From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Jun 10 13:19:10 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:19:10 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] June 10 Message-ID: Update for June 10 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Greetings in the name of our Heavenly Father! What a blessing it was to gather with many of you last weekend on the campus of Concordia University in Seward for our District Convention. It was a wonderful time of renewing acquaintances, worshipping with fellow believers, and encouraging one another in the mission God has given us to tell others about the love of Jesus. The Convention theme, "Full of Grace - Seasoned with Salt" based on Col. 4:5-6, helped to focus all in attendance on the wonderful gift of grace we have through Jesus Christ, and the opportunities we have to engage the mission fields of Nebraska and share this Good News. Delegates were reminded how they can have conversations of grace in Jesus salted with His sound teaching. Today's Update will share an overview of the Convention, with more information available on the District website, www.ndlcms.org, by the end of this week. Feel free to contact the District Office for more information. CONVENTION NEWS The Rev. Russ Sommerfeld, Seward, was elected to his third term as president of the Nebraska District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod by the delegates attending the 16th Nebraska District Convention June 4-6. Re-elected for a second term, moving from third to first vice president, representing Region C, was the Rev. Richard Snow, pastor of St. John, Battle Creek. Chosen as second vice president, representing Region A, was the Rev. Mark Middendorf, pastor of Zion, Scotia. Named third vice president, representing Region B, was the Rev. Arnold Jurchen, pastor of Holy Cross, Goehner. Re-elected for a second term, moving from second to fourth vice president, representing Region D, was the Rev. Orville Walz, a retired pastor living in Bennington. The Rev. Clint Poppe, who previously served as first vice president, declined nominations to serve another three-year term. Other officers elected included: Secretary: Rev. Roland Jank, Jr., of Mount Olive, Omaha. Teacher member, Board of Directors: Rhonda Burk of Lincoln. Lay members, Board of Directors: Region A, Glenn Van Velson of North Platte; Region B, David Knorr of Humboldt; Region C, Virginia Von Seggern of Orchard; and Region D, Harlan Metschke of Papillion. Lay members holding current terms on the Board of Directors are: Region A, Dr. Marvin Swan of Grant; Region B, Glennis Holtmeier of Tobias; Region C, Kent Warneke of Norfolk; and Region D, Kathy Brashear of Omaha. Completing terms on the Board of Directors are: Rev. Clint Poppe of Lincoln, Rev. Michael Gruhn of Lexington, Kevin Fry of Ewing, Christopher Martin of Omaha, and Stan Fehlhafer of Lincoln. Elections also took place for various district and synodical offices. Those elected to serve were: Nominations Committee: pastor members, Rev. Paul Beyer of Daykin, Rev. Loren Cooper of Hampton, and Rev. Charles Gierke of Omaha; teacher member, Linda Ahrens of Lincoln; and lay members, Steve Althouse of Waverly, ElRoy Bartels of Tobias and Burnell Von Seggern of Orchard. District Constitution Committee: pastor members, Rev. James Carretto of Wisner, and Rev. Jim Rasmussen of Omaha; teacher member, Wilbur Tewes of Bennet; and lay member, Richard Kreutzer of Kearney. Board of Regents for Concordia University Nebraska, Seward: pastor member Rev. Karl Ziegler of Bellevue; teacher member James Knoepfel of Fremont; and lay members Lyle Middendorf of Lincoln and Mike Klintworth of Seward. Lay member for Synodical Committee for Convention Nominations: Kermit Brashear of Omaha. The alternate lay member is Kevin Fry of Ewing. The delegates, under the convention theme of "Full of Grace - Seasoned with Salt," devoted considerable time to worship, study of the Word, education, and prayer. The convention was opened with a worship service and communion at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward with the Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, president of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, delivering the sermon. He shared with the delegates his conviction "that the message of hope we have in Christ Jesus our Lord is so critical for people of the world who otherwise would have no hope. In Jesus there is hope, there is life, and there is salvation." They studied the Word in two Bible class sessions led by Rev. Michael Awe of Tilden and Rev. Keith Grimm of La Vista. The Rev. Dr. Jacob A. O. Preus III, president of Concordia University Irvine in Irvine, Calif., led keynote presentations during the convention. He spoke on how believers in Jesus can take the solid Biblical teaching of salvation through Jesus Christ and make it relevant to the people of today's world. Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, president of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, spoke to the delegates during his time in Seward. He challenged the delegates to personally give witness about Jesus and the hope they have in Him. As part of his presentation, he spent time dealing with the decline of Christian beliefs, presence and influence in communities across the country. "How we respond will define The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in the 21st Century," Kieschnick said. "My prayer is that we will respond with hope." He also took time to address questions presented to him by delegates in attendance. The delegates took part in a dialog with Rev. Jon Braunersreuther, representative of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance. Members of this task force are attending conventions across the country to share proposed changes to the governing structure of the 2.4 million member church body, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Resolutions passed at this convention include realigning some of the congregations into new circuits, creating one additional circuit in the Lincoln area. The Nebraska District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has its headquarters in Seward, with over 111,000 baptized members in 247 congregations. Delegates who attended the convention should watch their email inboxes for the opportunity to complete a brief online evaluation of Convention. Additional thoughts and comments may be sent to info at ndlcms.org. LFS ORPHAN PRAYER SERVICE/OPEN HOUSE AND DEDICATION Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska (LFS) will be holding an Orphan Prayer Service at Ridge Cemetery, 1761 W. Linden Ave. in Fremont, at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 16. The public is invited to attend with special encouragement for attendance by former orphans of the Lutheran Orphan Home, adoptive families, and anyone with a prior connection to the Lutheran Orphan Home. The prayer service will be led by Nebraska District LCMS President, Rev. Russ Sommerfeld. A luncheon will be held following the service at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Avenue. Attendees will be encouraged to share stories about the orphanage. Luncheon RSVPs should go to Melissa Price at (402) 978-5678 or mprice at lfsneb.org. LCMS World Relief and Human Care and Trinity Lutheran Church of Fremont have provided funds to beautify the Orphan Ridge at the cemetery and repair the headstones. Founded in 1892, the Lutheran Orphan Home was one of two orphanages that eventually formed the agency now known as Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska. The LFS Fremont Area Building Families Boutique now exists on the original site of the orphanage, which is now the property of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. On June 16 LFS will also host a Fremont Area Building Families Boutique open house and dedication of the boutique store known as "Sara's Boutique." The event, open to the public, will be at the Boutique, 1420 E. Military Ave., from 4:30-6:30 p.m., with the program starting at 5:30. Activities will include the unveiling of the new donor recognition wall, refreshments, and performances by Zoe Children's Choir. Blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 17916 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20090610/036cb3ff/attachment.txt From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Mon Jun 15 16:47:11 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:47:11 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] Louis Heider Called to Glory Message-ID: + OBITUARY + Louis H. Heider, Commissioned Minister-Teacher Emeritus, departed this life on June 8, 2009, in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born on June 5, 1914, in Byron, Nebraska, to William and Alma Heidbrink Heider. On November 26, 1950, Louis was married to Vera Eckhardt. He graduated with a B.S. from Concordia Teachers College (now University), Seward, in 1948, and received a MSSW from the Graduate School of Social Work, Lincoln, in 1948, and after several years of supervised practice acquired his ACSW. Throughout his career he served as principal and teacher, St. John, Minnesota Lake, Minnesota (1935-1936); Zion, Jansen, Nebraska (1936-1939); and St. Paul, Utica, Nebraska (1940-1941). He also served as organist, in the choirs and other singing groups, director and youth worker, and on various other boards or committees in the three congregations mentioned. Louis served in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1942-1946. Louis' career turned to social work in 1947. He served as a caseworker in Hebron (Thayer County), Nebraska, the summer of 1947; and Lutheran Family Services, Omaha, from 1948-1954. From there Louis served as executive director for Lutheran Family Services of Omaha, and after the merger of Lutheran agencies in Nebraska he served as acting executive director from 1954-1973. Louis served in counseling services as a Family Life Enrichment Coordinator in Omaha. He was the Director of Social Work Ministry Program, Concordia College, Seward, Nebraska starting in 1975. Community service included Nebraska Welfare Association, Nebraska Welfare Association, American Association of Social Workers-Omaha chapter, Child Welfare League of America, National Association of Social Workers-Omaha chapter, Personal Crisis Services-Omaha, Nebraska Committee for Children and Youth; Citizens Juvenile Court Committee-Omaha; United Community Services of Greater Omaha, various committees; Eastern Mental Health Committee; Citizens Advisory Committee of the Lutheran Medical Mental Health Center, Omaha; Nebraska District Family Life Committee; and Lutheran Interparish Ministry of Greater Omaha. Survivors include wife, Vera; sons and daughters-in-law, Dale and Mary, Roger and Marilyn; son, Arlen; daughters and sons-in-law, Jean and Dennis Orth, Sylvia and Morgan Kyle; grandchildren, Nick, Doug, Sterling, Hayley, Greg, Mitch, Alex, Andy, and Amy. A memorial service was held Friday, June 12, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Omaha, Nebraska. Memorials may be given to St. Paul Lutheran Endowment Fund, Lutheran Family Services, or Concordia University, Seward, NE. Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 6951 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20090615/e65d1fb6/attachment.txt From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Jun 17 11:20:42 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:20:42 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] June 17 Message-ID: Update for June 17 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Greetings in the name of our Heavenly Father. As many families prepare to observe Father's Day this weekend with special celebrations or time spent remembering fathers who are now with the Lord, it's an opportunity to praise our Heavenly Father. We can thank Him for giving us caring and loving fathers. We can also thank Him for being our perfect Father. Jesus tells us, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matt. 7: 9-11) What a comfort to know that our heavenly Father's gifts are so much better than the best gifts earthly fathers can provide. While the Lord charges earthly parents to provide and care for their children, He promises that His care and love are so much greater than anything else we can experience. Not only does He provide for our bodily needs, He also gives us the best gift of all - the free gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus. As we celebrate Father's Day this weekend, let's give thanks to God for His gift of earthly fathers, and for His greater gift of salvation through His Son. Happy Father's Day! * Prayer Requests * District Office Closed Friday * No July Nebraska Lutheran Reporter * Lutheran Family Services Helps Host World Refugee Day * College Scholarships Available for LCMS Members * CPH Offers Special June Savings * Camperships Available from Camp Luther * New Missionary from Nebraska Available to Speak * Overseas Service Opportunities * Nebraska Lutherans for Confessional Study to Meet * Outreach and Study Materials Available in Spanish * 2010 National LCMS Youth Gathering District Coordinators Available * Advanced Training in Pastoral Skills Offered at Schuyler this Summer * Opportunities to Visit Germany PRAYER REQUESTS The family of Louis Heider - Please remember in prayer the family of Louis Heider, teacher emeritus, who was called to glory on June 8. We ask our Heavenly Father to grant this family His peace and comfort as they mourn their loss, while rejoicing that their husband, father, and grandfather is now at the Lord's side. Back to top DISTRICT OFFICE CLOSED FRIDAY The District Office will be closed this Friday, June 19, for a day-long staff retreat. The office will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, June 22, with staff devotions. Information and answers to many common questions can be found on the District website, www.ndlcms.org. Back to top NO JULY NEBRASKA LUTHERAN REPORTER Just a reminder that there will not be a July Nebraska Lutheran Reporter sent to congregations. Instead, the expanded July/August issue will feature District Convention coverage and will be in congregations in late July in the same quantity as usual. If your congregation prints the Reporter itself, please email reporter at ndlcms.org to request the appropriate number of newspapers, as this issue will not be available electronically. Feel free to send questions to the email above, or call 888-643-2961. Back to top LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES HELPS HOST WORLD REFUGEE DAY Join Lutheran Family Services and the Refugee Task Force of Omaha for an annual celebration to educate the community on refugee issues and celebrate cultural diversity. The event is free and open to the public. The event is at Benson High School, 5120 Maple Street, Omaha. Activities include a parade of flags, dance presentations, educational programs, vendor areas for information and hand-crafted items, fashion show, awards ceremony, children's carnival, and athletic events. Countries represented include Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Burma (Myanmar), Somalia, Togo, Burundi, Iraq, and Kenya. Contact Susan Mayberger at susan.mayberger at ops.org or 402-557-2431 for more information. Back to top COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR LCMS MEMBERS Know a student going to college? Lutheran Student Fellowship (LSF) in partnership with LCMS World Mission is offering three scholarships for undergraduates, including incoming freshmen. Students can apply on the LSF website at www.lutheranstudentfellowship.org/Pages/Scholarships. The information that students share in the scholarship application will also be used to connect them to local LSF chapters and LCMS campus ministries. The deadline for the scholarship application is June 21, 2009. Back to top CPH OFFERS SPECIAL JUNE SAVINGS Concordia Publishing House (CPH) marks the June 25 anniversary of the Augsburg Confession and original printing of the Book of Concord with a special 50% promotional discount on editions of Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Sale prices are available through the month of June. Orders can be placed online at www.cph.org or by calling 800-325-3040. Available editions include: Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions on CD-ROM; Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions Genuine Leather Edition; Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions Bonded Leather