Faith & Service
Human Care

GIFTS FROM THE HEART

From Human Care, Conference and Zone Spring Rallies 2026


Our LWML MNS District ladies held Gatherings and Servant Events, and collections were held for area mission projects. Following are the Conference and Zone Rallies held Spring 2026. The Servant Events and mission support projects were:

 

  • ARLINGTON ZONE Spring Rally was held April 11, 9 a.m. at Centennial Lutheran Church, Henderson with Dr. Jeffrey Burkart speaking. The attendance was 39. Gifts from the Heart collection of $444.00, for King of Kings Lutheran School Scholarships.
     
  • AUSTIN ZONE Spring Rally was held April 11, 9 a.m. at St. John's, Sargeant with a Servant Event for Phil's Friends. Items collected include Floss- 125, Toothpaste- 130, Tooth brushes-218, Mouthwash- 5, Journals- 52, Deck of cards- 57, ,Lotion- 71. Lip Balm- 61, Kleenex- 198, Socks- 46, Hats- 7, Puzzle Books- 51, Pens & Colors- 5,blankets & quilts- 25, Cards of Hope- 28, Money- $20. Attendance was 27, Mite collection: $36, Offering for District: $143.
     
  • BLUE EARTH ZONE Spring Rally was held   April 21, 5 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Fairmont with Mary Poppe, MNS District YWR speaking. GFTH: Baby items for Options Pregnancy Center including 30 packages of diapers, 38 packs of baby wipes, 8 blankets, 1 crib sheet, 17 sets of baby clothes, 16 baby socks, 2 nuks, 1 baby bib, 76 baby and mom personal care items.
     
  • CARVER ZONE Spring Rally was held on Saturday, April 18th, and the Gifts from the Heart were cash/checks for the Ethiopia Cow Project. A total of $675.00 was donated to this project sponsored by Trinity Lutheran Church in Waconia. At the Servant Event following the rally, 45 layette kits were assembled. The LWML ladies of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Watertown, also brought 27 already completed layette kits. A total of 72 layette kits were being delivered to Global Health Ministries.
     
  • FARIBAULT ZONE Spring Rally was held April 18, 9 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Dodge Center Rev. Dr. Armand Boehme speaking. They had $230 in registration, $156.27 in mites and GFTH collected were $216 to Lutheran Heritage foundation.
     
  • LAKE MINNETONKA ZONE Spring Rally was April 11th. Speaker, Dr. Brooke Pernice from Lutheran Braille Workers which turned out to be livestreamed at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Excelsior. GFTH collected were $60 Cash and $205 in Gift Cards were collected for the Blind Ministry Outreach Center at Faith Lutheran Church in Minneapolis to help with their monthly events.
     
  • LAKE PEPIN ZONE Spring Rally was held April 25, 8:30 a.m. Registration at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Plainview with speaker being from Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. GFTH: collected were 294 toiletries/hygiene items for the Caring Closet at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. 
     
  • LITCHFIELD ZONE Spring Rally was held April 11, 9 a.m. at St. John's, Buffalo with Ben Harvey of Timber Bay speaking.  GFTH were $500 and a bunch of snacks.
     
  • MCLEOD ZONE Spring Rally was held Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Glencoe, MN. The speaker was Rev. Dr. John Reinke of World Lutheran Deaf Outreach speaking via Zoom on Deaf Outreach Disciple Makers Nationally and Internationally. There were 40 people in attendance. The total for offerings is as follows:  Mites - $283, MN SO District - $436, Gifts from the Heart - $215 in gift cards & $192 in cash
     
  • NE SUBURBAN ZONE Spring Rally was held at Trinity in St. Francis. Our speaker was Rev. Dr. Peter Scaer.  His topic was - Life and Life Eternal: Our Faith Must Speak. We gathered Gifts from the Heart - $315 for Area Pregnancy Centers. Our offering: $88, our attendance was 35.
     
