The Cornerstone - The Mid-South District

June 2014
Encourager
Mid-South District LCMS
In This Issue
President’s Office
Message From President Paavola
Prayer Summary
Call Updates
Message from
Rev. Dr. Roger Paavola,
president
Gift Planning & Finance/Administration
Congregational Mission Commitments
June 15 Deadline-Student Financial Aid
Programs & Ministries
IMPACT Update
News from Around the District
Welcome Students Assigned to Mid-South District
Jr. & Sr. High Summer Service - Central Region
“Free to Serve” - Youth Service, Little Rock AR
Continuing Education
News from Other Ministries
Congratulation to Shauen Trump
Trinity/HOPE
Building Churches in Tanzania
Tornado Relief Update
Other News
Connecting Creatively to the Community
Resolution Pro-Life Amendment 1 (TN)
Just another reason to invest with LCEF
Sharing Your Faith for Kids
Save the Date - Refugee Sunday
~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~
Mid-South District Mission
Statement
As an alliance of congregations and
schools, the Mid-South District provides
leadership, resources, and encouragement
and equipping the found for service in our
churches, communities, and in the world.
~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~
The Cornerstone
W hen
I grew up, there was a story going around about a
Nebraska farmer who moved to our area, wanting to
start farming the way he did “things back home.” Our area was riddled
with rocks and stones. Nebraska, apparently wasn’t! When he looked at
the first prospect of land, he noticed a field strewn with rocks and stones.
He asked the seller why there were so many rocks in the fields. The seller
told him the rocks keep the ground warm in
the Fall, warm the soil earlier in the Spring,
and help retain moisture during the dry
season. Somewhat amused by the answer’s
possibilities, the Nebraskan asked, “Well,
then why does the neighbor’s farm have
all his rocks piled up along the fence line?”
The seller answered quickly, “Oh that’s the
Johnson farm. He just got a few truckloads
of rocks and hasn’t had a chance to spread
them out yet.”
The Bible is filled with references to rocks
and stones. Like the seller’s tall story, sometimes rocks are referred to as good and
sometimes bad. Think about our lives: We
learn of rock solid, rock bottom, Rock of
Ages, rock of offense, Rock of Salvation, rock and roll,
rock quarry, rock star, and rocky soil.
In Peter’s first letter to the First Century’s suffering
Christians, he explained they may live in such a time as
theirs, living on the foundation of life – Christ the solid Rock
of our Salvation. He quoted the Old Testament prophetic
words, speaking of the effects of the work Christ on
behalf of mankind. He reminds us, as believers today, of
the greatest of all divine treasures. From my opening story,
and perhaps in the same way, we can see that Christ
is at the same time the object of greatest worth and the
greatest offense.
Peter asserts that believers won’t be ashamed or disappointed in Christ. He is the Chief Cornerstone, the foundation upon which the Holy Christian Church is built. God,
Himself, speaks of His prophetic estimation of Christ’s
value. “A stone, the Chief Cornerstone, precious in My
sight.” The word means “a stone unequalled in value,
irreplaceable or extremely costly.” This is God’s view of
Christ - the most valuable asset ever. Cornerstones in that
day were of the utmost value. They were the stones that
shaped and held together the rest of the building. Their
perfect edges gave accurate alignment to every other
stone and set the standard for all of the other stones that
determined whether or not a building would stand. The
chief cornerstone had to be as properly cut and placed in
order for the building to exist.
The Parthenon stands just as it did well over two
thousand years ago. It would be impossible had not its
foundation been right. The Rialto Bridge that spans the
Grand Canal in Venice was erected in A.D. 1588. Yet
without a firm foundation in Venice’s watery soil conditions, the Rialto Bridge would have collapsed long ago.
But, it remains firm because its foundation rests on 12,000
stone piles driven deeply into the soil.
We can be assured that Christ, our Chief Cornerstone
will never fail us, never forsake us, never give in, or ever
give out. Christ was pre-ordained by God before all
creation to be perfectly placed in the rocky dirt of an
imperfect world. God, our Heavenly Father gives the most
valuable Chief Cornerstone ever to us. Christ is the very
foundation on which our regenerate lives are built. We
stand because, we, the Body of the Church, stand on
Christ! She – the One true Church - shall never fall. Christ
is also that perfect alignment factor for our lives. His life
determines the direction of our priorities, our values, our
goals, our thoughts, words, and deeds. Without Christ
as the Cornerstone of our lives, we’d be out of alignment
and of no positive eternal value.
