Supporting Life Tomorrow
by Holly Brown, Lay Minister at Good News, San Antonio
Sometimes faith formation is more than a Sunday School class or a weekly Bible study. Sometimes, it means stepping into our community, walking alongside others in their struggles, and showing the love of Christ in real and tangible ways.
It means asking hard questions: How do we save a life? Not only a spiritual life—but also the mental and emotional well-being, and even the physical heartbeat of someone in need. At Good News Lutheran Church, this question has been weighing heavily on our hearts.
A little over a year ago, our community experienced a heartbreaking loss. A young person connected to both our softball league and the Southside Faith Academy tragically died by suicide. This loss deeply impacted all of us and brought together three groups—our church, the softball league, and the homeschool community—with a shared purpose. This purpose was to care more intentionally for the youth in our lives. In the midst of grief, our youth began asking us: “How do we save a life? How do we make sure there is life tomorrow?”
Those questions sparked action. Ray Alvarado, our softball board president, felt called to begin a mentorship program and reached out asking how to get started. At the same time, Clarissa Ramirez from Southside Faith Academy was seeking ways to better equip parents to support and protect their children.
Through prayer and connection, a path began to form. We were reminded of a valuable relationship in our community with Edward from the Southside Coalition. Through this partnership, we are now launching our first CALM training, equipping both youth mentors and adults with tools to support mental health, recognize warning signs, and walk alongside those who may be struggling.
This is only the beginning. Our next steps include listening closely to our youth mentors, empowering them to help shape a mentorship program, and continuing to build a support system rooted in faith, compassion, and presence. We are committed to fostering a community of fellowship, encouragement, and care—so that every young person knows they are not alone.
A Prayer Request
We ask for your prayers for this new initiative, “Life Tomorrow.”
Pray for wisdom, guidance, and open hearts as we move forward.
Pray that we may be instruments of God’s love and hope.
Pray that through these efforts, lives will be supported, strengthened, and saved.