[DistUpd] January 20

Wed Jan 20 08:54:04 CST 2010

[cid:image001.gif at 01CA99AD.BDBA5E20]
January 20, 2010

In this issue:

Epiphany greetings in the name of Jesus.

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<mailto: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.

 *   Prayer Requests
 *   Updates on Haiti Relief Efforts
 *   Nebraska's Hospice Association Seeking Award Nominations
 *   Lutheran Choir of Lincoln Begins Spring Season
 *   Opportunities to Visit Germany This Year
 *   At Ease Luncheon in Omaha
 *   Connect with the Fiala Missionary Family in Eurasia
 *   Send Phone Messages Instantly to Every Congregation Member
 *   National Lutheran Schools Week Worship and Activity Manual Now Available
 *   German Church Offers Camp for Teens and Young Adults
 *   Do You Know a Future Church Worker?

PRAYER REQUESTS
The People and Relief Workers of Haiti - Please continue to remember in prayer the people of Haiti who were affected by the earthquake last week. So much information has been shared on the relief efforts, with more information being made available daily. Along with all of these efforts, the most important thing we can do is continue to pray - for the survivors, for the injured, for those who lost loved ones, and for those who are in Haiti to help them all.

Ministry in the Sandhills - Rev. Andy Safarik serves three congregations, as well as a vacancy, across an area that covers a distance of more than 86 miles in the Western Sandhills of Nebraska. Please remember this ministry and Pastor Safarik in your prayers, as he travels many miles each week to share the love of Christ with those in the Sandhills. This ministry attends to the spiritual needs of the farmers and ranchers that live in this area. While the people may be spread out, the mission field is ripe in this part of Nebraska. Many of those who live in this area are not connected to a church, while many others are Mormon. This offers great opportunities for witnessing to the love of Jesus Christ. Just last month, a live nativity was offered to the community. Following is an excerpt from the description of the event:
The children from our Midweek program then had a very simple presentation of the Gospel account of the birth of Jesus. . . . Mormons who looked at the cross in the star asked what it meant. Young people with parents and grandparents, and great-grandparents, people from all over the area, church-goers and non-church-goers, people from many different denominations heard the Gospel message that Jesus Christ came down from heaven to die for our sins and was raised so that we might be with Him forever.

Back to top

UPDATES ON HAITI RELIEF EFFORTS
The relief agencies offering aid to the rescue efforts in Haiti continue to share information. Following are the most recent summaries we've received, along with links for more information.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (from www.thrivent.com)
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will add $1 to every $2, up to a total Thrivent Financial contribution of $1 million, when members donate to one of the following:

 *   Lutheran World Relief.
 *   ELCA Disaster Response.
 *   LCMS World Relief/Human Care.
 *   WELS Committee on Relief.
Thrivent Financial will add a maximum of $250 per member donation, and donations will be accepted through March 31, 2010.

Here are ways to give to Haiti earthquake relief that will qualify for the matching gift:
LCMS World Relief and Human Care in St. Louis:
Online: https://catalog.lcms.org/givenow/Gift_input.asp?ID=800
Phone: 888-930-4438 (toll-free)
Mail: LCMS World Relief and Human Care, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861 (Mark checks "Haiti Earthquake Relief")

Lutheran World Relief in Baltimore:
Online: www.lwr.org/emergencies/10/HaitiEarthquake/index.asp<http://www.lwr.org/emergencies/10/HaitiEarthquake/index.asp>
Phone: 800-LWR-LWR-2 (toll-free)
Mail: Lutheran World Relief - Haiti Earthquake, P.O. Box 17061, Baltimore, MD 21298-9832

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans:
Online: www.thrivent.com/helpinghaiti<http://www.thrivent.com/helpinghaiti>
Phone: 800-236-3736 (toll-free) - (when prompted, please say "directory" then enter ext. 83003.) Questions on this program may also be directed to this phone number.

Thrivent expects that this response will result in more than $3 million to support the earthquake survivors: $2 million donated by members and an additional $1 million from Thrivent Financial. Be a part of the Helping Haiti effort and make a difference for the victims of this natural disaster.

