[DistUpd] December 16

Wed Dec 16 09:52:59 CST 2009

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December 16, 2009

In this issue:

One of my favorite things during this Advent season is listening to familiar Christmas carols with my 4-year-old daughter. She is learning these songs in preschool, and as she learns the words, she is constantly asking me "Who is saying that?" or "What does that mean?" It is a joy and a blessing to be able to once again look closely at the words of these familiar songs with her, and see her excitement in being able to sing songs about Jesus' birthday. As we go about our seasonal tasks hearing the familiar Christmas tunes, may we remember the Good News the angels brought in their song that first Christmas. They proclaimed the Good News of the Savior's birth to the shepherds who didn't even know to be looking for it. May our prayer be that the Lord will use us to share that same Good News with those we encounter who may not know the reason for this Christmas season.

 *   Prayer Requests
 *   District Office Holiday Hours
 *   IMPORTANT Tax Exempt Status Reminder
 *   Prairie Fire 2010
 *   New Christmas-Themes Bible Study Available from LHM
 *   Rev. John Nunes to Speak at Concordia
 *   Higher Things Granted RSO Status
 *   Hymn by Concordia University Professor Heard on Lutheran Hour Broadcast
 *   Concordia Theological Seminary Unveils New Online Theological Resources
 *   National Youth Gathering Update
 *   A Tribute to Paul Manz in Omaha
 *   New Spanish Resources from CPH
 *   CPH Offers Puppets at a Reduced Rate

PRAYER REQUESTS
Jesus Our Savior Lutheran Outreach and School - We join in prayers of thanksgiving with the staff of Jesus Our Savior Lutheran Outreach in Winnebago for God's blessings on their Christmas Service. More than 90 people attended the service last Sunday evening, which included songs and the telling of the Christmas story by the school children and the message by Pastor Ricky Jacob. We ask the Lord to continue blessing this ministry as it works to connect with the people of the community through worship and education opportunities.

The Family of Jim Weber - We ask the Lord to wrap the family of Jim Weber in His loving care as Jim was suddenly called home to heaven this past Sunday morning. Jim is the brother of Gary and Nancy Weber, teachers at Christ, Norfolk, and of Don Weber, assistant to the president in education and youth for the Nebraska District. The funeral will be 10:00 a.m. Friday morning, December 18, at Zion, Pierce.

Team of Workers in Sudan - We offer prayers of thanksgiving for the safe return of three members of the work team from Minnesota and Nebraska that had been working in Sudan. These men returned to the United States safely last week, while the remaining team will return next week. Please continue to pray for safety for the remaining team as they prepare to travel home. Please also pray that the Lord will use their efforts in Sudan to meet the physical needs, as well as the spiritual needs, of the people of Malakal and give glory to God.

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DISTRICT OFFICE HOLIDAY HOURS
The Nebraska District Office will be closed next Thursday and Friday, December 24-25, for Christmas. It will also be closed Thursday, December 31 and Friday, January 1, in observance of New Year's. The office will resume regular hours at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, January 4.

There will be an abbreviated Email Update next Wednesday, December 23, and no Update the week of December 28. The regular Email Update schedule will resume on Wednesday, January 6.

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IMPORTANT TAX EXEMPT STATUS REMINDER
A reminder to congregations and schools of the District that Form 451-A Reaffirmation for Continued Tax Exemption filings must be filed with your County Assessor on or before December 31.  Failure to file can result in the loss of exemption from property tax.

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PRAIRIE FIRE 2010
The Nebraska District is pleased to announce a very special outreach event in 2010. The International Lutheran Laymen's League has chosen Omaha as the site of its 2010 Convention. In partnership with LLL, the Nebraska District is planning a day-long Prairie Fire 2010 outreach event in conjunction with the convention. It will feature many outstanding breakout sessions with quality presenters focused on how each of us can be encouraged and equipped to share the hope we have in Jesus as we are engaged in conversations of grace.

The day will culminate with a special Lutheran Hour Celebration Event featuring Lutheran Hour Speaker Rev. Ken Klaus. Please mark your calendar for Saturday, July 24, at the Qwest Center in Omaha for this exceptional outreach experience.

