What makes you What makes you who you are?who you are?

Is it the music you Is it the music you listen to?listen to?

The clothes you wear?The clothes you wear?

How you style your How you style your hair?hair?

The things you own?The things you own?

True – our identity True – our identity partly comes from partly comes from individual tastesindividual tastes

and habits…and habits…

but also from the but also from the connections we have to connections we have to

others … like our others … like our family.family.

Family is about your rootsFamily is about your roots

Family is about relationshipsFamily is about relationships

Family is about being Family is about being there to celebrate there to celebrate accomplishmentsaccomplishments

Family is about caring for one anotherFamily is about caring for one another

At baptism, you became At baptism, you became a member of another a member of another

family …family …

God’s God’s familyfamily

Do you like Do you like receiving gifts?receiving gifts?

Guess what!Guess what!As a member of As a member of

God’s family, God’s family, you’ve already received theyou’ve already received the

greatest gift of allgreatest gift of all

That’s That’s amazingamazing love love

That’s the kind of love GodThat’s the kind of love Godhas for youhas for you

And the kind of love GodAnd the kind of love Godwants you to show others.wants you to show others.

So how can we So how can we respond to respond to God’s love?God’s love?

Two ways:Two ways:

1.1.Love God with all your Love God with all your

heart, soul and mindheart, soul and mind

2.2.Love your neighbour just Love your neighbour just

like you love yourselflike you love yourself

You do the first part by:You do the first part by:

Worshipping GodWorshipping God

Through prayer, Through prayer, devotion and reflection.devotion and reflection.

And, with God’s help, And, with God’s help, living your life in ways living your life in ways

that please God.that please God.

You can do the second You can do the second by:by:

Caring for the Caring for the environmentenvironment

Listening to a friend Listening to a friend who’s sadwho’s sad

Or just by Or just by helping helping people people

however however you can.you can.

Here’s how Jesus Here’s how Jesus explained it.explained it.

You learned all about You learned all about neighbours from neighbours from Martin Luther’s Martin Luther’s

comments on the comments on the Ten Commandments in Ten Commandments in

the Small Catechismthe Small Catechism

We should fear and love God that We should fear and love God that we may not hurt nor harm our we may not hurt nor harm our

neighbour in his body, but help and neighbour in his body, but help and befriend him in every bodily need.befriend him in every bodily need.

It’s realistic to help neighbours It’s realistic to help neighbours nearby but God’s family is spread nearby but God’s family is spread

all over the globe! all over the globe!

How can we be neighbours to those in How can we be neighbours to those in need who are so far away?need who are so far away?

Since God loves us so much, Since God loves us so much, through CLWR, we can through CLWR, we can

share that love with share that love with people around the world people around the world

in many different waysin many different ways..

ELCIC members like yourself can’t ELCIC members like yourself can’t personally help neighbours who are personally help neighbours who are so far away …so far away …

but they can do it by giving moneybut they can do it by giving moneyand other helpful items to and other helpful items to Canadian Lutheran World Relief.Canadian Lutheran World Relief.

And governments in Canada oftenAnd governments in Canada oftensupport CLWR by providing support CLWR by providing

additional funds that additional funds that increase the work CLWR can do.increase the work CLWR can do.

Canadians donated more than $1.5 million Canadians donated more than $1.5 million

to CLWR to help people in Haiti to CLWR to help people in Haiti

recover from an earthquake.recover from an earthquake.

And through CLWR, Lutherans in Canada And through CLWR, Lutherans in Canada helped people in Japan after the helped people in Japan after the

2011 earthquake and tsunami.2011 earthquake and tsunami.

In Africa, Lutherans have helped people In Africa, Lutherans have helped people

in areas suffering from drought.in areas suffering from drought.

And helped farmers grow more food.And helped farmers grow more food.

Much of the work carried out by Much of the work carried out by CLWR is made possible by CLWR is made possible by partnerships with other partnerships with other

organizations.organizations.

The Lutheran World The Lutheran World FederationFederation

is an organization of is an organization of 145 Lutheran Churches, 145 Lutheran Churches,

including the ELCIC, including the ELCIC, in 79 countries.in 79 countries.

CLWR supports LWF projects in CLWR supports LWF projects in several countries and regions several countries and regions including East Jerusalem and including East Jerusalem and

PalestinePalestine.

At Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem At Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem young children get the care they need for young children get the care they need for

diseases such as diabetes.diseases such as diabetes.

Young Palestinian women and menYoung Palestinian women and men

learn trades at the learn trades at the

LWF Vocational Training Centre.LWF Vocational Training Centre.

So what does this have So what does this have to do with me?to do with me?

At your baptism, a candle was lit.At your baptism, a candle was lit.

Let your light so shine Let your light so shine before others that they before others that they may see your good works may see your good works and glorify your Father in and glorify your Father in heaven.heaven.

Shine your light. Shine your light. Be a neighbour.Be a neighbour.

Fill aFill aWe Care KitWe Care Kit

Give aGive aGift from the HeartGift from the Heart

Pray for the workPray for the work of CLWR and its of CLWR and its

staffstaff

Encourage your Encourage your congregationcongregation

to promote and support to promote and support CLWRCLWR

Visit CLWR at www.clwr.org

Friend CLWR on

Follow CLWR on