Lutherans in Medical Missions

Lutherans in Medical Missions is funding the transportation costs of Rev. Dr. Douglas Rutt of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, and Dr. John Lautenschlager, M.D. of St. Louis to join the LCMS World Mission and World Relief and Human Care team in Santiago, Dominican Republic, on Thursday, January 19, 2010. They will help assess how to best use resources to aid the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

All donations designated for the work in Haiti will be used to help those affected by the earthquake. Please keep the people in Haiti and all relief workers in your thoughts and prayers. If you have any questions on the Lutherans in Medical Missions' relief efforts, please send a note to limm at limm.org<mailto:limm at limm.org>. Donations to LIMM can be sent to:

LIMM

Haiti Earthquake Relief

P.O. Box 766

Concordia, MO 64020

Orphan Grain Train

Orphan Grain Train, a non-profit organization based out of Norfolk, Nebraska, is asking for your donations of new or used summer clothes and medical supplies such as: crutches, canes, walkers, walking shoes for broken foot, slings, braces, etc for survivors of the earthquake in Haiti. OGT is also asking for cash donations to assist with shipping costs. Cash donations should be sent directly to the corporate headquarters at Orphan Grain Train, PO Box 1466, Norfolk, NE 68702-1466.

Orphan Grain Train is a Christian volunteer network that shares personal and material resources with needy people in America and around the world. Grain Train volunteers gather donations of clothing, medical supplies, and equipment.

Donations can be dropped off during business hours 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Industrial Repair Services at 309 East 2nd Street, Suite 4, in Papillion, Nebraska. Chuck Martin, a local OGT volunteer, can be reached at 402-339-4691 for alternative drop off times.  For more information on the Orphan Grain Train, please visit www.ogt.org<http://www.ogt.org>

Collect Food, Hygiene Items to Send to Haiti

The Lutheran Church-Missouri-Synod<http://www.lcms.org/> (LCMS) is seeking donations of food, water, and hygiene items within the next two weeks for shipment to Haiti in cooperation with Lutheran partners. The request for donations is in response to last Tuesday's devastating earthquake<http://www.lcms.org/ca/worldrelief/dnews>.

Two 40-foot shipping containers will be loaded with donated supplies and shipped to the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, as soon as arrangements can be finalized.

Requested items include bottled water, canned food with pop tops, peanut butter, dry rice and beans, bedding, shovels and tools, buckets, antibacterial ointment, bandages, washcloths, soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, first-aid ointment, and clean, used clothing in good condition.

The items can be sent to:

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church

7601 SW 39th St.

Davie, FL 33328

954-475-0683

St. Paul Lutheran Church

801 West Palmetto Park Rd.

Boca Raton, FL  33486

561-395-0433

"I am deeply humbled by the generosity and mercy of the LCMS people and congregations,'' said Rev. Glenn F. Merritt, LCMS World Relief and Human Care director of disaster response. "They have opened their hearts and their wallets to help those suffering in Haiti, and for that, I am thankful. The needs are great and continuing. We are now asking our fellow Lutherans to help us collect food, hygiene, and medical items that we pray will ease some of the hardships and sorrows caused by the devastation.''

The donation drive is a joint effort of LCMS World Relief and Human Care<http://www.lcms.org/worldrelief> (LCMS WR-HC), the LCMS Florida-Georgia District, MISSION: HAITI, and Orphan Grain Train (OGT). Through grants, LCMS WR-HC will assist with shipping charges. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Haiti (ELCH) as well as OGT and MISSION: HAITI partners in Haiti will receive the containers of donations in Port-au-Prince and oversee their distribution.

Financial donations are also urgently required for the long-term Lutheran response in Haiti. To make a gift, visit http://givenowlcms.org, call toll-free 888-930-4438, or mail checks marked "Haiti Earthquake Relief" to LCMS World Relief and Human Care, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861.

Lutheran World Relief

Lutheran World Relief and its partners on the ground are rushing to provide water, water purification supplies, food, and shelter items to victims of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12.

"At this point, water is a critical need on the ground. People have been without access to water for days in warm temperatures. Delivering clean water will help save lives in Haiti," says LWR president John Nunes.

LWR has pledged $1 million to overall relief work in Haiti, and anticipates increasing that commitment as partners work to assess needs on the ground.  LWR will send an initial $150,000 to the Lutheran World Federation immediately to deliver water containers and purification materials, as well as temporary shelter items. LWR is also coordinating with 400 people on the ground through partnerships with Catholic Relief Services, local partners in Haiti, and other international faith-based organizations.

