Seventy-five children showed up at Abiding Grace, Covington, Ga., for its Easter for Kids community day on Mar. 15. Here they learned the real reason to celebrate Easter. On Easter Sunday, 210 people—half were visitors—crammed into the congregation’s temporary worship space: a rented daycare.

Shepherd of the Lakes, Land O Lakes, Fla., conducted an Easter for Kids event Mar. 15. With the help of four students from Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., this mission congregation of seven members reached out to the 35 children who attended the event. Following the Easter festivities, 10 families expressed interest in the new mission congregation.

Members of Open Bible, The Villages, Fla., held a groundbreaking service for their new building Mar. 30. More than 75 people attended the service, which was held at the site of the new sanctuary.

Dave and Dee Mathiak, members at Prince of Peace, Englewood, Fla., left May 4 for Lusaka, Zambia, where they will serve for the next two to three years as WELS Kingdom Workers at the Bible institute/seminary compound. A commissioning service was held for them on Mar. 30.

Erik Landwehr, staff minister at Trinity, St. Lucia, West Indies, was presented with the National Basketball Association Coach of the Year Award by the prime minister of St. Lucia, the Honorable Stevenson King. Landwehr was nominated for the award because of his volunteer work coaching the Corinth Secondary School basketball program for the past several years. The team made it to the national finals in St. Lucia this year.

Saving Grace, Mobile, Ala., had 23 people join the Saving Grace family on Easter Day. Nine were baptized, nine were confirmed, three professed their faith, and two transferred to the congregation—bringing Saving Grace’s membership to 109.

Divine Savior Academy, Doral, Fla., participated in the 2008 Humane Society of Greater Miami Walk for the Animals on Feb. 23 at Bayfront Park. The Divine Savior walkers raised more money than any other school in Miami.

Happy anniversary! Crown of Glory, Orlando, Fla., celebrated its 25th anniversary on Mar. 2.