wfn.org | [LCMSNews] NAILS program for students debuts

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>7.16.2009		
>	LCMS News	 	
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>THE LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod  	 	
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	July 16, 2009 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 57

Students NAIL down summer job, ministry opportunities

>By Kim Plummer Krull

Jose Zarate decided to devote his summer break to working on a
construction project for an LCMS congregation after an inspiring chapel
presentation at Concordia University Chicago.

"The message was about how we should make our lives an active witness,
and I thought that was something I needed to improve upon," Zarate said
of the presentation by Laborers For Christ. "I decided I could help out
by helping churches build up the kingdom of God."

Zarate is one of 10 college students or recent graduates who
participated in the debut summer of NAILS, the young adult program of
Laborers For Christ. The young people worked alongside Laborers on
construction projects for LCMS congregations from Virginia to Idaho.
They tackled church and school additions, including helping to remodel
former horse stables into future classrooms in Omaha, Neb., and turn an
old plastics factory into a multi-purpose center in Kansas City, Mo.

"It was a great start [for the NAILS program]," said Dan Baker,
vice-president/director with Laborers For Christ (LFC), a ministry of
the Lutheran Church Extension Fund that helps LCMS churches and schools
build within their budgets. "This year, we were just getting our feet
wet, but we're already making plans to expand."

Since LFC began in 1980, Laborers generally have been retired men and
women. LFC started NAILS to connect with young adults by offering both a
summer employment and ministry opportunity.

This first year, NAILS targeted Concordia university, college, and
seminary students. Next summer, Baker says, NAILS will expand to also
include students involved in LCMS campus ministries at other colleges
and universities.

"We had a lot of calls from [LCMS college] chaplains saying their
students wanted to be a part [of NAILS]," Baker said. "We learned this
is a real outreach ministry."

Rachel Mol, a recent Concordia University Seward graduate, participated
in NAILS for a summer job before she starts her first teaching
assignment in August. As she helped build a fellowship addition for Zion
Lutheran Church, Hampton, Neb., Mol learned to use a variety of power
tools and enjoyed working with a variety of people from "all walks of
life, but who are all one in the Spirit."

"I was a little nervous at first when I walked onsite and realized I was
the only college student," said Mol. "But the people have been just
fantastic. Everyone watches out for me. It's like having a bunch of
aunts and uncles and grandparents hanging around."

NAILS participants work for LCMS congregations and earn minimum wage
(the same as Laborers' compensation). While Laborers typically live in
RVs parked near the construction site, NAILS workers are hosted by
congregation families.

Like Laborers, those who serve with NAILS do more than construction,
joining congregation members in worship and other church activities.

Along with helping build a new sanctuary for Shepherd by the Lakes
Lutheran Church, Dorothy Naumann cheered the Syracuse, Ind.,
congregation's softball team. On her 19th birthday, Laborers surprised
the Concordia University Chicago student with a party and a special gift
-- her own hammer, tied with a bow.

"You learn so much about not just construction, but about life in
general from the experiences of the other workers as well as creating
your own experiences ...," said Naumann, a student in the university's
deaconess program. "It is just great to be able to work alongside people
with the common goal of serving Christ to the best of your ability and
doing His will."

Jim Eberhart, who has been with LFC since 2002, calls NAILS participants
Zarate and Mark Porth "a real blessing." The students are spending their
summer in Kansas City, helping remodel a former plastics factory into
the new ministry center for Jesus El Buen Pastor Lutheran Church.

An architecture student at Auburn University, Porth worked last summer
with Habitat For Humanity. This summer, he wanted an opportunity to use
his design and construction skills and also serve God. The NAILS
program, he said, "was the best way possible that I could do both."

Don Nordmeyer, NAILS coordinator for LFC, expects the program to draw
more students next summer with the expansion beyond Concordia campuses.
He plans to again visit campuses to spread the word about NAILS, which
he calls "a vital ministry of the church."

"I'm more positive than ever that this mentoring/participation
experience is very important for the future values and life of our
church," Nordmeyer said.

To learn more about NAILS, visit www.lcef.org/nails
<http://www.lcef.org/nails>  or call 800-843-5233, ext. 6446.

Kim Plummer Krull is a freelance writer and a member of St. Paul's
Lutheran Church in Des Peres, Mo.

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If you have questions or comments about this LCMSNews release, contact
Joe Isenhower Jr. at joe.isenhower@lcms.org
<mailto:joe.isenhower@lcms.org>  or (314) 996-1231, or Paula Schlueter
Ross at paula.ross@lcms.org <mailto:paula.ross@lcms.org>  or (314)
996-1230.

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