The Sandhills Ministry is a unique ministry in Nebraska because of the unique culture of Western Nebraska which it serves.  This ministry, served by a called DCE, a called pastor, and a lay minister, works to minister to the needs of the people in western Nebraska.

This ministry includes the Sandhills Lutheran Ministry Center in Hyannis, Swede Valley Lutheran Church 20 miles southeast of Hyannis, Bingham Lutheran Church 20 miles west of Hyannis, and Faith Lutheran Church 35 miles north of Hyannis. From these outposts, a variety of people and needs are served. DCE Andy Safarik ministers to the people in these areas under the supervision of Pastor Dave Dobbertien.

Rev. Ben Eickhoff serves as pastor for Zion Lutheran Church in Arnold and Trinity Lutheran Church in Thedford.

Rev. Rudolph Schaff serves the ministry at Zion Lutheran Church in Crookston and Grace Lutheran Church in Merriman, as well as a preaching station in Cody.

Reaching Out

This ministry attends to the spiritual needs of the farmers and ranchers that live in this area through Word and Sacrament worship services, Vacation Bible School, and Bible studies.

Their weekday school (Bible school) is an outreach to the community. They have a number of kids come each week that would get little or no Christian training without these classes. They also have youth group for any of the young kids in town to attend. Most who come are not members of these churches.

In the summer of 2000, four of their youth went to Omaha to work with Sudanese refugees.  They also offer youth opportunities to share their faith nearer to home.  At Christmas they took approximately 100 gifts and bags with candy and fruit to Alliance, NE, to the American Indian Council. These gifts were distributed to children who might otherwise have received no presents.

The Future of Our Ministry

The Sandhills ministry has been ministering here for around thirty years. During that time they have touched many lives in this sparsely populated area. Their hope, vision, and goal is to increase the presence of the LCMS in the Sandhills and to reach more of the unchurched--bringing them to be active members of the Lutheran church.