From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Oct 3 11:57:30 2007 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:57:30 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] October 3 Message-ID: Update for October 3 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Greetings in the name of our Heavenly Father, the Lord of the Harvest. It doesn't matter if you live in a city, town, or rural area, you know this is the time the Lord has given farmers to harvest the crops from the fields. As Nebraskans, even if we aren't farmers we know the harvest is important to the economic conditions of our state, as well as the well-being of our fellow citizens. Likewise, the Lord has planted a mission field right outside each of our doors. He has brought African immigrants, Hispanic immigrants, and Asian immigrants to our communities, as well as young families, older adults, and those who have never heard of Jesus Christ and His wonderful gift of salvation. The fields around us are ready to be harvested and He calls each of us to go into these fields with His Word and the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. Please pray about how the Lord can use you in His harvest and pray for those across the District who are joining you in this field. * Registration Deadline for Rural Ministry Conference Extended * All Professional Conference Registrations Due This Week * New Sudanese Mission Start in Grand Island * National Youth Gathering Location Announced * DCE Colloquy Cohort to Begin * Oktoberfest at Peace, Waverly * First, Lexington, Buffalo Trail Ride * Is It Time for Friendship Sunday at Your Church? * October Events at Camp Luther * Concordia Publishing House Warehouse Sale in Seward REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR RURAL MINISTRY CONFERENCE EXTENDED Is your rural ministry effectively engaging your ever-changing culture for Christ? Pastors and lay leaders from Nebraska congregations are invited to attend Reaching Rural America for Christ together with congregational leaders throughout the Heartland to share a common experience and explore the ministry challenges triggered by constant change. This conference will be led by the Saint Paul Institute for Education (SPIFE) from Concordia, Missouri, and held at the Lied Lodge and Conference Center in Nebraska City, on November 8-10. The extended registration deadline is October 6. Register online at www.spife.org or call 888-463-5127. It's not to late-register TODAY, and pay when you arrive at the conference. Back to top ALL PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATIONS DUE THIS WEEK "Connected in Christ-Connected in Ministry" is the theme of the All Profession Conference which will focus on the common connection church workers have with each other through faith alone in Jesus Christ as Savior. Even though church workers serve the Lord in different callings in congregations and schools, they are connected in ministry because they serve the same Savior. All rostered church workers (pastors, teachers, and DCEs) and those serving in District churches or schools as teachers or vicars should have received registration materials in the mail for this required conference. Materials are available on the District website, along with online registration, at http://www.ndlcms.org/news/conferences/APC/index.html. Completed registrations are due to the District Office this Friday, October 5, to ensure food and materials for all participants. Church workers are encouraged to plan now to attend this conference to be held October 22-24 at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln. This year's conference will have a different format than in the past. * Teachers, DCEs, and other commissioned ministers will meet on the first two days - Monday and Tuesday, October 22-23. * Pastors and vicars will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 23-24. The entire group will meet together on Tuesday for the worship service and to celebrate being connected in Christ and connected in ministry. Contact the District Office at conference at ndlcms.org or 888-643-2961 with questions. Back to top NEW SUDANESE MISSION START IN GRAND ISLAND The mission field in Nebraska continues to grow, and the community of Grand Island is a fertile field ripe for harvest. The newest mission in Grand Island is a weekly Sudanese worship service offered through a partnership between Trinity, Grand Island, the Sudanese in Omaha and Lincoln, and the Nebraska District. Sudanese immigrants have moved and continue to move to Grand Island for the jobs that are available, specifically in the meat packing plants. There were some Sudanese worshiping at Trinity's regular English services and the need to have a worship service in their native language of Nuer continued to grow. Now, Rev. John Deang, Nebraska District missionary-at-large and associate pastor at Christ, Lincoln, leads the weekly worship service at 1:00 p.m. every Sunday afternoon in the chapel of Trinity Lutheran Church. Their first service was last Sunday, September 30, with 60 in attendance. Please remember this new ministry in your prayers. You and your congregation are helping make this ministry happen through your offerings and gifts to the Nebraska District through your annual budget. The money your congregation gives to the District is used to fund ministries such as this one and helps spread the name of Jesus across Nebraska and throughout the world. Contact District Treasurer Paul Pettit at the District Office at paulp at ndlcms.org or 888-643-2961 for more information on how you and your congregation are involved and other ways to support mission work in Nebraska. Back to top NATIONAL YOUTH GATHERING LOCATION ANNOUNCED The 2010 National LCMS Youth Gathering will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 17-21, 2010. The 2010 Gathering marks the event's third visit to New Orleans. Previous New Orleans' Gatherings included "A Time For Joy" (1992) and "Higher Ground" (2001). The Gathering had planned to hold its 2007 event in New Orleans, but moved to Orlando in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. "New Orleans is once more a vibrant city for meeting the mission of the National LCMS Youth Gathering," shares Gretchen Jameson, Associate Director for LCMS Youth Ministry - Communications. LCMS Youth Ministry has conducted multiple site visits to New Orleans since the storm, meeting with city officials, police, the New Orleans Convention and Visitor's Bureau and LCMS Southern District leadership. "The decision to return to New Orleans is based on those visits and the detailed information provided to LCMS," Jameson shares. "The rationale for the return has been presented to the Office of the President, the Council of Presidents, and LCMS Risk Management. The Gathering can be successfully hosted in New Orleans." A website that allows parents, congregations, and others access to much of the same information provided to LCMS Youth Ministry in the decision-making process went online October 1. This site is accessed via the Gathering Web site at www.lcmsgathering.com. "We recognize that the media has spent a tremendous amount of energy creating a perception about New Orleans, but there is much more to the city's restoration process," Jameson states. "The website gives parents and adult leaders the opportunity to interact with New Orleans, the members of the LCMS Southern District, and the information that helped LCMS decide that New Orleans is the best home for the 2010 Gathering." "Thousands of LCMS adults and youth have already traveled to New Orleans as part of post-hurricane assistance efforts and have seen first hand the recovery taking place there," Jameson says. "The opportunity for the Gathering to contribute both in service and encouragement is significant." Registration for the 2010 Gathering will open online in October 2009. Back to top DCE COLLOQUY COHORT TO BEGIN Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, is planning to begin DCE Colloquy Cohort #6 with its residency week January 7-12, 2008. This online cohort program is designed for full-time or part-time lay staff of a congregation who have not been rostered and are working in the areas of adult education, youth ministry, or family education. Prospective students must possess an undergraduate degree and be paid staff of a congregation or recognized service organization. Those interested in more information should contact Dr. Stephen C. Stohlmann, Director of Colloquy, at stohlmann at csp.edu or 651-641-8824, Kathryn Hagen at 651-641-8892 or Hagen at csp.edu, or Kristin Schoon at 651-641-8839 or Schoon at csp.edu for further details about this colloquy program. Also, DCE Cohort #7 is currently scheduled to begin its residency week July 21-26, 2008. For information about colloquy programs for Director of Christian Outreach, Director of Family Life Ministry, and Director of Parish Music offered by Concordia University, St. Paul, MN contact those listed above. Back to top OKTOBERFEST AT PEACE, WAVERLY Peace Lutheran Church in Waverly is hosting their 3rd annual