Edition; Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions Regular Hardback Edition; and Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions: Pocket Edition. Back to top CAMPERSHIPS AVAILABLE FROM CAMP LUTHER Pastors and church office staff, please consider sharing this reminder with your members through upcoming bulletins or newsletters. Thank you. Camp Luther is happy to announce that they have received several grants to help fund camperships for families wanting to send their child(ren) to summer camp this summer. Through their "Let the Children Come" program, grants will help those who need some assistance due to the current economic conditions. There are also programs for those with special needs. It is not too late to register for summer camp and to complete financial assistance forms. Registration forms and financial assistance forms are available on the Camp Luther website, www.campluther.org. Online registration is also available. Back to top NEW MISSIONARY FROM NEBRASKA AVAILABLE TO SPEAK The newest missionary from the Nebraska District is Lynette Lierman. She will go to Hong Kong in mid-August, under the supervision of LCMS missionary Sharon Owens, as an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher, serving for one year. Lynette, who is from Tecumseh, NE, is a member of Beautiful Savior in La Vista. Before she departs, she wants to speak to as many churches and church groups as possible, to educate parishioners about the doors God is opening up for Gospel outreach in Hong Kong as well as mainland China, and to share opportunities for congregations and individuals to be a part of this outreach effort. Lynette is willing to speak and bring audio-visuals to give presentations of varying lengths. Examples include: - Brief "mission minute" announcements before or during worship services - LWML groups - Small group or large group Bible studies or classes - Sunday school classes - Young adult or singles' groups - Mission societies - Other settings If you have any further questions, please contact Beautiful Savior at 402-331-7376 or jim at bslcomaha.org. Back to top OVERSEAS SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES Following are some ways to consider serving the Lord by "going global." Vietnam Right now you have the opportunity to meet an urgent need as an English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) teacher in Vietnam. A wonderful opportunity is available for individuals to serve in Vietnam. Vietnam is in need of individuals to build relationships with people through teaching EFL at area universities. Although teaching classes will be the primary responsibility of the individual, much time and emphasis is placed on spending time with students and co-workers outside of school to look for opportunities to build relationships. Japan Right now you have the opportunity to meet an urgent need as a volunteer youth ministry worker (VYM) in Japan. Once you and your teammates complete six months of Japanese language classes and cultural orientation, you will each be assigned to a congregation of the LCMS partner church in Japan, the Japan Lutheran Church (NRK). For the next two years, you will teach English and focus on outreach and on building relationships to witness among the 99 percent of the population that claims to be non-Christian. To learn how you can serve by going global, go here: www.lcmsworldmission.org/searchopps. Contact an LCMS World Mission placement counselor at 1-800-433-3954 or mission.recruitment at lcms.org. Back to top NEBRASKA LUTHERANS FOR CONFESSIONAL STUDY TO MEET The June gathering of the Nebraska Lutherans for Confessional Study (NLCS) will be held on Thursday, June 25, at Good Shepherd, 3825 Wildbriar Lane, Lincoln. Refreshments will be in the fellowship hall at 9:30 a.m., followed by Matins at 10 a.m. Presenter for the day will be Rev. Clint Poppe, pastor of Good Shepherd; his topic will be "Samuel Simon Schmucker and the American Rescension of the Augsburg Confession." The morning session will start at about 10:30; following lunch the afternoon topic will start at about 1 p.m. 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 OUTREACH AND STUDY MATERIALS AVAILABLE IN SPANISH Reach Out to the Hispanic Population in Your Area No matter where you are in the United States, Lutheran Hour Ministries' Spanish-language resources can bolster your outreach to Hispanics. Currently, radio stations on both coasts, the Midwest, and the Southwest are broadcasting Para el Camino and reaching people in 12 states across the United States. As the Spanish-language version of The Lutheran Hour?, Para el Camino is also available anytime online at www.paraelcamino.com. From there, users can access the most recent and archived sermons from The Lutheran Hour?, request Spanish-language topical booklets, stop by the LHM storefront, link to the kid-friendly JCPlayZone at www.jcplayzone.com, read the Daily Devotion at www.paraelcamino.com/alimentodiario.asp, or leave a comment. Concordia Publishing Houses Releases New Spanish Christian Children's Books Editorial Concordia, the Spanish division of Concordia Publishing House (CPH), announces the release of two new Spanish children's books: ?Dios lo hizo para ti! (God Made It for You!) and Jes?s lo hizo por m? (Jesus Did It for Me). ?Dios lo hizo para ti! (God Made It for You!) connects the Genesis account of creation to God's plan for salvation in Jesus Christ. Using age-appropriate text and illustrations, children learn that from the beginning God had a plan to send His Son as a Savior to redeem all people. Jes?s lo hizo por m? (Jesus Did It for Me) offers a personal application of the salvation story. Told from a child's perspective, the book uses engaging rhyme and winsome illustrations to teach young readers that Christ's death and resurrection means individual life and forgiveness for them. "These new Spanish children's books offer creative, useful ways to teach the truth of creation, salvation, and the life of Jesus to the littlest believers," comments Marcia Wilhelm, marketing manager of CPH multilingual resources. "These products are written in Spanish by Hispanics for Hispanics." Products can be ordered online at www.cph.org or by calling 1-800-325-3040. Concordia Publishing Houses Releases New Spanish Children's Ministry Resources Editorial Concordia, the Spanish division of Concordia Publishing House (CPH), announces the release of two new Spanish children's ministry resources: Par?bolas de Jes?s, Mensajes para ni?os (Jesus' Parables, Messages for Children) and Cantando a Jes?s (Singing to Jesus). Products can be ordered online at www.cph.org or by calling 1-800-325-3040. Par?bolas de Jes?s, Mensajes para ni?os (Jesus' Parables, Messages for Children) introduces Jesus' teachings through 12 parables. Lessons include reproducible activities for younger and older children. A companion CD includes six original songs for use in teaching. The book contains melody lines and reproducible lyrics sheets. Cantando a Jes?s (Singing to Jesus) is a collection of the "most popular" songs from CPH Spanish Vacation Bible School and children's ministry programs from the last four years. The CD includes 20 Gospel-focused tracks. A companion book includes melody lines and reproducible lyrics sheets. "These are excellent Spanish children's ministry resources that not only teach about the Bible, but also provide fun interactive activities. The children enjoy participating and are able to take home what they learn and share the Word with their families," says Marcia Wilhelm, marketing manager of CPH multilingual resources. Spanish Language Commentary on Galatians Now Available Editorial Concordia, the Spanish division of Concordia Publishing House (CPH), announces the release of Mart?n Lutero, Segundo comentario a G?latas (Martin Luther, Second Commentary on Galatians). Mart?n Lutero, Segundo comentario a G?latas (Martin Luther, Second Commentary on Galatians) presents Luther's extensive scholarship and demonstrates the theologian's ability to present exegesis, or critical interpretation, in an informal, reader-friendly way. "Through this commentary, readers see that Luther writes from both his vast knowledge of the Scriptures, and from the depths of his heart," says editor Rev. H?ctor Hoppe. "This abridged version of Mart?n Lutero, Segundo comentario a G?latas is one of Luther's best works and offers a very thorough commentary on Galatians," says Marcia Wilhelm, marketing manager of CPH multilingual resources. "Martin Luther was so passionate about the Epistle from St. Paul to the Galatians that he called it 'My dear Katherine von Bora,' a reference to his beloved wife." This book can be ordered online at www.cph.org or by calling 1-800-325-3040. Back to top 2010 NATIONAL LCMS YOUTH GATHERING DISTRICT COORDINATORS AVAILABLE The Nebraska District has two District Coordinators available to help answer your questions and provide guidance as your church plans for the 2010 National LCMS Youth Gathering "We Believe." The Gathering will be held July 17-21 in New Orleans, LA. The Gathering website is www.lcmsgathering.com. Dave Kumm ( David.Kumm at cune.edu ) and Julie Johnston Hermann ( Julie.Johnston at cune.edu ) will be holding informational meetings in early September around the District for youth leaders on getting ready for the Gathering. Watch for mailings coming soon to all District congregations! Back to top ADVANCED TRAINING IN PASTORAL SKILLS OFFERED AT SCHUYLER THIS SUMMER DOXOLOGY: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel, is an LCMS RSO now in its second year of operation. Currently enrolling more than 100 pastors from 21 states, it provides training in practical skills for ministry rooted in the classic model of the care of souls and informed by the insights of contemporary Christian psychology. The comfortable surroundings of the St. Benedict Center in Schuyler will again be the venue for a round of DOXOLOGY training. Fourteen days of instruction are provided in three sequential conference retreat events: The Gathering: Pastors Only August 9 - 12, 2009 The Encore: Pastors and Lay Leaders October 30 - November 1, 2009 The Reunion: Pastors and Wives January 8 - 9, 2010 Enrollment is limited on a first come, first served basis. Go to www.doxology.us to review details about the training program and download registration forms at http://www.doxology.us/registration.html. Contact DOXOLOGY's executive directors for further information: Dr. Harold Senkbeil hsenkbeil at doxology.us Dr. Beverly Yahnke byahnke at doxology.us Back to top OPPORTUNITIES TO VISIT GERMANY Pastor Michael & Suzy Awe, in cooperation with Nawas International Travel, would like to invite you to join them May 22 - June 1, 2010, on an exciting 11 day Alpine Tour! Participants will enjoy the picturesque vistas of Switzerland, Austria, and Southern Germany. The absolute highlight of the trip will be the experience of the famous Oberammergau Passion Play. The group will be leaving from Omaha and flying in to Frankfurt, Germany. Price will include most meals, first-class accommodations, and roundtrip airfare from Omaha. If you are interested in joining them for this memorable experience, please contact Pastor Michael Awe at 402-368-9929 or 402-368-5690, or e-mail him at The1Rev at cableone.net for more information. Space is limited. Join Rev. Randy Knuth on an unforgettable panoramic journey through the Land of Germany and experience the joys of traveling together in Christian fellowship. Join them as they travel on an 11 day fully escorted deluxe tour of Germany and attend the "once-in-a-lifetime" experience of the 41st Passion Play in Oberammergau. Included in the tour will be significant places in the life of Martin Luther and the reformation, and some of the romantic towns and castles of Bavaria and Munich. For more information in regards to this Luther Tour, June 15-25, 2010, please contact Pastor Randy Knuth, pastor of Hope Lutheran Church, South Sioux City, at revrandyk at yahoo.com or 402-494-1847 or 712-540-8243. Back to top Thanks to everyone who contributed information for this week's Update. Ministry news and event information is always welcome to be considered for inclusion in future newsletters, and may be sent to communications at ndlcms.org. This newsletter may also be forwarded to those who might be interested in the news shared here, or portions may be reproduced in congregational bulletins or newsletters as you wish. Anyone is welcome to subscribe by visiting http://www.ndlcms.org/news/communications/update.html. Blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 53263 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20090617/febc8188/attachment.txt From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Jun 24 15:58:40 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:58:40 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] June 24 Message-ID: Update for June 24 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Summer greetings in the name of our heavenly Father. Summer officially started last Sunday, but with weather like we're having, we don't need a calendar to know summer is here! It's time for vacations, ball games, swimming, fishing, picnics, or whatever it is that keeps you and your family busy this time of year. I hope you are staying cool (or appreciating the heat) and enjoying the joys of summer with family and friends. * Prayer Requests * Youth Leadership Retreat to be Held in Grand Island * Stories from Nebraska VBS * Ordination Anniversary Celebration * Office Space Available in Omaha * Grace Place Retreats for Single Church Workers * Updated Mission Central Speaking Schedule * Lutheran Hour Ministries Selects New Executive Director * LCMS Missionary Speaking Across Nebraska in July * Service Remembers Beginnings of Lutheran Family Services * District Pastor Earns Doctorate PRAYER REQUESTS Family of Kristi Zehnder Suttie - Please remember in your prayers the family of Kristi Suttie, the 47-year-old daughter of Dr. Thomas and Jackie Zehnder, who was called to the Lord's side last Friday, June 19. Dr. Zehnder serves the LCMS as executive director of LCMS World Mission. Kristi was taken to heaven several weeks after discovery of and surgery for aggressive cancer. Please remember Dr. Zehnder, Jackie, and their family in your prayers as they struggle with the loss while celebrating her eternal life with Jesus. Back to top YOUTH LEADERSHIP RETREAT TO BE HELD IN GRAND ISLAND Please pass this information along to your congregation's youth leaders and print it in your bulletin and newsletter. Thank you. I'm a teenager...what can I do for the church? What does a Christian leader look like? How do I share my faith story with my friends who don't believe? How do I stay focused on God when there are so many distractions? What about life after high school? How do I stay strong in my faith? The Nebraska District LYF Leadership Retreat can help youth answer these questions! Teen Focus Training, is the biblically based training materials to be used at the leadership retreat equipping youth to be leaders in their home congregations, families, high schools, and communities by challenging them to see that they are not the church of tomorrow...they are an important part of the church right now. Written by youth for youth, and led by youth for youth, Teen Focus Training is the latest LYF resource from the LCMS Youth Ministry office. The overnight leadership retreat will be led by a group of youth from the Nebraska District who were trained in the curriculum and will be assisted by Nebraska District DCEs Andrea Roettger and Carl Eliason. Who should attend? High school youth (completed 8th grade) with potential and desire to be leaders in their church today and in the future. When is it? Starting 7 p.m. on July 31, concluding at 2:30 p.m. on August 1. (Yep, it's overnight, so bring a sleeping bag and a change of clothes.) Where is it? The retreat will be held at Peace Lutheran Church, Grand Island, Nebraska. What will happen? Youth will be trained in the latest leadership materials as described above, all meals are included in the cost, extra activities will also be planned to help you get to know other youth from throughout the district. Cost: $35 Registration Deadline: All completed registration forms and payments are due to the District Office by next Wednesday, July 1. Registration materials were mailed to all congregations and are available on the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/education/youth/LYF.html. Back to top STORIES FROM NEBRASKA