Daylight USA

What a "stacked" team! Levi Panitzke, Devon Gaedtke, Mary Hahm, Emma Niebuhr, Aaron Neyhart, Alison Foxen, August Wall, Grace Russell, and Isaac Boettcher worked with WLC students, WLS students, Pastor Mark Parsons, and Truth in Love Ministry in Arizona. Aaron shared this encouragement to anyone considering a Daylight or other mission trip: "Go on a short-term mission trip because it opens your eyes to the long-term mission: boldly witness all the days of your life."

What an amazing Daylight team sent to serve and connect to Ascension Lutheran Church in Escondido, CA, right before Christmas! The team – Marissa Buege, Isaiah Carlovsky, Matteah Gehl, Eva Doebler, Hans Boeder, Lindsay Hatton, and Charis Headrick – spent their time canvassing the neighborhood, preparing and running a "Christmas for Kids" service, and leading uplifting music for Sunday worship. Reflecting on her trip during one of the busiest seasons, Marissa shared this beautiful thought: "It is important to reach out and teach people about Jesus because He is the only one who can give true peace and rest."

Four MLC Daylighters experienced a unique trip in early January. Jack, Isabelle, Myah, and Connor traveled on a cruise and jumped into the opportunity to serve at Trinity, St. Lucia, Grace, Grenada, and St. John’s Lutheran, Antigua. Reflecting on his wonderful experience, Jack prays "that we are all able to see how large, strong, and diverse the body of Christ is. God works all throughout his creation; usually, we don’t get to see this, but we must trust that he is." How great our God is who works through his people to spread his gospel to all the ends of the earth!

Early in January, a group of MLC, WLC, and WLS students traveled to Heritage Lutheran Church in Gilbert, Arizona, to work with Truth in Love Ministry. Their mission: share Jesus’s Parable of the Lost Sons with people in the area, focusing on witnessing to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. While in the area, they met with LDS missionaries to exchange teachings and learn more about the LDS culture. What a wonderful opportunity to share our Heavenly Father’s unconditional love!

☀️MLC Daylight Ministry Trip to Cuernavaca, Mexico!☀️

Students Jacob Gabb and Maddie Liebert traveled to Mexico J-term to spread the good news! They were able to use their Spanish skills to reach out to the community with a VBS! This trip gave them new perspectives on what the ministry looks like and how large the body of Christ is. Thank you both for letting your light shine!

We're very excited about our upcoming J-term daylight trips. We will have students all over! California, Arizona, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Texas all have trips heading their way in the coming weeks!

As we wait for those, we look back on pictures from a trip last winter to Arizona. Thank you all for your support and prayers as we continue to share the Gospel!

Looking for a wonderful travel adventure to broaden your horizons? Tired of the wind and snow in Minnesota? Wanting to try something new? Grab some friends or fly solo, book a ticket or fill up your car, and sign up for a Daylight Trip! These short-term mission trips provide great experiences and bring lifelong memories. Another blessing: the sights seen and connections created during the trip!
“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.” ~John 9:4

Some of the Daylight crew helped out at the Student Dorm Staff-led Trunk-or-Treat last week! We made a strategic move to have a table instead of a trunk and planted ourselves where pretty much everyone had to pass by us in order to get to the hot chocolate and snacks!

☀️ MLC Daylight Ministry Trip to the North Atlantic District WELS Labor Day Retreat ☀️

Lillian Ruddat and Micaiah Wagner flew to Massachusetts for a Daylight trip during their Labor Day weekend! Lillian and Micaiah connected with the North Atlantic District and had the opportunity to teach the young children Bible stories. Lillian said, "This trip gave me an awesome taste of teaching the young ones about Jesus which is very rewarding." These two future called workers gained a beautiful experience and learned that children often have a lot to say. Micaiah sends this message of ministry encouragement: "There are so many people outside of our circles who need to hear about Jesus, including people of different cultures and languages."

Thank you for letting your light shine!