OktoberFest on Sunday, October 7, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The event features authentic German food, kids' games, and live polka music by the Jim Kucera Band. All activities will be held in the Evelyn Hamlow Elementary gym, 145th Street and Amberly Road, in Waverly. A free-will offering will support Habitat for Humanity and Peace mission projects. Contact the church office at 402-786-2345 or visit www.peacewaverly.org for more information. Back to top FIRST, LEXINGTON, BUFFALO TRAIL RIDE First Lutheran Church in rural Lexington (Buffalo) invites everyone to join them for their second annual Buffalo Trail Ride on Sunday, October 14. The worship service starts at 10:00 a.m. at their country church located at 42956 Buffalo Road. The trailride will take off right after worship and a lunch will be provided during the ride at some point. Everyone is invited for this beautiful ride through the big rolling hills of hardland grass north of Lexington, Nebraska. For more information, contact Vicar Vic Rasmussen at 308-627-6263. Back to top IS IT TIME FOR FRIENDSHIP SUNDAY AT YOUR CHURCH? Materials written to encourage and enable congregations to equip their members to reach out with the love of Jesus Christ and embrace their unchurched friends are available to download for free from the Friendship Ablaze! website at http://friendshipablaze.com/fa/index.html. The tools available to churches to help members invite their friends to know Jesus include a planning guide, worship resources, Bible studies, a prayer plan and vigil, assimilation guide, Lutheran school and children's ministry resources, and other resources. These materials were produced by the Center for U.S. Missions and may be downloaded for free from their website or ordered directly from them in a three-ring binder for $40 plus shipping. Order from the Center's secure website above, or contact the Center at 949-854-8002 x1780;1530 Concordia West, Irvine, California 92612; or office at centerforusmissions.org. Back to top OCTOBER EVENTS AT CAMP LUTHER Visit the Camp Luther website (www.campluther.org) or call the Camp Luther office (402- 352-5655) for more information on these upcoming events. Junior High Retreat October 12-13 The Fall Junior High Retreat (grades 5-8) will be a repeat of "Hook, Line and Sinker" and will feature leadership by Concordia University CYM students and Camp Luther staff. The $55 per person cost includes overnight, meals, snack, t-shirt, and more. Youth Leadership Event October 19-20 Looking for something different then the normal Junior High Retreat? Camp Luther will offer a special event featuring noted motivational speaker Joel Christiansen. He will deliver three motivating presentations on "God's Role in Building a Championship Life." Groups can come for both Friday and Saturday (cost is $55 per person) or just for Saturday (cost is $17 per person). Back to top CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE WAREHOUSE SALE IN SEWARD Concordia Publishing House will bring its Warehouse Sale to the Janzow Campus Center on the campus of Concordia University, Seward. The sale will be open Friday, October 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, October 27, from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. During this time, excess inventory from CPH is offered at deep discounts. Sale items include books for children and adults, teaching resources, and more. For more information, call Mary Oldenburg at 402-643-7405. Back to top Thank you to all the congregations, schools, and individuals who submitted information for this week's Update. Items to share are always welcome and may be emailed to communications at ndlcms.org. We pray this e-newsletter may be a useful resource tool to you in your personal and congregational ministry. Please feel free to pass this resource along to others you know who may also benefit from this information. Anyone is welcome to subscribe and may do so by sending their email address to communications at ndlcms.org and requesting to be added to the mailing list, or by visiting http://www.ndlcms.org/news/communications. Blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications and Events 1-888-643-2961 nicholeh at ndlcms.org www.ndlcms.org * Please Note: The inclusion of items in the Update from outside sources is for informational purposes only. Inclusion of such items does not constitute District endorsement. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/html Size: 37182 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20071003/5d17a04b/attachment.txt From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Oct 10 16:36:51 2007 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:36:51 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] October 10 Message-ID: Update for October 10 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Greetings in the name of our gracious Heavenly Father. With so much going on in our office in preparation for the All Professional Conference, this week's Update will be brief. Thanks to everyone who contributed information for this week's newsletter. If you have information to share in future Updates, send it to communications at ndlcms.org. * Prayer Requests * 2008 Nebraska District Compensation and Benefit Guideline Page Numbers Incorrect * New Lutheran Hour Advent Devotions for Nonbelievers * Schulmerich Handbells for Sale * Equipping to Share Workshop in Norfolk * Youth Leadership Event at Camp Luther Cancelled * Christmas Outreach Ideas * October is LCMS World Mission Month * Open Arms Institute Conference Coming Up PRAYER REQUESTS Mission Efforts in Jamaica - We give thanks to God who continues to spread His Good News of life in Christ to the lost in all the world, and who continues to send out men and women to proclaim it in Word and deed! Dale Talsma, LCMS World Mission Area Facilitator for Jamaica, just received word from Nigeria that the new missionary and his wife, Rev. and Mrs. Obot Ite, and Pres. Rev. Effiong Ekanem of the Lutheran Church of Nigeria, have just received their visas for Jamaica! They plan to set out on the 24th of October from Nigeria and arrive in Kingston on the 25th. It has been confirmed that starting this month a house is now rented (adjacent to where the church meets) and has been equipped with basic furniture to receive the Ites. Please continue to pray that God would be preparing the Ites for this ministry and preparing the way in Jamaica for open doors for evangelism and outreach in the Kingston area and beyond. Gabe Dahlke - Please keep Gabe Dahlke, son of Rev. Jim and Claudia Dahlke (St. Matthew's, Ernestville, MO), in your prayers. Last week Gabe was assaulted by a college student and received a fractured skull, along with bleeding on the brain. The bleeding was under control and he was semi-conscious, but doctors were waiting to do surgery until swelling in the frontal lobe decreases. Another of Jim and Claudia's sons, Luke, died just a few years ago from cancer while Pastor Dahlke was serving at Trinity, Hebron, and Zion, Shickley, in Nebraska. Please pray for Gabe's family, for the skill of Gabe's medical team, and a swift recovery with no ill effects. Back to top 2008 NEBRASKA DISTRICT COMPENSATION AND BENEFIT GUIDELINE PAGE NUMBERS INCORRECT The copies of the 2008 Nebraska District Compensation and Benefit Guidelines that were mailed out last month contained incorrect page numbering. All of the page numbers were inadvertently shifted by two. For instance, Page 3 is Page 1 in the Table of Contents, and so on. There was also a line shift on Page 4 (Page 2 of the corrected copy). The base salary should be moved up to the "Base Salary" line. The corrected Guidelines are available on the District website at www.ndlcms.org or http://www.ndlcms.org/financial/office/compensation.html. If your congregation or school would like to receive a corrected copy in the mail, please contact Carrie in the District Office at 888-643-2961 or carrieg at ndlcms.org. Back to top NEW LUTHERAN HOUR ADVENT DEVOTIONS FOR NONBELIEVERS There's a brand-new Advent option from Lutheran Hour Ministries available mid-October at www.adventdevotions.net. Joining Radical Advent, the LHM devotional written in the style and tradition of previous years' messages, is Revolutionary Christmas. This new devotional is prepared expressly to connect with those who may not have a church home or who may be, in a word, nonbelievers. Revolutionary Christmas is a series of thought-provoking messages prepared by St. Louis-based Jefferson Hills Church to help readers navigate the holiday clutter to the essence of Christmas. By engaging the individual in an easy, yet direct, manner, these meditations guide - through pointed questions and contemporary language - the reader to God's love as revealed in Bethlehem and Jesus' sacrifice as fulfilled on the cross. Written in a style more traditional and, perhaps, more familiar to Lutherans is Radical Advent, a devotional prepared by Donald Neuendorf, senior pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan. These texts illuminate the