VBS Summer is the time for vacation Bible schools across the District. We love hearing stories about unique and special things happening at VBS, as well as seeing the miracles God is working through these summertime gatherings. We are hearing many stories this summer about the wonderful things God is doing, and following are just two of the accounts that have been shared with us. Thanks be to God for the seeds being sown in the hearts of these little ones. Immanuel, Dodge - This congregation of 34 communicant members in the Howells community of 632 people is hosting a VBS this week with the help of Camp Luther staff. They had 31 children from Dodge, Howells, and Snyder attend their opening session on Monday. There are 10 teachers, aides, and volunteers helping, in addition to the three team members from Camp Luther. After the morning session, the children are fed a free, hot lunch before they go home. They are also having a Pizza Party Wednesday at 6:00 pm for the campers and their whole family. The campers will be showing off some of their crafts and may even sing a few songs. We thank God for the opportunity He is giving the members of this church to reach out to the children of their community and share with them the story of Jesus' love for them. Holy Cross, Kearney - With a communicant membership of 926 in a community of 27,431 people, Holy Cross also had a blessed turnout for their vacation Bible school in early June. In fact, they report a total of 340 children who heard the Good News of Jesus, with an average attendance of 295 each day. Pastor Kuefner, associate pastor at Holy Cross, ended this year's VBS by kissing an alligator when the kids responded to his challenge to raise $1,200 in offerings. In fact, the kids contributed nearly $18,000 for mission work both in their community and around the world. Thanks be to God for using this congregation to share the story of Jesus with these children and their families. Back to top ORDINATION ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION The people of the Nebraska District are invited to a reception recognizing the anniversaries of ordination into the Office of the Holy Ministry of Rev. Merlin Holtzen (15 years) and Rev. Dr. Ted Janzow (65 years). The reception will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Walton (just north of the intersection of Old Cheney Road and S. 162nd St, east of Lincoln) on Sunday, July 12, from 3 to 5 pm. Especially invited are those who were baptized, confirmed, or married by these faithful pastors. For more information, contact Pastor Robert Wentzel at Trinity at 402-782-6515 (office) or 402-525-9758 (mobile). Back to top OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE IN OMAHA St. John's Lutheran Church in Ponca Hills (Omaha) has space available at its office building located at 9910 N 48th Street. They have one suite available now and one to open in August '09. The available suite is Suite 100, a 576 sq. ft. area with two separate office rooms. Suite 200 is available in August and is 2840 sq. ft., has two separate entrances, 13 offices, several work rooms, and it can be divided up to meet your space needs. Cleaning and utilities are included in the monthly rent. It has close and easy access to I-680, plenty of parking and a nice and quiet secluded location. For further information or any questions, please call the office number at 451-2425, and leave a message. A member of the management will get back to you as soon as possible. Back to top GRACE PLACE RETREATS FOR SINGLE CHURCH WORKERS Grace Place is offering a retreat for single Lutheran pastors and teachers at the spectacular high Rocky Mountain Retreat House of St. Benedict's Monastery outside of Aspen, Colorado this fall. The retreat is for any single clergy or educator, whether single by widowship, divorce, or never previously married. The program runs from 2 p.m., Wednesday, September 2, until 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 6, 2009. This "pause point" in ministry service and personal pilgrim walk will allow time to reflect on personhood and health, vocation and direction; restore good self-care health principles, and finally be renewed and rejuvenated in the setting of fellow members of the body of Christ and among the fall colors of aspen and pine. The cost for the whole week is $350 per person. There is easy access to Aspen by flight, train or car. By highway, it is about 4 1/2 hours from Denver. Church workers who would like more information should contact Grace Place through the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/congregational/workercare/graceplace.html. Back to top UPDATED MISSION CENTRAL SPEAKING SCHEDULE The following special events are planned at Mission Central near Mapleton, Iowa. Gary Thies invites everyone to come and hear these wonderful folks talk about their work around the world. All speaking events are at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the barn at Mission Central unless otherwise noted. The newest additions to the speaking list are in red. For more information on Mission Central or on these special events, visit the Mission Central website at www.missioncentral.us. June 6 - Dr. Lo and family - Indonesia June 12 - Delano and Linda Meyer - Sierra Leone, West Africa June 17 - Rev. Mark and Rose Krause - Riga, Latvia June 20 - David and Radka Fiala - Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia June 21 - Rev. Greg Sawyer - Hong Kong at 10:00 a.m. (worship service) June 24 - Rev. Claude & Rhoda Houge - Kenya, East Africa June 27 - Rev. Joel Scheiwe and family - Southern China July 7 - Rev. J. P. Cima and family - Vietnam July 20 - Donna Meyer - Indonesia August 6 - Mark Wolfram - Taiwan at 1:00 p.m. only August 15 - Amy Kashenov - Kazakhstan at 2:00 p.m. only August 22 - Vicar Heath and Aunnee Trampe - Riga, Latvia at 1:00 p.m. only September 16 - Rev. Matt Heise - Georgia, Russia, and Mongolia Mission Central now has a Facebook page! Those interested in viewing this page may follow the link from the Mission Central homepage, www.missioncentral.us. Back to top LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES SELECTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR After prayerful consideration, the Board of Governors for the International Lutheran Laymen's League has selected Bruce Wurdeman as the new Executive Director for Lutheran Hour Ministries. Wurdeman, who currently serves as LHM's Director of United States Ministries, will take the reins beginning Aug. 1. He will replace Larry Lumpe, who will be retiring at the end of July following his second stint as Executive Director for the ministry. "Bruce has a great vision for the ministry and high expectations for excellence," says Mick Onnen, President of the Int'l LLL. "I praise God for Bruce and his willingness to accept the Executive Director position, and I pledge my full support for his work and service among us." "I am both honored and humbled to become the next Executive Director for Lutheran Hour Ministries," says Wurdeman. "God is accomplishing tremendous things through this life-changing ministry, and I look forward to working with our staff to boldly proclaim the salvation story of Jesus Christ to ever-increasing numbers of people." In his current position, Wurdeman oversees the production of The Lutheran Hour(r), Woman to Woman(r), and Para el Camino radio programs, seasonal television specials, and print materials, as well as ministry fulfillment and referral services. Under his direction, the ministry also launched the LHM Men's NetWork in January 2009, a program geared to help congregations reconnect with men and build local men's ministries. "In only its first six months of operation, the program has witnessed unprecedented growth and excitement," says Onnen. More than 2,000 churches from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) and other denominations have already signed up. Wurdeman previously worked at Lutheran Hour Ministries from 1994 through 2002 in the Volunteer Opportunities department as an assistant director and manager, positions that allowed him to recruit and train more than 100,000 volunteers throughout North America. He most recently served as a mission and ministry facilitator for the Texas District of the LCMS, where he was a resource person for 100 congregations in West and South Texas. Back to top LCMS MISSIONARY SPEAKING ACROSS NEBRASKA IN JULY Donna Meyer, a Nebraska teacher serving LCMS World Mission in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, will be back in Nebraska in July and will be speaking at congregations throughout the District. Her speaking schedule in Nebraska is as follows. For more information, contact the hosting congregation or Donna directly at donna.meyer at lcms.org. Date Time Congregation City June 28 St Peter Bible Class Davenport, NE July 1 7:30pm St Peter Deshler, NE July 2 1:30pm Zion Tobias, NE July 11 5pm Grace Hazard, NE July 12 10:15am Zion Hastings, NE July 12 TBA St. Paul Minden, NE July 22 7-8pm Hope Sioux City, IA July 23 TBA St John Pierce, NE July 25 6pm Trinity Fremont, NE July 26 8, 9:15am Trinity Fremont, NE TBA TBA Trinity Madison, NE Back to top SERVICE REMEMBERS BEGINNINGS OF LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES In the News: Fremont Tribune Bill Wehrmann was one of the lucky ones. Adopted from the Lutheran Orphan Home in Fremont as an infant in 1932, Wehrmann was raised by loving parents, including a father who was a Lutheran pastor. But Wehrmann knows that many others at the orphanage weren't so lucky. He was one of several people who attended a prayer service Tuesday for the 45 orphans buried at Ridge Cemetery. Most of those buried at the cemetery were younger than a year old when they died. "It was very emotional. I got to thinking that apparently God doesn't have my room ready yet because I'm still here," said Wehrmann, who grew up in Scribner and now lives near Blair. "Yet all these that are gone are with God because they were baptized and adopted, both literally and eternally." Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska sponsored the prayer service and a luncheon afterward where Wehrmann and other orphans shared their memories. Read the full account of this special prayer service on the Fremont Tribune website at http://www.fremonttribune.com/articles/2009/06/17/news/local/doc4a390ab9148d5676389240.txt. Back to top DISTRICT PASTOR EARNS DOCTORATE Rev. Timothy J. Heupel, Director of Care Ministries at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, LaVista, was conferred the degree of Doctor of Ministry from the Sioux Falls Seminary, Sioux Falls, S.D. on Saturday, May 23. Heupel's project paper was entitled, "The Self-Described Factors Leading to Behavioral Change Among Selected Inmates of Douglas County Jail." Congratulations Rev. Dr. Heupel! Back to top Thank you to all the congregations 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 www.ndlcms.org/news/communications/update.html. Summer blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 57104 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20090624/cd0a9b4d/attachment.txt From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Jun 10 13:19:10 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:19:10 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] June 10 Message-ID: Update for June 10 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Greetings in the name of our Heavenly Father! What a blessing it was to gather with many of you last weekend on the campus of Concordia University in Seward for our District Convention. It was a wonderful time of renewing acquaintances, worshipping with fellow believers, and encouraging one another in the mission God has given us to tell others about the love of Jesus. The Convention theme, "Full of Grace - Seasoned with Salt" based on Col. 4:5-6, helped to focus all in attendance on the wonderful gift of grace we have through Jesus Christ, and the opportunities we have to engage the mission fields of Nebraska and share this Good News. Delegates were reminded how they can have conversations of grace in Jesus salted with His sound teaching. Today's Update will share an overview of the Convention, with more information available on the District website, www.ndlcms.org, by the end of this week. Feel free to contact the District Office for more information. CONVENTION NEWS The Rev. Russ Sommerfeld, Seward, was elected to his third term as president of the Nebraska District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod by the delegates attending the 16th Nebraska District Convention June 4-6. Re-elected for a second term, moving from third to first vice president, representing Region C, was the Rev. Richard Snow, pastor of St. John, Battle Creek. Chosen as second vice president, representing Region A, was the Rev. Mark Middendorf, pastor of Zion, Scotia. Named third vice president, representing Region B, was the Rev. Arnold Jurchen, pastor of Holy Cross, Goehner. Re-elected for a second term, moving from second to fourth vice president, representing Region D, was the Rev. Orville Walz, a retired pastor living in Bennington. The Rev. Clint Poppe, who previously served as first vice president, declined nominations to serve another three-year term. Other officers elected included: Secretary: Rev. Roland Jank, Jr., of Mount Olive, Omaha. Teacher member, Board of Directors: Rhonda Burk of Lincoln. Lay members, Board of Directors: Region A, Glenn Van Velson of North Platte; Region B, David Knorr of Humboldt; Region C, Virginia Von Seggern of Orchard; and Region D, Harlan Metschke of Papillion. Lay members holding current terms on the Board of Directors are: Region A, Dr. Marvin Swan of Grant; Region B, Glennis Holtmeier of Tobias; Region C, Kent Warneke of Norfolk; and Region D, Kathy Brashear of Omaha. Completing terms on the Board of Directors are: Rev. Clint Poppe of Lincoln, Rev. Michael Gruhn of Lexington, Kevin Fry of Ewing, Christopher Martin of Omaha, and Stan Fehlhafer of Lincoln. Elections also took place for various district and synodical offices. Those elected to serve were: Nominations Committee: pastor members, Rev. Paul Beyer of Daykin, Rev. Loren Cooper of Hampton, and Rev. Charles Gierke of Omaha; teacher member, Linda Ahrens of Lincoln; and lay members, Steve Althouse of Waverly, ElRoy Bartels of Tobias and Burnell Von Seggern of Orchard. District Constitution Committee: pastor members, Rev. James Carretto of Wisner, and Rev. Jim Rasmussen of Omaha; teacher member, Wilbur Tewes of Bennet; and lay member, Richard Kreutzer of Kearney. Board of Regents for Concordia University Nebraska, Seward: pastor member Rev. Karl Ziegler of Bellevue; teacher member James Knoepfel of Fremont; and lay members Lyle Middendorf of Lincoln and Mike Klintworth of Seward. Lay member for Synodical Committee for Convention Nominations: Kermit Brashear of Omaha. The alternate lay member is Kevin Fry of Ewing. The delegates, under the convention theme of "Full of Grace - Seasoned with Salt," devoted considerable time to worship, study of the Word, education, and prayer. The convention was opened with a worship service and communion at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward with the Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, president of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, delivering the sermon. He shared with the delegates his conviction "that the message of hope we have in Christ Jesus our Lord is so critical for people of the world who otherwise would have no hope. In Jesus there is hope, there is life, and there is salvation." They studied the Word in two Bible class sessions led by Rev. Michael Awe of Tilden and Rev. Keith Grimm of La Vista. The Rev. Dr. Jacob A. O. Preus III, president of Concordia University Irvine in Irvine, Calif., led keynote presentations during the convention. He spoke on how believers in Jesus can take the solid Biblical teaching of salvation through Jesus Christ and make it relevant to the people of today's world. Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, president of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, spoke to the delegates during his time in Seward. He challenged the delegates to personally give witness about Jesus and the hope they have in Him. As part of his presentation, he spent time dealing with the decline of Christian beliefs, presence and influence in communities across the country. "How we respond will define The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in the 21st Century," Kieschnick said. "My prayer is that we will respond with hope." He also took time to address questions presented to him by delegates in attendance. The delegates took part in a dialog with Rev. Jon Braunersreuther, representative of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance. Members of this task force are attending conventions across the country to share proposed changes to the governing structure of the 2.4 million member church body, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Resolutions passed at this convention include realigning some of the congregations into new circuits, creating one additional circuit in the Lincoln area. The Nebraska District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has its headquarters in Seward, with over 111,000 baptized members in 247 congregations. Delegates who attended the convention should watch their email inboxes for the opportunity to complete a brief online evaluation of Convention. Additional thoughts and comments may be sent to info at ndlcms.org. LFS ORPHAN PRAYER SERVICE/OPEN HOUSE AND DEDICATION Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska (LFS) will be holding an Orphan Prayer Service at Ridge Cemetery, 1761 W. Linden Ave. in Fremont, at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 16. The public is invited to attend with special encouragement for attendance by former orphans of the Lutheran Orphan Home, adoptive families, and anyone with a prior connection to the Lutheran Orphan Home. The prayer service will be led by Nebraska District LCMS President, Rev. Russ Sommerfeld. A luncheon will be held following the service at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Avenue. Attendees will be encouraged to share stories about the orphanage. Luncheon RSVPs should go to Melissa Price at (402) 978-5678 or mprice at lfsneb.org. LCMS World Relief and Human Care and Trinity Lutheran Church of Fremont have provided funds to beautify the Orphan Ridge at the cemetery and repair the headstones. Founded in 1892, the Lutheran Orphan Home was one of two orphanages that eventually formed the agency now known as Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska. The LFS Fremont Area Building Families Boutique now exists on the original site of the orphanage, which is now the property of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. On June 16 LFS will also host a Fremont Area Building Families Boutique open house and dedication of the boutique store known as "Sara's Boutique." The event, open to the public, will be at the Boutique, 1420 E. Military Ave., from 4:30-6:30 p.m., with the program starting at 5:30. Activities will include the unveiling of the new donor recognition wall, refreshments, and performances by Zoe Children's Choir. Blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 17916 bytes Desc: not available URL: From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Mon Jun 15 16:47:11 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:47:11 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] Louis Heider Called to Glory Message-ID: + OBITUARY + Louis H. Heider, Commissioned Minister-Teacher Emeritus, departed this life on June 8, 2009, in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born on June 5, 1914, in Byron, Nebraska, to William and Alma Heidbrink Heider. On November 26, 1950, Louis was married to Vera Eckhardt. He graduated with a B.S. from Concordia Teachers College (now University), Seward, in 1948, and received a MSSW from the Graduate School of Social Work, Lincoln, in 1948, and after several years of supervised practice acquired his ACSW. Throughout his career he served as principal and teacher, St. John, Minnesota Lake, Minnesota (1935-1936); Zion, Jansen, Nebraska (1936-1939); and St. Paul, Utica, Nebraska (1940-1941). He also served as organist, in the choirs and other singing groups, director and youth worker, and on various other boards or committees in the three congregations mentioned. Louis served in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1942-1946. Louis' career turned to social work in 1947. He served as a caseworker in Hebron (Thayer County), Nebraska, the summer of 1947; and Lutheran Family Services, Omaha, from 1948-1954. From there Louis served as executive director for Lutheran Family Services of Omaha, and after the merger of Lutheran agencies in Nebraska he served as acting executive director from 1954-1973. Louis served in counseling services as a Family Life Enrichment Coordinator in Omaha. He was the Director of Social Work Ministry Program, Concordia College, Seward, Nebraska starting in 1975. Community service included Nebraska Welfare Association, Nebraska Welfare Association, American Association of Social Workers-Omaha chapter, Child Welfare League of America, National Association of Social Workers-Omaha chapter, Personal Crisis Services-Omaha, Nebraska Committee for Children and Youth; Citizens Juvenile Court Committee-Omaha; United Community Services of Greater Omaha, various committees; Eastern Mental Health Committee; Citizens Advisory Committee of the Lutheran Medical Mental Health Center, Omaha; Nebraska District Family Life Committee; and Lutheran Interparish Ministry of Greater Omaha. Survivors include wife, Vera; sons and daughters-in-law, Dale and Mary, Roger and Marilyn; son, Arlen; daughters and sons-in-law, Jean and Dennis Orth, Sylvia and Morgan Kyle; grandchildren, Nick, Doug, Sterling, Hayley, Greg, Mitch, Alex, Andy, and Amy. A memorial service was held Friday, June 12, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Omaha, Nebraska. Memorials may be given to St. Paul Lutheran Endowment Fund, Lutheran Family Services, or Concordia University, Seward, NE. Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 6951 bytes Desc: not available URL: From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Jun 17 11:20:42 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:20:42 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] June 17 Message-ID: Update for June 17 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Greetings in the name of our Heavenly Father. As many families prepare to observe Father's Day this weekend with special celebrations or time spent remembering fathers who are now with the Lord, it's an opportunity to praise our Heavenly Father. We can thank Him for giving us caring and loving fathers. We can also thank Him for being our perfect Father. Jesus tells us, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matt. 7: 9-11) What a comfort to know that our heavenly Father's gifts are so much better than the best gifts earthly fathers can provide. While the Lord charges earthly parents to provide and care for their children, He promises that His care and love are so much greater than anything else we can experience. Not only does He provide for our bodily needs, He also gives us the best gift of all - the free gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus. As we celebrate Father's Day this weekend, let's give thanks to God for His gift of earthly fathers, and for His greater gift of salvation through His Son. Happy Father's Day! * Prayer Requests * District Office Closed Friday * No July Nebraska Lutheran Reporter * Lutheran Family Services Helps Host World Refugee Day * College Scholarships Available for LCMS Members * CPH Offers Special June Savings * Camperships Available from Camp Luther * New Missionary from Nebraska Available to Speak * Overseas Service Opportunities * Nebraska Lutherans for Confessional Study to Meet * Outreach and Study Materials Available in Spanish * 2010 National LCMS Youth Gathering District Coordinators Available * Advanced Training in Pastoral Skills Offered at Schuyler this Summer * Opportunities to Visit Germany PRAYER REQUESTS The family of Louis Heider - Please remember in prayer the family of Louis Heider, teacher emeritus, who was called to glory on June 8. We ask our Heavenly Father to grant this family His peace and comfort as they mourn their loss, while rejoicing that their husband, father, and grandfather is now at the Lord's side. Back to top DISTRICT OFFICE CLOSED FRIDAY The District Office will be closed this Friday, June 19, for a day-long staff retreat. The office will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, June 22, with staff devotions. Information and answers to many common questions can be found on the District website, www.ndlcms.org. Back to top NO JULY NEBRASKA LUTHERAN REPORTER Just a reminder that there will not be a July Nebraska Lutheran Reporter sent to congregations. Instead, the expanded July/August issue will feature District Convention coverage and will be in congregations in late July in the same quantity as usual. If your congregation prints the Reporter itself, please email reporter at ndlcms.org to request the appropriate number of newspapers, as this issue will not be available electronically. Feel free to send questions to the email above, or call 888-643-2961. Back to top LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES HELPS HOST WORLD REFUGEE DAY Join Lutheran Family Services and the Refugee Task Force of Omaha for an annual celebration to educate the community on refugee issues and celebrate cultural diversity. The event is free and open to the public. The event is at Benson High School, 5120 Maple Street, Omaha. Activities include a parade of flags, dance presentations, educational programs, vendor areas for information and hand-crafted items, fashion show, awards ceremony, children's carnival, and athletic events. Countries represented include Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Burma (Myanmar), Somalia, Togo, Burundi, Iraq, and Kenya. Contact Susan Mayberger at susan.mayberger at ops.org or 402-557-2431 for more information. Back to top COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR LCMS MEMBERS Know a student going to college? Lutheran Student Fellowship (LSF) in partnership with LCMS World Mission is offering three scholarships for undergraduates, including incoming freshmen. Students can apply on the LSF website at www.lutheranstudentfellowship.org/Pages/Scholarships. The information that students share in the scholarship application will also be used to connect them to local LSF chapters and LCMS campus ministries. The deadline for the scholarship application is June 21, 2009. Back to top CPH OFFERS SPECIAL JUNE SAVINGS Concordia Publishing House (CPH) marks the June 25 anniversary of the Augsburg Confession and original printing of the Book of Concord with a special 50% promotional discount on editions of Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Sale prices are available through the month of June. Orders can be placed online at www.cph.org or by calling 800-325-3040. Available editions include: Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions on CD-ROM; Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions Genuine Leather Edition; Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions Bonded Leather Edition; Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions Regular Hardback Edition; and Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions: Pocket Edition. Back to top CAMPERSHIPS AVAILABLE FROM CAMP LUTHER Pastors and church office staff, please consider sharing this reminder with your members through upcoming bulletins or newsletters. Thank you. Camp Luther is happy to announce that they have received several grants to help fund camperships for families wanting to send their child(ren) to summer camp this summer. Through their "Let the Children Come" program, grants will help those who need some assistance due to the current economic conditions. There are also programs for those with special needs. It is not too late to register for summer camp and to complete financial assistance forms. Registration forms and financial assistance forms are available on the Camp Luther website, www.campluther.org. Online registration is also available. Back to top NEW MISSIONARY FROM NEBRASKA AVAILABLE TO SPEAK The newest missionary from the Nebraska District is Lynette Lierman. She will go to Hong Kong in mid-August, under the supervision of LCMS missionary Sharon Owens, as an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher, serving for one year. Lynette, who is from Tecumseh, NE, is a member of Beautiful Savior in La Vista. Before she departs, she wants to speak to as many churches and church groups as possible, to educate parishioners about the doors God is opening up for Gospel outreach in Hong Kong as well as mainland China, and to share opportunities for congregations and individuals to be a part of this outreach effort. Lynette is willing to speak and bring audio-visuals to give presentations of varying lengths. Examples include: - Brief "mission minute" announcements before or during worship services - LWML groups - Small group or large group Bible studies or classes - Sunday school classes - Young adult or singles' groups - Mission societies - Other settings If you have any further questions, please contact Beautiful Savior at 402-331-7376 or jim at bslcomaha.org. Back to top OVERSEAS SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES Following are some ways to consider serving the Lord by "going global." Vietnam Right now you have the opportunity to meet an urgent need as an English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) teacher in Vietnam. A wonderful opportunity is available for individuals to serve in Vietnam. Vietnam is in need of individuals to build relationships with people through teaching EFL at area universities. Although teaching classes will be the primary responsibility of the individual, much time and emphasis is placed on spending time with students and co-workers outside of school to look for opportunities to build relationships. Japan Right now you have the opportunity to meet an urgent need as a volunteer youth ministry worker (VYM) in Japan. Once you and your teammates complete six months of Japanese language classes and cultural orientation, you will each be assigned to a congregation of the LCMS partner church in Japan, the Japan Lutheran Church (NRK). For the next two years, you will teach English and focus on outreach and on building relationships to witness among the 99 percent of the population that claims to be non-Christian. To learn how you can serve by going global, go here: www.lcmsworldmission.org/searchopps. Contact an LCMS World Mission placement counselor at 1-800-433-3954 or mission.recruitment at lcms.org. Back to top NEBRASKA LUTHERANS FOR CONFESSIONAL STUDY TO MEET The June gathering of the Nebraska Lutherans for Confessional Study (NLCS) will be held on Thursday, June 25, at Good Shepherd, 3825 Wildbriar Lane, Lincoln. Refreshments will be in the fellowship hall at 9:30 a.m., followed by Matins at 10 a.m. Presenter for the day will be Rev. Clint Poppe, pastor of Good Shepherd; his topic will be "Samuel Simon Schmucker and the American Rescension of the Augsburg Confession." The morning session will start at about 10:30; following lunch the afternoon topic will start at about 1 p.m. 