"Getting aid into Haiti has been challenging. We've been asking LWR supporters to please send cash so that we can quickly get aid in," adds Trevor Knoblich, LWR's Program Coordinator for Emergency Response.

A shipment of Lutheran World Relief health kits and layettes left LWR's warehouse in New Windsor, Md., January 19 to be distributed to Haitian earthquake survivors. LWR partner Church World Service will distribute the shipment of 650 health kits and 1500 layettes, the first of multiple planned shipments to Haiti. LWR has committed material resources valued at nearly $500,000 and plans to send more health kits and layettes, along with quilts and school kits, in the near future.

Health kits with soap, washcloth, towel, toothbrush and toothpaste, nail clippers, and a comb, help people living in desperate situations to maintain basic hygiene. Layettes, containing a baby blanket, diapers, and baby clothing, help parents care for their infants. Lutheran congregations and groups in the U.S. assemble the kits and donate them to LWR for use in overseas emergencies.

"In the aftermath of a disaster, when people are living in very close quarters and without adequate sanitation, the spread of disease is a very real concern," said Trevor Knoblich, LWR's program coordinator for emergency response. "Something as simple as a bar of soap can make such a big difference."

LWR issued an appeal to its U.S. supporters to increase their donations of quilts, health kits and school kits in order to meet the needs in Haiti.

"Right now our stocks are running low, and we are critically low on health kits," said Knoblich. "We know from experience that Lutherans are compassionate people, and we are asking that they donate whatever quilts and kits they can to help us meet the incredible needs in Haiti."

LWR is accepting donations to the "Haiti Earthquake Fund" on its website, www.lwr.org/Haiti<http://lwr.convio.net/site/R?i=YgU4lGwFJd-L6_sjgHULRA..>, by phone at 800-LWR-LWR-2, and by mail at P.O. Box 17061, Baltimore, MD 21298-9832. Members of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans can get their gifts to LWR matched. Thrivent is giving $1 for every $2 donated. For more information or to have your gift matched, visit www.lwr.org/Haiti<http://lwr.convio.net/site/R?i=HaGlZ9PXBjmsW3pryCTfTw..>.

LWR has also launched a new "text-to-give" service, allowing supporters to quickly and easily text contributions to be billed to their monthly cell phone account. To give, text the keyword "LWR" to 40579 to donate $10. Remember to reply YES to the confirmation. Standard messaging and data rates may apply.

Haiti Church President Gives Report (From www.lcms.org<http://www.lcms.org/>)

President Marky Kessa of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH) contacted Rev. S.T. Williams, Jr., of the Haiti Lutheran Mission Coordinating Committee and senior pastor at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Los Angeles, Calif., with the following report:

*         Port au Prince and Jacmel are in ruins.

*         Over 100,000 are estimated dead.

*         Three-quarters of the people are sleeping on the streets.

*         There is no power or water.

*         He has no idea how many ELCH members are dead.

*         All Lutheran pastors are alive as far as he knows.

*         He is going to each church and holding prayer and funeral services.

*         The church is focusing on the injured, to keep them alive.

*         Rev. Doris Jean Louis in Port-au-Prince is okay. However, the church and school are possibly destroyed.

*         Rev. Thomas Bernard in Port-au-Prince is okay. The church and school were damaged.

*         Lay Minister Lophane Laurent in Port-au-Prince is alive and helping others in Port-au-Prince.

*         The Isidor and Touloute family in Les Cayes is okay.

*         Rev. Jean Claude Marin in Central Platue is okay.

*         Rev. Eliona Bernard in Cap Haitian said the area was shaken, but there is limited damage.

*         Rev. Daniel Paul in Fort Liberty is okay and reports no problems.

*         President Revenel Benoit in Gonaives is okay. He said a mission team in Port-au-Prince is waiting for flight to the U.S./Canada.

*         He welcomes any mission teams as soon as possible with: cash, medical supplies, water, food, and clothing. At this time, medical supplies can get into the country for free. He is available to meet people at the airport.

*         The needs are overwhelming. He asked for prayer and immediate assistance.

"As brothers and sisters in Christ we pray for wisdom and the grace and mercy of God to prevail as we respond in faith and Christian love," wrote Rev. Williams. "Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy."

