A Message from Pastor John

May 2025

Zion - you are getting a very interesting guest preacher on Sunday, May 4.  Pastor Bob Berger will be with us, representing Food for the Poor.  Food for the Poor is based in Florida, and from there they serve 17 Caribbean nations.  The agency provides $2 billion annually in food, materials, and housing services.  While Catholic in origins, Food for the Poor has come to include a significant contingent of Lutheran representatives.

Pastor Berger is a retired ELCA Pastor (I want you to guess his age when you meet him!).  He served many years here in Ohio and followed Pastor Carl Mittermaier at St. Paul Lutheran, Sandusky, OH.  He now lives in Florida but is out in Lutheran congregations throughout our area many Sundays each year.

I have lots of personal experience with Food for the Poor.  I traveled to Haiti a number of years ago to see the work done in that poorest of the poor country.  My Dayton parish provided 19 homes in Haiti through Food for the Poor.  They were so glad to see me retire that they gave five houses in my honor on my retirement Sunday!  The agency does not work like Habitat for Humanity with volunteer builders/trips.  Instead, locals are put to work building these safe and sturdy homes.  Haiti is notorious for both earthquakes and hurricanes, in addition to poverty and lawlessness.  

I hope you will come hear about this international ministry.  Pastor Berger will be preaching and a Learning Lunch will follow the service.  All are welcome!  Your financial gifts are welcome.

-Pastor John Mittermaier