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 OUTREACH AND STUDY MATERIALS AVAILABLE IN SPANISH Reach Out to the Hispanic Population in Your Area No matter where you are in the United States, Lutheran Hour Ministries' Spanish-language resources can bolster your outreach to Hispanics. Currently, radio stations on both coasts, the Midwest, and the Southwest are broadcasting Para el Camino and reaching people in 12 states across the United States. As the Spanish-language version of The Lutheran Hour?, Para el Camino is also available anytime online at www.paraelcamino.com. From there, users can access the most recent and archived sermons from The Lutheran Hour?, request Spanish-language topical booklets, stop by the LHM storefront, link to the kid-friendly JCPlayZone at www.jcplayzone.com, read the Daily Devotion at www.paraelcamino.com/alimentodiario.asp, or leave a comment. Concordia Publishing Houses Releases New Spanish Christian Children's Books Editorial Concordia, the Spanish division of Concordia Publishing House (CPH), announces the release of two new Spanish children's books: ?Dios lo hizo para ti! (God Made It for You!) and Jes?s lo hizo por m? (Jesus Did It for Me). ?Dios lo hizo para ti! (God Made It for You!) connects the Genesis account of creation to God's plan for salvation in Jesus Christ. Using age-appropriate text and illustrations, children learn that from the beginning God had a plan to send His Son as a Savior to redeem all people. Jes?s lo hizo por m? (Jesus Did It for Me) offers a personal application of the salvation story. Told from a child's perspective, the book uses engaging rhyme and winsome illustrations to teach young readers that Christ's death and resurrection means individual life and forgiveness for them. "These new Spanish children's books offer creative, useful ways to teach the truth of creation, salvation, and the life of Jesus to the littlest believers," comments Marcia Wilhelm, marketing manager of CPH multilingual resources. "These products are written in Spanish by Hispanics for Hispanics." Products can be ordered online at www.cph.org or by calling 1-800-325-3040. Concordia Publishing Houses Releases New Spanish Children's Ministry Resources Editorial Concordia, the Spanish division of Concordia Publishing House (CPH), announces the release of two new Spanish children's ministry resources: Par?bolas de Jes?s, Mensajes para ni?os (Jesus' Parables, Messages for Children) and Cantando a Jes?s (Singing to Jesus). Products can be ordered online at www.cph.org or by calling 1-800-325-3040. Par?bolas de Jes?s, Mensajes para ni?os (Jesus' Parables, Messages for Children) introduces Jesus' teachings through 12 parables. Lessons include reproducible activities for younger and older children. A companion CD includes six original songs for use in teaching. The book contains melody lines and reproducible lyrics sheets. Cantando a Jes?s (Singing to Jesus) is a collection of the "most popular" songs from CPH Spanish Vacation Bible School and children's ministry programs from the last four years. The CD includes 20 Gospel-focused tracks. A companion book includes melody lines and reproducible lyrics sheets. "These are excellent Spanish children's ministry resources that not only teach about the Bible, but also provide fun interactive activities. The children enjoy participating and are able to take home what they learn and share the Word with their families," says Marcia Wilhelm, marketing manager of CPH multilingual resources. Spanish Language Commentary on Galatians Now Available Editorial Concordia, the Spanish division of Concordia Publishing House (CPH), announces the release of Mart?n Lutero, Segundo comentario a G?latas (Martin Luther, Second Commentary on Galatians). Mart?n Lutero, Segundo comentario a G?latas (Martin Luther, Second Commentary on Galatians) presents Luther's extensive scholarship and demonstrates the theologian's ability to present exegesis, or critical interpretation, in an informal, reader-friendly way. "Through this commentary, readers see that Luther writes from both his vast knowledge of the Scriptures, and from the depths of his heart," says editor Rev. H?ctor Hoppe. "This abridged version of Mart?n Lutero, Segundo comentario a G?latas is one of Luther's best works and offers a very thorough commentary on Galatians," says Marcia Wilhelm, marketing manager of CPH multilingual resources. "Martin Luther was so passionate about the Epistle from St. Paul to the Galatians that he called it 'My dear Katherine von Bora,' a reference to his beloved wife." This book can be ordered online at www.cph.org or by calling 1-800-325-3040. Back to top 2010 NATIONAL LCMS YOUTH GATHERING DISTRICT COORDINATORS AVAILABLE The Nebraska District has two District Coordinators available to help answer your questions and provide guidance as your church plans for the 2010 National LCMS Youth Gathering "We Believe." The Gathering will be held July 17-21 in New Orleans, LA. The Gathering website is www.lcmsgathering.com. Dave Kumm ( David.Kumm at cune.edu ) and Julie Johnston Hermann ( Julie.Johnston at cune.edu ) will be holding informational meetings in early September around the District for youth leaders on getting ready for the Gathering. Watch for mailings coming soon to all District congregations! Back to top ADVANCED TRAINING IN PASTORAL SKILLS OFFERED AT SCHUYLER THIS SUMMER DOXOLOGY: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel, is an LCMS RSO now in its second year of operation. Currently enrolling more than 100 pastors from 21 states, it provides training in practical skills for ministry rooted in the classic model of the care of souls and informed by the insights of contemporary Christian psychology. The comfortable surroundings of the St. Benedict Center in Schuyler will again be the venue for a round of DOXOLOGY training. Fourteen days of instruction are provided in three sequential conference retreat events: The Gathering: Pastors Only August 9 - 12, 2009 The Encore: Pastors and Lay Leaders October 30 - November 1, 2009 The Reunion: Pastors and Wives January 8 - 9, 2010 Enrollment is limited on a first come, first served basis. Go to www.doxology.us to review details about the training program and download registration forms at http://www.doxology.us/registration.html. Contact DOXOLOGY's executive directors for further information: Dr. Harold Senkbeil hsenkbeil at doxology.us Dr. Beverly Yahnke byahnke at doxology.us Back to top OPPORTUNITIES TO VISIT GERMANY Pastor Michael & Suzy Awe, in cooperation with Nawas International Travel, would like to invite you to join them May 22 - June 1, 2010, on an exciting 11 day Alpine Tour! Participants will enjoy the picturesque vistas of Switzerland, Austria, and Southern Germany. The absolute highlight of the trip will be the experience of the famous Oberammergau Passion Play. The group will be leaving from Omaha and flying in to Frankfurt, Germany. Price will include most meals, first-class accommodations, and roundtrip airfare from Omaha. If you are interested in joining them for this memorable experience, please contact Pastor Michael Awe at 402-368-9929 or 402-368-5690, or e-mail him at The1Rev at cableone.net for more information. Space is limited. Join Rev. Randy Knuth on an unforgettable panoramic journey through the Land of Germany and experience the joys of traveling together in Christian fellowship. Join them as they travel on an 11 day fully escorted deluxe tour of Germany and attend the "once-in-a-lifetime" experience of the 41st Passion Play in Oberammergau. Included in the tour will be significant places in the life of Martin Luther and the reformation, and some of the romantic towns and castles of Bavaria and Munich. For more information in regards to this Luther Tour, June 15-25, 2010, please contact Pastor Randy Knuth, pastor of Hope Lutheran Church, South Sioux City, at revrandyk at yahoo.com or 402-494-1847 or 712-540-8243. Back to top Thanks to everyone who contributed information for this week's Update. Ministry news and event information is always welcome to be considered for inclusion in future newsletters, and may be sent to communications at ndlcms.org. This newsletter may also be forwarded to those who might be interested in the news shared here, or portions may be reproduced in congregational bulletins or newsletters as you wish. Anyone is welcome to subscribe by visiting http://www.ndlcms.org/news/communications/update.html. Blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 53263 bytes Desc: not available URL: From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Jun 24 15:58:40 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:58:40 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] June 24 Message-ID: Update for June 24 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Summer greetings in the name of our heavenly Father. Summer officially started last Sunday, but with weather like we're having, we don't need a calendar to know summer is here! It's time for vacations, ball games, swimming, fishing, picnics, or whatever it is that keeps you and your family busy this time of year. I hope you are staying cool (or appreciating the heat) and enjoying the joys of summer with family and friends. * Prayer Requests * Youth Leadership Retreat to be Held in Grand Island * Stories from Nebraska VBS * Ordination Anniversary Celebration * Office Space Available in Omaha * Grace Place Retreats for Single Church Workers * Updated Mission Central Speaking Schedule * Lutheran Hour Ministries Selects New Executive Director * LCMS Missionary Speaking Across Nebraska in July * Service Remembers Beginnings of Lutheran Family Services * District Pastor Earns Doctorate PRAYER REQUESTS Family of Kristi Zehnder Suttie - Please remember in your prayers the family of Kristi Suttie, the 47-year-old daughter of Dr. Thomas and Jackie Zehnder, who was called to the Lord's side last Friday, June 19. Dr. Zehnder serves the LCMS as executive director of LCMS World Mission. Kristi was taken to heaven several weeks after discovery of and surgery for aggressive cancer. Please remember Dr. Zehnder, Jackie, and their family in your prayers as they struggle with the loss while celebrating her eternal life with Jesus. Back to top YOUTH LEADERSHIP RETREAT TO BE HELD IN GRAND ISLAND Please pass this information along to your congregation's youth leaders and print it in your bulletin and newsletter. Thank you. I'm a teenager...what can I do for the church? What does a Christian leader look like? How do I share my faith story with my friends who don't believe? How do I stay focused on God when there are so many distractions? What about life after high school? How do I stay strong in my faith? The Nebraska District LYF Leadership Retreat can help youth answer these questions! Teen Focus Training, is the biblically based training materials to be used at the leadership retreat equipping youth to be leaders in their home congregations, families, high schools, and communities by challenging them to see that they are not the church of tomorrow...they are an important part of the church right now. Written by youth for youth, and led by youth for youth, Teen Focus Training is the latest LYF resource from the LCMS Youth Ministry office. The overnight leadership retreat will be led by a group of youth from the Nebraska District who were trained in the curriculum and will be assisted by Nebraska District DCEs Andrea Roettger and Carl Eliason. Who should attend? High school youth (completed 8th grade) with potential and desire to be leaders in their church today and in the future. When is it? Starting 7 p.m. on July 31, concluding at 2:30 p.m. on August 1. (Yep, it's overnight, so bring a sleeping bag and a change of clothes.) Where is it? The retreat will be held at Peace Lutheran Church, Grand Island, Nebraska. What will happen? Youth will be trained in the latest leadership materials as described above, all meals are included in the cost, extra activities will also be planned to help you get to know other youth from throughout the district. Cost: $35 Registration Deadline: All completed registration forms and payments are due to the District Office by next Wednesday, July 1. Registration materials were mailed to all congregations and are available on the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/education/youth/LYF.html. Back to top STORIES FROM NEBRASKA VBS Summer is the time for vacation Bible schools across the District. We love hearing stories about unique and special things happening at VBS, as well as seeing the miracles God is working through these summertime gatherings. We are hearing many stories this summer about the wonderful things God is doing, and following are just two of the accounts that have been shared with us. Thanks be to God for the seeds being sown in the hearts of these little ones. Immanuel, Dodge - This congregation of 34 communicant members in the Howells community of 632 people is hosting a VBS this week with the help of Camp Luther staff. They had 31 children from Dodge, Howells, and Snyder attend their opening session on Monday. There are 10 teachers, aides, and volunteers helping, in addition to the three team members from Camp Luther. After the morning session, the children are fed a free, hot lunch before they go home. They are also having a Pizza Party Wednesday at 6:00 pm for the campers and their whole family. The campers will be showing off some of their crafts and may even sing a few songs. We thank God for the opportunity He is giving the members of this church to reach out to the children of their community and share with them the story of Jesus' love for them. Holy Cross, Kearney - With a communicant membership of 926 in a community of 27,431 people, Holy Cross also had a blessed turnout for their vacation Bible school in early June. In fact, they report a total of 340 children who heard the Good News of Jesus, with an average attendance of 295 each day. Pastor Kuefner, associate pastor at Holy Cross, ended this year's VBS by kissing an alligator when the kids responded to his challenge to raise $1,200 in offerings. In fact, the kids contributed nearly $18,000 for mission work both in their community and around the world. Thanks be to God for using this congregation to share the story of Jesus with these children and their families. Back to top ORDINATION ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION The people of the Nebraska District are invited to a reception recognizing the anniversaries of ordination into the Office of the Holy Ministry of Rev. Merlin Holtzen (15 years) and Rev. Dr. Ted Janzow (65 years). The reception will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Walton (just north of the intersection of Old Cheney Road and S. 162nd St, east of Lincoln) on Sunday, July 12, from 3 to 5 pm. Especially invited are those who were baptized, confirmed, or married by these faithful pastors. For more information, contact Pastor Robert Wentzel at Trinity at 402-782-6515 (office) or 402-525-9758 (mobile). Back to top OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE IN OMAHA St. John's Lutheran Church in Ponca Hills (Omaha) has space available at its office building located at 9910 N 48th Street. They have one suite available now and one to open in August '09. The available suite is Suite 100, a 576 sq. ft. area with two separate office rooms. Suite 200 is available in August and is 2840 sq. ft., has two separate entrances, 13 offices, several work rooms, and it can be divided up to meet your space needs. Cleaning and utilities are included in the monthly rent. It has close and easy access to I-680, plenty of parking and a nice and quiet secluded location. For further information or any questions, please call the office number at 451-2425, and leave a message. A member of the management will get back to you as soon as possible. Back to top GRACE PLACE RETREATS FOR SINGLE CHURCH WORKERS Grace Place is offering a retreat for single Lutheran pastors and teachers at the spectacular high Rocky Mountain Retreat House of St. Benedict's Monastery outside of Aspen, Colorado this fall. The retreat is for any single clergy or educator, whether single by widowship, divorce, or never previously married. The program runs from 2 p.m., Wednesday, September 2, until 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 6, 2009. This "pause point" in ministry service and personal pilgrim walk will allow time to reflect on personhood and health, vocation and direction; restore good self-care health principles, and finally be renewed and rejuvenated in the setting of fellow members of the body of Christ and among the fall colors of aspen and pine. The cost for the whole week is $350 per person. There is easy access to Aspen by flight, train or car. By highway, it is about 4 1/2 hours from Denver. Church workers who would like more information should contact Grace Place through the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/congregational/workercare/graceplace.html. Back to top UPDATED MISSION CENTRAL SPEAKING SCHEDULE The following special events are planned at Mission Central near Mapleton, Iowa. Gary Thies invites everyone to come and hear these wonderful folks talk about their work around the world. All speaking events are at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the barn at Mission Central unless otherwise noted. The newest additions to the speaking list are in red. For more information on Mission Central or on these special events, visit the Mission Central website at www.missioncentral.us. June 6 - Dr. Lo and family - Indonesia June 12 - Delano and Linda Meyer - Sierra Leone, West Africa June 17 - Rev. Mark and Rose Krause - Riga, Latvia June 20 - David and Radka Fiala - Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia June 21 - Rev. Greg Sawyer - Hong Kong at 10:00 a.m. (worship service) June 24 - Rev. Claude & Rhoda Houge - Kenya, East Africa June 27 - Rev. Joel Scheiwe and family - Southern