BRAILLE TEAM

Shepherd of Life formed a Braille ministry team of volunteers in May 2004, meeting monthly at Lutheran Braille Center 184, one of more than 200 centers throughout the US and Canada. It is located in Arlington at Grace Lutheran Church on Park Row. The SOL team meets on the third Thursday of each month from 7 to 8:30 pm.

The Arlington location began operation in 1998, as an outgrowth of local residents who had previously traveled to Ft Worth to participate in this ministry. Center 184 was dedicated to a long time volunteer, E. O. Voge, who died just prior to the opening. His wife continued to work with this ministry until she reached ninety years of age. The Voge’s are the parents of member, Sandra Fultz.

Lutheran Braille Workers, Inc. has been in existence since the 1940’s. The national office is in Yucaipa, California. The LBW Center translates books of the Bible, as well as other religious materials, produces the Braille plates, then sends them to designated Braille Centers for printing, assembling and distribution around the world, free of charge to recipients.

The Arlington Center prints four different books—John, Numbers and Deuteronomy in Spanish and You Can Live Above Your Circumstance in English. The most popular book by number of requests is You Can Live Above Your Circumstances, written by a Lutheran pastor and primarily mailed to India and Africa. Thirteen teams including Lutherans and non-Lutherans, produce on average 130 volumes per month at Center 184.

All Lutheran Braille Centers are operated by volunteers. The assembly line process includes stuffing the plates with paper, securing the plates in metal jackets, pressing each page, then assembling the pages on a spiral coil.

Lutheran Braille is the only producer of Bibles that distributes materials free of charge, anywhere in the world, to those who are sight impaired. The organization is dedicated to bringing Christ to those in darkness.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Two Saturday’s a year, Shepherd of Life volunteers help build homes for needy families. All Habitat for Humanity affiliates build on the belief that everyone deserves a decent place to live at a price they can afford. Along with other Habitat volunteers, members of Shepherd of Life, working hand in hand with families they serve, build quality and affordable homes. The Trinity Habitat for Humanity, www.trinityhabitat.org, supports the following counties: Tarrant, Parker, Wise and Johnson.

If you would like to share your time and talents to support building homes for God’s people, refer to the congregation calendar for the next scheduled activity.

CARTER BLOOD DRIVES

Every day close to 800 patients in North Central and East Texas need timely blood transfusions to survive. The majority of this blood comes from organizations throughout the community.

Twice a year (spring and fall), Shepherd of Life holds blood drives in the church parking lot. A Carter Blood mobile — www.carterbloodcare.org — is available Sunday from 9 am-1 pm, an easy and convenient way to donate blood before or after one of our 3 morning worship services.

What a great way to spend a Sunday morning — receiving the blood of Christ via Holy Communion and providing blood for someone’s earthy life.

ARLINGTON LIFE SHELTER

Once a month, members of Shepherd of Life volunteer to prepare and serve dinner meals to individuals and families. By supporting the efforts of the Arlington Life Shelter, www.arlingtonlifeshelter.org, our members help men, women and children toward a lifestyle of self-sufficiency.