To make a gift that shares Christ's mercy and helps suffering Haitians, visit www.lcms.org<http://www.lcms.org/>, call toll free 888-930-4438, or mail donations marked "Haiti Earthquake Relief" to LCMS World Relief and Human Care, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861.

Back to top

NEBRASKA'S HOSPICE ASSOCIATION SEEKING AWARD NOMINATIONS
The state's hospice association, the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partnership, is seeking nominations for its annual awards program. The awards will be presented at the Association's annual banquet. Held in conjunction with the Association's Annual "Living a Good Life...at the End of Life" Conference, the banquet is scheduled for March 31, 2010, at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln.

The Shining Star Award recognizes an individual, group, or organization that has done outstanding work in the leadership of end-of-life care in their community or statewide. Nominees should have illustrated outstanding leadership in the promotion of end-of-life services; raised awareness of or educated others on end-of-life issues; developed a new program; or developed or completed outstanding work in an end-of-life coalition.

The Spirit of Hospice Award recognizes individuals that have shown true commitment and outstanding dedication to the hospice philosophy of care. Nominees should have promoted quality hospice care over the last year. They should display openness to the needs of all they have cared for, reverencing the dignity of all areas of diversity.

Outstanding Hospice Volunteer recognition will be given to exemplary hospice volunteers. Outstanding volunteers identified by their hospice programs will be invited to stand and be recognized as their names and hospice programs are announced at the banquet.

Nominations will be accepted through Feb. 12, 2010. Go to www.nehospice.org<http://www.nehospice.org/> to view award details and nomination forms.

The Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partnership is a collaborative effort of more than 50 organizations with an interest in good care for terminally and chronically ill Nebraskans. Established as a 501(c)3 community betterment non-profit in 1983, the Association includes Nebraska hospices, community end-of-life coalitions, and other health and elder-care organizations.

Back to top

LUTHERAN CHOIR OF LINCOLN BEGINS SPRING SEASON
The Lincoln Lutheran Choir invites interested musicians to join them as they begin their spring concert season. Rehearsals begin January 31 with a retreat at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Lincoln, from 2 to 6 p.m. Interested singers may contact Sandie Anderson at 402-489-3948 or email the choir board at lincolnlutheranchoir at gmail.com<mailto:lincolnlutheranchoir at gmail.com>.  This spring season's concert will be a special Mother's Day presentation on May 9. In collaboration with a professional orchestra, the choir will present J.S. Bach's Magnificat and Vivaldi's Gloria.

Back to top

OPPORTUNITIES TO VISIT GERMANY THIS YEAR
ACT NOW - This is the last time these tours will be publicized in this newsletter, so contact the tour of your choice and make plans now to tour the "Land of Luther"!

May 22 - June 1
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. The $4099 per person cost will include most meals, first-class accommodations, roundtrip airfare from Omaha, and other amenities.

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<mailto:The1Rev at cableone.net> for more information. There are only 6 spots left, so call today!.

June 15-25
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 the group 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 regard 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<mailto:revrandyk at yahoo.com> or 402-494-1847 or 712-540-8243.

September 14-24
Pastor Bill and Martha Moorhead invite anyone to join them for a trip to Germany that incorporates Luther/Reformation sites, the Passion Play, and Oktoberfest, as well as some other off-the-beaten-path sites. The trip will be Sept 14-24, 2010. Contact Rev. Moorhead at pastormoorhead at pacifichillslutheran.org<mailto:pastormoorhead at pacifichillslutheran.org> with questions or for details.

Back to top

AT EASE LUNCHEON IN OMAHA
Please join Lutheran Family Services (LFS) and Chuck Hagel at an awareness luncheon at the Qwest Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St., on Monday, January 25, at 11:45 a.m. Please arrive 20 minutes early for parking ($6) and seating. Come learn more about and support the LFS At Ease program, which provides trauma treatment and therapeutic support for active military, veterans, and their loved ones. Tickets are $50, with table and sponsorship packages available. Visit www.LFSneb.org<http://www.lfsneb.org/> or call 402-591-5063 to register or for event information. For At Ease program information, please contact Debra Jones, At Ease Program Manager, at 402-292-9105 or AtEase at LFSneb.org<mailto:AtEase at LFSneb.org>.