China July 7 - Rev. J. P. Cima and family - Vietnam July 20 - Donna Meyer - Indonesia August 6 - Mark Wolfram - Taiwan at 1:00 p.m. only August 15 - Amy Kashenov - Kazakhstan at 2:00 p.m. only August 22 - Vicar Heath and Aunnee Trampe - Riga, Latvia at 1:00 p.m. only September 16 - Rev. Matt Heise - Georgia, Russia, and Mongolia Mission Central now has a Facebook page! Those interested in viewing this page may follow the link from the Mission Central homepage, www.missioncentral.us. Back to top LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES SELECTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR After prayerful consideration, the Board of Governors for the International Lutheran Laymen's League has selected Bruce Wurdeman as the new Executive Director for Lutheran Hour Ministries. Wurdeman, who currently serves as LHM's Director of United States Ministries, will take the reins beginning Aug. 1. He will replace Larry Lumpe, who will be retiring at the end of July following his second stint as Executive Director for the ministry. "Bruce has a great vision for the ministry and high expectations for excellence," says Mick Onnen, President of the Int'l LLL. "I praise God for Bruce and his willingness to accept the Executive Director position, and I pledge my full support for his work and service among us." "I am both honored and humbled to become the next Executive Director for Lutheran Hour Ministries," says Wurdeman. "God is accomplishing tremendous things through this life-changing ministry, and I look forward to working with our staff to boldly proclaim the salvation story of Jesus Christ to ever-increasing numbers of people." In his current position, Wurdeman oversees the production of The Lutheran Hour(r), Woman to Woman(r), and Para el Camino radio programs, seasonal television specials, and print materials, as well as ministry fulfillment and referral services. Under his direction, the ministry also launched the LHM Men's NetWork in January 2009, a program geared to help congregations reconnect with men and build local men's ministries. "In only its first six months of operation, the program has witnessed unprecedented growth and excitement," says Onnen. More than 2,000 churches from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) and other denominations have already signed up. Wurdeman previously worked at Lutheran Hour Ministries from 1994 through 2002 in the Volunteer Opportunities department as an assistant director and manager, positions that allowed him to recruit and train more than 100,000 volunteers throughout North America. He most recently served as a mission and ministry facilitator for the Texas District of the LCMS, where he was a resource person for 100 congregations in West and South Texas. Back to top LCMS MISSIONARY SPEAKING ACROSS NEBRASKA IN JULY Donna Meyer, a Nebraska teacher serving LCMS World Mission in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, will be back in Nebraska in July and will be speaking at congregations throughout the District. Her speaking schedule in Nebraska is as follows. For more information, contact the hosting congregation or Donna directly at donna.meyer at lcms.org. Date Time Congregation City June 28 St Peter Bible Class Davenport, NE July 1 7:30pm St Peter Deshler, NE July 2 1:30pm Zion Tobias, NE July 11 5pm Grace Hazard, NE July 12 10:15am Zion Hastings, NE July 12 TBA St. Paul Minden, NE July 22 7-8pm Hope Sioux City, IA July 23 TBA St John Pierce, NE July 25 6pm Trinity Fremont, NE July 26 8, 9:15am Trinity Fremont, NE TBA TBA Trinity Madison, NE Back to top SERVICE REMEMBERS BEGINNINGS OF LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES In the News: Fremont Tribune Bill Wehrmann was one of the lucky ones. Adopted from the Lutheran Orphan Home in Fremont as an infant in 1932, Wehrmann was raised by loving parents, including a father who was a Lutheran pastor. But Wehrmann knows that many others at the orphanage weren't so lucky. He was one of several people who attended a prayer service Tuesday for the 45 orphans buried at Ridge Cemetery. Most of those buried at the cemetery were younger than a year old when they died. "It was very emotional. I got to thinking that apparently God doesn't have my room ready yet because I'm still here," said Wehrmann, who grew up in Scribner and now lives near Blair. "Yet all these that are gone are with God because they were baptized and adopted, both literally and eternally." Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska sponsored the prayer service and a luncheon afterward where Wehrmann and other orphans shared their memories. Read the full account of this special prayer service on the Fremont Tribune website at http://www.fremonttribune.com/articles/2009/06/17/news/local/doc4a390ab9148d5676389240.txt. Back to top DISTRICT PASTOR EARNS DOCTORATE Rev. Timothy J. Heupel, Director of Care Ministries at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, LaVista, was conferred the degree of Doctor of Ministry from the Sioux Falls Seminary, Sioux Falls, S.D. on Saturday, May 23. Heupel's project paper was entitled, "The Self-Described Factors Leading to Behavioral Change Among Selected Inmates of Douglas County Jail." Congratulations Rev. Dr. Heupel! Back to top Thank you to all the congregations 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 www.ndlcms.org/news/communications/update.html. Summer blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 57104 bytes Desc: not available URL: From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Jun 10 13:19:10 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:19:10 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] June 10 Message-ID: Update for June 10 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Greetings in the name of our Heavenly Father! What a blessing it was to gather with many of you last weekend on the campus of Concordia University in Seward for our District Convention. It was a wonderful time of renewing acquaintances, worshipping with fellow believers, and encouraging one another in the mission God has given us to tell others about the love of Jesus. The Convention theme, "Full of Grace - Seasoned with Salt" based on Col. 4:5-6, helped to focus all in attendance on the wonderful gift of grace we have through Jesus Christ, and the opportunities we have to engage the mission fields of Nebraska and share this Good News. Delegates were reminded how they can have conversations of grace in Jesus salted with His sound teaching. Today's Update will share an overview of the Convention, with more information available on the District website, www.ndlcms.org, by the end of this week. Feel free to contact the District Office for more information. CONVENTION NEWS The Rev. Russ Sommerfeld, Seward, was elected to his third term as president of the Nebraska District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod by the delegates attending the 16th Nebraska District Convention June 4-6. Re-elected for a second term, moving from third to first vice president, representing Region C, was the Rev. Richard Snow, pastor of St. John, Battle Creek. Chosen as second vice president, representing Region A, was the Rev. Mark Middendorf, pastor of Zion, Scotia. Named third vice president, representing Region B, was the Rev. Arnold Jurchen, pastor of Holy Cross, Goehner. Re-elected for a second term, moving from second to fourth vice president, representing Region D, was the Rev. Orville Walz, a retired pastor living in Bennington. The Rev. Clint Poppe, who previously served as first vice president, declined nominations to serve another three-year term. Other officers elected included: Secretary: Rev. Roland Jank, Jr., of Mount Olive, Omaha. Teacher member, Board of Directors: Rhonda Burk of Lincoln. Lay members, Board of Directors: Region A, Glenn Van Velson of North Platte; Region B, David Knorr of Humboldt; Region C, Virginia Von Seggern of Orchard; and Region D, Harlan Metschke of Papillion. Lay members holding current terms on the Board of Directors are: Region A, Dr. Marvin Swan of Grant; Region B, Glennis Holtmeier of Tobias; Region C, Kent Warneke of Norfolk; and Region D, Kathy Brashear of Omaha. Completing terms on the Board of Directors are: Rev. Clint Poppe of Lincoln, Rev. Michael Gruhn of Lexington, Kevin Fry of Ewing, Christopher Martin of Omaha, and Stan Fehlhafer of Lincoln. Elections also took place for various district and synodical offices. Those elected to serve were: Nominations Committee: pastor members, Rev. Paul Beyer of Daykin, Rev. Loren Cooper of Hampton, and Rev. Charles Gierke of Omaha; teacher member, Linda Ahrens of Lincoln; and lay members, Steve Althouse of Waverly, ElRoy Bartels of Tobias and Burnell Von Seggern of Orchard. District Constitution Committee: pastor members, Rev. James Carretto of Wisner, and Rev. Jim Rasmussen of Omaha; teacher member, Wilbur Tewes of Bennet; and lay member, Richard Kreutzer of Kearney. Board of Regents for Concordia University Nebraska, Seward: pastor member Rev. Karl Ziegler of Bellevue; teacher member James Knoepfel of Fremont; and lay members Lyle Middendorf of Lincoln and Mike Klintworth of Seward. Lay member for Synodical Committee for Convention Nominations: Kermit Brashear of Omaha. The alternate lay member is Kevin Fry of Ewing. The delegates, under the convention theme of "Full of Grace - Seasoned with Salt," devoted considerable time to worship, study of the Word, education, and prayer. The convention was opened with a worship service and communion at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward with the Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, president of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, delivering the sermon. He shared with the delegates his conviction "that the message of hope we have in Christ Jesus our Lord is so critical for people of the world who otherwise would have no hope. In Jesus there is hope, there is life, and there is salvation." They studied the Word in two Bible class sessions led by Rev. Michael Awe of Tilden and Rev. Keith Grimm of La Vista. The Rev. Dr. Jacob A. O. Preus III, president of Concordia University Irvine in Irvine, Calif., led keynote presentations during the convention. He spoke on how believers in Jesus can take the solid Biblical teaching of salvation through Jesus Christ and make it relevant to the people of today's world. Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, president of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, spoke to the delegates during his time in Seward. He challenged the delegates to personally give witness about Jesus and the hope they have in Him. As part of his presentation, he spent time dealing with the decline of Christian beliefs, presence and influence in communities across the country. "How we respond will define The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in the 21st Century," Kieschnick said. "My prayer is that we will respond with hope." He also took time to address questions presented to him by delegates in attendance. The delegates took part in a dialog with Rev. Jon Braunersreuther, representative of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance. Members of this task force are attending conventions across the country to share proposed changes to the governing structure of the 2.4 million member church body, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Resolutions passed at this convention include realigning some of the congregations into new circuits, creating one additional circuit in the Lincoln area. The Nebraska District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has its headquarters in Seward, with over 111,000 baptized members in 247 congregations. Delegates who attended the convention should watch their email inboxes for the opportunity to complete a brief online evaluation of Convention. Additional thoughts and comments may be sent to info at ndlcms.org. LFS ORPHAN PRAYER SERVICE/OPEN HOUSE AND DEDICATION Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska (LFS) will be holding an Orphan Prayer Service at Ridge Cemetery, 1761 W. Linden Ave. in Fremont, at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 16. The public is invited to attend with special encouragement for attendance by former orphans of the Lutheran Orphan Home, adoptive families, and anyone with a prior connection to the Lutheran Orphan Home. The prayer service will be led by Nebraska District LCMS President, Rev. Russ Sommerfeld. A luncheon will be held following the service at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Avenue. Attendees will be encouraged to share stories about the orphanage. Luncheon RSVPs should go to Melissa Price at (402) 978-5678 or mprice at lfsneb.org. LCMS World Relief and Human Care and Trinity Lutheran Church of Fremont have provided funds to beautify the Orphan Ridge at the cemetery and repair the headstones. Founded in 1892, the Lutheran Orphan Home was one of two orphanages that eventually formed the agency now known as Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska. The LFS Fremont Area Building Families Boutique now exists on the original site of the orphanage, which is now the property of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. On June 16 LFS will also host a Fremont Area Building Families Boutique open house and dedication of the boutique store known as "Sara's Boutique." The event, open to the public, will be at the Boutique, 1420 E. Military Ave., from 4:30-6:30 p.m., with the program starting at 5:30. Activities will include the unveiling of the new donor recognition wall, refreshments, and performances by Zoe Children's Choir. Blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 17916 bytes Desc: not available URL: From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Mon Jun 15 16:47:11 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:47:11 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] Louis Heider Called to Glory Message-ID: + OBITUARY + Louis H. Heider, Commissioned Minister-Teacher Emeritus, departed this life on June 8, 2009, in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born on June 5, 1914, in Byron, Nebraska, to William and Alma Heidbrink Heider. On November 26, 1950, Louis was married to Vera Eckhardt. He graduated with a B.S. from Concordia Teachers College (now University), Seward, in 1948, and received a MSSW from the Graduate School of Social Work, Lincoln, in 1948, and after several years of supervised practice acquired his ACSW. Throughout his career he served as principal and teacher, St. John, Minnesota Lake, Minnesota (1935-1936); Zion, Jansen, Nebraska (1936-1939); and St. Paul, Utica, Nebraska (1940-1941). He also served as organist, in the choirs and other singing groups, director and youth worker, and on various other boards or committees in the three congregations mentioned. Louis served in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1942-1946. Louis' career turned to social work in 1947. He served as a caseworker in Hebron (Thayer County), Nebraska, the summer of 1947; and Lutheran Family Services, Omaha, from 1948-1954. From there Louis served as executive director for Lutheran Family Services of Omaha, and after the merger of Lutheran agencies in Nebraska he served as acting executive director from 1954-1973. Louis served in counseling services as a Family Life Enrichment Coordinator in Omaha. He was the Director of Social Work Ministry Program, Concordia College, Seward, Nebraska starting in 1975. Community service included Nebraska Welfare Association, Nebraska Welfare Association, American Association of Social Workers-Omaha chapter, Child Welfare League of America, National Association of Social Workers-Omaha chapter, Personal Crisis Services-Omaha, Nebraska Committee for Children and Youth; Citizens Juvenile Court Committee-Omaha; United Community Services of Greater Omaha, various committees; Eastern Mental Health Committee; Citizens Advisory Committee of the Lutheran Medical Mental Health Center, Omaha; Nebraska District Family Life Committee; and Lutheran Interparish Ministry of Greater Omaha. Survivors include wife, Vera; sons and daughters-in-law, Dale and Mary, Roger and Marilyn; son, Arlen; daughters and sons-in-law, Jean and Dennis Orth, Sylvia and Morgan Kyle; grandchildren, Nick, Doug, Sterling, Hayley, Greg, Mitch, Alex, Andy, and Amy. A memorial service was held Friday, June 12, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Omaha, Nebraska. Memorials may be given to St. Paul Lutheran Endowment Fund, Lutheran Family Services, or Concordia University, Seward, NE. Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 6951 bytes Desc: not available URL: From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Jun 17 11:20:42 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:20:42 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] June 17 Message-ID: Update for June 17 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Greetings in the name of our Heavenly Father. As many families prepare to observe Father's Day this weekend with special celebrations or time spent remembering fathers who are now with the Lord, it's an opportunity to praise our Heavenly Father. We can thank Him for giving us caring and loving fathers. We can also thank Him for being our perfect Father. Jesus tells us, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matt. 7: 9-11) What a comfort to know that our heavenly Father's gifts are so much better than the best gifts earthly fathers can provide. While the Lord charges earthly parents to provide and care for their children, He promises that His care and love are so much greater than anything else we can experience. Not only does He provide for our bodily needs, He also gives us the best gift of all - the free gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus. As we celebrate Father's Day this weekend, let's give thanks to God for His gift of earthly fathers, and for His greater gift of salvation through His Son. Happy Father's Day! * Prayer Requests * District Office Closed Friday * No July Nebraska Lutheran Reporter * Lutheran Family Services Helps Host World Refugee Day * College Scholarships Available for LCMS Members * CPH Offers Special June Savings * Camperships Available from Camp Luther * New Missionary from Nebraska Available to Speak * Overseas Service Opportunities * Nebraska Lutherans for Confessional Study to Meet * Outreach and Study Materials Available in Spanish * 2010 National LCMS Youth Gathering District Coordinators Available * Advanced Training in Pastoral Skills Offered at Schuyler this Summer * Opportunities to Visit Germany PRAYER REQUESTS The family of Louis Heider - Please remember in prayer the family of Louis Heider, teacher emeritus, who was called to glory on June 8. We ask our Heavenly Father to grant this family His peace and comfort as they mourn their loss, while rejoicing that their husband, father, and grandfather is now at the Lord's side. Back to top DISTRICT OFFICE CLOSED FRIDAY The District Office will be closed this Friday, June 19, for a day-long staff retreat. The office will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, June 22, with staff devotions. Information and answers to many common questions can be found on the District website, www.ndlcms.org. Back to top NO JULY NEBRASKA LUTHERAN REPORTER Just a reminder that there will not be a July Nebraska Lutheran Reporter sent to congregations. Instead, the expanded July/August issue will feature District Convention coverage and will be in congregations in late July in the same quantity as usual. If your congregation prints the Reporter itself, please email reporter at ndlcms.org to request the appropriate number of newspapers, as this issue will not be available electronically. Feel free to send questions to the email above, or call 888-643-2961. Back to top LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES HELPS HOST WORLD REFUGEE DAY Join Lutheran Family Services and the Refugee Task Force of Omaha for an annual celebration to educate the community on refugee issues and celebrate cultural diversity. The event is free and open to the public. The event is at Benson High School, 5120 Maple Street, Omaha. Activities include a parade of flags, dance presentations, educational programs, vendor areas for information and hand-crafted items, fashion show, awards ceremony, children's carnival, and athletic events. Countries represented include Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Burma (Myanmar), Somalia, Togo, Burundi, Iraq, and Kenya. Contact Susan Mayberger at susan.mayberger at ops.org or 402-557-2431 for more information. Back to top COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR LCMS MEMBERS Know a student going to college? Lutheran Student Fellowship (LSF) in partnership with LCMS World Mission is offering three scholarships for undergraduates, including incoming freshmen. Students can apply on the LSF website at www.lutheranstudentfellowship.org/Pages/Scholarships. The information that students share in the scholarship application will also be used to connect them to local LSF chapters and LCMS campus ministries. The deadline for the scholarship application is June 21, 2009. Back to top CPH OFFERS SPECIAL JUNE SAVINGS Concordia Publishing House (CPH) marks the June 25 anniversary of the Augsburg Confession and original printing of the Book of Concord with a special 50% promotional discount on editions of Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Sale prices are available through the month of June. Orders can be placed online at www.cph.org or by calling 800-325-3040. Available editions include: Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions on CD-ROM; Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions Genuine Leather Edition; Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions Bonded Leather Edition; Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions Regular Hardback Edition; and Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions: Pocket Edition. Back to top CAMPERSHIPS AVAILABLE FROM CAMP LUTHER Pastors and church office staff, please consider sharing this reminder with your members through upcoming bulletins or newsletters. Thank you. Camp Luther is happy to announce that they have received several grants to help fund camperships for families wanting to send their child(ren) to summer camp this summer. Through their "Let the Children Come" program, grants will help those who need some assistance due to the current economic conditions. There are also programs for those with special needs. It is not too late to register for summer camp and to complete financial assistance forms. Registration forms and financial assistance forms are available on the Camp Luther website, www.campluther.org. Online registration is also available. Back to top NEW MISSIONARY FROM NEBRASKA AVAILABLE TO SPEAK The newest missionary from the Nebraska District is Lynette Lierman. She will go to Hong Kong in mid-August, under the supervision of LCMS missionary Sharon Owens, as an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher, serving for one year. Lynette, who is from Tecumseh, NE, is a member of Beautiful Savior in La Vista. Before she departs, she wants to speak to as many churches and church groups as possible, to educate parishioners about the doors God is opening up for Gospel outreach in Hong Kong as well as mainland China, and to share opportunities for congregations and individuals to be a part of this outreach effort. Lynette is willing to speak and bring audio-visuals to give presentations of varying lengths. Examples include: - Brief "mission minute" announcements before or during worship services - LWML groups - Small group or large group Bible studies or classes - Sunday school classes - Young adult or singles' groups - Mission societies - Other settings If you have any further questions, please contact Beautiful Savior at 402-331-7376 or jim at bslcomaha.org. Back to top OVERSEAS SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES Following are some ways to consider serving the Lord by "going global." Vietnam Right now you have the opportunity to meet an urgent need as an English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) teacher in Vietnam. A wonderful opportunity is available for individuals to serve in Vietnam. Vietnam is in need of individuals to build relationships with people through teaching EFL at area universities. Although teaching classes will be the primary responsibility of the individual, much time and emphasis is placed on spending time with students and co-workers outside of school to look for opportunities to build relationships. Japan Right now you have the opportunity to meet an urgent need as a volunteer youth ministry worker (VYM) in Japan. Once you and your teammates complete six months of Japanese language classes and cultural orientation, you will each be assigned to a congregation of the LCMS partner church in Japan, the Japan Lutheran Church (NRK). For the next two years, you will teach English and focus on outreach and on building relationships to witness among the 99 percent of the population that claims to be non-Christian. To learn how you can serve by going global, go here: www.lcmsworldmission.org/searchopps. Contact an LCMS World Mission placement counselor at 1-800-433-3954 or mission.recruitment at lcms.org. Back to top NEBRASKA LUTHERANS FOR CONFESSIONAL STUDY TO MEET The June gathering of the Nebraska Lutherans for Confessional Study (NLCS) will be held on Thursday, June 25, at Good Shepherd, 3825 Wildbriar Lane, Lincoln. Refreshments will be in the fellowship hall at 9:30 a.m., followed by Matins at 10 a.m. Presenter for the day will be Rev. Clint Poppe, pastor of Good Shepherd; his topic will be "Samuel Simon Schmucker and the American Rescension of the Augsburg Confession." The morning session will start at about 10:30; following lunch the afternoon topic will start at about 1 p.m. 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 OUTREACH AND STUDY MATERIALS AVAILABLE IN SPANISH Reach Out to the Hispanic Population in Your Area No matter where you are in the United States, Lutheran Hour Ministries' Spanish-language resources can bolster your outreach to Hispanics. Currently, radio stations on both coasts, the Midwest, and the Southwest are broadcasting Para el Camino and reaching people in 12 states across the United States. As the Spanish-language version of The Lutheran Hour?, Para el Camino is also available anytime online at www.paraelcamino.com. From there, users can access the most recent and archived sermons from The Lutheran Hour?, request Spanish-language topical booklets, stop by the LHM storefront, link to the kid-friendly JCPlayZone at www.jcplayzone.com, read the Daily Devotion at www.paraelcamino.com/alimentodiario.asp, or leave a comment. Concordia Publishing Houses Releases New Spanish Christian Children's Books Editorial Concordia, the Spanish division of Concordia Publishing House (CPH), announces the release of two new Spanish children's books: ?Dios lo hizo para ti! (God Made It for You!) and Jes?s lo hizo por m? (Jesus Did It for Me). ?Dios lo hizo para ti! (God Made It for You!) connects the Genesis account of creation to God's plan for salvation in Jesus Christ. Using age-appropriate text and illustrations, children learn that from the beginning God had a plan to send His Son as a Savior to redeem all people. Jes?s lo hizo por m? (Jesus Did It for Me) offers a personal application of the salvation story. Told from a child's perspective, the book uses engaging rhyme and winsome illustrations to teach young readers that Christ's death and resurrection means individual life and forgiveness for them. "These new Spanish children's books offer creative, useful ways to teach the truth of creation, salvation, and the life of Jesus to the littlest believers," comments Marcia Wilhelm, marketing manager of CPH multilingual resources. "These products are written in Spanish by Hispanics for Hispanics." Products can be ordered online at www.cph.org or by calling 1-800-325-3040. Concordia Publishing Houses Releases New Spanish Children's Ministry Resources Editorial Concordia, the Spanish division of Concordia Publishing House (CPH), announces the release of two new Spanish children's ministry resources: Par?bolas de Jes?s, Mensajes para ni?os (Jesus' Parables, Messages for Children) and Cantando a Jes?s (Singing to Jesus). Products can be ordered online at www.cph.org or by calling 1-800-325-3040. Par?bolas de Jes?s, Mensajes para ni?os (Jesus' Parables, Messages for Children) introduces Jesus' teachings through 12 parables. Lessons include reproducible activities for younger and older children. A companion CD includes six original songs for use in teaching. The book contains melody lines and reproducible lyrics sheets. Cantando a Jes?s (Singing to Jesus) is a collection of the "most popular" songs from CPH Spanish Vacation Bible School and children's ministry programs from the last four years. The CD includes 20 Gospel-focused tracks. A companion book includes melody lines and reproducible lyrics sheets. "These are excellent Spanish children's ministry resources that not only teach about the Bible, but also provide fun interactive activities. The children enjoy participating and are able to take home what they learn and share the Word with their families," says Marcia Wilhelm, marketing manager of CPH multilingual resources. Spanish Language Commentary on Galatians Now Available Editorial Concordia, the Spanish division of Concordia Publishing House (CPH), announces the release of Mart?n Lutero, Segundo comentario a G?latas (Martin Luther, Second Commentary on Galatians). Mart?n Lutero, Segundo comentario a G?latas (Martin Luther, Second Commentary on Galatians) presents Luther's extensive scholarship and demonstrates the theologian's ability to present exegesis, or critical interpretation, in an informal, reader-friendly way. "Through this commentary, readers see that Luther writes from both his vast knowledge of the Scriptures, and from the depths of his heart," says editor Rev. H?ctor Hoppe. "This abridged version of Mart?n Lutero, Segundo comentario a G?latas is one of Luther's best works and offers a very thorough commentary on Galatians," says Marcia Wilhelm, marketing manager of CPH multilingual resources. "Martin Luther was so passionate about the Epistle from St. Paul to the Galatians that he called it 'My dear Katherine von Bora,' a reference to his beloved wife." This book can be ordered online at www.cph.org or by calling 1-800-325-3040. Back to top 2010 NATIONAL LCMS YOUTH GATHERING DISTRICT COORDINATORS AVAILABLE The Nebraska District has two District Coordinators available to help answer your questions and provide guidance as your church plans for the 2010 National LCMS Youth Gathering "We Believe." The Gathering will be held July 17-21 in New Orleans, LA. The Gathering website is www.lcmsgathering.com. Dave Kumm ( David.Kumm at cune.edu ) and Julie Johnston Hermann ( Julie.Johnston at cune.edu ) will be holding informational meetings in early September around the District for youth leaders on getting ready for the Gathering. Watch for mailings coming soon to all District congregations! Back to top ADVANCED TRAINING IN PASTORAL SKILLS OFFERED AT SCHUYLER THIS SUMMER DOXOLOGY: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel, is an LCMS RSO now in its second year of operation. Currently enrolling more than 100 pastors from 21 states, it provides training in practical skills for ministry rooted in the classic model of the care of souls and informed by the insights of contemporary Christian psychology. The comfortable surroundings of the St. Benedict Center in Schuyler will again be the venue for a round of DOXOLOGY training. Fourteen days of instruction are provided in three sequential conference retreat events: The Gathering: Pastors Only August 9 - 12, 2009 The Encore: Pastors and Lay Leaders October 30 - November 1, 2009 The Reunion: Pastors and Wives January 8 - 9, 2010 Enrollment is limited on a first come, first served basis. Go to www.doxology.us to review details about the training program and download registration forms at http://www.doxology.us/registration.html. Contact DOXOLOGY's executive directors for further information: Dr. Harold Senkbeil hsenkbeil at doxology.us Dr. Beverly Yahnke byahnke at doxology.us Back to top OPPORTUNITIES TO VISIT GERMANY Pastor Michael & Suzy Awe, in cooperation with Nawas International Travel, would like to invite you to join them May 22 - June 1, 2010, on an exciting 11 day Alpine Tour! Participants will enjoy the picturesque vistas of Switzerland, Austria, and Southern Germany. The absolute highlight of the trip will be the experience of the famous Oberammergau Passion Play. The group will be leaving from Omaha and flying in to Frankfurt, Germany. Price will include most meals, first-class accommodations, and roundtrip airfare from Omaha. If you are interested in joining them for this