Let your light shine...

Transcription

1 The Lutheran Beacon Let your light shine... Published by the SELC District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod OCTOBER 2014 Dear Friends in Christ, Help Wanted... Nurses! by Jacqueline Girard, SELC District Representative for Parish Nursing As I write this, it is the evening of 9/11. Have thirteen years really gone by? The shock, fear, heartache, and sadness seem all too fresh. In Mark 13:32, Jesus said But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (ESV) It reminds us that every minute of every day is a precious gift. With these gifts, we are able to serve in His name. The aftermath of the 9/11 horror and tragedy was a renewed spirit of patriotism and comradery. Let us use this as a model to care for each other. As your SELC District Representative for Parish Nursing, it is my vision to establish a practice within each parish in our district. Within the next several weeks, I will be contacting each parish to determine your available resources (nurses). I so look forward to assisting you in establishing, refining, and mentoring this wonderful program. Over the last several months, while establishing a parish nurse program within my own parish, it has become more and more apparent that it is an essential aspect of the holistic care of our parishioners. Mind, body, and spirit the health of each entity affects the whole. I have found that our parishioners have many questions regarding their health and their health care. As Christians, it is so appropriate to be able to provide this information and insight in a faith-based setting. In preparation for our correspondence, I would ask that you begin to consider those within your parish that would be willing and available to participate and serve in this program. For those of you that have a parish nurse, please have information available that may be submitted to our LCMS Parish Nurse Directory. Your parish nurses have the ability to contact other parish nurses within the synod to reach beyond our local communities to provide care and assistance. For example, my mother lives in Texas and my aunt lives in Minnesota. Through our directory, I am able to contact parish nurse colleagues in those areas to provide assistance to my mom and my aunt. Believe me, we nurses love to network! Nurses have been given the gift of caring and service. Some of us volunteer, and some of us need to be asked. Regardless of the process, we are available to serve. Romans 12:6-7 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching. (ESV)

2 The Privilege of Prayer One of God s great gifts is the privilege of prayer through which we have the opportunity to petition and praise Him. In Psalm 50:15 God graciously invites us to pray: Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will honor Me. Psalm136:1 reminds us to be thankful: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. The encouragement of 1 Thess. 5:16 to pray continually reminds us to make prayer a part of daily living. Prayer Time - Anywhere, Anytime Walking through a forested and flowered park, awed by the beauty of God s creation, it s not uncommon for a Christian to stop and glorify God. Driving past a horrible car accident, Christians are often moved to pray for those involved and thank God for their noninvolvement. Praise and petition. Anywhere! Anytime! It s as automatic as breathing for a child of God. Time for Private Devotions In addition to spontaneous prayers, a Christian should schedule a specific time for a daily private devotion. It should be a two way conversation with God speaking to us and we to God. Martin Luther once indicated that if we read Scripture before prayer, we will have something to pray about. How long should a devotion be? Gospel freedom allows it to be a matter of personal choice. Average devotion time seems to vary from ten, fifteen to thirty or more minutes. Whatever the length, time should be scheduled as a priority. Format for Personal Prayer Time Portals of Prayer, a daily devotional booklet published by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, offers a good format involving a two-way conversation with God through Scripture and prayer. A more personal approach could involve a study of Scripture using The Concordia Self Study Bible. A structured prayer, short or long depending on the time available, could include the following: > Invocation & Lord s Prayer > Confession of Sins & Profession of Faith > Luther s Morning or Evening Prayer Managing Time for Prayer by Rev. Thomas Soltis, SELC Stewardship Director > Prayer for Spiritual Blessings > Prayer for Earthly Blessings > Petitions for Family & Others > Prayers for Church & State > Thanksgiving for Blessings > Glorification of God > Hymn Coping with Time for Prayer Time Busyness is a time eater. Jesus was very busy. Yet He and His disciples took time out. Consider this from Mark 6:31: Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them (His disciples): Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. Busy as He was, Jesus also took time out to pray. Crowds of people came to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:15-16) Prayer was a priority. Setting Priorities Are you over-scheduled? Watch out! It may wear you out! Not only that, your spiritual battery may end up dead! Time should be prioritized for spiritual recharging. Yes! Sometimes you have to say No. You don t have to serve on every church or community committee, belong to every club, allow your kids on every team or school activity. Everyone should pick a favorite and do their best. Stephen Covey, in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, writes: Whenever we say Yes to something, we have to say No to something else. When scheduling personal prayer time, you may have to say No to something else - like watching all four quarters of an NFL TV game. The fourth quarter is the one that really counts anyway. It s a great mistake to chew up time with too many commitments, involvements and activities at the expense of rest, prayer, peaceful quiet time and happy family relationships. RELATED RESOURCE - Stewardship Personal Stewardship-Christian Life Time Management

