[DistUpd] August 27
District Updates
distupd at lists.ndlcms.org
Wed Aug 27 11:14:00 CDT 2008
Update for August 27
A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE!
Greetings in the name of our Heavenly Father.
"Why Sudan? Why did the Nebraska District choose Sudan as a mission partner at the 2006 District Convention?" Have you heard someone ask this question or have you wondered this yourself?
Like many things, there is a long answer and a short answer. What follows here is the short answer. For the long answer and more information on this partnership or the ministry taking place through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sudan, visit the District website at www.ndlcms.org<http://www.ndlcms.org/> or contact Rev. Rich Boring at the District Office, richb at ndlcms.org<mailto:richb at ndlcms.org> or 888-643-2961.
Nebraska is home to more Sudanese immigrants than any other state in America. Many Sudanese come to Omaha first to find family members, then to find jobs. Some stay in Omaha, while others move to various Nebraska communities looking for employment. Currently, there are sizable Sudanese populations in Omaha, Lincoln, and Grand Island.
LCMS World Mission has been busy sharing the Gospel of Jesus in Sudan since 1998. Evangelism work has also taken place in the Sudanese refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. Many of the Sudanese who come to Nebraska are Lutheran, and in the past ten years they have connected with LCMS congregations in Omaha, Lincoln, and Grand Island, as well forming a congregation of their own in Omaha.
These Sudanese Lutherans are concerned about their relatives still living in the refugee camps or in Sudan. They are passionate about mission work that shares the Good News of Jesus with their family members and friends back home. The Nebraska District was moved by the Lord to see this mission field and step forward to partner with LCMS World Mission and the Lutheran Church in Sudan. Through the mission hearts and generosity of the people of the Nebraska District, this partnership has grown in the two years since it began, and we pray that the Lord will continue to bless His work.
As mission partners, the Nebraska District worked with Orphan Grain Train in Norfolk to ship a container to Malakal, Sudan, containing a medical clinic and a water purification system. This container, along with two others filled with farming equipment from Minnesota South, was cleared through customs and the three were loaded on a ship and are now on their way to Sudan. We give God thanks for His guidance over this first leg of the journey, and we continue to pray for His protection on the containers until they reach Malakal.
* Prayer Requests
* District Office Holiday Hours
* Issues with gpcom.net Email Addresses
* Wives of Pastors Retreat Information Mailed
* Flirting or Hurting? Resources Available
* Fan into Flame Congregation Update
* Date Set for 2008 Church/School Secretary Workshop
* Reaching Rural America for Christ Conference Registration Deadline Nears
* Congregation Health and Hope Grant Applications Being Accepted
* Concordia University, Nebraska Ranked by U.S. News and World Report
* Seminary Visitation Event Coming Up
PRAYER REQUESTS
Those Dealing with Health Issues - Please continue to remember those in the Nebraska District who are dealing with continuing health issues. We lift up specifically:
* Pastor Paul Albrecht from Centennial, Superior, who is struggling with cancer;
* Pastor David Feddern from St. Paul, Cambridge, who remains hospitalized in Omaha;
* Pastor Keith Kiihne, retired pastor in Omaha, who underwent surgery for an aneurism at the base of his brain.
We also include all others we are not aware of who are struggling with health issues. We pray for the Lord to place His healing hand upon them, and to grant them and their families a special measure of His understanding, comfort, and peace at this time.
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DISTRICT OFFICE HOLIDAY HOURS
The District Office will be closed next Monday, September 1, in observance of Labor Day. The Office will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, September 2, with staff devotions. May you and your family have a happy and safe Labor Day weekend.
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ISSUES WITH GPCOM.NET EMAIL ADDRESSES
A number of people across the District have talked to me or emailed me about no longer receiving the Email Update. It has come to our attention that Windstream (our office Internet provider) put the wrong DNS references on the email, which make the emails look as if they come from a home computer instead of a business server. The gpcom.net server filter screens them out because they appear to be spam from individuals.
The District Office can receive email from individuals with these email addresses, but we are not able to respond until the individual sets his or her email filtering system to accept emails from these addresses.
Since anyone with a gpcom.net address isn't reading this information right now, my request is that anyone who knows someone with one of these addresses who might have received the Update in the past would forward this message to them. If they would like to resume receiving the weekly Email Update, ask them to change their filter system to accept emails from nicholeh at ndlcms.org<mailto:nicholeh at ndlcms.org>, then ask them to email me for verification.
We have asked Windstream to correct this error and we will continue to monitor the situation. Thank you for your help in keeping people connected with the ministry of the Nebraska District.
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WIVES OF PASTORS RETREAT INFORMATION MAILED
Wives of pastors and vicars in the Nebraska District are invited to attend the Nebraska District Wives of Pastors Retreat at The Leadership Center in Aurora on October 10-11. This retreat has been designed specially for them under the theme, "Titus 2 for Life."
The retreat will provide networking opportunities with other wives of pastors and vicars -- old friends and new acquaintances alike. Linda Bartlett, former Lutherans For Life president, will be the presenter for Saturday. Throughout the day and a half there will be plenty of opportunities for relaxation, laughter, and renewal.