timeless story of God's radical gift to the world as given in the birth of His Son. Downloaded from the Internet more than 80,000 times in 2006, these devotions were used by people in 24 countries. Both Radical Advent and Revolutionary Christmas will be available as customizable downloads for use by churches and schools. Each devotion can be easily tailored with your church's name, address, telephone number, website, worship times, and any special events you are planning. For those interested, a customizable PowerPoint slide for both editions is available to help you promote the devotions and your church's service schedule. The slide is ideal for churches with projection systems. In addition, images of each devotion's cover art can be accessed and used for creating banners and posters. Back to top SCHULMERICH HANDBELLS FOR SALE Schulmerich Handbells are available for purchase by a Lutheran congregation or school. These bells, which were formerly used in the ministry of Zion+Peace Lutheran Church and School, Omaha, are approximately 15 years old, in good condition, and include the following expansion octaves: First Octave, 13 bells, (C5 - C6) Second Octave, 12 bells, (G4 - B4) & (C#6 - G6) Third Octave, 12 bells, (C4 - F#4) & (G#6 - C7) Included in the sale are carrying cases, handbell music, and related equipment. The handbells are being sold as a complete set, on "As Is" basis, and without any warranties, either express or implied, or representations. Interested Lutheran congregations or schools shall submit their best and highest offer to Zion+Peace in writing, to be received on or before October 31, 2007, to the following: Kurth A. Brashear BRASHEAR LLP 711 N. 108th Ct. Omaha, NE 68154-1714 The highest bidder will be notified that they have submitted the successful bid and will be able to inspect the handbells in Omaha before accepting them. If the bidder accepts the handbells, it will be solely responsible for all costs and expenses to transport or ship the handbells from Omaha to their final destination. Please note that Zion+Peace expressly reserves the right to reject any and all bids which do not meet the minimum bid amount established by Zion+Peace. Please contact Kurth A. Brashear at 402-348-1000 with any questions. Back to top EQUIPPING TO SHARE WORKSHOP IN NORFOLK The Lutheran Laymen's League at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Norfolk is sponsoring an Equipping to Share workshop on Saturday, November 17, in the Family Life Center from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with a lunch at noon. The Equipping to Share program is provided by Lutheran Hour Ministries and is designed to help participants become more familiar with sharing the Gospel by learning how to share their own story of God's grace in their life. To register for this workshop, call Don Monson at 402-371-4270 or register on-line at dmonson at cableone.net. Registration deadline is November 4, 2007. Anyone interested is invited to attend. Back to top YOUTH LEADERSHIP EVENT AT CAMP LUTHER CANCELLED The Youth Leadership Event featuring noted motivational speaker Joel Christiansen and scheduled for October 19-20 at Camp Luther has been cancelled. Visit the Camp Luther website (www.campluther.org) or call the Camp Luther office (402- 352-5655) for more information on other upcoming events. Back to top CHRISTMAS OUTREACH IDEAS The following outreach ideas are taken from the Lutheran Hour Ministries Equipping to Share electronic newsletter. This weekly newsletter contains ideas and personal stories about how everyone can share the love of Christ with others. To view the entire newsletter or subscribe to receive the newsletter each week, visit the Lutheran Hour Ministries' website at http://www.lhm.org/equipping/ets.htm. The Christmas season is coming up. Only a month until decorations are up and shopping begins! As you make plans for Christmas outreach, you might consider these ideas... Free Gift Wrapping Have your church members donate wrapping paper, scissors, tape, gift tags and ribbon. Find a local department store willing to allow your group in to set up a table near the exit of the store. As people leave the store, offer to wrap their gifts free of charge! Some will try to donate as a token of appreciation, but you must decline and explain that you have been created to serve Him through serving His people! Free Hot Chocolate and Coffee Have the church members donate coffee, hot chocolate, cups, lids, sweeteners, creamers and stir sticks. Fill heated thermoses with both hot chocolate and coffee and offer it to those coming in and out of shopping stores. This works for sporting events or bus stops as well! Back to top OCTOBER IS LCMS WORLD MISSION MONTH Join LCMS World Mission in celebrating the Reformation, as well as beginning the 10-year countdown to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017-the very day we are looking forward to in the Ablaze! movement. We have put together a new collection of resources for your mission fairs, Reformation services, and more. October is the perfect time to promote mission involvement in LCMS districts, congregations, youth groups, schools, and homes. How is the Lord calling you to be involved in His mission of reaching the lost in your home, neighborhood, nation, and world? The most anticipated and asked about resource is the new "Ablaze! Sharing the Faith" DVD, the latest from LCMS World Mission. This free DVD includes: * 25 "Ablaze! Moments" shared at the 2007 LCMS Convention. Individuals from across the Synod share their personal experiences of sharing their faith. * Ablaze! Update to the 2007 Synod Convention. * Faith Sharing Tools for Individuals, a 10-minute personal evangelism "training" provided by Rev. Scott Snow, the director for national outreach (and guest speaker at the 2007 Prairie Fire event). Rev. Snow walks you through the process of sharing your faith using a colorful witnessing bracelet and the Gospel of John, as well as providing encouragement for every believer to share their faith with their family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and community. To pre-order this useful DVD, visit http://www.lcms.org/ca/mission/onlineforms/resources/form1.asp. For more information on the Ablaze! movement, visit the LCMS World Mission Ablaze! website at http://www.lcms.org/pages/default.asp?NavID=5247. Back to top OPEN ARMS INSTITUTE CONFERENCE COMING UP (From LCMSNews No. 68, October 4, 2007) The Open Arms Institute is offering a training conference on "Connecting with your Community through Child Care Ministry" Nov. 8-10 at the Mainsail Suites and Conference Center in Tampa, Florida. The three-day conference is open to anyone with an interest in starting a Lutheran child care center -- either in conjunction with an existing congregation or to start a new congregation. It includes a visit to a local Open Arms center -- Family of Christ Lutheran Church and Child Development Center in Tampa -- where participants can get acquainted with the Open Arms concept and visit with those who are operating a successful child care center. Topics to be covered include doing demographics and feasibility studies, acquiring financing, purchasing a site, building a facility, hiring staff, setting up a program, and reaching out to the community. Registration, which includes meals, is $175 for Open Arms members, or $215 for non-members, by Oct. 15; after that date, registration is $215 for members and $255 for non-members. A fourth registrant from the same ministry is free. Lodging is available at a special conference rate. Scholarship help is available. For more information, visit www.openarmsinstitute.com/conferences.htm or contact the institute at (970) 667-3249. The Open Arms Institute, based in Loveland, Colorado, is an LCMS Recognized Service Organization that has helped Lutherans start more than 60 child care centers nationwide since 1989. Its purpose is "to foster and guide Lutheran church planting and Gospel outreach with child care ministry." Back to top Blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications and Events 1-888-643-2961 nicholeh at ndlcms.org www.ndlcms.org * Please Note: The inclusion of items in the Update from outside sources is for informational purposes only. Inclusion of such items does not constitute District endorsement. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/html Size: 34545 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20071010/7fcfc566/attachment.txt From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Mon Oct 15 15:02:41 2007 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 20:02:41 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] Letter from President Sommerfeld Message-ID: Following is a letter from President Sommerfeld to congregational pastors, presidents, treasurers, and all congregational members of the Nebraska District. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! This letter comes to you in reference to your congregation's 2008 mission and ministry budget planning. As you follow the Lord's leading in utilizing the gifts He moves congregational members to provide for mission and ministry, please prayerfully consider your congregational commitment to the common mission of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and your Nebraska District of the Synod. As 6,152 congregations of the Synod and 245 congregations of the Nebraska District - LCMS, we combine our faithfulness to the Lord's Word and commitment to the Lutheran Confessions to be a mission team proclaiming Christ in our communities, Nebraska, and into the world. Please consider a generous commitment to the Nebraska District - LCMS in 2008. In 2007, $1.5 million of your congregational commitments to the Nebraska District - LCMS will be passed on for the common work we do as The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The remaining dollars will be used to do mission work and provide ministry resources in the mission fields of the Nebraska District. Gifts given in 2008 will follow a similar method of distribution. Additional funds of approximately $1 million are annually passed along to LCMS World Mission of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod through the generous donations of individual members and congregations of the Nebraska District through Mission Central and the mission awareness efforts of Gary Thies. As members of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod we work together to provide: * National and world-wide mission outreach; * National and world-wide disaster relief and mercy ministry; * Theological and academic education through ten universities and colleges and two seminaries; * Publishing of Lutheran Christian educational resources; * Church-wide offerings for insurance, disability, and retirement for LCMS church workers; * Consultation for congregations, schools, and missions. As member congregations of the Nebraska District - LCMS we serve together to offer: * Mission assistance to help new missions and new schools form among life-long Nebraskans and new Hispanic, African, Asian, and other Nebraskans; * Campus ministries at four Nebraska colleges; * Native American ministry; * Superintendent services for 40 elementary Lutheran schools, four high schools, and 37 preschools; * Pastoral care and ecclesiastical supervision for 325 pastors, 243 teachers and 23 Directors of Christian Education; * Guidance and assistance for calling processes for pastors, teachers, DCEs, and others; * Assistance in congregational financial planning, communications, foundation development, conflict reconciliation, constitutional revisions, and scholarships; * Various events, seminars, and workshops to equip congregational members, officers, and professional church workers for the mission and ministry entrusted to them; * And being The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in Nebraska. The Nebraska District - LCMS is also in a partnership with the congregations of the emerging Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sudan as they become a strong confessional Lutheran presence and mission in Sudan, Africa. Congregations of the Nebraska District are helping each other in ministry by sharing their mission and ministry dollars to be used to support and resource sister congregations, as well as providing needed resources back to their congregation. Prayerfully consider how God would use your congregation in the partnership we have in the mission fields of Nebraska. In Christ, Rev. Russ Sommerfeld Nebraska District President -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/html Size: 9420 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20071015/50ae3493/attachment.txt From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Oct 17 14:12:10 2007 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:12:10 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] October 17 Message-ID: Update for October 17 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Greetings in the name of our loving Heavenly Father. * Prayer Requests * No Email Update Next Week * Church/School Secretary Workshop Registration Deadline Next Week * Lutheran World Relief Ingathering * District Pastor Celebrates 30 Years of Ministry * Hallelujah Harvest in Lincoln * Hair Dryer Needed for The Lutheran Home * Make Plans to Host an Equipping to Share Workshop * Schulmerich Handbells for Sale * Nebraska Lutherans for Confessional Study to Meet * Journey to the Manger * Live Nativity Presentation in Bloomfield * Concordia University Musical Arts Day Concert PRAYER REQUESTS Pastor Carl and Julie Groh and Family - Please pray for comfort and resurrection hope for Pastor Carl and Julie Groh and family of St. Peter, North Bend. Julie's mother died at the end of September after suffering a stroke, and her father, whose health had been failing, died this past week. They lived in Iowa and God blessed them with 67 years of marriage. Julie is also secretary of the Nebraska District North LWML and newly elected vice-president of the Fremont Zone of the LWML. Family of Rev. Victor Jordening - Please remember in prayer the family of Rev. Victor Jordening, pastor emeritus, of Elwood. Pastor Jordening was called to the Lord's side yesterday, Tuesday, October 16, at the age of 95. A complete obituary will follow, along with funeral arrangements. Please keep Rev. Jordening's family in your prayers as they mourn his passing. Back to top NO EMAIL UPDATE NEXT WEEK There will be no Email Update next week because of the All Professional Conference in Lincoln. I look forward to seeing the pastors, teachers, DCEs, and other church workers of the District at this conference. The regular Email Update schedule will resume on Wednesday, October 31. Information for this and future Updates may be sent any time to communications at ndlcms.org. Back to top CHURCH/SCHOOL SECRETARY WORKSHOP REGISTRATION DEADLINE NEXT WEEK The deadline to register for the Nebraska District Church/School Secretary Workshop is next Wednesday, October 24. Church and school secretaries are invited to join together on Tuesday, November 6, at Concordia University, for a day of resourcing, networking, fun, and laughter. Topics covered during the day will include "On the Front Line: Recognizing and Responding to Family Violence," presented by the Family Violence Council of Lincoln/Lancaster County, and "Triangulation" presented by Pastor Mark Rockenbach, District Executive for Church Worker Care. Registration materials were mailed to every church and school office. Information is also available on the District website, www.ndlcms.org. Online registration is also available through the website at http://www.ndlcms.org/news/conferences/secretary.html. Contact Nichole at the District Office with questions at nicholeh at ndlcms.org or 888-643-2961. Back to top LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF INGATHERING The dates for this year's Lutheran World Relief Ingathering are November 5-9. Cities with ingathering sites are Beatrice, Columbus, Dakota City, Fremont, Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, Lincoln, Norfolk, Omaha, and York. These gathering sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Goods packed for LWR should be sorted and labeled according to kind, packed in strong cartons secured with packing tape, and addressed for Lutheran World Relief. Boxes should not exceed 40 pounds and should be marked with the name and address of the sending church. For locations and information on what to donate, check the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/news/temp/lwr.html, call John Roseland at 1-800-456-1092 or Betty Dasenbrock at 402-466-2465, or email dasenbrock at aol.com. Please Note: Lutheran World Relief has removed toothpaste from health kits as a safety precaution. Recent reports from the Food and Drug Administration about the safety of some imported toothpastes, which have been found to contain toxic chemicals, as well as concerns about the expiration dates associated with toothpaste, prompted LWR's decision to remove toothpaste from the heath kit contents as a safety precaution. Donors of health kits are asked to stop including toothpaste in the kits, to remove the toothpaste from any kits they have already assembled, and to mark their boxes "Health Kits - No Toothpaste" before delivering the kits to an LWR ingathering or warehouse. Back to top DISTRICT PASTOR CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF MINISTRY Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington invites everyone to join them in giving thanks to God and celebrating Rev. Ed Cook's 30-year anniversary of ordination. The reception/celebration will be held this Sunday, October 21, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the church. Back to top HALLELUJAH HARVEST IN LINCOLN On Sunday October 28, from 4:30-7:00 p.m., Holy Savior, Lincoln, will be transformed into a fall festival of fun with games, crafts, and treats for children in the 4th grade and younger. To attend, children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Costumes are welcome, but children are encouraged to refrain from "ghoulish attire." Admission