There will be special registration information for those who only want to attend the Saturday workshops, as well as information for those attending the entire convention. More information will be made available next spring on the Nebraska District website, www.ndlcms.org, through church offices, and mailed directly to past Prairie Fire participants.

We are very excited to be able to partner with the LLL and Lutheran Hour Ministries to offer the people of Nebraska a day focused on sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with those around us. Please mark July 24, 2010, on your calendar and watch for more information in the months ahead.

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NEW CHRISTMAS-THEMES BIBLE STUDY AVAILABLE FROM LHM (From LHM Church and School Resources Newsletter)
Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour(r), has written a Christmas-themed, single-session Bible study about St. Nicholas, called The Real St. Nick: Leader, Legend or Lie? Your church or school can download the Bible study for free and use it for Bible class, chapel, or even a special Bible study.

The Real St. Nick surveys St. Nick and the age-old traditions surrounding him. An extensive list of web links in the discussion guide gives you numerous sources of information providing fascinating details behind the man. Exploring these you'll learn about the persecution he faced under the Roman Emperor Diocletian. You'll also see how -- using ancient relics and modern science -- a team of forensic specialists has reconstructed an image of St. Nick's face. For more information on this Bible study, visit http://www.lhmmen.com/studydetail.asp?id=13640.

This Bible study is provided through Lutheran Hour Ministries' Men's NetWork. Additional video Bible studies include works on Islam, creation, the origination of the Bible, materialism, and more. Each Bible study has an accompanying discussion guide. You can also purchase the Bible studies on DVD for $15 each. Visit www.lhmmen.com and click on "Bible Studies" for more information.

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REV. JOHN NUNES TO SPEAK AT CONCORDIA
Concordia University, Nebraska will welcome Rev. John Nunes as the first presenter in its spring speaker series. Nunes was selected as Concordia's Martin Luther King Day speaker. His presentation will take place in Weller Hall auditorium at 10 a.m. on Monday, Jan 18, and is free and open to the public.

A prominent Lutheran leader, thinker, and speaker, Nunes is known for his compelling voice applying theological insight to matters ranging from global issues to urban affairs. Nunes is the president of Lutheran World Relief. The organization is spearheading the Lutheran Malaria Initiative, a Lutheran church-wide campaign to raise $75 million for the United Nation- Foundation's Nothing but Nets campaign. Nunes also is authoring two books on the topic of malaria for Concordia Publishing House, a sponsor of his speech at Concordia.

"John is an outstanding choice for a Martin Luther King Day speaker because as president and CEO of Lutheran World Relief, he can give a unique perspective on Dr. King's work -- how through faith, prayer and commitment we can be God's instruments to help transform the world's most impoverished communities," said Tobin Beck, assistant professor of global studies and an organizer for Concordia's annual speaker series. "Working to end poverty and to uphold human dignity were important components of Dr. King's work on civil rights. In a community like ours we look for ways to help others, and I think Concordia students, faculty, staff, and people in general will respond to that call in John's message."

Rev. Nunes' presentation is the first in the second annual Looking Beyond speaker series held at Concordia. Future presentations will feature Dimitri Rahab giving the Maehr talk on March 8, and 1989 Concordia alumnus Philip Droege, director of White House records, on April 13.

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Higher Things Granted RSO Status
Higher Things is pleased to announce that it has been granted Recognized Service Organization (RSO) status by The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. As an RSO, Higher Things is officially recognized as an organization whose mission, ministry, and programs are consistent with the confessional standards of the LCMS and in harmony with the programs of the Synod while retaining its independence and self-governance. They believe that RSO status will enhance Higher Things' ability to serve the youth of our Synod with the fullness of our liturgical and confessional heritage.

Higher Things would like to thank the Synod's Board for District and Congregational Services and its chairman David Bruns for their hard work and support. They are also greatly appreciative to Rev. Herbert C. Mueller for his sponsorship and support.