Back to top

CONNECT WITH THE FIALA MISSIONARY FAMILY IN EURASIA (from the Fiala family newsletter - December 2009)
The following request was made by David and Radka Fiala, Nebraska missionaries serving LCMS World Mission in Slovakia. This would be a great opportunity if you or your congregation supports the Fiala family, or if you are looking for a missionary to support.

Can we Skype with YOU?
In recent newsletters, you've been able to read about the various uses of Skype to connect with people in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world. David and I would like to invite you to consider setting up a video Skype call during events, Bible study hours, or Sunday school at your church so we could see you and share news with you "in person" even though we're not physically present at your church. This would be a way for you to hear what we're currently working on so you can feel more connected to ministries happening far away. It would be a huge blessing for our family to pray with you and keep in touch across the miles. If you're interested in this idea, we're ready to try it out! Please email us at David.Fiala at lcms.org<mailto:David.Fiala at lcms.org>, so we can make this happen !!!  Thank you!

Back to top

SEND PHONE MESSAGES INSTANTLY TO EVERY CONGREGATION MEMBER
Studies have shown that people need to hear a message seven or more times before it sinks in. That may make you ask, "Should I count on a bulletin blurb alone to remind my members of tomorrow's event?" Probably not. Concordia Publishing House's resource, MemberCaller, could be the answer to your prayers.

MemberCaller is a new technology that allows you to call every member in your congregation instantly. So, next time bad weather hits and choir practice is canceled, or you want to send a prayer request out to a large group, don't rely on e-mail or try to call every member in your group, instead use MemberCaller to send every member a pre-recorded message.

MemberCaller is compatible with other CPH resources like Shepherd's Staff and MemberConnect and is great for congregations that are big or small. Visit www.ctsmemberconnect.net<http://www.ctsmemberconnect.net/> for more information or call 800-325-2399 to discover more.

Back to top

NATIONAL LUTHERAN SCHOOLS WEEK WORSHIP AND ACTIVITY MANUAL NOW AVAILABLE (from http://www.lcms.org/pages/rpage.asp?NavID=16391)
Lutheran schools and their sponsoring congregations may order a variety of resources from LCMS District and Congregational Services -- School Ministry and Concordia Publishing House to promote "National Lutheran Schools Week," set for March 7-13.

This year's theme, "Securing Each Child's Future -- for a Life of Service," is based on 1 Cor. 12:5: "and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord."

"National Lutheran Schools Week is a chance for Lutheran schools to celebrate their special heritage and an opportunity to promote themselves to their communities," Bill Cochran, director of LCMS School Ministry, told Reporter.

The ministry is offering a 71-page Worship and Resource Manual, available in downloadable PDF format, that includes an original song for this year's National Lutheran Schools Week ("To All of God's Children," by Dr. Jeffrey Burkart), worship resources, chapel services, devotionals, and suggested activities for all educational levels.

Cost of the manual is $20 and it may be ordered online, with a credit card, or with a mail-in form, along with a check, from the DCS Store at www.lcms.org/?1774<http://www.lcms.org/?1774>.

Other Schools Week items -- including teacher appreciation items, stickers, bookmarks, and posters -- may be ordered from Concordia Publishing House's website at www.cph.org<http://www.cph.org> (click on the "Christian Education" link) or by calling 800-325-3040.

For more information, call Kathy Fangmann in the LCMS School Ministry office at 800-248-1930, ext. 1285.

Back to top

GERMAN CHURCH OFFERS CAMP FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS (from Reporter Online, http://www.lcms.org/pages/rpage.asp?NavID=16290)
The Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church, an LCMS partner church known by its German acronym, SELK, is offering a weeklong camp to Lutheran teens and young adults this summer in Wittenberg, Germany.

"LutherCamp," set for July 30-Aug. 8 in a campground on the Elbe River, is offering young people ages 16 to 29 "from all over the world the opportunity to get to know the historical roots of the Lutheran faith, and to grow in their personal faith," according to a flier for the annual event.

"We would like to bring young folks from different countries together to discuss how to live as a Lutheran in the 21st century, and how to spread the Good News of the Gospel."

