He visits nursing homes, schools, and churches. He has attended funerals, wakes, and weddings. He has also traveled to other states following disasters, both man-made and natural.

Moses is a comfort dog. He is an extension of the ministry of Christ Lutheran Church in Cairo, and now Peace Lutheran Church in Grand Island wants to purchase a similar dog to expand that ministry even further.

Glen Keylon is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church. He and his wife care for Moses.

The dog has a second handler and 11 other handlers who can take him to various locations in the community and other states. He has visited children at Sandy Hook Elementary after a school shooting, a memorial service after the Boston Marathon bombing and Moore, Oklahoma, after the tornadoes there last spring. He has also been to Arizona after the deaths of 19 firefighters and to West, Texas, after a deadly factory explosion.

“We have accomplished a lot at the national, state and regional levels,” Keylon said. “He brings peace and comfort.”

Moses arrived in Cairo on August 19, 2012. Immediately after “dropping off line duty,” he went to a hospital in Lincoln to visit a Cairo firefighter who was recovering from surgery, Keylon said.

Moses, a golden retriever, was trained as a service dog by Lutheran Church Charities in Addison, Illinois.

According to the Lutheran Church Charities website, “K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry is a national mission that uses the unique abilities of dogs, particularly golden retrievers, to touch people with the mercy and compassion of Christ.” The dogs are trained service animals prepared to interact with people in a way that bridges compassionate missionary work.

For more information about the comfort dog program and videos, visit the “Ministeries” page at www.lutheranchurchcharities.org.

“There is an unlimited amount of need and services that can be developed,” Keylon said of using a comfort dog. “Moses is a connector. A bridge service. He is a magnet that opens doors and sparks conversations.”

Keylon has seen people confide in Moses who wouldn’t talk to anyone else. He said Peace Lutheran learned about comfort dogs through a presentation about Moses’ work and he encourages others to learn more about the ministry.

Mike Reiners, assistant pastor at Peace Lutheran, said Moses is the only comfort dog trained by Lutheran Church Charities in Nebraska.

He said members of his community want to get an assistance dog despite the high cost because there is something “almost magical” about the animals’ abilities.

“You build bridges immediately,” he said. “It’s medically proven that petting a dog lowers blood pressure. It’s just a calming thing.”

The comfort dogs know dozens of commands, starting with things as simple as laying their head on the lap of a seated person.

When Peace Lutheran gets a service dog, Reiners said the animal will have primary and secondary caregivers as well as a number of trained handlers. The dogs are working animals, not pets, and there are certain criteria that must be met to maintain the dog’s health and training, he said.

The Peace Lutheran University dog ​​will be used primarily at the local level, but will also be available for state and national tasks, he said.

The dog rescue organization will have a dedicated account for trips, and Reiners hopes that account and the dog’s costs can be covered through donations and sponsorships from church members and people in the community. The dog rescue organization team is also planning fundraising events, he said.

It takes eight to 12 months for Lutheran Church Charities to fully train a service dog. To be considered for one of the dogs, an application must be submitted, and the cost for an animal and training is $6,000. Because of the cost and length of training, it will be at least next summer before a dog arrives at Peace Lutheran, he said.

Reiners expects the church dog to be used in a similar way to Moses – visiting hospitals, nursing homes and schools. He hopes the dog can also visit homebound people, Peace Lutheran Church’s monthly dances, vacation Bible school, fire and police departments, homeless shelters and people in hospice care.

“The dog can help people open up,” he said.

Reiners said he regularly speaks to the congregation about building relationships with each other and with Christ and going out into the community to spread that word. A comfort dog will help with that mission, he said.

Veterinarian Mike Reilly has already agreed to provide basic medical care, and Ann Bruns of Island Pet Resort will handle grooming, he said. The handlers and groomers will meet monthly to coordinate their schedules and ensure consistent work with the dog, he said.

The church already has many plans for a comfort dog, but Reiners said they will also wait to see what God has planned for the church’s future involvement.

“We are digging deep,” he said.

The public is cordially invited to attend an information session about purchasing an assistance dog for Peace Lutheran Church.

The meeting will take place on August 25th from 9:20 to 10:15 a.m. in the church.

Members of the Comfort Dog Ministry team are also available to answer questions. Members include Pastor Mike Reiners; Shirley McCallum and her daughter Sage, a fourth-grader at Stolley Park Elementary School; Stephanie King-Witt; Don and Connie Moeller; Mike and Vicki Nelson; Katie Nelson; Jennifer Moss and Lisa Thayer.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can call the church office at 384-5673.