Higher Things looks forward to yet greater opportunities to assist parents, congregations, and pastors in cultivating and promoting a Lutheran identity among youth through conferences, retreats, publications, and the Internet. For more information, visit www.higherthings.org<http://www.higherthings.org/>.

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HYMN BY CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR HEARD ON LUTHERAN HOUR BROADCAST
"On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry," an Advent hymn adaptation by Concordia University, Nebraska's assistant professor of music, Pete Prochnow, was heard on the Dec. 6 broadcasts of "The Lutheran Hour."  The radio shows reach over a million listeners each Sunday.

"'On Jordan's Bank' is one of my favorite Advent hymns," said Prochnow. "I arranged the hymn adaptation 15 years ago. It was recorded and co-produced by Walt Disney World audio technician Paul Heintzen, a long-time LCMS member."

The inclusion of the hymn on the program resulted from a meeting Prochnow had with the radio show's producer, Mark Eischer, to discuss the possibility of doing a show with different musical styles. Prochnow has been instrumental in establishing Concordia's contemporary church music program. Eischer was impressed with the quality of the Prochnow's music. "Since that meeting, Mark has asked for additional music to be used for the show for Epiphany, Transfiguration, and Lent," shared Prochnow.

Listen each Sunday to the world's longest-running Christian outreach radio program to hear more of Professor Prochnow's music in the weeks ahead. To view a schedule and list of radio stations that air The Lutheran Hour, visit the Lutheran Hour Ministries website at http://www.lhm.org/broadcastinformation.asp.

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CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY UNVEILS NEW ONLINE THEOLOGICAL RESOURCES
Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, continually strives to make theological resources available to church workers, laity and the church-at-large. Today another giant step has been taken in that effort. Anyone with an Internet connection now has access to one of the most extensive collections of theological media offered to date by going to http://media.ctsfw.edu/.

"With media.cstfw.edu we have a single location where someone can come and search through the full text of the entire publication history for Concordia Theological Quarterly, the CUEnet DELTO video collection and even the daily chapel sermons from Kramer Chapel," said Rev. Bill Johnson, Theological Education Technology Specialist at CTS.  "As we continue to add material, we look to include past and future Symposia Series lectures, full courses from some of the biggest names in the history of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and more. Basically, if we can get rights to it and it's helpful to the Church, we want to make that available and searchable through this tool."

One feature of the new site is the joint effort by Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, to release a compilation of educational videos available via their websites. This collection of more than 1,100 videos covers Old and New Testament, Pastoral Theology and individual books of the Bible which were originally part of the Distance Education Leading To Ordination (DELTO) courses made available through the Concordia University Education Network (CUEnet).  Simply visit http://media.ctsfw.edu/ and type in a topic in the Search box.

"It's such a joy to see these CUEnet resources released for the good of the entire Church," offered Rev. Bill Johnson, Theological Education Technology Specialist at CTS. "Although they were originally created to train men for ministry as pastors, they're wonderful material for all of God's people. By making these available to the Church, we enable anyone, anywhere around the world, to learn from some of the most knowledgeable experts in Lutheran theology from the comfort of their own home."

The mission of the seminaries is to serve God's people and equip them to reach out to all with the life-saving Gospel. "The two seminaries releasing the material jointly for the good of Christ's Church really gives a powerful example of how we as a Synod can reach out to one other and be unified in confessional mission for the Gospel," said Prof. Tony Cook, Director of Distance Curricula at Concordia, St. Louis.

For additional information on the new media site, please contact Rev. Johnson at William.Johnson at ctsfw.edu<mailto:William.Johnson at ctsfw.edu> or 260-452-3202.

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NATIONAL YOUTH GATHERING UPDATE
The following information is from the Gathering website, www.lcmsgathering.com<http://www.lcmsgathering.com/>.

Are you using PowerPoint, Easy Worship, Media Shout or other presentation software for your Gathering planning meetings? New Gathering slides are available on the Downloads<http://www.ne16.com/t/10998225/386809368/53961085/0/> page, http://www.lcmsgathering.com/?PageID=11126.