LutherCamp 2010 includes:

 *   a video presentation, "Luther for Today," which explores how the teachings of Martin Luther are relevant for today's young people.
 *   opportunities to take part in outreach projects in Wittenberg: serving a vacation Bible school, painting and doing other chores at a school, and helping "people in need" with shopping, cleaning, and other tasks.
 *   tours to local Luther sites, including museums; Luther's home; the City Church, where Luther preached; the Castle Church, where he posted his 95 theses; and the house of Luther's co-worker, Philipp Melanchthon.
 *   canoeing, swimming, and biking.
 *   a night tour of Wittenberg.
 *   Bible studies and worship.

Cost for the week is 189 euros (about $285 at today's exchange rate), which includes accommodations in tents, meals, and entrance and excursion fees. A daily fee of 25 euros (about $38) also is available for those who wish to attend for a few days.

Deadline for registrations is May 1. After that date, full registration will be 220 euros, and the one-day rate, 30 euros. The camp is limited to 30 English-speaking participants, so early registration is advised.

For more information or to register, send an e-mail to Rev. Hinrich Muller at cottbus at selk.de<mailto:cottbus at selk.de> or call him in Germany at 011-49-355-24542.  Or, visit the website www.freizeitfieber.de<http://www.freizeitfieber.de> (click on the LutherCamp logo, then "Flyer.pdf" for English information).

Back to top

DO YOU KNOW A FUTURE CHURCH WORKER?
What would make someone decide to enter church work? We always hear stories from children who want to be a doctor, nurse, teacher, or firefighter when they grow up. But at what point, and in what way, do children begin considering a career in church work?

According to a recent study by the What a Way<http://www.whataway.org/> committee of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod<http://www.lcms.org/> (LCMS), current church workers play a critical role identifying, informing, and encouraging the next generation to consider a career in church work. Ministry workers said church workers, when grouped together, were the leading reason for their career choice, at 64 percent. Pastors were the single most influential group followed by family, the study found.

The ministry workers surveyed said the following influenced them the most:
*        29 percent pastors
*        28 percent family
*        22 percent Christian teacher
*        8 percent friends
*        6 percent other church worker
*        4 percent youth leader
*        3 percent lay leader

So what makes a good church worker? The apostle Paul referred to himself as a servant, as did Peter and the author of James. What would make someone want to be a church worker when "servant" is the primary job description? The answer comes from the Bible.

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took upon himself the role of a servant and washed the feet of His disciples. "When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, 'Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.' '' (John 13:12-16 ESV)

L. Dean Hempelmann, director of What a Way, said that servant-minded church workers must have a love for God and his Word. They must also have "the ability to work with people, a passion for studying and applying God's Word, excellent communication skills, a love for sharing the Gospel with others, and patience,'' he said. "But at the center of it all, a church worker believes in Christ, follows His example, and joyfully serves God's people."

*        Sometimes this service is straightforward as with Anjee Stiles, a teacher at Gethsemane Lutheran School in Northglenn, Colo., who instructs her kindergarten children about Jesus the Good Shepherd as part of the academic curriculum.
*        Sometimes it is as simple as when Deaconess Carol Goldfish, from Trinity Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, visits a shut-in and shares the news of a God whose love is unending.
*        Other times it is as obvious as when Alaina Kleinbeck, director of Christian education from Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Charles, Mo., takes the time to visit youth in her school, reminding students that Jesus' love is not bound by walls or institutions.
*        Very often, it is as clear as when Pastor David Gunderson of St. John Lutheran Church in Yankton, S.D., prays with a couple before they are married.

"Church work positions are rewarding on so many levels," said Hempelmann. "Our prayer is that men and women, no matter their stage in life, keep open hearts and minds in order to hear and respond to the call to church work."

There are many professional church worker positions open throughout the world. For information about church work positions within The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, please visit www.WhataWay.org<http://whataway.lcms.org/> or www.LCMS.org<http://www.LCMS.org>.

Back to top

Blessings,
Nichole Hetz
Nebraska District LCMS
Director of Communications
1-888-643-2961
nicholeh at ndlcms.org<mailto:nicholeh at ndlcms.org>
www.ndlcms.org<http://www.ndlcms.org/>

* Please Note: The inclusion of items in the Update from outside sources is for informational purposes only. Inclusion of such items does not constitute District endorsement.

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: text/html
Size: 106906 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20100120/b4f2bfb3/attachment.txt
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 8048 bytes
Desc: image001.gif
Url : http://lists.ndlcms.org/pipermail/distupd/attachments/20100120/b4f2bfb3/image001-0001.gif