Yet, St. Peter explained that unbelievers consider Christ
as a great offense. They tarry near the place of being at
“rock bottom.” Peter says that Christ is a stone upon which
people stumble, and the rock upon which they fall upon
and are crushed. So, Peter says those who “rejected”
Him deem Christ unworthy of their slightest attention. They
rebel. They stumble because they’re actively opposed to
His Word. They “were destined”, by their own apostasy
to reject Christ and His work on our behalf.
Although we can conclude that unbelievers don’t simply
reject Christ, Satan and his minions know Scripture better
than some “church-goers.” Unbelief is an utter rebellion
against what they know about God. Immorality causes
Christ to be an offense to the unbeliever. We don’t have
to look far to see immorality abound in our media, on
our streets, and in what some choose for entertainment.
Moralists, agnostics, atheists, Hollywood, and the like
hate Jesus Christ. They reject divine standards, and a
God who holds them accountable. What, in effect has
happened, is that the only popular intolerance today is
Christianity. But God may use all things (including unbelief) to accomplish His purposes. We Christians can live
assured, however, that God controls all things and brings
about His Will and purpose for His precious people.
There’s an account of a plane crash in the wintery
Alaskan wilderness a few years ago. The fourteen survivors made camp and began to discuss what they should
do. The leader of the group pushed for packing their
supplies, and making an attempt to hike out. They didn’t
know exactly where they were. Another person disagreed,
saying they had enough supplies for 3 days. They should
wait for a rescue party that surely would come. A line in
the snow was drawn. Three people went with the leader
to hike out. The rest stayed. On the third night of hiking,
a great storm was approaching. But the four saw the
lights of a small village on the horizon. They reached the
village by nightfall. The storm sealed the fate of those who
wanted to remain behind and wait, unwilling to “follow
their leader.”
There are only two kinds of people in the world—those
that treasure Christ and follow Him as the Leader and Chief
Cornerstone of our Salvation; and those who stumble over
and reject Him as Lord and Savior. The former will inherit
their treasure, and the latter will ultimately be crushed
under the righteous judgment of God. Which rock is He
for this generation... the Rock of Salvation or the Rock of
Offense? It all depends where our foundation lies.
Rev. Dr. Roger Paavola, President
Mid-South District LCMS
Welcome Students Assigned to the Mid-South District
from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne
PHOTO ID:
(l-r) Robert Wacker; Katherine
Wacker; Jonathan Durkopp;
Cassandra Durkopp;
Dr. Daniel Preus, Third Vice
President, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, David Appold,
Elizabeth Appold, Kristina
Phillips, Eric Phillips
It is our pleasure to announce the students who have been assigned to the Mid-South District from Concordia
Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
CANDIDATES
David Appold, associate pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Paducah, KY
Eric Phillips, Concordia Lutheran Church, Nashville, TN
VICARS
Jonathan Durkopp, Peace Lutheran Church, Prairie Grove, AR
Robert Wacker, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, Oakland, TN, and Christ the King Lutheran Church, Memphis, TN
Congratulations to Shauen Trump
Congratulations to our friend, Shauen Trump, LCMS missionary in East Africa. His
title and responsibilities have recently changed to Area Director for Eastern and
Southern Africa. He is still based in the LCMS East Africa Field office in Nairobi.
Shauen has been working in East Africa for the last 5 years with
his wife Kristi, Josiah, Elijah and Isaiah, who was born in November
2013.
Our LCMS missionaries are responsible for generating their own
support. When a missionary accepts the call to serve overseas,
they are giving up more than smooth roads, fast food, and “nice”
things. They also give up common ground with friends and relatives as they grow and adapt to a new culture, new frustrations,
new joys, and new appreciations for who God is and how He
acts. As the missionary changes, America changes. We become
isolated, unfamiliar even with how our home culture has moved
in our absence. The people who used to be like us are less like
us and we are less like them. We often feel isolated, lonely, and
misunderstood.
Continue to keep Shauen and his family in your prayers and if
you are interested in supporting Shauen and his ministry in Africa
you can be make contributions to LCMS world missions in his name.
Continuing
Education
DEADLINE
June 15, 2014
June 9th-11th
We will again offer the opportunity to
participate in continuing education in the
Mid-South District in 2014.
The week of June 9th Dr. Cameron
MacKenzie will present: C. F. W. WALTHER
TODAY: The founding father of The
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod had
much to say about the topics of his day;
but many of those same topics are still
relevant, so students in this course will study
Walther’s ideas on topics of contemporary
interest, among them church and
ministry, confessional subscription, church
fellowship, and church/state relations.
3 day course (1.5 CEU) @ Trinity Lutheran
Church in Gallatin, Tennessee. Gallatin is
northeast of Nashville proper.
