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Operation Troop Ties (Cool Ties) Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church of Ramona has joined a local community effort to help our troops survive the tremendous heat in Iraq and other desert areas of deployment. We are making neckwraps containing a polymer that expands when wet and holds moisture for hours of cooling evaporation. Every "cool tie" also bears a silk-screened message of love, encouragement and support. Our goal is to get each man and woman serving in that heat a cool tie. Every single tie that is provided is free to the troops. We need more fabric, polymer, thread, and monetary donations to help cover materials and postage. If you have an address of a soldier where we can send a box of cool ties, or if you can help with a donation, or can help in the construction of the ties, or if you simply need more information, please call our church office, (760) 788-7456.
Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church of Ramona is a Stephen Ministry congregation. Lay caregivers (called Stephen Ministers) are the heart of the Stephen Ministry program. The caregivers, led by our Pastor, provide one-on-one Christian care to those who have lost a loved one, who are hospitalized, terminally ill, chronically ill, divorced, unemployed, in spiritual crisis, or who are facing one of many other life-challenges. Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry. The identity of those receiving care and what takes place in each caring relationship remains private and strictly confidential. For more information, please call our church office, (760) 788-7456.
Spirit of Joy is home to Chapter 115 of Prayers & Squares, a non-profit world-wide prayer ministry started right here in San Diego County in 1992. At Spirit of Joy, volunteers meet once a week on Tuesdays to create pocket squares, lap squares, and lap quilts for those who need prayer for any reason. Embroidery floss ties hold the quilts together. Quilts are usually in Church on Sunday for blessing, and members of the congregation tie a knot as they say a prayer for the quilt recipient, who will know the love of God and his people reaching out to them in prayer. We encourage friends, family, doctors, and others to keep tying and praying after the quilt reaches the recipient. More information about this exciting prayer ministry is available on Prayers & Squares website at http://www.prayerquilt.org/ - Request forms are available in the Church Office or call (760) 788-7456.
Social Ministries Spirit of Joy has a social ministries task force which raises awareness of how we can lend the most effective help within our own community, and beyond. Recent projects and ongoing efforts include assistance to House of Hope orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico, Lutheran World Relief, Ramona Pregnancy Care Clinic, and Ramona Food & Clothes Closet. We have hosted, housed and fed volunteer workers in the recovery from the great Cedar Fire, and received recognition and awards for the generosity and sensitivity of our congregation reaching out to fire victims. Through communication with Pacifica Synod of ELCA, with Lutheran Social Services and with individual churches in affected areas, we have participated in recent efforts for victims of hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and landslides. One of our recent commitments is to prepare and provide meals for the homeless and less fortunate through Ramona's Open Door Meals program at Immaculate Heart Catholic Church on the 1st Monday evening of every month. Spirit of Joy has a heart for reaching out to others.
Music Ministries We are blessed at Spirit of Joy with music programs that are fulfilling and inspiring. Our choir rehearses on Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm, and leads the 8:15 am Sunday worship service. At 9:45 am on Sundays, our contemporary worship service is led by our Praise Team, which rehearses Thursdays at 6:00 pm. We feature special music presentations at Christmas and Easter, all under the coordination and inspiration of our Director of Music, Joan Brown. If you are interested in joining with us to share the gift of music, you can contact Joan at her email address of music@sojchurch.com.
Fellowship Groups Click here for more information on our fellowship groups.
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