3 The SELC District Convention Hosted by Zion Lutheran Church, Clark NJ Thursday, April 9 - Sunday, April 12, 2015 (This is the weekend AFTER Easter) Thursday, April 9 -- Travel day Afternoon: Board of Directors pre-convention meeting Convention Committees Registration of Delegates & Guests Evening: Opening Worship Service with Holy Communion Friday, April A.M. Circuit Forums P.M. District & Synodical Reports; Election of District President Saturday, April Sunday, April Finances: Work Program; Elections of all other Offices Memorial Service and Installation of Officers NECESSARY DEADLINES (revised and simplified): Tuesday, November 18, 2014 SEND TO SELC SECRETARY: Rev. Chris Ongstad, 4041 W. 120 th St., Alsip IL Credentials and Registrations for each Congregational Pastoral and Layperson Voting Delegate (plus alternate layperson delegate) 2. Nominations for Circuit Visitor (Counselor) SEND TO SELC DISTRICT PRESIDENT: Rev. Carl Krueger, 6240 S. Elaine Ave., Cudahy WI All reports by Officers and Committee Chairmen 2. Congregational or Circuit Forum generated Overtures (Resolutions). Tuesday, January 20, 2015 SEND TO SELC SECRETARY: Rev. Chris Ongstad, 4041 W. 120 th St., Alsip IL Nominations for District President and District Vice-presidents Tuesday, February 17, 2015 SEND TO SELC SECRETARY: Rev. Chris Ongstad, 4041 W. 120 th St., Alsip IL Credential Forms for all Advisory Delegates (Any Rostered Professional Church Worker who is not a Voting Delegate) SEND TO SELC DISTRICT PRESIDENT: Rev. Carl Krueger, 6240 S. Elaine Ave., Cudahy WI Nominations for ALL District Elected Positions (other than DP or VPs) PLEASE NOTE: SELC CONGREGATIONS should hold a Voters Assembly this Fall 2014 to: - Elect a Voting Delegate (and Alternate), who is able to attend the Circuit Forum, the District Convention, and potentially the LCMS National Convention (if elected to represent the Circuit), to be held in Milwaukee WI. July 9-16, Include in the Congregation s 2015 Budget o $2/Communicant as a District Convention Assessment o Travel, food, and lodging expenses for Congregation s Delegate 3

4 Lutheran Missionary Pastor Installed in Honduras by Rev. Brian Roberts God answered the prayers of many people on May 24 th in La Paz, Honduras. Pastor Junior Martinez, a missionary of Iglesia Luterana Sinodo de Nicaragua (the Lutheran Church of Nicaragua) was installed as a church planter at the Children of Love Foundation. A partnership between St. Luke s Lutheran Church, Oviedo, the Lutheran Church- Canada, and the Lutheran Church of Nicaragua celebrates W ord and Sacrament ministry on the campus of a community-based ministry, called the Children of Love Foundation. The Foundation serves orphaned and abandoned children by providing a home, education, and love. In addition the Foundation has reached out to countless families in La Paz and surrounding villages. Over 400 children have been baptized by St. Luke s pastors. Members of St. Luke s have been serving on mission trips or supporting the Foundation with resources for the past several years. A beautiful chapel building was built by members of Faith Lutheran Church in Viera only a few years ago, and serves as a perfect location for worship. Luncheon Reception following the Installation Service L-R: Rev. Dr Leonardo Neitzel, Rev Junior Martinez, Rev. Marvin Donaire, Rev. Brian Roberts Laying on of hands Pastor Martinez resides on the Children of Love Foundation campus with his wife, Rosita, and his 9 year old daughter, Maria, and 5 year old son, Junior. The children at the Foundation and members of the community are now being blessed with worship services, Bible Studies, and pastoral care. The installation service was presided over by the Rev. Marvin Donaire, President of the Lutheran Church of Nicaragua. Preaching at the service was the Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel, Mission Director of the Lutheran Church Canada. Participating in the laying on of hands was the Rev. Brian Roberts, Pastor at St. Luke s Lutheran Church, Oviedo, Florida. A luncheon celebration was held, following the service, with many community members attending. 4