Registration materials were mailed to each pastor's and vicar's wife or may be printed from the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/news/conferences/wives.html<http://www.ndlcms.org/news/conferences/wives.html>. Contact Julie Roebke at the District Office at julier at ndlcms.org<mailto:julier at ndlcms.org> or 888-643-2961 for more information. Registrations are due September 10.
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FLIRTING OR HURTING? RESOURCES AVAILABLE
This program helps teachers, guidance counselors, and school administrators provide a safe and comfortable forum for discussing sexual harassment with students. Recommended for grade levels 6 - 9, Flirting or Hurting? uses a common sense approach to help students distinguish between harmless flirting and offensive behavior. The resource consists of a 60 minute DVD with Teacher Guide.
The following segments are within the 60 minute video:
Segment 1: What is Sexual Harassment?
Through four vignettes presented by moderator Toks Olagundoye, your students will learn the definition of sexual harassment, see examples of offensive behavior, and learn about the devastating effects often associated with sexual harassment.
Segment 2: Stopping Sexual Harassment
Students will learn what Title IX means to them and what to do if they find themselves the targets of sexual harassment. Toks presents a "Take Action" section which offers suggestions on how students can work to eliminate sexual harassment in their schools through prevention and intervention.
Segment 3: Video Teacher Guide
This segment offers suggestions for educators on how to use Flirting or Hurting? effectively in their school. In a roundtable discussion, a group of educators provides background information on the subject of sexual harassment and explains why it is necessary to educate kids on sexual harassment , how and where to use the Flirting or Hurting? video, and how to respond to students' questions.
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FAN INTO FLAME CONGREGATION UPDATE
There are some incredible stories of what the Holy Spirit has already accomplished in Nebraska congregations where pastors and people have prayed and participated in Fan into Flame. God can do great things anywhere and in every congregation through this mission effort. Fan into Flame is an opportunity for your congregation to witness once again the power of the Spirit in the lives of God's people.
Following is an example, written by the pastor and leadership, of how one congregation in the Nebraska District implemented Fan into Flame. Full congregational summaries are available on the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/news/FIF/summaries.html.
First Trinity, Bloomfield - Filled with a desire to participate in the work of the LCMS and help take the love of Jesus to the world, this congregation began Ablaze! education through sermons and mission moments during worship services. To implement their appeal, they decided to have four cottage meetings, each hosted by an elder and his wife. Invitation letters were sent to everyone in the congregation, and two-thirds of the congregation's average worship attendance were present at the gatherings!
The one-hour cottage meeting shared a mission-focused word of introduction with the participants, as well as the provided Fan into Flame DVD. Everyone took a commitment card home with the encouragement to pray about making a commitment within a couple of days. Almighty God, in His Spirit and power, worked through His people. The total pledges received from God's people came to $34,695! God is truly using His people at First Trinity to continue sharing the love of Christ with the world.
First Trinity has not fully decided where they are going to use their part of the Fan into Flame mission money. Suggestions included a bus trip to Mission Central to present a missionary a check, making a promotional video of the congregation to present at their annual live nativity presentation, or support a member who might want to be a missionary in a foreign country.
Participation in Fan into Flame has been a very positive experience for the members of First Trinity. Once again, they witnessed God working through them to share the love of Jesus Christ. And the best part of it all is that God is not finished with them yet. He is going to continue to use them in their community as they share His love.
Every congregation of the Nebraska District is encouraged to prayerfully consider how they can be involved in Fan into Flame. It doesn't take much to participate - just a dedicated core of lay people, a mission-minded pastor, and the materials provided by Fan into Flame. Once the opportunity to be personally involved in mission work is shared with the members of your congregation, the Spirit can move hearts to respond.
For more information on how to get started, or to report how your congregation plans to be involved, contact Andrea Essling at the Nebraska District Office, Andrea.Essling at ndlcms.org<mailto:Andrea.Essling at ndlcms.org> or 888-643-2961.
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DATE SET FOR 2008 CHURCH/SCHOOL SECRETARY WORKSHOP
The 2008 Church Secretary Workshop hosted by the Nebraska District is scheduled to be held from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 11, at Concordia University, Seward. More information will be mailed to church and school offices in mid-September. Office staff should mark the date on their calendar and make plans now to join together with others to celebrate their common ministry and gain new insights from shared ideas. Questions may be directed to Nichole at the District Office, nicholeh at ndlcms.org<mailto:nicholeh at ndlcms.org> or 888-643-2961.
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REACHING RURAL AMERICA FOR CHRIST CONFERENCE REGISTRATION DEADLINE NEARS
Reaching Rural America For Christ, a conference for pastors and lay leaders from rural and small town congregations, will be held at Mahoney State Park, Ashland, Nebraska, on Thursday, November 6, beginning at 1:00 p.m. through Saturday, November 8, ending at 12 Noon.
The Reaching Rural America For Christ conference will unveil a plan that gives support to a National Missionary Catalyst through the LCMS districts for rural small town congregations.
The Reaching Rural America For Christ conference will:
* Assist congregations in taking intentional steps to help create a positive missional attitude and initiate outreach actions.
* Celebrate our common heritage.