  • NW SUBURBAN ZONE Spring Rally April 18, 9 a.m. Registration at Eternal Hope, Brooklyn Park Melissa Jones, RN spoke on Fruits of the Spirit. GFTH: New Freedom Store items were collected and included in convention count.
     
  • PIPESTONE ZONE Spring Rally was at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Marshall, MN on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 9 a.m. The speaker was Lynn Thompson who spoke on Supporting Refugees and Immigrants, 32 attended, the offering was $176, and the Gifts of the Heart went to the Marshall Backpack program ($390).
     
  • ROCHESTER ZONE Spring Rally was held April 25th at St. Johns Lutheran Church, Wykoff Dr. Jeffrey Burkart speaking. GFTH: Items for King of Kings School.
     
  • ST. CROIX RIVER ZONE held our Spring Gathering on Sat., April 18th and collected the following items for Phil's Friends: 47 Hats, 44 Blankets, 27 Fuzzy socks, 46 Toothbrushes, 9 Holders, 21 Toothpaste, 13 Mouth Rinse, 19 Lotion, 47 small pack Tissues, 10 Lip Balm, 54 Puzzle Books. 40 Journals, 23 - Deck of playing cards, 1 $25 McDonalds Gift Card, $218.57 in Cash/Checks, 92 Homemade Cards, 20 Cards of Hope, 7 Writing Tablets, 5 Packaging Tape 
     
  • ST. PAUL METRO ZONE Spring Rally April 11, 9:30 a.m. at Kings Lutheran Church, Roseville with Sara Fisher, Global Health Ministries speaking. Gifts from the heart ingathering/ servant event was newborn kits for Global Health Ministries #25 kits were made and a few other miscellaneous items were donated.
     
  • SE SUBURBAN ZONE Spring Rally was held on April 11, 2026 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Lakeville Theme: “I Love to Tell the Story” Attendance: 28. Rally Offering: $205.00. “Gifts from the Heart” In-Gathering: $360.00 in cash for Project Video.
     
  • SW SUBURBAN ZONE Spring Rally was held on, April 25, 2026, held at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, Bloomington at 9:00 am. Speaker was Jim Seemann, New Freedom Store; GFTH - spring coats, white socks, monetary donation of $520 
     
  • WASECA ZONE Spring Rally was held on Saturday, March 7, with the theme “Joys and Challenges in Missions, Mongolia, Hong Kong, USA”. The guest speaker was Rev. Rich Carter. Pastor Palm led opening and closing devotions. Registration of 25 people was $220. LWML offering was $194. Mite offering of $244.65. Ingathering for Phil’s Friends was $105, 5 lip gloss, 2 sudoku books, 9 toothpaste tubes, 9 tooth brushes, 12 women socks, 3 mouth wash bottles, 12 blanket throws, 6 thermal socks, 1 journal, 2 ink pens, 4 tissue boxes, 3 composition books, and 15 quilts.
     
  • WINONA ZONE Spring Rally was held at St. Matthew in St. Charles on Saturday, April 25, 2026. Theme: “Christian Citizenship;” Verse: Philippians 3:20; Speaker: Victoria Ritzma, talked about Christian Citizenship. Attendance 32; Offering: $224; “Gifts from the Heart” $235 and $100 gift card for the needs of the St. Matthew Community Preschool children.
     
  • WORTHINGTON ZONE Spring Rally was held April 18, 2026, at Sioux Valley Trinity Lutheran Church, 38523 730th St. Lakefield, MN 56150.  Our speaker was Pastor Peter Preus. Our theme was: “Gospel Relief for the Despairing”.  We had 55 attend.  Gifts From the Heart collected were 329 items plus $153 going to Southwest Crisis Center. Our offering collected $250.
     

 

We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV).

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!  Thank you for showing Jesus' love!  

Kay Gottschalk, LWML MNS District Vice President of Human Care and Committee Chair; and committee members Doreen Hoffman, Deb Otto, Dianne Nutzman, and Pastor Bert Mueller.