5 Intentional Interim Pastor Installed at Peace by Rev. Paul Hoyer LtoR: Pastor Paul Hoyer, Pastor Roy Minnix, James Marrs (congregation president) The Rev. Roy Minnix was installed as an Intentional Interim Pastor for Peace Lutheran Church in Galloway Twsp, New Jersey. Rev. Paul Hoyer, SELC Mission Executive, installed Rev. Minnix in the Sunday service on July 20,2014. Rev. Minnix is being trained as an Interim Pastor and will be working with Peace Lutheran Church for the next 6 months, with the opportunity for 6 more, but he is not eligible for a permanent call to that congregation. The Interim Pastor will work with the congregation to help them focus on a clear mission and vision and prepare them for the changes that will need to take place as they call a new pastor. Rev. Minnix and the Peace congregation are both excited for the possibilities that this relationship holds for the future of Peace congregation. Dr. Doug s Disaster Corner It s time for another edition of the Disaster Corner. Let us discuss what to do with pets during a disaster. First, let us establish that your pets rely on you for their total lifesupport including emotional comfort. Abandoning them and leaving them on their own is the extreme, last resort. People love their pets as members of their family and will not leave them behind Hurricane Katrina taught us this fact very dramatically. The Red Cross and the Salvation Army have recognized this and now set up shelters that accept pets. They have information brochures that state what to bring with you and your pets to a shelter. Here is a summary of the items you need to bring with you. Your pet s needs may dictate additional items. 1. Three day supply of their food 2. Litter supplies if your pet requires it 3. Pet management equipment a. Cages and/or pet carriers b. Leashes, collars, muzzles, harnesses and the like 4. Their latest shot records showing that their shots (mainly rabies) are current 5. Any medications that they may need 6. Pet toys that could entertain the pets during their stay in the shelter Let me conclude with this statement. Relocating to a shelter is very stressful for you and your pet. Your pet relies on you for its emotional support. You need to be there to comfort your pet and in turn, your pet will provide comfort for you as well. 5

6 This hymn is themed for 11/16 in the lectionary cycle. For congregations following the cycle, this might be a good time for organists to consider and, if interested, familiarize themselves with it. Submitted by Pastor Gary Scharrer 6

7 thecross Mount Dora, Florida thecross Mount Dora is expanding. We are targeting a November move-in date to the new space. God has blessed our church of almost three years with a lot of growth. We are averaging over 250 people on a Sunday morning and our new space will seat over 350 and have an awesome coffeehouse in the back part of it. We are moving from 4200 total square feet to just over square feet and will stay in our plaza where we are currently meeting. In that 11,000 square feet we will have a 5000 square feet worship center, a coffee shop, 2 nurseries, a 2900 square foot multi-purpose room, and one smaller classroom as well. Our plaza is located in the busiest intersection in the city of Mount Dora. God has certainly blessed us by being in a storefront in a public place. You can follow along and see pictures of renovation and expansion on our Facebook page! Ice Bucket Challenge Cools Us Off Over 100 from thecross took part in the Ice Bucket Challenge. Our church nominates Holy Cross in Lake Mary, FL, First Presbyterian in Eustis, FL, and King of Kings in Omaha, NE. We challenge your churches to match or beat our donation of $1000 to ALS and dump a whole lot of ice buckets on your heads. #icebucketchallenge #strikeoutals #churchbucketchallenge. Get Ready... Get Set... GO! That was fun! Thankfully, ethical alternatives exist for those Christians who are moved to support research to treat ALS. A quick internet search revealed at least four organizations that are conducting research using the ethically-harvested stem cell lines, and some of the research conducted from those lines has already shown great promise toward effective therapies. The Rev. Daniel Hinton, Assoc. Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Cheyenne, Wonting. [Editor s note: These organizations are among those that avoid the use of embryonic stem cells in their medical research efforts: ALS Therapy Development Institute; John Paul II Medical Research Institute; and Midwest Stem-Cell Therapy Center] 7

