Let’s Bring a Comfort Dog to SHLC.

We are seeking God’s direction for growing our staff at Shepherd of the Hills, in order to meet the spiritual needs of our Family and our community. The search for a new Director of Worship and Music continues, as the first two attempts to identify and call a candidate have drawn a blank. We are considering applying for a graduate candidate from one of the Concordias, but we haven’t begun that process yet. We’ll keep you updated as we go.

Another position that we have begun working toward is adding a Comfort Dog through the ministry of Lutheran Church Charities. Before you snap back with, “What does a church need a dog for?”, I encourage you to check out the Comfort Dog ministry at LCC’s website: https://www.lutheranchurchcharities.org/k-9-ministries1.html.

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Here’s the description from LCC: Launched in August 2008, the Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry is a national human-care ministry embracing the unique, calming nature and skills of purebred Golden Retrievers. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs are a bridge for compassionate ministry, opening doors for conversation about faith and creating opportunities to share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs are working animals, trained to interact with people of all ages and circumstances who are suffering and in need.

Some things you need to know about Comfort Dogs:

• The Comfort Dog is not a mascot nor a pet. The dog – always a golden retriever – becomes a part of the ministry team, essentially as an additional member of the staff.
• The Comfort Dog is part of a larger initiative to meet the needs of those deeply impacted by life’s circumstances. This objective has been high on our list for the last eight years. We want to be the church that actively demonstrates care and compassion for everyone within our reach who is dealing with difficult challenges in their lives. Through this ministry, we are intentionally stepping into the shoes of the Good Samaritan, in keeping with Christ’s expectation that we become His mouth and hands in speaking to and caring for His children (of all ages).  
• Acquiring a Comfort Dog will take 2-3 years.  That’s how long it takes from the time LCC receives our application to the actual placement of the dog. Faith/Appleton just got their Comfort Dog within the last month in a process that took about 2 years, in no small part to COVID-related delays. To our knowledge, they are the only church in the North Wisconsin District that currently has a Comfort Dog. The dog is bred and selected specifically for the congregation, and we get to name the dog (most churches choose Biblical names, but I’ve got a couple great ones in mind!).
• An entire volunteer team carries out the Comfort Dog ministry for the congregation. The LCC website explains these in a little more detail, but here are the main positions on the team:
  • TOP DOG: this is the person who oversees the entire ministry, from the application process through training and ongoing care for the dog. This is someone who has a heart for people in need, with a strong faith in Christ and an equally strong desire to bring a little peace and joy into the life of our family and community members who are a bit lacking in those departments right now. We need two solid candidates, and LCC interviews and picks the right one.
  • CAREGIVERS: the folks who house the dog. We need primary and secondary caregivers (allows for vacations, etc., while giving the dog a home).
  • HANDLERS: the team of six helpers who will handle the dog in all public ministry situations. The handlers are the ones on the other end of the leash, who are trained with the dog for particular commands involved in interacting with “clients.”
  • PARTNERS: these folks are the key to the whole ministry, as they are the ones offering Christ’s comfort and prayers with and for the person the Comfort Dog has come to visit.
  • OTHER SUPPORTERS: additional roles can be found those who might like to help with fundraising, social media, sewing and other related needs for the ministry.
• The Comfort Dog goes wherever they are invited. This can be nursing homes, hospitals, schools, fire stations, VFW halls – you name it – but it’s by invitation only. We don’t go barging in where we’re not invited, but we do make sure that the entire community knows we’re here for them when they need us. The Comfort Dog (with handler) may be called on to deploy to another part of the country where a particular tragedy has had outsized impact on the need for Christ’s peace and reassurance. Multiple Comfort Dogs from any number of congregations (currently over 130 nationwide) may respond to that deployment call.  
• The cost of acquiring a Comfort Dog is $15,000. All costs relating to our Comfort Dog ministry will come through donations, not budgets. LCC insists that the Comfort Dog NOT be a congregational budget item. This ensures long-term commitment to supporting the ministry.  The actual cost for breeding and training the dog is $30,000 – LCC takes care of half, the congregation the other half. 

Before we formally start the application process, we will need to secure the donations that cover these costs. So guess what I’ll be asking you next… That’s right: pray!