Registration & Info
More Information Contact
Pastor David McMinn
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
931-815-7684
Apply Now
for
Stu d en t
Fin ancia l Aid
Students who plan to attend an
LCMS seminary or university during
the 2014-15 academic year in order
to prepare for full-time church work
may apply for financial aid through
the Mid-South District office.
Financial aid amounts are granted
for a period of one year, and a new
application must be made each
year.
Applications for the coming school
year must be postmarked by June
15, 2014.
For forms, please contact the
district office by phone (toll-free) at
866-373-1343, by email to afowler@
mid-southlcms.com, or by regular
mail 1675 Wynne Road, Cordova,
TN 38016.
IMPACT Update
June 2014 ~ Update
COMPASS:
3 congregations
share their stories
and experiences
with CARS and
COMPASS
The Compass:
IMPACT
Since the time of St. Paul congregations have, at times,
needed to examine themselves and seek outside advice
as to the best ways and means of healing conflict;
addressing other problematic issues, or finding strategies
for strengthening mission and ministries. While congregations can readily know where various problems are,
or discover other opportunities for ministry, they may not
always have the best approach in dealing with them.
For this reason outside advice can become invaluable for
those desiring to establish a clear pathway to a reinvigorated and strong congregation.
As a result the Mid-South District of The Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod has developed a congregational
review process called, “SWOT” (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats). This program is also referred
to as “COMPASS” as the advice offered is intended to
give new direction to a variety a congregational needs.
However, this particular intervention is not designed to
be a “fix it program.” Instead it is a way of identifying
needs and areas of concern and opportunity that if left
unattended could continue to be a drag and a danger to
an otherwise strong and vibrant congregation.
To date this district assistance has been used in a
number of congregations. The COMPASS approach
takes a weekend, four outside leaders as assigned by
the district president and a congregation prepared to
speak openly and honestly about a variety of issues.
Once this process has been completed a report is sent to
the leadership for their evaluation. This report is intended
to identify areas of concern that the congregation should
consider addressing.
Where are your IMPACT contributions going? We
want to keep you up-to-date on the services and resources
of what IMPACT dollars have done for the District. Last
month, Paul Reaves reported the IMPACT on our Church
Planting Initiative in Chattanooga. These initiatives for
IMPACT have touched hundreds of lives, for which we
are deeply grateful.
This month, we wish to celebrate what God has done
in our IMPACT initiatives in the field of assisting congregations to become stronger and future-focused. The C.A.R.
project is underway, using Congregational Assessment
Resources and a new feature called COMPASS. Three
congregations are featured in this month’s article. Each
congregation went through the COMPASS project, but,
each with varying needs and strategies.
Here’s a summary of their experiences with C.A.R. and
the COMPASS project, bringing about a new direction
for our District-member congregations.
(Pointing to the Way)
Rev. Kevin Conger, Circuit Visitor
North Little Rock Circuit
update
Rev. Dr. Roger Paavola, President
Mid-South District LCMS
Bethel Lutheran Church | Fort Smith, AR
By Pastor Joshua J. Willadsen
I am baptized into Christ, God’s own child, called, forgiven, and led. This
is the identity of every Christian and this is the identity of Bethel Lutheran
Church in Fort Smith, AR: Baptized into Christ, God’s children, called,
forgiven, and led. On May 2 and 3, 2014 a team from the District led by
President Paavola met with the leadership of Bethel to remind us of our
baptismal identity and the implications of our identity for witness, mercy, and
life together.
The District team asked our leadership a series of self-evaluating questions
starting with: Strengths; Weaknesses: Opportunities; and Threats. Based
on our answers they focused on a further set of questions to help us see the
present reality of our congregation and the possibilities for the future. The
whole process has helped our congregation focus on the good gifts God gives
us in Christ and the duties that God has given us to do for the good of our
neighbors.
In October, Bethel Lutheran Church will be celebrating seventy-five years
of existence as a congregation. We are eternally thankful for the blessings of
Christ that people have and continue to receive here at Bethel. Our prayer is
that we would continue to be a congregation “sent forth by God’s blessing” to
our families, friends, and neighbors so that in turn they might gather with us
in “House of God” to receive His blessings. The compass study conducted
by the District team has helped Bethel to trust in God’s promises as we give
witness to Christ, serve our neighbors, and live together here in Fort Smith,
AR. Called, forgiven, and led; we are baptized into Christ. Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church | Maumelle, AR
Marc Higgins, President
When we voted to have the SWOT event (now
COMPASS) I did not know what a positive, productive, fruitful outcome it would have. We started
Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church over 20 years
ago. When the church planter pastor retired,
we did not have time to assess the impact of his
retirement on the congregation. That is just one
of reasons why the dynamics made us an emotionally unhealthy parish.