8 Will Rev. Zach Zehnder Break a Guinness World Record? How Long Can He Go? On November 7th-9th, Pastor Zach Zehnder (thecross, Mount Dora FL) will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for longest speech marathon. The current record is 46.5 hours and Pastor Zach is planning over a 50-hour sermon on the Bible, starting in Genesis and going through Revelation. This world-record attempt is serving as a fund-raiser for Hand-in-Hand, a non-profit ministry that started out of thecross Mount Dora. The goal is to raise $100,000 through this event. Here's the details, and you can find more at WHAT: Pastor Zach Zehnder will challenge the Guinness Book of World Records for Longest Speech Marathon. The current record for longest speech marathon is just over 46 hours. The longest sermon ever on record is just over 29 hours. WHEN: November 7th, starting at 7AM going until???? WHERE: The challenge will take place at thecross Mount Dora: in Mount Dora, FL WHY: The reason for attempting this world record is to raise money for the upcoming Powerhouse Addiction Recovery Program, sponsored by Hand-in-Hand, a new not-for-profit that has arisen out of thecross Mount Dora. This program will address all issues of addiction whether they be alcohol, drugs, sex, or just plain life issues. The money we raise in this event will go directly towards that cause! To find our more about Hand-in-Hand go here. HOW YOU CAN HELP: There s 5 ways to help: 1) You could be a sponsor for our event. If you are interested in promoting your business and helping out a good cause, view our sponsorship package here and let us know by September 1st. You can pay directly by going to our donate page here. 2) You could pledge a specific amount or pledge per hour that Zach is able to preach or pledge per hour that a participant is able to sit through the event. We are working on integrating this pledge software and should have it updated shortly. 3) You can sign up on our Facebook event page here to stay up-to-date. After you ve signed in, please invite your Facebook friends to join the event as well. [ 4) Spread the news of this event with as many people as possible. You can use our unique hashtag #longestspeechever wherever you spread it online. 5) Tune in on November 7th-9th and interact with us by asking questions, leaving comments, etc. WHO: Zach Zehnder is a fourth generation pastor and has a master s degree in divinity from Concordia Seminary. Pastor Zach Zehnder, at the age of 30, has made it well known to his congregation and public, that church is not a scary place. In fact, people in churches are allowed to have fun. With the help of a great team, Zach planted thecross in Mount Dora 3 years ago. Click here for the church website. MORE DETAILS: Pastor Zach s intention is to go as long as possible, and is planning on and writing 50 1-hour speeches. The speeches can be filled with Q & A and we hope to make this event as engaging as possible. We will be live-streaming the event here on this website so people can watch all over the world, and we will create a unique hashtag for people all over the world to connect with their comments. People can even ask questions that Pastor Zach will answer live at the end of each of the 50 speeches! Pastor Zach is innovative in making his church a place where the unchurched want to attend, without compromising the Gospel. The content for this speech will be the Bible: starting at Genesis and going all the way to Revelation. Pastor Zach will bring the Bible alive in a refreshing and easy-to-understand way, for all ages. The question is: How long can he go? 8

