Paschal greetings in Christ Jesus.
Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

It has pleased our Lord to cause His servant, Dr. LuJuana Patricia Devonia Ruffin Butts, to fall asleep in Christ Jesus on the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord (Thursday, May 18, 2023) and await the day of the resurrection of all flesh in Christ Jesus. 

Before her service in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), Dr. Butts worked in over a dozen different schools including one in Seoul, Korea where she was director of curriculum and instruction. A Minister of Religion--Commissioned of the LCMS, Dr. Butts served as a Professor of Education at Concordia College Alabama (Selma), Concordia University Chicago (River Forest), and Concordia College New York (Bronxville) in addition to serving as the Principal of Grace Lutheran Day School in Queens Village, NY and serving as a third and fourth grade teacher at St. Mark's Lutheran School in Yonkers, NY. Dr. Butts served on many boards and committees of the Church (Center for Urban Education Ministries [CUEM], Lutheran Social Services of New York [LSSNY], Wheat Ridge Ministries [now We Raise Foundation], Concordia Plans Services [CPS], Diaconal Ministry of the LCMS Atlantic District, Lutheran Schools Association [LSA], and more) in addition to her many activities in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), the Lutheran Educators Association (LEA) and at her beloved parish—Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in The Bronx, New York.  LuJuana fought the good fight and has finished the race. We give our Lord thanks for her witness to Christ Jesus.

The funeral plans are as follows:
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
The viewing is at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church
4360 Rev. Theodore Wittrock Crossing (Boyd Avenue)
The Bronx, NY 10466-1804
from 3PM to 8PM.
The color of the day is white.
A Liturgy of the Holy Word will begin at 6:30PM.

Thursday, June 8, 2023
A viewing will be at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church
4360 Rev. Theodore Wittrock Crossing (Boyd Avenue)
The Bronx, NY 10466-1804
from 9AM to 9:45AM.
At that time, the casket will be closed.
The Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist will begin at 10AM at Redeemer.
The color of the day is white.
A repast will follow at Redeemer at the conclusion of the Liturgy.

The interment will be at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

LCMS Ministers of Religion—Commissioned and LCMS Ministers of Religion—Ordained along with Atlantic District Lay Deacons are invited to vest and process for the funeral. It would mean a great deal to the family if they did. The color of the day is white. If you intend to process, please email Deaconess Rojas at dcsrojas@redeemerlutheranbronx.org no later than June 6 at 8PM so that preparations may be made for you.

For those who are unable to attend the viewing on June 7 or the funeral on June 8, the Zoom information is as follows:
Zoom Meeting ID: 879 8921 1695
Passcode: 619612
It is the same Zoom information for both days.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in The Bronx in LuJuana’s memory. Checks may be made payable to Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church and sent to
Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church
4360 Rev. Theodore Wittrock Crossing
The Bronx, NY 10466-1804
Donations may be made electronically. To do so, you may use any of the electronic donation platforms on Redeemer’s website: redeemerlutheranbronx.org/donate

For those who wish to send notes or cards to the Butts Family, you may send them to Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church and they will be given to the Butts family.

If you have remembrances and tributes that you would like to share with the Butts family, please email those messages to Deaconess Rojas at dcsrojas@redeemerlutheranbronx.org. They will be shared with the family.

Let us keep LuJuana's husband Melvin, her sons Senga and Kial, her daughter-in-law Wendy, her granddaughter Karrie, and all her family members and loved ones in our prayers as we grieve with hope and look forward to the day of the resurrection of all flesh in Christ Jesus.

Peace and hope in Christ Jesus,
Bishop Taylor