Some old and new difficulties (real and
perceived) surfaced that caused our members
great pain, and landed us in the middle of another
crisis. After 14 months our new pastor received a
call. He took the call and threw us into a turmoil.
President Paavola, along with Pastors Gierke
and Conger and Angela Fowler from the District
office arrived for two days of searching, praying,
listening and discussing our congregation’s needs.
After we received and distributed the COMPASS
results, we have had time to pray, talk individually
and in groups about the strategies suggested. The
result has been an awakening! The result is that we’ve
been able to move together as a
congregation. The COMPASS
“The result has
report has a way to see
been an awakening!
broken down barriers
and preconceptions that
The result is that
hampered our ministry
we’ve been able to
and missions.
move together as a
We could not be where
congregation.”
we are now without the
COMPASS analysis.
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Paragould, AR
Pastor Paavola,
I would like to thank you on behalf of
Redeemer Lutheran Church in Paragould, for
everything that you and the Mid-South District
have done to help Redeemer move to a new
chapter in our Lord’s ministry. In the past, we
have had some obstacles, but, now it seems
now that things are turning around very quickly.
Several people have returned to Redeemer,
and it seems spirits have been refreshed. One
member in particular said that they were “spiritually refreshed” after this last Sunday. I believe the Lord has numerous
ways in which he is going to use Redeemer.
I also want to thank you specifically for the work that the district has
done with the COMPASS program. The program enlightened us to the
full opportunity for reaching people for the Kingdom of God. As the
COMPASS program reported, Paragould, AR, is growing, and the need
for Jesus Christ is more prevalent than ever. The COMPASS program
has given Redeemer detailed areas to focus on, and means by which
we can achieve those precious goals. We have had issues in the
past determining the best direction to reach out to the community. The
COMPASS program provided detailed information on specific areas to
make Redeemer stronger, and be more viable in our community.
As a congregation, our communication and involvement is increasing
daily. We have numerous things to work on going forward. The
COMPASS program provided numerous suggestions and programs
available to us from the Mid-South District and the LCMS. We have
taken the suggestions, and have begun to prioritize them to ensure that
we are efficient inside our congregation, so we can be more effective
outside our congregation.
We look forward to working closely with the Mid-South District, and
continuing to implement suggestions from the COMPASS program.
Redeemer Lutheran Church in Paragould, AR is excited to see what
God’s plan is for us moving forward. As a congregation, we know that
God has great plans for us, and we are eager to be used to further
God’s kingdom.
In our Lord and Savior’s Peace,
Shannon Freeman
President, Redeemer Lutheran Church in Paragould, AR
COMPASS
Prayer Summary
Prayer Summary
MAY 2014
Following is a list of all the people that have appeared on the Mid-South District website prayer list www.mid-southlcms.com during the month of May 2014
~Prayer Concerns~
REV. ARTHUR BAISCH (Trinity Lutheran Church, Fairfield Bay, AR)
MS. RUTH BLACKWELL (Principal at First Lutheran School, Knoxville,
TN)
MRS. SUSANNE ELSEROAD (wife of Rev. Richard Elseroad, Grace
Lutheran Church, Knoxville, TN)
REV. JOHN FREITAG, EM (Rogersville, TN)
DEACON TOM MOORE (St. Paul Lutheran Church, West Memphis, AR)
REV. DR. HERBERT MUELLER (First VP, Synod, St. Louis, MO)
MRS. AUDREY OTTO (wife of Rev. Dan Otto EM, Nashville, TN)
REV. MARVIN OTTO, EM (Kingsport, TN)
MS. SHANNON RILEY (daughter of Rev. David and Vicki Riley, El
Dorado, AR)
MR. JOE SIMKO (Husband of Janet Simko, Board of Directors)
MRS. CHLOE SWANSON (Wife of Rev. Herb Swanson, Lamar AR)
MRS. SUEANN TOOPES, (Wife of Rev. Andy Toopes, Holy Trinity
Lutheran Church, Bowling Green, KY)
REV. JOHN TREUDE, (Our Redeemer Lutheran, Fort Smith, AR)
REV. PAUL WIEGERT, EM, (Crossville, TN)
NICHOLAS YOUNG (Son of Rev. Philip and Amy Young, Redeemer
Lutheran Church, Nashville, TN)
REV. FRANK ZIRBEL, EM (Harrison, AR)
Our sympathy to Rev. Carl and Gwen Wenck (Grace Lutheran
Church, Murfreesboro, TN on the death of her father, Dean
Kirkpatrick on Thursday, May 22.
Our sympathy to Angela Fowler and her family at the death of
her cousin, Ms. Patsy Nelson on Saturday, May 17.
Congratulations to Angela Fowler and family on the birth of
her first grandbaby, William Arvil Fowler, V, this past Monday,
May 19, 2014.