9 St. Athanasius Lutheran Church In Touch by Rev. James Douthwaite Ever wonder why our Lord has put you in a certain place, at a certain time, even doing things you'd rather not be doing? It is not an accident. Our Lord does nothing by accident. Rather, He is using you to be a blessing to others. Consider the following story: Elmer Bendiner was a navigator in a B-17 during WW II. He tells this story of a World War II bombing run over Kassel, Germany, and the unexpected result of a direct hit on their gas tanks. "Our B-17, the Tondelayo, was barraged by flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. That was not unusual, but on this particular occasion our gas tanks were hit. Later, as I reflected on the miracle of a 20 millimeter shell piercing the fuel tank without touching off an explosion, our pilot, Bohn Fawkes, told me it was not quite that simple. "On the morning following the raid, Bohn had gone down to ask our crew chief for that shell as a souvenir of unbelievable luck. The crew chief told Bohn that not just one shell but 11 had been found in the gas tanks. 11 unexploded shells where only one was sufficient to blast us out of the sky. It was as if the sea had been parted for us. A near-miracle, I thought. Even after 35 years, so awesome an event leaves me shaken, especially after I heard the rest of the story from Bohn. "He was told that the shells had been sent to the armorers to be defused. The armorers told him that Intelligence had picked them up. They could not say why at the time, but Bohn eventually sought out the answer. "Apparently when the armorers opened each of those shells, they found no explosive charge. They were as clean as a whistle and just as harmless. Empty? Not all of them! One contained a carefully rolled piece of paper. On it was a scrawl in Czech. The Intelligence people scoured our base for a man who could read Czech. Eventually they found one to decipher the note. It set us marveling. Translated, the note read: "This is all we can do for you now..." How is God using you? What blessing, what forgiveness, can you give that perhaps no one else can? Or how about those around you? How is God using them for you? You are precious and dearly loved. Even if you are going through tough times right now, know that you are not alone. Your Savior has promised: Never will I leave you or forsake you. And He won't! Even if that help comes from a most unexpected place: like Czech work-slaves! IHS CrossTell a Friend! Do you know of anyone who might benefit from receiving "In Touch"? Just send us their address and we'll add them to our list. Thanks! And if you haven't visited our web site recently, make sure you do! Sermons, news, and more! Or visit our church blog for this week's devotional readings and the latest sermons preached at St. Athanasius, our video blog with short video messages from our Pastor, or our Pastor's blog for his thoughts, questions, and other ponderings. Questions? Comments? Prayer requests? Any other needs? Please feel free to contact us! Visit us online at Rev. James Douthwaite; ; revjdoc@gmail.com 9

10 SELC Student Aid Committee Issues Grants by Jim Hurst The following full-time church work students have received grants from the SELC District Student Aid Committee for the academic year. Please keep these and all students in your prayers as they prepare to serve the Lord wherever and however He has called them to serve. Nicholas Gonzales - Redeemer, Manchester, New Jersey Concordia University Wisconsin - teacher Elizabeth Haenftling - Concordia, Youngstown, Ohio Concordia University Ann Arbor - teacher Michael Winquist - St. Luke s, Oviedo, Florida Concordia University Chicago- teacher Margaret Ruehle - Holy Cross, Lake Mary, Florida Concordia Seminary, St. Louis-Deaconess Daniel Broaddus - St. Athanasius, Vienna, Virginia Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne - seminarian Jacob Hoyer - Holy Cross, Lake Mary, Florida Concordia Seminary, St. Louis- Specific Ministry Program (SMP) - pastor Rev. Chun Lin Hu - Ascension, Montréal, Québec Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne - SMP - pastor Chris Johnson - Holy Cross, Lake Mary, Florida Concordia Seminary, St. Louis - SMP - pastor Milton Lam - Ascension, Montréal, Québec, Canad Concordia Theological Seminary, St. Catherine s, Ontario - seminarian Kurt Steinbrueck - Family of Christ, Tampa, Florida Concordia Seminary, St. Louis - SMP - pastor The SELC Student Aid Committee welcomes donations from individuals and congregations to assist our students as they prepare or full-time ministry. If a congregation desires to adopt a student and give him.her a one-time gift towards their tuition, or would like to begin a regular commitment to aid their seminary education, please contact the Student Aid Committee Chairman, Pastor John Telloni, in one of the following ways: phone , jlt3750@aol.com, or by snail mail at 1900 Wales Rd. NE, Massillon, OH All students from our district congregations who are preparing for full-time church work at our LC-MS colleges, universities, and seminaries are eligible for financial assistance from our district. Financial Aid Application forms can be obtained by contacting Pastor Telloni (see above), or by going to the SELC District website and downloading a copy of the form (on the homepage, go to Resources, to Documents ). 10

