s Kitchen serves a free lunch every Friday, from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm, in the Parish Center at First Lutheran Church.

Luther’s Kitchen has been serving the community since 1982. The menu is primarily a variety of soups, hot dishes and salads. On average, they serve about 80-100 guests every week. Luther’s Kitchen is staffed solely by volunteers, and is supported by contributions of both food and money from First Lutheran Church and the Great Plains Food Bank. In addition, food donated from Cash Wise Foods and other sources is used as part of the day’s meal, or guests may take it with them for later.

Luther’s Kitchen is one of several food resources that have coordinated to provide meals 7 days a week at various churches in the Minot area. Contact the church office for an up-to-date list of the churches and addresses where you can find daily meals.

Give Some

The Social Ministry Committee of First Lutheran Church is responsible for identifying needs in our community, nation and world and encouraging our congregation to address these needs in Jesus’ name. The committee created the Give Some campaign, in which our members are asked to add some small item to their monthly shopping and donate it in support of a local cause. You can participate by making small purchases to add to the monthly collection. We have a display and shelves in the Pioneer Hall to collect each month’s items.

This is a summary of our efforts in 2023:

January – Committee transition
February – Coats for Kids (McKinley & Longfellow) – coats, snow pants, boots
March – Lutheran World Relief Personal Care Kits
April – Project Bee Meal Train
MayJune –Camp Metigoshe – Morther the Camp
June – Northern Plains Children’s Advocacy
July – Luther World Relief School Kits
August – School Supplies for Minot Teachers
September – donations for Lutheran Campus Ministries Food Bank at Minot State University
October – Souris Valley Animal Shelter
November – Food Pantry – Lord’s Cupboard
December – Angel Tree gifts (McKinley Elementary)

Lutheran Campus Ministry at MSU

Lutheran Campus Ministry is an outreach program of the ELCA to help students in state and public colleges and universities discern their callings, to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people, and to provide Christian community and support for students through Word and Sacrament, and through a listening ear.

The Lutheran Campus Ministry of Minot is very active. They are perhaps best known for offering “Tuesday Soup” in cooperation with local congregations. Each Tuesday from 11:30-1:30, a free soup lunch is served in the atrium of the MSU Administration Building. Students, faculty and staff are all invited to enjoy a warm cup of soup and conversation.

Lutheran Campus Ministry has their office on the second floor of the new Student Wellness Center at MSU. Stop by and say hi!

Visit their website for more information: https://www.lcmmsu.com