~Call Up-Dates~
ORDAINED MINISTERS
ACCEPTED: Rev. Jon C. Bischof accepted a call from ST.
MATTHEW LUTHERAN CHURCH, Corning, AR to serve as Pastor.
(To be installed on June 22, 2014)
Rev. Charles D. Johnson accepted a call from OUR SAVIOR
LUTHERAN CHURCH, El Dorado, AR to serve as Pastor. (To be
installed in June 2014)
PENDING: Rev. William D. Miller called to IMMANUEL
LUTHERAN CHURCH, Memphis, TN
SPRING PLACEMENTS
CANDIDATES: Candidate Eric Phillips (Concordia Theological
Seminary, Ft. Wayne, IN) to CONCORDIA LUTHERAN CHURCH,
Nashville, TN as Pastor.
Candidate David Appold (Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft.
Wayne, IN) to ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH, Paducah, KY as
Associate Pastor.
VICARS: Mr. Michael Dobler (Concordia, St. Louis) to FIRST
LUTHERAN CHURCH, Chattanooga, TN
Mr. Jonathan Durkopp (Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft.
Wayne, IN) to PEACE LUTHERAN CHRUCH, Prairie Grove, AR
Mr. Dan Ho (Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, IN) to
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH, Knoxville, TN
Mr. Seth Kunze (Concordia, St. Louis) to THE POINT LUTHERAN
CHURCH, Knoxville, TN
Mr. David McGinley (Concordia, St. Louis) to LAKEPOINTE
LUTHERAN CHURCH, Hot Springs, AR
Mr. Jacob Okwir (Concordia, St. Louis) to FAITH LUTHERAN
CHURCH, Tullahoma, TN
Mr. Robert Wacker (Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne,
IN) to HOLY SPIRIT/CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCHES,
Oakland/Memphis, TN
IN THE CALLING PROCESS
Harrison, AR – First Lutheran Church (Pastor)
Lowell/Fayetteville, AR, Living Savior Lutheran Church, St.
John’s Lutheran Church (Pastor)
Magnolia, AR, Faith Lutheran Church (Pastor)
Maumelle, AR, Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church (Pastor)
Smyrna, TN – Hope Lutheran Church (Pastor)
Springdale, AR, Salem Lutheran Ministries (Assoc. Pastor)
IN THE CALLING PROCESS - COMMISSIONED MINISTERS
CALL PENDING: FIRST LUTHERAN SCHOOL, FORT SMITH, AR
issued a call to Kevin Reinke, Christ’s Greenfield School, Gilbert,
AZ to serve as Principal
CHRIST LUTHERAN SCHOOL, LITTLE ROCK, AR issued a call to
Cameron Banks, Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, IL to
serve as teacher
ACCEPTED: Logan Brown, Shepherd of the Desert, Scottsdale,
AZ, accepted the call from CHRIST LUTHERAN SCHOOL, Little
Rock, AR to serve as Youth Minister.
Hailey Robertson, DCE intern, Grace Lutheran Church,
Murfreesboro, TN accepted the call from GRACE LUTHERAN
CHURCH, Murfreesboro, TN to serve as DCE (Director of
Christian Education). She will be commissioned on June 1st.
Schools IN THE CALLING PROCESS
Concordia Christian Academy, Jonesboro, AR – Principal/
Assoc. Pastor
Avilla Christian Academy, Alexander, AR – Teachers
Christ Lutheran School, Little Rock, AR - Teachers
First Lutheran School, Fort Smith, AR - Principal
St. John’s Lutheran School, Stuttgart, AR – Teachers
First Lutheran School, Knoxville, TN – Teachers
Our Savior Lutheran Academy, Nashville, TN – Teachers
Preschool
Little Lambs Preschool, Hot Springs, AR – Early Childhood
Director
YOUTH
2014
Jr. & Sr. High Summer Service Project
Central Region of the LCMS Mid-South District
June 6-8, 2014
JUNE
6-8
PURPOSE
Give Jr. & Sr. High youth an opportunity to serve others
while providing an avenue of relationship building for
youth from our Mid-South congregations.
“… If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God
provides, so that in all things God may be praised through
Jesus Christ …” 1 Peter 4:11
DATE AND TIME
Friday, June 6, 2014 (registration opens at 8:00pm) Sunday, June 8, 2014 (noon)
LOCATION – NEW LOCATION!
Peace Lutheran Church, Conway AR. We will be cleaning up in the communities that were devastated by the
tornadoes that struck Arkansas in April. Many people suffered physical and property damage and sixteen
people lost their lives. Our effort will greatly help these communities that are in need.