is free and there will be many new activities for the children. Tickets will be on sale to participate in the new activities. A BBQ sandwich dinner will also be offered, as well as hot dogs, cotton candy, and popcorn. There will also be an auction of several items -- both large and small. For additional information, contact Amy Jurgens at 402-440-0122. Back to top HAIR DRYER NEEDED FOR THE LUTHERAN HOME The beauty shop at The Lutheran Home in Omaha is showing its age. There has been little updating to the beauty shop since the building opened in 1976. One of the hair dryers has stopped working and the other appears to be failing as well. Anyone who has a beauty shop-type hair dryer that could be donated is encouraged to call Sharon Price at The Lutheran Home at 402-346-3344. Back to top MAKE PLANS TO HOST AN EQUIPPING TO SHARE WORKSHOP It's not too late! There are still openings for Equipping to Share workshops to be hosted this winter and next spring. This four-hour Lutheran Hour Ministries program can help your church members boldly share their faith in everyday situations by teaching them to recognize "mission moments," relate their faith to everyday life, and understand people's different worldviews of religion. During an Equipping to Share workshop, one woman realized that she had been missing a mission moment right in her midst for a long while. She said that her teenage son had befriended a teen named Jake who, because he had a vividly-colored mohawk and many earrings, looked like a person her son should avoid. Because she saw an illustration in the workshop, her attitude toward Jake changed. The illustration showed three people, each with a different ethnicity or style of dress and emphasized that Christians are called on to reach out to all people, even those who look vastly different. She reflected, "I realized I was worried about how it looked for my precious son to befriend such a teen, but the illustration reminded me that God looks at a man's heart, and we should live to please God, not man." Presenters are available to lead Equipping to Share workshops in your area. For more information about availability and cost, contact Sarah Guldalian by e-mail at sarah.guldalian at lhm.org or by phone at 1-800-944-3450, ext. 4144. Back to top SCHULMERICH HANDBELLS FOR SALE Schulmerich Handbells are available for purchase by a Lutheran congregation or school. These bells, which were formerly used in the ministry of Zion+Peace Lutheran Church and School, Omaha, are approximately 15 years old, in good condition, and include the following expansion octaves: First Octave, 13 bells, (C5 - C6) Second Octave, 12 bells, (G4 - B4) & (C#6 - G6) Third Octave, 12 bells, (C4 - F#4) & (G#6 - C7) Included in the sale are carrying cases, handbell music and related equipment. The handbells are being sold as a complete set, on "As Is" basis, and without any warranties, either express or implied, or representations. Interested Lutheran congregations or schools shall submit their best and highest offer to Zion+Peace in writing, to be received on or before October 31, 2007, to the following: Kurth A. Brashear BRASHEAR LLP 711 N. 108th Ct. Omaha, NE 68154-1714 The highest bidder will be notified that they have submitted the successful bid and will be able to inspect the handbells in Omaha before accepting them. If the bidder accepts the handbells, it will be solely responsible for all costs and expenses to transport or ship the handbells from Omaha to their final destination. Please note that Zion+Peace expressly reserves the right to reject any and all bids which do not meet the minimum bid amount established by Zion+Peace. Please contact Kurth A. Brashear at 402-348-1000 with any questions. Back to top NEBRASKA LUTHERANS FOR CONFESSIONAL STUDY TO MEET The October gathering of the Nebraska Lutherans for Confessional Study (NLCS) is Thursday, October 25, at Concordia University in Seward. Chapel will be held in Weller Auditorium at 9:30 a.m. Refreshments will be served at 10 a.m. in TLEC 113. Special guest presenter will be Dr. Mark Mattes, Religion and Philosophy Department Chair at Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa. His topic, starting at 10:30, will be "Born Again Religion-The Lutheran Critique." Publications by Dr. Mattes include "The Preached God: Proclamation in Word and Sacrament," "The Role of Justification in Contemporary Theology," and "The Grand View College Reader." The meeting will conclude by 2:30 p.m. Everyone is invited, both clergy and laity. A free-will offering will be taken to help defray expenses. Back to top JOURNEY TO THE MANGER Once again Zion Lutheran Church in Worms invites you to experience the "JOURNEY TO THE MANGER." It is a walk back in time to the first Christmas when the promise of a Savior was fulfilled. Experience the difficult journey to Bethlehem, the bothersome soldiers, the bustling market place, no vacancy in the inn, and finally the peaceful manger. Join them on Friday evening, November 31, and Sunday, December 2, between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. It will begin with music in the church, the pageant journey in the new gymnasium, and refreshments in the church basement. For more information call Lois Watt at 308-894-8625 or lois.watt at gmail.com. Back to top LIVE NATIVITY PRESENTATION IN BLOOMFIELD First Trinity Lutheran Church in Bloomfield will host a live nativity presentation on December 1 at 7:00 p.m. at the Harm and Tulleys Event Center in Bloomfield, Nebraska. This hour-long presentation of giving thanks to God for Jesus is open to anyone. For more information please call 402-373-4797. Back to top CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY MUSICAL ARTS DAY CONCERT The 10th annual Musical Arts Day concert, presented by Concordia University, Nebraska, will be held at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln on Saturday, November 3, at 3 p.m. The Musical Arts Day concert is the capstone of two days full of clinics and rehearsals for some of the best vocal and instrumental high school musicians from across the country. This year, more than 130 musicians will travel to the university's campus in Seward for the event. "Those selected from the audition tapes are able to rehearse with other skilled musicians, work closely with college music students and professors, and experience some of life at a university," said Dr. Kurt von Kampen, conductor of the University A Cappella Choir and the Musical Arts Day high school honor choir. The concert will feature performances by the high school honor choir and band, selected high school soloists, University A Cappella Choir, and University Wind Ensemble. The ensembles will perform a wide variety of music, including a rendition of "Bugler's Holiday" by the University Wind Ensemble in honor of the 100th anniversary of the composer Leroy Anderson's birth. Dr. William Kuhn conducts the University Wind Ensemble and the Musical Arts Day high school honor band. To attend this year's event, general admission tickets may be purchased in advance from Concordia's Alumni and University Relations Office in Weller Hall, 402-643-7240 or 800-535-5494, ext. 7240. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students (18 and under). Tickets are also available at the door for $11 and $6, respectively. Back to top Blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications and Events 1-888-643-2961 nicholeh at ndlcms.org www.ndlcms.org * Please Note: The inclusion of items in the Update from outside sources is for informational purposes only. Inclusion of such items does not constitute District endorsement. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/html Size: 37555 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20071017/f24bece3/attachment.txt From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Oct 17 16:46:20 2007 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 21:46:20 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] Rev. Jordening Called to Glory Message-ID: + OBITUARY + The Reverend Victor F.G. Jordening, pastor emeritus, Elwood, Nebraska, departed this life on Tuesday, October 16, 2007, at the age of 95. He was born in Fairbury, Nebraska, on March 19, 1912, to Henry and Mary (Knoche) Jordening. On June 6, 1937, he married Edna C. Drees. He graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, in 1936. He served as pastor at the following congregations: Immanuel, Litchfield, and Trinity, Hazard, Nebraska (1937-1941); Trinity, Jansen, Nebraska (1941-1946); Centennial, Superior, Nebraska (1946-1957); Zion, Red Cloud, Nebraska (1946-1947); and Trinity, Lexington, Nebraska (1957-1977). Pastor Jordening also served as Vice President of Southern Nebraska District (1963-1970); on the District Board of Directors (1972-1976); as circuit counselor of Deshler, Arapahoe, and Kearney Circuits; as district LWML counselor; member of Kearney Campus Lutheran Advisory Board and Building Committee (1965-1971); member of Kearney Campus Lutheran Corporation Board (1968-1977); member of District Board of Education; editor of Southern Nebraska District Lutheran Witness Supplement; and member of District Adjudication Commission. Pastor Jordening retired in 1977 and then served the Mid-South District as Worship Coordinator in Memphis, Tennessee, until April, 1982. After returning to Lexington in 1982, Rev. Jordening served vacancies in Nebraska at McCook, Lowell, Shelton, Ogallala, and Wilcox. Pastor Jordening is survived by three daughters, Mary (Jack) Norman of Tigard, Oregon; Kathryn (Steve) Neil of Cozad, Nebraska; and Sara of North Platte, Nebraska; three sons, Richard (Diane) of Omaha, Nebraska; David (Sharon) of Germantown, Tennessee; and John (Genice) of Lexington, Nebraska; one sister, Wilma Endorf of Fairbury, Nebraska; 12 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson. He was preceded in death by his wife, Edna, in 1994; his parents; four brothers; and one sister. The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 20, 2007, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington, Nebraska. Visitation will be at Trinity Lutheran Church from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 19, 2007. Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery in Lexington. Letters of condolence may be written to Mrs. Kathy Neil, 42461 Road 755, Cozad, Nebraska 69130. Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications and Events 1-888-643-2961 nicholeh at ndlcms.org www.ndlcms.org -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/html Size: 7351 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20071017/03675624/attachment.txt From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Fri Oct 26 10:09:12 2007 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:09:12 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] Report on California Wildfires Message-ID: Greetings in the name of our all-powerful Heavenly Father, who is in control in every situation. Following are some updates on the wildfires in southern California. More information is available from the Pacific Southwest District website, www.psd-lcms.org, or LCMS World Relief and Human Care website, http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=12681. SPECIAL MATERIALS FOR WEEKEND SERVICES FROM COMMISSION ON WORSHIP Special services for Sunday or midweek are available for download from the Commission on Worship website at: http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=3769. Following is a special petition that may be inserted into the LetUsPray prayer for this Sunday (10/28/07): Lord God, your Word reveals that one day the heavens and the earth will be destroyed by fire, and urges us to live holy and godly lives as we await that day through faith in Jesus Christ. We pray your mercy and aid on all those whose world and lives have been destroyed by the fires in California. Help them and us to turn in faith to you during these terrible times. Keep the flames from spreading further and especially from destroying any human life. And enable us to open our hands and share our resources in the recovery efforts so badly needed for this great disaster. God, our refuge and strength. C in Your mercy, hear our prayer. FROM LCMS WORLD RELIEF AND HUMAN CARE In its role as a first-responder when disaster strikes, LCMS World Relief and Human Care, the mercy arm of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), is assessing needs and determining ways the church can render aid in fire-ravaged Southern California. Assistance will include providing grants to the LCMS Pacific Southwest District so that along with emotional and spiritual care, the district can also provide financial assistance to its congregations, members, and neighbors in need. There are 216 LCMS congregations in Southern California with 70,393 members. At present, no LCMS churches are reporting damage, though many members' homes have been destroyed or damaged. At least two congregations are in the line of fire-Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Lake Arrowhead and Light of the Valley in Valley Center. Rev. Glenn Merritt, director of disaster response, and Rev. Carlos Hernandez, director of districts and congregations, both for LCMS World Relief and Human Care, are in Southern California meeting with LCMS pastors and Pacific Southwest District staff to identify resources. Early response and assistance includes: * Members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Temecula are volunteering at the local Red Cross shelter to help their neighbors in distress. * St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Pacific Beach is accepting donations to distribute to thousands of evacuees at Qualcomm Stadium and Del Mar Fairgrounds. * Rev. Douglas Jones of St. James Lutheran Church in Imperial Beach spent Monday and Tuesday at Qualcomm Stadium providing spiritual support in the medical section. * Several churches, including Community Lutheran Church in Escondido, are serving as shelters for some of the displaced persons. LCMS World Relief and Human Care made an initial disbursement of $50,000 today to the Pacific Southwest District office to be distributed to congregations to assist members who were evacuated. "Financial assistance, volunteering, and providing shelter are just some of the ways we are providing immediate assessment and response," said LCMS World Relief and Human Care's Hernandez. "Much work lies ahead of us as needs continue to surface in the aftermath of what is being called one of the worst fire disasters in California history." Please pray for these people, that they would be spared from harm and further destruction. Pray for cooler weather and that the winds would subside, so the flames can be contained. And pray that God's Spirit would strengthen all who are sharing His mercy with those who have lost everything but their lives. To help share Christ's mercy with victims of the fires, those who wish to donate may make checks payable to LCMS World Relief and Human Care, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO, 63166-9810. Mark "California Fire Relief 2007" in the memo line. Or call the toll-free gift line, 1-888-930-4438. Gifts also may be donated securely online at https://catalog.lcms.org/givenow/Gift_Input.asp?ID=632. For more information on the LCMS response to the Southern California wildfire disaster, visit http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=12681. FROM THE PACIFIC SOUTHWEST DISTRICT OFFICE >From Rachel Klitzing, Executive Director of School Ministries for the Pacific Southwest District, as of Wednesday, October 24: Many of you are asking about the fires, and while news is coming in slowly, here is what I know at this time from the pastors/principals/directors of the schools near the fires: * Zion, Fallbrook - Nancy Swanlund reports: Prayer is so powerful. The church and school are fine at this point, but the winds have changed and now are heading back from Camp Pendleton into Fallbrook. They still have the city under mandatory evacuation. We are waiting more news about houses -- the fire was very close to so many. Pastor Demel reports that five families have lost their homes that they are aware of. Thanks for your continued prayers. * Ramona Lutheran - Nancy Knight reports: We are still under a mandatory evacuation. I am aware that Vivian Baker (teacher aide at school) lost everything. Her home is destroyed. Church secretary Bev Michauex also lost her home to the fire. Two students called to let her know their homes "burned up." * Pilgrim, Chula Vista - Peter Halvorson reports: School is closed for the remainder of the week, but we are not aware that any of our families' homes have burned yet. The air quality is very difficult to deal with. The area to the east of them is burning. * Christ, La Mesa - Xavria Schwarz reports: School is closed probably for the remainder of the week. She is not aware of any families who have lost homes, but it is burning all around them. * Grace, Escondido - Sandy Zielinski reports: School has been closed all week. So far, there is no damage to church or school. Many of our families are evacuated, but we have not heard yet of any loss of property. * Community Lutheran, Escondido - Pastor Vogelsang reports: Yesterday was a day of meeting needs - housing needs, personal needs, etc. We are waiting for everyone who was evacuated to return and see how their property is. * Faith, Vista - Joe Henkell reports: All of our families at Faith are safe to this point - a few have been evacuated, but no houses lost. We are keeping horses that were "evacuated" on our property. * St. Paul's, San Diego - Pastor Jim Henkell reports: We are collecting water, food, and supplies to take to QUALCOMM Stadium where over 500,000 evacuees are being sheltered. So far, our people are out of the fire's path. * Mt. Olive, Poway - Cannot reach pastor or preschool director yet. * Abiding Savior, Lake Forest - Carolyn Sims report: School is closed again today. The air quality is extremely difficult for children and for anyone with respiratory conditions. Some of our school families' homes are in areas very close to the Santiago fire. * Redeemer, Ontario - Dave Oleson reports: Redeemer School is still in session for now. I haven't heard of any of our families in immediate danger. The smoke is heavy and outside activities have been cancelled due to poor air quality. Lunch and recesses are inside to help alleviate a problem for those students and adults with asthma and bronchial problems. We will keep you informed should anything that affects us directly occur. Some of these folks sounded "down" and tired. Please pray especially for these leaders and all that they are dealing with. We don't know yet the status of our Lutheran Camp in the mountains of Lake Arrowhead. We are also hearing wonderful stories of help and assistance for families from our churches and pastors who are working so hard and providing grief counseling! Lutheran Social Services has been wonderful. It's a very hard, scary time, but our God is mighty! We know of one pastor, two teachers, one teacher-aide, one church secretary, and many families in our schools that have lost their homes to the fires. Thank you all for your prayers and concern. Please continue to pray for the situation! The District has a Fire Fund for our churches, schools, and members. At this time, specific needs are being assessed. Until staff and members are able to return to their property, financial assistance would be appreciated. Please consider taking a special offering in your congregation or school to assist in meeting the immediate needs of the victims affected by the fires. You can send a check directly to the Pacific Southwest District Office, Pacific Southwest District-LCMS, 1540 Concordia Drive East, Irvine, CA 92612-3203, and indicate that it is for the Fire Fund. Our PSD E-News is also providing periodic updates on the fires. Again, thank you all for your prayers, partnership, concern, and compassion. Updated information will continue to be posted on the Pacific Southwest District website, www.psd-lcms.org, or LCMS World Relief and Human Care website, http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=12681. Links will also be available from the Nebraska District website, www.ndlcms.org. Blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications and Events 1-888-643-2961 nicholeh at ndlcms.org www.ndlcms.org -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/html Size: 29252 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20071026/64947d01/attachment.txt From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Mon Oct 29 12:17:01 2007 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:17:01 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] Sudan Mission Newsletter Message-ID: Greetings in the name of the Lord of the Harvest! Attached is a newsletter developed by the mission and outreach office of the Nebraska District - LCMS. This electronic newsletter is sent quarterly by the District Office to those who are subscribed to the Email Update. In each issue you will find stories that will share what is going on in Sudanese ministry in the Nebraska District and in the mission field of Sudan. If you have questions regarding this newsletter, please contact Carol Oetting, assistant to Rev. Rich Boring, at the District Office. She may be reached at 888-643-2961 or carolo at ndlcms.org. You are encouraged to distribute this newsletter to members of your congregation via email or in print. Church offices and individuals are given permission to reprint articles or the entire newsletter. Please share these stories of what God is doing in Sudanese ministry. If you have trouble opening this attachment, the newsletter may be downloaded off the Nebraska District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/ministries/district/index.html. If you wish to unsubscribe from our mailing list, you will be removed from all mailing lists, including the weekly Email Update. You may unsubscribe by replying to this message and requesting to be unsubscribed, or visit the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/news/communications/update.html and click on the "To subscribe" link on the right. We are excited to be in mission work with you, and we look forward to a continued partnership in the mission fields of Nebraska, and beyond in Sudan. Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications and Events 1-888-643-2961 nicholeh at ndlcms.org www.ndlcms.org -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/html Size: 7164 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20071029/851be699/attachment.txt -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: October.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 2149718 bytes Desc: October.pdf Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20071029/851be699/October-0001.pdf From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Oct 31 11:08:00 2007 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:08:00 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] October 31 Message-ID: Update for October 31 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Autumn greetings in the name of our great and gracious God. Today, as we once again celebrate Reformation and remember Marin Luther and others who spoke boldly the truth of the Gospel, may we always keep in mind the solid foundations of our faith: Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone. * Prayer Requests * Items Found at All Professional Conference * Dr. Reed Lessing's PowerPoints Available Online * Nebraska Teachers Honored * Congregation Celebrates 30th Anniversary * District Pastor Receives St. Martin of Tours Award * Organ Dedication Recital in Norfolk * A Resource for Ministering to Families Affected by Military Deployment * Paraments Available to Congregation or Mission * Coming Events at Camp Luther PRAYER REQUESTS Family of Dr. Elmer Reimnitz - Please remember in your prayers the family of Dr. Elmer Reimnitz, ex-president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (1966-1974), and former pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grand Island, who died on Friday, October 26, in Simi Valley, California, at the age of 88. A memorial service will be held this Saturday, November 3, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks, California, and the internment at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth, California. Letters of condolence may be sent to Mrs. Kordy Reimnitz at 2508 Lowell Court, Simi Valley, CA 93065. Rev. David Feddern - Please lift up in prayer Rev. David Feddern, pastor of St. Paul, Cambridge. Rev. Feddern has experienced some serious surgery complications and is in Critical Care in Methodist Hospital in Omaha. The last report states he is slowly showing improvement, but his family asks for prayers for continued healing. Please pray for him, his wife Deanna, and children Miranda and Kelby. Back to top ITEMS FOUND AT ALL PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE Following the All Professional Conference in Lincoln last weekend, two misplaced items were turned in to us. Sunglasses - a pair of black, plastic sunglasses with white rhinestones on the sides. Gift Card - A merchandise credit card from Cabela's was found. If either of these items is yours, please contact me at nicholeh at ndlcms.org or 888-643-2961. Principals, please pass this information along to your teachers who attended the conference. Back to top DR. REED LESSING'S POWERPOINTS AVAILABLE ONLINE In response to the many requests for Dr. Reed Lessing's presentations from Tuesday and Wednesday at All Professional Conference, they have been posted on the District website both as PowerPoint presentations and as printable PDFs for those who don't have PowerPoint on their computers. Visit http://www.ndlcms.org/news/conferences/APC/index.html to download them. Back to top NEBRASKA TEACHERS HONORED Several Nebraska District teachers were recognized at the All Professional Conference on October 24 for their outstanding service. Mr. Robert Saeger, principal/teacher at Immanuel Lutheran School, Polk, was awarded the 2007 Outstanding Lutheran Educator Award. Mr. Saeger has been in the teaching ministry for 33 years and at Immanuel, Polk, for 18 years. Cathi Niemeyer and Elizabeth Schultz, co-directors of Touching Hearts Child Development Center at Faith, Lincoln, were also honored. They were selected as the co-recipients of the 2007 Lutheran Education Association (LEA) Distinguished Lutheran Early Childhood Administrator Award earlier this year. Back to top CONGREGATION CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 3825 Wildbriar Lane in Lincoln, will celebrate 30 years of God's blessings on Sunday, November 4. Special guest preacher will be former vicar, Rev. Marcus MacKay, pastor of Friends in Christ Lutheran Church in Bryant, Arkansas. Special guest liturgist and Bible study leader will be former vicar, Rev. Kristopher Morris, associate pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Collierville, Tennessee. Worship will be at 8 and 10:30 a.m., with Bible study at 9:30. A celebration meal will follow the late service; free will offering to be taken. Everyone is invited to join