11 Citizenship in Heaven by Deaconess Dehlia DeLeon But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ Philippians 3:20 I just started English as a Second Language classes for this year. I have many new students and some returning students in my class. Every single one has a unique story and I ll hear bits and pieces of their stories as I get to know them this year. Some of them will say that they are happy in the United States; others will say they are unhappy and miss their home. I ll have students who will have a strong inward motivation to learn English; others will let fear and doubt cloud their vision and goals. There will be some who have a strong support system of family and friends surrounding them; others will admit they don t have friends here and their family is still in Mexico. All of my students have this in common: They are not from Chicago or Whiting. Their home and their citizenship is from another place that is far from here. They are reminded of their language deficiencies every time they try to communicate to an English speaking person and it s hard. My students feel this burden all the time and perhaps see just a little bit better than U.S. born citizens that they have a great need and want help. It s humbled them and I know they are changed from this experience. It reminds me that we all have this in common with immigrants: Our real home is not here. Our citizenship is in heaven and we await our Lord Jesus Christ to come again soon. I ask for your prayers for my students and for myself that I can help them with their language needs and help them see their greatest need fulfilled only in Jesus Christ. Thank you for your overwhelming support of my ministry. LtoR: Deaconess Dehlia, Daniela, Marcela, Maria, Mildred, Magdalena, Rosa This photo is with my students from St. Paul. We hosted a Mexican dinner in May, where they were able to share their culture and food with members of the church and community. 11

12 HOW TO MAKE A GIFT WITH SAVINGS BONDS by Robin Paris Many of us have invested through the years in U.S. Savings Bonds. Many are also fearful of cashing them in or giving them away for fear of having to report taxable income. Savings bonds are typically taxed once they are cashed in, reissued to another person, or reach maturity. Here are three options that you might consider that will allow you to support your congregation and the LCMS ministries you love with those savings bonds and help you with those tax issues. 1.) Redeem the savings bonds and use the cash to make a gift to Lutheran ministry, designated in any way you wish. If you itemize, the charitable deduction will help to offset the tax burden. 2.) Bequeath your bonds leave those bonds to your church or Lutheran ministry with which you have been involved by putting that bequest in your will. The designated ministry will receive the full value of the savings bonds, which might otherwise be reduced by income taxes. There will be no tax liability for you or your heirs. 3.) Leave the bonds to a charitable trust at your death. This kind of trust will firs benefit your loved ones with payments over a period of time, then the balance will come to the Lutheran church, school, university, seminary or social ministry you have designated, according to your wishes. Questions? Contact Robin Paris, your Gift Planning Counselor. contact information is: Robin E. Paris, CDE, Gift Planning Counselor LCMS Foundation; Office at Holy Cross Lutheran Church 780 North Sun Drive Lake Mary, FL , Ext Cell: Robin.Paris@lfnd.org... A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. Reverend, said the young man, I m sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip. The minister chuckled, I know what you mean! It s the same in my business. 12