We will be staying at Peace Lutheran’s Family Life Center. Please note there are no shower facilities. We are
trying to arrange shower accommodations, but be prepared for no showers. You will need sleeping bags/
blow-up mattresses. A more detailed packing list will be published soon.
COST
Registration (on or before May 5th ) - $25.00 per person
The registration fee covers food and supplies. Please note any dietary restrictions or needs for your group
when you register. Groups are asked to eat Friday’s evening meal on their own before arriving.
QUESTIONS
Contact Chris Jones
615.893.6875 (home) or 615.337.5484 (cell) or [email protected]
“Free to Serve”
July 3 - July 6 for Jr and Sr High Youth
July 3 - July 6
Hosted by Christ Lutheran Church, Little Rock AR We will be
serving the community of Little Rock thru service projects
and aiding in Tornado Relief throughout the weekend while
spending time in fellowship with one another.
More info found on the district website >
Contact: Mrs. Tabitha Wildhirt - [email protected]
Ed Mell
Volunteers Help With Central Arkansas Tornado Relief
During Memorial Day Weekend
This past Memorial Day weekend was the initial servant event for our District
congregations (and others from around Synod) to help families in the communities of Central Arkansas affected by the tornadoes. On-site registration was
provided at Peace Lutheran Church in Conway, Arkansas and teams from several
congregations were housed in the Family Life Center at Peace. 67 volunteers
from LCMS congregations, including seven Mid-South District congregations,
worked on a number of service projects. Much of the work focused on debris
removal, which included several chain saw jobs to remove fallen trees. One
team of volunteers planted eight oak trees for families who lost trees, as a way
to begin to bring new life and restoration amidst the devastation. Isaiah 61:3
says,”…They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for
the display of his splendor.” Gift cards to Wal-Mart and Kroger were also
distributed to people in need so they could buy food and basic necessities.
One lady had just bought a month’s worth of meat the night before the
tornado and all of it was a loss.
The Holy Cow Smokers ministry, led by Steve and Brian Fruendt, from
Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Flower Mound, Texas drove over 300
miles to smoke pork and brisket for the affected residents of Mayflower and
Vilonia, as well as for volunteer workers. Distribution centers were set up in
each community. Residents and volunteers were served meals and provided
Gatorade and water at these locations. Our volunteers helped with packaging meals and teams drove through each community to deliver meals and
cold drinks. 2,389 meals were served during lunch and dinner on Saturday,
lunch and dinner on Sunday, and lunch on Monday. “Where is God Now?” Portals of Prayer
devotion booklets and Peace information cards were also included with the meals. On Saturday
evening, a special worship service, led by Pastor John Gierke, was held at Peace Lutheran Church
in Conway.
While accomplishing work that needs to be done and feeding people in need is important,
what is of even greater importance are the people - each individual person who needs to be
seen through the eyes of Jesus. Pastor Gierke spent time ministering to people in the affected
communities. Volunteers took time to visit with people while serving and
delivering meals. Karen Fruendt, Steve and Brian’s mom, noticed a mother
with two young girls carrying balloons in a grocery store in Vilonia and
stopped to ask how they were doing. The mother said that she and her
daughters were on their way to their home site, (now just a concrete slab
after the tornado), to release the balloons as a way to remember their
husband / father, who had died in the tornado. Being able to share the love
of Jesus, witness of your faith, listen to people’s stories, and just be there
for them in their time of need was what made this weekend one that helped
make a difference in people’s lives, including those who served.
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Bob Allen
The growth of the Lutheran Church in Tanzania and
in the East of Lake Victoria and in the Southeast of Lake
Victoria Diocese has been phenomenal.
Pastors and evangelists are going out into remote rural
areas, some where the Gospel message has never been
heard. These preaching stations are visited by a pastor
on a regular bases to share the Gospel message and
the congregation by the strength of their backs. No tracreach out to others in the area. Sometimes an evangelist
tors, backhoes and bulldozers are available.
will be assigned to work in this area for a period of time.
Once the foundations and walls are constructed often
The group of “ new believers” will meet in a designated
little progress is seen on the building because they must
area to hear the pastor teach and preach. These worship
wait for enough money to be raised to purchase wood
services are usually held in a location that will shelter
for rafters and steel sheets for the roof. Money is the one
them from the hot Tanzanian sun, often under a shade
thing the congregation does not have. The roof for an
tree or as they say in the shadow.
average sized church building may cost up to $5,000 US
These locations serve them well in the “dry season”
dollars. A sheet of steel cost approximately 19$US. It is
but when the rainy season comes it just not effective.
not unusual to see a church done except the roof.