Looking for information to help you in your Gathering planning? Check out the additional resources<http://www.ne16.com/t/10998225/386809368/53948427/0/> at http://www.lcmsgathering.com/Index.asp?PageID=11096.

Don't forget, Young Adult Volunteer applications are being accepted until January 1, 2010. For more information and to apply visit http://www.lcmsgathering.com/?PageID=11068.

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A TRIBUTE TO PAUL MANZ IN OMAHA
Everyone is encouraged to mark the date and make plans to attend a tribute to Paul Manz at Pacific Hills (1110 South 90th Street), Omaha, on Sunday, February 14, at 3:00 p.m. This special event will celebrate the life and music of Paul Manz, a teacher, composer, recitalist, and international organist. He was a former teacher at Concordia University, St. Paul, where he established a solid music program. Dr. Manz did the dedicatory recital for the Pacific Hills organ in 1970, and now the congregation will honor him at this special event.

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NEW SPANISH RESOURCES FROM CPH
Downloadable Spanish Music Now Available from CPH
Everyone wants to have the resources needed to raise their voices and praise the Lord. Now, Concordia Publishing House has Spanish music available for purchase at iTunes<http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=319770327>, Amazon<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002CLAQ72/ref=sr_f3_1_rd?ie=UTF8&parent=B002CMQAIA&qid=1244725281&sr=103-1>, and other select digital music stores.

CPH offers a wide variety of children's songs, instrumental arrangements, choral selections, and hymns. The albums featured online can be instantaneously downloaded and include songs from the Christmas programs, Vacation Bible Schools, and other recent publications from Editorial Concordia. All of the songs were originally written in Spanish and they cover several different Latin American tunes.

Visit your favorite online music store and search for Concordia Publishing House to find available music. Regular online pricing, with single song purchases or full albums, available.

Concordia Publishing Announces 2010 Spanish Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School is a time for children of all ages and backgrounds to get together and praise the Lord. Editorial Concordia, the Spanish division of Concordia Publishing House, makes it possible for children to experience a VBS that is originally written in Spanish!

In 2010 the Vacation Bible School will be El tren de las Buenas Noticias (The Good News Train), a program about a group of friends that embark on a journey to five continents. The Good News Train stops every day on a different continent, where our friends meet people of diverse cultures, with different needs and traditions. As they get to know their new friends, they share what they have in The Good News Train as well as the best treasure of all: the Lord Jesus, Savior of the world.

This one-of-a-kind program is the only comprehensive Spanish and bilingual VBS available. In fact, El tren de las Buenas Noticias is not a translation; it is written by Hispanics for Hispanics. It is a great resource for churches, churches wanting to reach out to their community, and for those doing mission trips.

For more information, call 1-800-325-3040 in English or 1-877-450-8694 in Spanish. Visit our website at www.editorial.cph.org<http://www.editorial.cph.org>.

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CPH OFFERS PUPPETS AT A REDUCED RATE
These puppets need good homes! If you are looking for a way to do a good deed or need a way to engage kids in Sunday school stories, liven up your classroom activities, or entertain children on a rainy day, this is a great opportunity. By adopting these adorable puppets, you not only give them a good home, but also add a little flair to your day.

For a limited time only, Concordia Publishing House is offering a great deal on a package of past Vacation Bible School puppets. The first two hundred orders will receive a pack of four puppets for only $34.99.  Normally just one of these puppets costs around $20.

Puppets included in the package are Gizmo the robot, Buddy the porcupine, Digger the dog, and King the lion. You could create one crazy, fun puppet show with this combo! So open your home or classroom to these cuddly creatures before they are sold out!

Visit www.cph.org<http://www.cph.org/> to give these friendly puppets a good home.

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The weekly Email Update is a resource offered to all in the Nebraska District to share information and to enrich the ministry God has called you to. Please continue to share information you feel would be of interest to others and let us know if there is any other way we at the District Office can be a resource to your ministry. Items for inclusion in the Update may be sent to communications at ndlcms.org<mailto:communications at ndlcms.org>.

Advent Blessings,
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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