this congregation as they celebrate. Back to top DISTRICT PASTOR RECEIVES ST. MARTIN OF TOURS AWARD Rev. Douglas Irmer, senior pastor at Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Beatrice, was presented the St. Martin of Tours Award for extensive pastoral service to military personnel on October 27 at the Nebraska Air National Guard Base in Lincoln. Nebraska District President Russ Sommerfeld and Chaplain Rod Armon, Joint Force Headquarters chaplain for the Nebraska National Guard and pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Doniphan made the presentation at the Base. Rev. Irmer has served as an Air National Guard chaplain for twenty years, with numerous tours of duty overseas and a unique mobilization to McMurdo Station in Antarctica. The Board for Mission Services of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod has authorized its Ministry to the Armed Forces Committee to give special recognition to pastors who have provided exceptional ministry to military personnel. The bronze St. Martin of Tours Medal is presented to chaplains who have given extensive pastoral service to military personnel, normally twenty or more years either on active duty, in the Reserve components, or in the Department of Veterans Affairs. An award in the name of St. Martin of Tours is particularly appropriate for Lutheran chaplains. As a young man, Martin of Tours, who was born in 315 AD, served as an officer in the Roman Army. According to tradition, one day he encountered a poor beggar shivering from the cold. Martin drew his sword, cut his military cape in two and covered the beggar with one half. That night, according to the tradition, Christ appeared to Martin in a dream, wearing the half of the cape he had given to the beggar. The vision led to Martin's conversion and baptism. Martin eventually became a cleric, founded a monastery and, over the years, his piety and devotion to Christ became so well known that he was installed as the Bishop of Tours, France, by popular demand. Following his death, the remaining half of Martin's cape became an object of veneration. French kings had the cape carried into battle and prepared a tent-like portable shrine for it. In Latin, the shrine was called a "capella." The priest who was given responsibility for the "capa" and the "capella" was called the "capellanus." It is through the derivation of these terms that we now have the English words for "chapel" and "chaplain." Consequently, since Medieval days, Martin of Tours has been identified with those who serve as military chaplains. For Lutheran chaplains, however, Martin of Tours has an additional, significant connection. On November 10, 1483, Hans and Margarethe Luther, of Eisleben, Germany, welcomed the birth of a new baby boy. Following the custom of the times, they had their infant baptized the following day. Since November 11 was the date the Christian Church traditionally remembered and honored St. Martin of Tours, the baby was named Martin Luther. It is most appropriate, therefore, to give tribute to Lutheran pastors who have given so many years of dedicated service to military personnel with an award whose name recalls these two historic defenders of the Christian faith. Back to top ORGAN DEDICATION RECITAL IN NORFOLK Everyone is invited to attend the dedicatory recital of the new organ console at Christ Lutheran Church, Norfolk, (605 South 5th Street) at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 4. There will be organ music by Jessels, Sowerby, Widor, and others, as played by Stephen Hakes, Christ Lutheran's Director of Music. It's a very exciting program with a lot of variety, highlighting the pipework and new digital sounds of the organ. There is no admission charge and refreshments will be served afterward. Call the church at 402-371-1210 for more information. Back to top A RESOURCE FOR MINISTERING TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY MILITARY DEPLOYMENT The following is excerpts from a letter has been distributed by the Ministry to the Armed Forces Department of the LCMS and LCMS World Relief and Human Care Ministries. Pastors who have congregation or community members dealing with families affected by military deployment are encouraged to download and print this free guide at www.militaryonesource.com. Dear Pastor, By now almost every parish of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has members who have been involved in the military action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reserve units are serving side-by-side with the active duty forces, and more than two dozen pastor-chaplains have been mobilized from their churches to serve. While the war in Iraq is affecting all of us, it is especially challenging for the Reserve and National Guard units being mobilized all over the country. Reserve duty . . . involves year-long separations from job and family to serve side-by-side with the active duty troops. In the meantime, it is obvious that ALL military families experience serious challenges when a military spouse or member is deployed an extended period of time. The U.S. Army has made a very helpful booklet available entitled "Ministering to Families Affected by Military Deployment" to assist in the care of these being deployed. It is one of the most comprehensive tools available to help you and your parish provide needed support for military families. Most of the material is available on the internet, free to download and print at: www.militaryonesource.com. Once on that website, click "Deployment" on the left-hand menu. You will probably find that other pastors in your community are interested in the same challenge, and a great community-wide effort could emerge as you implement a support system of your own. Mark J. Schreiber, Director, Ministry to the Armed Forces John A. Fale, Associate Executive Director, LCMS World Relief and Human Care Back to top PARAMENTS AVAILABLE TO CONGREGATION OR MISSION Immanuel, Schuyler, has replaced its red and purple paraments, and is offering them to a congregation or ministry who might have need of them. If you are interested or need more information, contact Vicar Bill Mattfeld at TRINITYLUTHERANCHURCHLCMS1 at msn.com or 402-352-2307. Back to top COMING EVENTS AT CAMP LUTHER Visit the Camp Luther website at www.campluther.org for more information on these and other upcoming events at Camp Luther. His Kids Camp Respite Care Weekends His Kids Camp Respite Care Weekends are for people high school age through adult with mental or moderate physical challenges. Campers must have some independent living skills. Contact hiskidscamp at campluther.org for more information, schedules, and registration materials. Volunteers are welcome to help work with these special individuals. There are two upcoming opportunities to take part in this special camp experience: November 2-4, 2007 February 8-10, 2008 Check-in Friday evening, 5:00 p.m. - Check-out Sunday afternoon, 2:00 p.m. Cost: $120.00 plus $30.00 registration fee. TOTAL FEE IS $150.00 Christian Women's Scrapbooking Weekend This retreat begins on Friday night and runs through Sunday morning. The schedule includes major time frames for working on individual projects, as well as options for devotions, hikes, and campfires. All meals are included (Saturday breakfast through Sunday breakfast). Anyone is invited - those new to scrapbooking to those with vast experiences. There will be at least one consultant in attendance at each of two retreat times: November 16-18, 2007 February 1-3, 2008 Cost: $75.00 per person Go to www.campluther.org for registration form and schedule. Men's Woodcutting Retreats Volunteers are invited to a free stay at Camp Luther in exchange for helping cut and stack wood. Friday night is spent in fellowship, Bible study, and fellowship. Saturday is spent working in the woods, with the day finishing up with a steak and potato dinner. Volunteers are asked to bring their own chain saws. Go to www.campluther.org for a registration form and schedule. January 4-6 and February 1-3, 2008. Back to top Thanks to all who shared information for this week's Update. If you have information to share, please send it to communications at ndlcms.org. We pray these weekly E-mail Updates are a valuable resource in your ministry. The Updates are for all workers and leaders in your congregation. If you know of someone you think would benefit from the information in the Update, please forward it to them. They are invited to subscribe by emailing their request to nicholeh at ndlcms.org or by visiting the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/news/communications. Reformation blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications and Events 1-888-643-2961 nicholeh at ndlcms.org www.ndlcms.org * Please Note: The inclusion of items in the Update from outside sources is for informational purposes only. Inclusion of such items does not constitute District endorsement. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/html Size: 35685 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20071031/4aa9d832/attachment.txt