These congregations then begin looking for a way to
Tragically after the church is built, it might be destroyed
find a worship home that will work in all weather. The
by the rain and wind causing
congregation finds land to build
the congregation to have to
their chapels and begin raising
start all over again.
money to purchase the land, in
Money is scarce as most
some cases the government
members are subsistence
may give a location to churches.
farmers and have little money.
The next step is raising
Borrowing money is unheard
money or supplies to build
of. The people take great pride
the church. The congregation
in their churches and it is a sign
wind blows down church
gathers together to level the
of great accomplishment to
building site, dig footing for the
have a finished church to worship in.
foundation, gather rocks for the foundation and makes
You can help a congregation put a roof over their head.
bricks for the walls. These piles of “green bricks” are
Contributions can be sent to the district office and indicate
stacked into a square where they can be fired. In most
Tanzania church roofs on your check.
congregations the manual labor is all done by members of
Share your stories and news! VBS, outreaches, upcoming events and more...
Contribute to The Encourager
The Encourager is a monthly newsletter from the Mid-South District LCMS. If you would
like your article or event published in the next Encourager, please email it by the 18th of
the month to Rhonda, [email protected]
Connecting
Creatively
to the Community…
Lou Marting
Resolution Seeking Support for
Pro-Life Amendment 1
At the recent East District pastor’s conference, a resolution
presented by Pastor Young was unanimously passed regarding
an important pro life amendment that will appear on the ballot in
the next Gubernatorial election in
November of 2014 in Tennessee.
Read the Resolution signed by
President Paavola (district website)
O
riginally
designed to be
placed in a church
narthex or foyer,
churches are now
placing
Project
Connect displays
Lutheran
Hour
from
Ministries in creative spaces.
Nearly one thousand congregations have
adopted Project Connect as an easy-to-use
outreach ministry. The program, which provides
attractive freestanding displays that hold up to 24
topical booklets, helps individual congregations
connect with their communities.
Food pantries, reception areas, hospitals,
schools, counselors’ waiting areas, a customer
service waiting lounge in a hardware store and
now in Hawaii at Naval Security Group Activity
in Kunia. A church in the St. Louis area uses the
Project Connect booklets as centerpieces during
a recent sausage dinner they hosted. The books
were free for the taking and received an overwhelming response. First Lutheran Church in
Muskogee, Oklahoma has been very busy after
placing Project Connect at a member’s meat
market. The response has been a great success!
Get started today by calling 800-944-3450 or
by e-mailing [email protected].
Lutheran Hour Ministries is a Christian
outreach ministry supporting churches worldwide
in its ministry of Bringing Christ to the Nations and the Nations to the Church.
For further information on this
amendment and updates please see http://www.yeson1tn.org/ or
follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/yeson1tn.
Sharing Your Faith
for Kids
Lou Marting, Lutheran Hour Ministries
For kids, the pocket-sized, mini-primer Sharing Your
Faith is a fun-filled, creatively illustrated booklet of
rhymes for junior witnesses. It reminds kids that actions
speak louder than words, and that how one behaves
leaves a strong impression on others.
"This booklet shows how even the youngest of God's
children can share their faith," says Suzie Sallee, coordinator of witness tools for LHM. Though their efforts might
seem insignificant when compared to a more mature
presentation, these little ones are still reaching their peers
in ways kids understand. "There is no age limit when it
comes to sharing our faith. Often very young kids are
more comfortable sharing, as they don't yet
worry about what someone else
might think, but are happy to
tell of God's love," she added.
And . . . First-Class Faith
Sharing: Methods & Motivations,
by Pastor Peter Mueller, explains
how to get past common
obstacles and overcome our own
insecurities in order to witness
effectively.
Go to: http://www.lhm.org/
faith/ .
Lutheran Hour Ministries – your partner in His mission!
by
Denise Gudlin
trinity
Good
SAVE THE DATE
- JUNE 22 -
Shepherd
LIRS will be commemorating Refugee
Sunday and celebrating 75 years walking
alongside migrants and refugees through
ministries of mercy and justice.
Do you ever find it hard to sleep the first night when you
are away from home? This is common as you are restless and
hear noises that are unfamiliar.
This occurred to me on my recent trip in Haiti during the
last part of the trip while staying at an orphanage in Jeremie.
After a long hot day on the rough roads, my body pleaded
for a still, soft place to lay my head. Just before falling asleep,
I heard what sounded like dogs fighting. Then intermittent with stretches of silence came the sounds of a rooster
who thought it was morning, cats screeching and people
screaming. Curiosity made me want to get up and look
outside, but fear of what could be causing the commotion
kept me from it.