☀️ MLC Summer Daylight Ministry Trip to Abiding Love Lutheran Church,
Cape Coral, FL ☀️

Maddilyn Holicky, Sandra Toyoda-Bell, Ruby Freese, and Carissa Avery embarked on a Daylight trip this past summer. While visiting Abiding Love Lutheran Church in Cape Coral, FL, these Daylighters worked with children, reached out to the community, and shared their many talents. After their journey of VBS and canvassing, Sandra shared this message; “This experience reminded me that the folks we are sharing the Word with, whether they live in a different area or not, are not unlike us; human, redeemed by Christ, in need of the Saving Words of truth found in the Gospel.”

Thank you for letting your light shine to folks of many places!

☀️ MLC Summer Daylight Ministry Trip to Lawrenceville, Georgia ☀️

Eli Schoof, Zoe Bethke, and Rachel McCaughna ventured to Sola Fide Lutheran Church in Lawrenceville, GA, this past June to help with community outreach and a soccer camp! After a busy week, Eli Schoof says, “This trip left me feeling excited for what is to come. It shows that we can be successful in this field, and not be afraid to spread the Gospel.”

Thank you for all your work sharing the love of our Savior!

☀ MLC Summer Daylight Ministry Trip 2024 to Eagle River, Alaska ☀

Madeline Bourman, Jessica Techlin, Jessica Waege, Natalie Hueske, Hannah Bivens, and Emily Gronholz visited Peace Lutheran Church, in Eagle River, AK, with a willingness to serve this past May! After working at the Art Camp and outreach events, Emily Gronholz shares these words of wisdom: “Daylight opens my eyes to the nations everywhere that need Jesus, even in my neighborhood, not a plane ride away. I can see these experiences helping me to be more confident in my strengths and rely on my teammates and God for when I feel otherwise.”

Thank you for sharing the message of Jesus!

Daylighters Katie Gilkey and Nicole Trapp recently helped out with canvassing and an outreach event at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Las Cruces, NM.

On another trip (Mobile, AL), Katie said this about her Daylight experience: "It helps me to gain new insight and understanding of both the joys and hardships that ministry can bring." When asked why people should consider taking a Daylight trip, she said, "Go on a short-term mission trip because you have the opportunity to experience God's love for you and the people on a deeper, but more grounding and humble level."
Thanks for sharing, Katie!

Daylighters Maddie Liebert, Chloe Mattek, and Grace Pocza recently helped out with the annual soccer camp at Grace Lutheran Church in Kenai, AK.

Grace has had opportunity to be a part of several Daylight trips and had this to say about her experiences: "It created more of a passion and desire to serve! Even though ministry isn't always easy, I was able to create some wonderful relationships with Christ in mind."
Thanks for sharing, Grace!

MLC rising junior, Emma Grace Kramer had this to say about her Daylight trip in June:
“I had the wonderful opportunity to be a counselor at Camp BASIC where I worked with individuals with special needs. There were various activities throughout the week, and my favorite part of each day was music time where we all came together as “Brothers And Sisters In Christ” (BASIC) to make a joyful noise, singing praises to God! I was asked to be an MC for the talent show at the end of the week, and I loved hosting this fun event and seeing the campers share their God-given talents.”
Thanks for sharing your joy in Jesus this summer, Emma Grace!

Daylighters Rachel Huebner and Alex Moldenhauer were able to share their faith abroad this summer! They volunteered to work with Holy Word Lutheran in London, England!
In her time here at MLC, Rachel has had opportunity to go on more than one Daylight trip. This is what she has said about Daylight opportunities: "Go on a short-term mission trip, because it will leave you with new relationships, experiences, and blessings from God."

Three of our Daylighters helped out at Sola Fide Lutheran in Lawrenceville, GA, this summer! Thanks for your work - Elijah Schoof, Zoe Bethke, and Rachel McCaughna!
Rising senior, Elijah Schoof, has been able to work with this camp for a number of years and has this to say about his experience, "This trip gave me great ideas for outreach management skills and improving my people skills. It also helped me see how eager kids are to hear the message, and how much they actually listen."