Thus says God: I will be heard! Make flesh of my every word: give peace, justice, liberty visible reality; feed the hungry, don’t just meet and plan what they will one day eat. Shelter the homeless, help the poor, the destitute, the insecure. Preach with your hands, wear out your shoes: words alone are not Good News.
-- Miriam Therese Winter, 20th c.
AA and NA (Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous)
There are currently five weekly meetings of AA and one weekly meeting of NA held in Luther Hall at the church. These meetings are: Monday 7:00 to 8:30 pm, Tuesday (NA--Women Only) 7:00-8:00 pm, Wednesday 6:30 to 8:00 pm, Thursday 5:45-7:00 pm, Friday 6:30-8:00 pm, and Saturday 6:30 to 8:00 pm.
Clothing Closet
Members and friends of the First community donate used clothing and on occasion household items that we then make available to those in need who may be members or friends of the congregation or any of the groups who use our building.
ECCO (Essex County Community Organization)
First is a member of ECCO, a faith based community organization that works to build power and collaboration among families and communities in the North Shore of Boston. ECCO currently is working on jobs training for machinists and health care workers and is active in the Lynn community in youth violence prevention.
Girl Scouts
Lynn Brownie troop 589 meets at the church on Friday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 pm.
Greater Lynn Council of Churches
First Lutheran is a member of the Greater Lynn Council of Churches (GLCC) which is an ecumenical group that meets four times a year for socialization and for a program that is of interest to Lynn and the surrounding community. GLCC also sends children to summer camp and provides help in the winter months for food and heating oil.
LEO After School Program
Monday through Friday First provides space to an after school program run by Lynn Economic Opportunity (LEO). Approximately 35 youth gather in our building after school during the school year and all day long in summer for a safe place for learning and fun. The congregation also partners with the after school program to provide assistance to the youth and families of the program, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
My Brother’s Table
My Brother’s Table provides meals to approximately 200 hungry people in Lynn each day. First Lutheran serves jointly with St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church at My Brother’s Table on the fourth Sunday of the month from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.
World Hunger
First Lutheran shares a vision with those who want to make hunger history. As such the congregation contributes to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and during the year offers education on world hunger through newsletter articles and temple talks.
Wunlang School Project
In 2005 First Lutheran member Franco Majok traveled back home to the Sudan for the first time in 23 years and found a community in desperate need of food and education. Moved to take action Franco returned to the United States and through the help of the congregation began his dream of building a school in his home village of Wunlang in South Sudan. Through the newly formed non-profit called Village Help for South Sudan the people of Wunlang will soon have Franco’s dream for them realized.