My fear was verified when Jay, a friend and board member
of Trinity/HOPE, shared what he experienced while living in
Haiti. When he lived in the Jaquet suburb of Port-au-Prince,
it was common for the vodoo priest to sacrifice animals in
the night. He would hear animals scream in the darkness for
the longest time before they painfully took their last breath.
Though that may not have been what was occurring that
night, I was still glad I had not gotten up to look.
The children that attend Mixte Toute Petits live in the same
area and most likely have heard these same noises many
nights. What an unnerving experience this must be for a
child! Thankfully, the children in this picture attend a Christian
school that has a Trinity/HOPE Feeding Program and so their
bellies are full and they have a personal relationship with
Jesus Christ. They are able to hear the truth about Jesus and
identify what are lies coming from the vodoo followers. They
also can sleep better knowing that despite what happens they
have the Good Shepherd looking over them.
When you go to bed tonight please keep the boy in the
picture and all the children in Haiti in your prayers. May their
nights be filled with the comforting reminder of their Good
Shepherd watching over, protecting and loving them.
To help you, your church, or group
more fully experience Refugee Sunday on
June 22, 2014 (or another day that works
for you) LIRS has created a resource kit.
The kit was developed with worship or
group discussion in mind and is adaptable
for a variety of settings and audiences. The
kit includes:
• Suggestions for celebrating in a worship
service
• Discussion activity for youth and adult
groups
• Educational poster- stats and stories to
learn more and inspire action
• Link to more materials online- video,
sermon notes, communication tools
Digital versions of the kits and additional
materials can be found online at
http://lirs.org/refugeesunday062214/
For questions, support planning your
event, or for a hard copy of the kit, contact
[email protected]. If you’re already signed
up, tell us more about your event here.
angela fowler
Congregational
Mission Commitments
Mission Commitment Receipts as of 4/30/14 (4 Months)
Anticipated Amount (33.33% of budget)...................$572,420
Actual Receipts......................................................................518,357
Over (under) anticipated amount................................ ($54,063)
Use of Mission Commitment Receipts (4 Months)
Allocated to Synod for World Missions..................... $144,582
Allocated to TCN........................................................................2,592
Allocated to Tanzania...............................................................8,333
Retained for District Mission/Ministry Support
(70% of receipts).............................................................362,850
Total Receipts.......................................................................$518,357
Mission Commitment Receipts Prior Year Comparison
(4 Months)
Actual Receipts as of 4/30/14........................................$518,357
Actual Receipts as of 4/30/13......................................... 506,868
Over (under) prior year receipts ....................................$11,489
LCMS Urban & Inner-City Mission:
transforming cities with the Gospel
Our Lord is doing good works in the dark, in the alleys, in the chaos. And
those good works are now being brought to light.
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod's Urban & Inner-City Mission
(UICM) is working to boost revitalization efforts in city ministries that reach
out across cultures with the Gospel. UICM provides resources for churches
that wish to transform the chaos, death and decay that often plagues the
cities in which they are located into communities characterized instead
by peace, life and renewal. The works of mercy carried out by LCMS urban
missionaries are united with Word and Sacrament ministry to bring about
life, light and hope through the forgiveness of sins.
To better support and encourage these urban missionaries, LCMS
members who wish to be "street fighters" — and help keep Christ in
the city — now have a place to go to get the latest happenings in urban
mission. UICM's website, www.lcms.org/citymission, is now live and full of
information about what the ministry does, what's going on in the cities,
and how churches, schools and members can help.
UICM also has a new Facebook page with up-to-date details on all
things UICM: www.facebook.com/lcmscitymission. Followers can connect
with others who are interested or involved in urban and inner-city mission,
and keep tabs on the progress of several UICM projects and missions.
Check out these sites to see how YOU can help support the good work that
Christ is doing through UICM and pastors, missionaries and congregations in
cities nationwide.
"And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that
he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of
ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his
feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet
and anointed them with the ointment … And he said to her, 'Your sins are
forgiven' " (Luke 7:37-48 ESV).
Just Another Reason to Invest with LCEF
The reasons to invest with Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) are numerous: the opportunity
to empower ministries now and for the future, the example of savings and sharing it shows your
children… the list goes on.
But did you know that you can further support the ministries close to your heart by sharing all
or part of the interest you earn on LCEF investments?
Now is the time to invest for your future and the future of the ministries you cherish. Tell them
you value their mission by contributing your interest.
Learn more about our Special Interest Program at lcef.org or call 800-843-5233.
LCEF is a nonprofit religious organization; therefore, LCEF investments are not FDIC-insured bank deposit accounts. This is
not an offer to sell investments, nor a solicitation to buy. LCEF will offer and sell its securities only in states where authorized.
The offer is made solely by LCEF's Offering Circular. Investors should carefully read the Offering Circular, which more fully
describes associated risks.