Elizabeth Dinges of Messiah Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas raised more than $7,000 for Mother's Day Tea, a fund raiser that benefits abused, neglected and troubled children served by Lutheran Social Services.

Dinges and her husband hosted the tea at their home for nearly 50 members of their church. To include everyone, the Dinges' called the event, "The LSS House and Garden Tea" so that everyone would feel welcome, not just mothers. The tea took place in the backyard garden.

"We are truly blessed to have this house and this garden, and we felt that we should use it for a good cause," Dinges said. "We invited people to just come out and enjoy the food and the company."

The Mother's Day Tea benefit for abused, neglected and troubled children served by LSS is a cause that is close to Dinges' heart. In high school she spent some time in a girls' home and remembers the kindness shown to her by a woman she met in church. Hosting a tea provides Dinges a way to give back to children who may be facing a similar situation.

"God calls us all to do various things," Dinges said. "I remember the kindness that was shown to me, and I want to pass it on to other children."

In addition to individual gifts, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans donated $1,600, and Dinges' former congregation, Lamb of God Lutheran Church, donated $3,000.

"The tea is always a hit with out church," Dinges said. "They start asking us about it in January."

LSS is the social service arm of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. LSS affiliated ministries serve more than 35,000 people in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi regardless of religious beliefs, ethnicity, gender or age. Its ministries include children's residential treatment centers, therapeutic foster care, adoption, disaster response, emergency assistance, senior health care, retirement communities and adult day care.

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