* Examine the impact of ever-changing culture on rural small town communities.
* Build a network for leadership training and ministry support among the districts.
* Investigate stewardship attitudes to maximize resources.
Participants are limited to the first 150 registrants. The registration deadline is September 30. The cost per participant is $300.00, which includes 2 nights lodging, 6 meals, banquet, and all materials. To register, call Saint Paul Institute for Education at 888-463-5127. To download a conference brochure visit http://www.spife.org/Index.asp?PageID=9486
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CONGREGATION HEALTH AND HOPE GRANT APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED
Wheat Ridge Ministries invites and encourages Lutheran congregations to submit applications from September 1, 2008, through October 31, 2008, for its Congregation Health and Hope Grant program. The purpose of the Congregation Health and Hope Grants is to facilitate the initial development of congregation-based health and wellness ministries. In 2007, 19 grants were awarded totaling $35,119.
All Lutheran congregations - individually or in partnership with other congregations - are eligible for these grants. The maximum amount per grant is $2,000 for a single congregation and $6,000 for collaborative efforts involving two or more congregations. The amount granted by Wheat Ridge must be matched dollar for dollar by the congregation. Approximately 20 grants will be awarded to congregational projects in December.
The focus of the Health and Hope Grant is on new congregation-based health ministries developed under the auspices of a congregation health committee or cabinet. Projects must support and promote the health and well-being of people in the congregation and local community.
Grant funds may be invested in health-related events and leadership development; staff training; planning; materials, resources or equipment directly related to program development; or contract services or new staff essential for program development. The grant is not to be used for existing staff salaries; congregation or school building programs; or general church or school expenses.
Congregations interested in applying for a Wheat Ridge Congregation Health and Hope Grant can visit the Wheat Ridge website (www.wheatridge.org<http://www.wheatridge.org>) to download a complete list of guidelines, as well as the proposal format. Any questions may be referred to the Wheat Ridge office at 800-762-6748. The deadline for submitting applications is October 31, 2008.
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CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, NEBRASKA RANKED BY U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT
Concordia University, Nebraska was one of 10 Midwest baccalaureate schools to be named to U.S. News & World Report's 2009 "Great Schools, Great Prices" rankings released last week. Concordia also moved to No. 18, up one spot, in the overall rankings of the Midwest baccalaureate institutions, remaining the highest ranked school in Nebraska in this category.
The "Great Schools, Great Prices" category recognizes the value of the overall education at those schools ranked above average academically with a large percentage of their student body receiving need-based aid.
"Concordia has always strived to offer an excellent education in a supportive, Christ-centered community at a cost within reach of those pursuing a degree," said Dr. Jenny Mueller-Roebke, provost of the university. "We are excited and honored that the value of a Concordia education has been nationally recognized."
Based on the first tier ranking and an overall score of 64, Concordia also compares well to schools in other categories and regions. Concordia Nebraska is the top-ranked school in the Concordia University System and placed third among the members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
"We are thrilled that again this year Concordia is listed as one of the top baccalaureate universities in the Midwest. We also celebrate our 'Great Schools, Great Prices' listing," said Rev. Dr. Brian L. Friedrich, president of Concordia. "Such rankings do not just happen. They are the result of God's abundant blessings, the visionary leadership of our Board of Regents, the excellence of our faculty, the phenomenal financial support of our alumni and friends, and the dedication and hard work of our staff. These rankings reinforce the great value and benefit of a Lutheran Christian higher education at Concordia University, Nebraska."
Criteria evaluated in the rankings included academic reputation, retention and graduation rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, and alumni support.
Complete rankings are available online at www.usnews.com/colleges<http://www.usnews.com/colleges> and will be published in the magazine's September 1 issue, on newsstands Monday, August 25.
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SEMINARY VISITATION EVENT COMING UP
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, is pleased to invite prospective students and their guests to attend "Contemplate," to be held October 9-11 on the Seminary campus. Designed for those who are college age or older, the structured visitation event provides an effective means of learning more about life in the Concordia Seminary community and the preparation that leads to service as a pastor, missionary, chaplain, or deaconess in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Visitors will have the opportunity to worship with the Seminary community in The Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus, visit classes, and tour the campus. Participants also will hear presentations on academic offerings, financial assistance, housing, resident field education, internship and the admission process. Guests may wish to take advantage of the many recreational opportunities in the St. Louis area.
Visitors will attend an Information Fair designed to highlight many organizations and opportunities that life at Concordia Seminary offers. More than 30 representatives from organizations involved in nearly all aspects of life in the Seminary community will be present to share information and answer questions.
There is no charge to attend "Contemplate...," and all meals and lodging are provided free of charge. Round-trip transportation to Concordia Seminary from the airport is provided.
For more information, contact the Admissions Office at 800-822-9545 or admissions at csl.edu<mailto:admissions at csl.edu>.
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A happy and safe Labor Day weekend to you and your family from the staff of the District Office!
Nichole Hetz
Nebraska District LCMS
Director of Communications
1-888-643-2961
nicholeh at ndlcms.org<mailto:nicholeh at ndlcms.org>
www.ndlcms.org<http://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.
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