Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative Concordia University School students to receive Christmas Stocking | Community Spirit

In the spirit of giving this holiday season, Grace Lutheran Church in Menomonee Falls has adopted the students and families of LUMIN’s Concordia University School on Granville Road in Milwaukee.  More than 200 handmade stockings filled with toys, necessities, and gift cards will be presented to the students following their school Christmas programs on December 9th (grades 4K-4) and December 16th (grades 5-8).

The effort is led by Debbie Davis, the wife of Milwaukee Bucks radio broadcaster Ted Davis.  Each spring, Debbie cuts out and begins stitching the stockings. During the summer about 50 women from Grace Lutheran Church decorate and finish stitching the stockings.  Families of Grace Lutheran are then encouraged to pick up the stockings and fill them with gifts and goodies.  Says Debbie, “It’s my prayer that every stocking will also include a gift card of at least $10 or $20 so the child can purchase winter coats, mittens or what ever the child might need.”

Debbie tells a story of a little boy who opened his Grace Christmas stocking and found a $50 gift certificate.  As he started making a list of all the things he wanted, he realized that his mother didn’t have money to buy Christmas gifts for his brothers and sisters, so he gave the certificate to his mother to share with his entire family.  “What a lesson learned!” exclaims Debbie.

LUMIN, Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative, operates Concordia University School and three other Lutheran schools in the Milwaukee area where 95% of the students come from low-income families and participate in the Milwaukee Parent Choice Program.  LUMIN provides safe, Christian schools focused on educational success, leadership development and spiritual growth and is quickly becoming the standard for effective, Christ-centered, results oriented urban education in the City of Milwaukee.