memorable experience, please contact Pastor Michael Awe at 402-368-9929 or 402-368-5690, or e-mail him at The1Rev at cableone.net for more information. Space is limited. Join Rev. Randy Knuth on an unforgettable panoramic journey through the Land of Germany and experience the joys of traveling together in Christian fellowship. Join them as they travel on an 11 day fully escorted deluxe tour of Germany and attend the "once-in-a-lifetime" experience of the 41st Passion Play in Oberammergau. Included in the tour will be significant places in the life of Martin Luther and the reformation, and some of the romantic towns and castles of Bavaria and Munich. For more information in regards to this Luther Tour, June 15-25, 2010, please contact Pastor Randy Knuth, pastor of Hope Lutheran Church, South Sioux City, at revrandyk at yahoo.com or 402-494-1847 or 712-540-8243. Back to top Thanks to everyone who contributed information for this week's Update. Ministry news and event information is always welcome to be considered for inclusion in future newsletters, and may be sent to communications at ndlcms.org. This newsletter may also be forwarded to those who might be interested in the news shared here, or portions may be reproduced in congregational bulletins or newsletters as you wish. Anyone is welcome to subscribe by visiting http://www.ndlcms.org/news/communications/update.html. Blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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: 53263 bytes Desc: not available URL: From distupd at lists.ndlcms.org Wed Jun 24 15:58:40 2009 From: distupd at lists.ndlcms.org (District Updates) Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:58:40 -0000 Subject: [DistUpd] June 24 Message-ID: Update for June 24 A publication of the Nebraska District, a District ABLAZE! Summer greetings in the name of our heavenly Father. Summer officially started last Sunday, but with weather like we're having, we don't need a calendar to know summer is here! It's time for vacations, ball games, swimming, fishing, picnics, or whatever it is that keeps you and your family busy this time of year. I hope you are staying cool (or appreciating the heat) and enjoying the joys of summer with family and friends. * Prayer Requests * Youth Leadership Retreat to be Held in Grand Island * Stories from Nebraska VBS * Ordination Anniversary Celebration * Office Space Available in Omaha * Grace Place Retreats for Single Church Workers * Updated Mission Central Speaking Schedule * Lutheran Hour Ministries Selects New Executive Director * LCMS Missionary Speaking Across Nebraska in July * Service Remembers Beginnings of Lutheran Family Services * District Pastor Earns Doctorate PRAYER REQUESTS Family of Kristi Zehnder Suttie - Please remember in your prayers the family of Kristi Suttie, the 47-year-old daughter of Dr. Thomas and Jackie Zehnder, who was called to the Lord's side last Friday, June 19. Dr. Zehnder serves the LCMS as executive director of LCMS World Mission. Kristi was taken to heaven several weeks after discovery of and surgery for aggressive cancer. Please remember Dr. Zehnder, Jackie, and their family in your prayers as they struggle with the loss while celebrating her eternal life with Jesus. Back to top YOUTH LEADERSHIP RETREAT TO BE HELD IN GRAND ISLAND Please pass this information along to your congregation's youth leaders and print it in your bulletin and newsletter. Thank you. I'm a teenager...what can I do for the church? What does a Christian leader look like? How do I share my faith story with my friends who don't believe? How do I stay focused on God when there are so many distractions? What about life after high school? How do I stay strong in my faith? The Nebraska District LYF Leadership Retreat can help youth answer these questions! Teen Focus Training, is the biblically based training materials to be used at the leadership retreat equipping youth to be leaders in their home congregations, families, high schools, and communities by challenging them to see that they are not the church of tomorrow...they are an important part of the church right now. Written by youth for youth, and led by youth for youth, Teen Focus Training is the latest LYF resource from the LCMS Youth Ministry office. The overnight leadership retreat will be led by a group of youth from the Nebraska District who were trained in the curriculum and will be assisted by Nebraska District DCEs Andrea Roettger and Carl Eliason. Who should attend? High school youth (completed 8th grade) with potential and desire to be leaders in their church today and in the future. When is it? Starting 7 p.m. on July 31, concluding at 2:30 p.m. on August 1. (Yep, it's overnight, so bring a sleeping bag and a change of clothes.) Where is it? The retreat will be held at Peace Lutheran Church, Grand Island, Nebraska. What will happen? Youth will be trained in the latest leadership materials as described above, all meals are included in the cost, extra activities will also be planned to help you get to know other youth from throughout the district. Cost: $35 Registration Deadline: All completed registration forms and payments are due to the District Office by next Wednesday, July 1. Registration materials were mailed to all congregations and are available on the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/education/youth/LYF.html. Back to top STORIES FROM NEBRASKA VBS Summer is the time for vacation Bible schools across the District. We love hearing stories about unique and special things happening at VBS, as well as seeing the miracles God is working through these summertime gatherings. We are hearing many stories this summer about the wonderful things God is doing, and following are just two of the accounts that have been shared with us. Thanks be to God for the seeds being sown in the hearts of these little ones. Immanuel, Dodge - This congregation of 34 communicant members in the Howells community of 632 people is hosting a VBS this week with the help of Camp Luther staff. They had 31 children from Dodge, Howells, and Snyder attend their opening session on Monday. There are 10 teachers, aides, and volunteers helping, in addition to the three team members from Camp Luther. After the morning session, the children are fed a free, hot lunch before they go home. They are also having a Pizza Party Wednesday at 6:00 pm for the campers and their whole family. The campers will be showing off some of their crafts and may even sing a few songs. We thank God for the opportunity He is giving the members of this church to reach out to the children of their community and share with them the story of Jesus' love for them. Holy Cross, Kearney - With a communicant membership of 926 in a community of 27,431 people, Holy Cross also had a blessed turnout for their vacation Bible school in early June. In fact, they report a total of 340 children who heard the Good News of Jesus, with an average attendance of 295 each day. Pastor Kuefner, associate pastor at Holy Cross, ended this year's VBS by kissing an alligator when the kids responded to his challenge to raise $1,200 in offerings. In fact, the kids contributed nearly $18,000 for mission work both in their community and around the world. Thanks be to God for using this congregation to share the story of Jesus with these children and their families. Back to top ORDINATION ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION The people of the Nebraska District are invited to a reception recognizing the anniversaries of ordination into the Office of the Holy Ministry of Rev. Merlin Holtzen (15 years) and Rev. Dr. Ted Janzow (65 years). The reception will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Walton (just north of the intersection of Old Cheney Road and S. 162nd St, east of Lincoln) on Sunday, July 12, from 3 to 5 pm. Especially invited are those who were baptized, confirmed, or married by these faithful pastors. For more information, contact Pastor Robert Wentzel at Trinity at 402-782-6515 (office) or 402-525-9758 (mobile). Back to top OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE IN OMAHA St. John's Lutheran Church in Ponca Hills (Omaha) has space available at its office building located at 9910 N 48th Street. They have one suite available now and one to open in August '09. The available suite is Suite 100, a 576 sq. ft. area with two separate office rooms. Suite 200 is available in August and is 2840 sq. ft., has two separate entrances, 13 offices, several work rooms, and it can be divided up to meet your space needs. Cleaning and utilities are included in the monthly rent. It has close and easy access to I-680, plenty of parking and a nice and quiet secluded location. For further information or any questions, please call the office number at 451-2425, and leave a message. A member of the management will get back to you as soon as possible. Back to top GRACE PLACE RETREATS FOR SINGLE CHURCH WORKERS Grace Place is offering a retreat for single Lutheran pastors and teachers at the spectacular high Rocky Mountain Retreat House of St. Benedict's Monastery outside of Aspen, Colorado this fall. The retreat is for any single clergy or educator, whether single by widowship, divorce, or never previously married. The program runs from 2 p.m., Wednesday, September 2, until 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 6, 2009. This "pause point" in ministry service and personal pilgrim walk will allow time to reflect on personhood and health, vocation and direction; restore good self-care health principles, and finally be renewed and rejuvenated in the setting of fellow members of the body of Christ and among the fall colors of aspen and pine. The cost for the whole week is $350 per person. There is easy access to Aspen by flight, train or car. By highway, it is about 4 1/2 hours from Denver. Church workers who would like more information should contact Grace Place through the District website at http://www.ndlcms.org/congregational/workercare/graceplace.html. Back to top UPDATED MISSION CENTRAL SPEAKING SCHEDULE The following special events are planned at Mission Central near Mapleton, Iowa. Gary Thies invites everyone to come and hear these wonderful folks talk about their work around the world. All speaking events are at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the barn at Mission Central unless otherwise noted. The newest additions to the speaking list are in red. For more information on Mission Central or on these special events, visit the Mission Central website at www.missioncentral.us. June 6 - Dr. Lo and family - Indonesia June 12 - Delano and Linda Meyer - Sierra Leone, West Africa June 17 - Rev. Mark and Rose Krause - Riga, Latvia June 20 - David and Radka Fiala - Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia June 21 - Rev. Greg Sawyer - Hong Kong at 10:00 a.m. (worship service) June 24 - Rev. Claude & Rhoda Houge - Kenya, East Africa June 27 - Rev. Joel Scheiwe and family - Southern China July 7 - Rev. J. P. Cima and family - Vietnam July 20 - Donna Meyer - Indonesia August 6 - Mark Wolfram - Taiwan at 1:00 p.m. only August 15 - Amy Kashenov - Kazakhstan at 2:00 p.m. only August 22 - Vicar Heath and Aunnee Trampe - Riga, Latvia at 1:00 p.m. only September 16 - Rev. Matt Heise - Georgia, Russia, and Mongolia Mission Central now has a Facebook page! Those interested in viewing this page may follow the link from the Mission Central homepage, www.missioncentral.us. Back to top LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES SELECTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR After prayerful consideration, the Board of Governors for the International Lutheran Laymen's League has selected Bruce Wurdeman as the new Executive Director for Lutheran Hour Ministries. Wurdeman, who currently serves as LHM's Director of United States Ministries, will take the reins beginning Aug. 1. He will replace Larry Lumpe, who will be retiring at the end of July following his second stint as Executive Director for the ministry. "Bruce has a great vision for the ministry and high expectations for excellence," says Mick Onnen, President of the Int'l LLL. "I praise God for Bruce and his willingness to accept the Executive Director position, and I pledge my full support for his work and service among us." "I am both honored and humbled to become the next Executive Director for Lutheran Hour Ministries," says Wurdeman. "God is accomplishing tremendous things through this life-changing ministry, and I look forward to working with our staff to boldly proclaim the salvation story of Jesus Christ to ever-increasing numbers of people." In his current position, Wurdeman oversees the production of The Lutheran Hour(r), Woman to Woman(r), and Para el Camino radio programs, seasonal television specials, and print materials, as well as ministry fulfillment and referral services. Under his direction, the ministry also launched the LHM Men's NetWork in January 2009, a program geared to help congregations reconnect with men and build local men's ministries. "In only its first six months of operation, the program has witnessed unprecedented growth and excitement," says Onnen. More than 2,000 churches from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) and other denominations have already signed up. Wurdeman previously worked at Lutheran Hour Ministries from 1994 through 2002 in the Volunteer Opportunities department as an assistant director and manager, positions that allowed him to recruit and train more than 100,000 volunteers throughout North America. He most recently served as a mission and ministry facilitator for the Texas District of the LCMS, where he was a resource person for 100 congregations in West and South Texas. Back to top LCMS MISSIONARY SPEAKING ACROSS NEBRASKA IN JULY Donna Meyer, a Nebraska teacher serving LCMS World Mission in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, will be back in Nebraska in July and will be speaking at congregations throughout the District. Her speaking schedule in Nebraska is as follows. For more information, contact the hosting congregation or Donna directly at donna.meyer at lcms.org. Date Time Congregation City June 28 St Peter Bible Class Davenport, NE July 1 7:30pm St Peter Deshler, NE July 2 1:30pm Zion Tobias, NE July 11 5pm Grace Hazard, NE July 12 10:15am Zion Hastings, NE July 12 TBA St. Paul Minden, NE July 22 7-8pm Hope Sioux City, IA July 23 TBA St John Pierce, NE July 25 6pm Trinity Fremont, NE July 26 8, 9:15am Trinity Fremont, NE TBA TBA Trinity Madison, NE Back to top SERVICE REMEMBERS BEGINNINGS OF LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES In the News: Fremont Tribune Bill Wehrmann was one of the lucky ones. Adopted from the Lutheran Orphan Home in Fremont as an infant in 1932, Wehrmann was raised by loving parents, including a father who was a Lutheran pastor. But Wehrmann knows that many others at the orphanage weren't so lucky. He was one of several people who attended a prayer service Tuesday for the 45 orphans buried at Ridge Cemetery. Most of those buried at the cemetery were younger than a year old when they died. "It was very emotional. I got to thinking that apparently God doesn't have my room ready yet because I'm still here," said Wehrmann, who grew up in Scribner and now lives near Blair. "Yet all these that are gone are with God because they were baptized and adopted, both literally and eternally." Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska sponsored the prayer service and a luncheon afterward where Wehrmann and other orphans shared their memories. Read the full account of this special prayer service on the Fremont Tribune website at http://www.fremonttribune.com/articles/2009/06/17/news/local/doc4a390ab9148d5676389240.txt. Back to top DISTRICT PASTOR EARNS DOCTORATE Rev. Timothy J. Heupel, Director of Care Ministries at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, LaVista, was conferred the degree of Doctor of Ministry from the Sioux Falls Seminary, Sioux Falls, S.D. on Saturday, May 23. Heupel's project paper was entitled, "The Self-Described Factors Leading to Behavioral Change Among Selected Inmates of Douglas County Jail." Congratulations Rev. Dr. Heupel! Back to top Thank you to all the congregations 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 www.ndlcms.org/news/communications/update.html. Summer blessings, Nichole Hetz Nebraska District LCMS Director of Communications 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. 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