St. James Lutheran Church, Allison, IA

2nd Appalachia Mission Trip
July 9-16, 2011

A group went to West Virginia to work with Heaven Sent Ministries (HSM) and Jason & Kristen (Pothast) Bowden to do some building and evangelism work. Below are pictures from that event.

L to R: Dale Thoreson, HSM Intern, Dylan Anderson, Don Bliss, Dale & Daleth Pothast, Mss. Teresa - home owner, Velda Lillibridge, Mary Freese, Kristi Anderson, Herb Freese, Linda Thoreson, Pastor Jeff, Evelyn Bliss

Before we started

The group built a handicap ramp, back steps, resealed the roof, and installed and repaired skirting

Minds at work building the stairs.

1st Appalachia Mission Trip
July 18-26, 2009

The Group: Front: Evelyn & Don Bliss, Mr. Soloman, Katy Anderson, Leslie Palmer, Herb & Mary Freeze. Back: Jason Bowden, Daleth Pothast, DJ Palmer, Zach Moser, Dale Pothast. Potographer, Pastor Jeff

Daleth Pothast face painting at our Day At The Park

Mr. Soloman, Zach Moser, Pastor Jeff. Dale Pothast is inside.

Don Bliss and Mary Freeze

Serving hot dogs and giving a program in a city park.

Leslie Palmer on ladder.

The Four: Leslie Palmer, Katy Anderson, Zach Moser, DJ Palmer

Heaven Sent Ministries Came Here
2008

We had planned for a group from St. James to go to West Virginia to work with Heaven Sent Ministries (HSM) but due to the tornado and flooding right here in Iowa, we decided to cancel our trip.

In response, a couple groups that were going to go to West Virginia came here. Two groups came and stayed at our church.

The time went quickly and much work was accomplished both in Green and in Clarksville. Two groups from Michigan, the first came from Kalamazoo with 14 people and the second came from Holland with 49 and made there "home" at St. James and at the Trinity Reformed Church also in Allison. The Allison-Bristow School allowed them to use their showers and for that all were truly grateful.

Later in fall another group came back from Holland and did some follow-up work in Greene on the Methodist Church.

We give thanks for the work that was accomplished, the people we met, the times shared and we look forward to working with them again in the year ahead.

We know that God has blessed us with resources of body, mind and spirit to share with others, to bless them on their way. Thank you to everyone who came and helped: those who stopped by with words of encouragement, brownies, garden produce, strong arms and thankful hearts.

Kristin, Sarah, Jason Bowden came to get the work sights and ministry programs set up for the volunteers from Michigan

The Gravier Family, left to right: Anna, Molly, Lynda, Kevin and Mike worked with Jason and Kristen in the planning and providing for the two groups who came to work.

Green Work Team worked at the Greene Recorder to put things to right again.

This group was from Holland, Michigan!

This group returned in fall an visited the finished house they had worked on in summer.

Food Packaging Day
Sunday, July 27, 1:30 – 3:30
31 St. James Volunteers Came!

Part of HSM’s ministry is packaging high nutrition food packets like our Confirmation Class did this spring at Wartburg College. These packets are sent around the world to were there are food shortages. We packaged over 700 bags that hold six meals each which meals we packaged over 4,000 meals. Congratulations!

Parkersburg Work Day
July, 2008

During June and July work groups from St. James spent one cay a week in Parkersburg cleaning up after the tornado.

Norma and Jerry Klingbeil, Daleth Potast

Workers from Cedar Falls along with Zach Mosher and Connie Wix

Rebuilding Biloxi, Mississippi Mission Trip
Summer 2006

Members of the group: Marnie Schmidt, Chad Austin, Heather Rosse, Pastor Mark Walker, Katie Heuer, John Backer, Pastor Jeff Blank, Don Bliss, taking pictures Lisa Austin, Daleth Pothast (taking the picture).

Miss Sarah, center, is the owner of the house. Daleth Pothast is second from the right.

Don Bliss standing beside his truck being interviewed by David Schaper of Nation Public Radio. Part of his interview along with Pastor Mark Walker's was aired August 29 at 4:00 on All Things Considered.