13 HAPPENING AROUND OUR SELC DISTRICT URGENT REMINDER! Have you registered for the General Pastoral Conference yet? [Oct. 6-8.] If not, please click on this link to register today CALENDAR UPDATES 2014 SEPTEMBER Council of Presidents Districts Executive Assistants OCTOBER 6-8 SELC General Pastoral Conference 8-9 SELC Board of Directors Council of Presidents Regional Gathering for Great Plaines and Great Lakes Regions NOVEMBER 5-7 Lutheran Haven Board of Trustees Dispute Resolution Process Training Council of Presidents LCEF Annual Meeting 2015 JANUARY 24 SMP Ordinations, Family of Christ, Tampa FL 25 SMP Ordinations, Holy Cross, Lake Mary FL SELC Board of Directors 4-6 Lutheran Haven Board of Trustees FEBRUARY Council of Presidents APRIL 25 Assignments of Vicars and Placement of Candidates LWML Busy at St. John (Cudahy) The ladies of St. John s LWML tie blankets and quilts and pack health and school kits to be donated to Lutheran W orld Relief. T h e y w i l l b e dedicating the items on LWML weekend, Oct.4-5; pack them for shipping on Oct. 6 th ; and take them to the LWR train in Milwaukee WI on Oct. 7th. submitted by Dianne Krueger Holy Cross to Celebrate 75 Years submitted by Lorene B Salzman Holy Cross LC (Alsip IL) will celebrate its 75 th anniversary on Sunday, November 9 th, 2014 with the them 75 Years of God s grace, Psalm 127:1. A special worship service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Our former Pastor, Rev. Andrew Dzurovcik, will be our guest preacher. Following the service there will be a catered meal in our fellowship hall. Condolences - yet comforted in the Resurrection promise - to Pam Meyr (wife of Rev. Ron Meyr) as her mother, Margaret Ann Burger, was translated to Glory on Sept. 6 th, Enjoy The Lutheran Beacon in full color and find up-to-the-minute news visit our website:

14 NEWS AND NOTES ON THE SELC LWML Submitted by Laura Bergmann, SELC LWML District President FALL RALLIES The summer has gone too quickly, and now fall is upon us. It s time to mark our SELC LWML Fall Rallies on your calendar. They are as follows: Eastern Zone Fall Rally: The Eastern Zone Fall Rally will take place on Saturday, October 4, 2014 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Northampton, Pennsylvania. The Rally will start at 9:30 a.m. Lynn Heiney will be the featured speaker. She will talk about the Share Care Faith In Action organization. This group of volunteers helps older people stay in their own homes by helping seniors with various activities such as taking them to the grocery store, or driving them to doctor appointments. Central Zone Fall Rally: The Central Zone Fall Rally will be held on Saturday, September 27, 2014 at Sts. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church in Sharon, Pennsylvania. The registration and coffee hour will begin at 8:30 a.m., with Worship with Holy Communion at 9:30 a.m. A Bible Study, lunch, and business meeting will follow. The Ingathering of cash donations is for the local food pantry. The theme of the Rally is So Do Not Fear, For I Am With You, based on Isaiah 41:10 (NIV). Western Zone Fall Rally: The Western Zone Fall Rally is scheduled for Saturday, November 1, The Rally will be held at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Crown Point, Indiana. The theme of the Rally is Now Is The Time To Witness. Pastor Herbert Schumm of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation will be the featured speaker. The Lutheran Heritage Foundation is one of the Grant recipients of our National mite offerings. At the Fall Zone Rallies, each Zone will choose its delegate and alternate for the 2015 National LWML Convention in Iowa. The Zones are also asked to suggest names of young women to serve as our District s Young Women Representatives at the Convention. NATIONAL LWML CONVENTION The 36 th Biennial Convention of our Lutheran Women s Missionary League will be held at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa from Thursday, June 25 through Sunday, June 28, Don t forget to set these dates aside to attend our National Convention. The Convention theme is Bountiful! Sow Nourish Reap, based on 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV). For up to date information on the Convention, visit Anyone interested in making the SELC District LWML Convention banner should contact our SELC LWML District President, Laura Bergmann, at lwmllaurabergmann@sbcglobal.net or call (219)

15 LWML Mission Updates by Sharon Roegge, LWML Mission Grants Chairman LWML Mission Grants: Among the mission grants that have been paid in full is Voice of Care (VOC) with Persons Developmentally Challenged. With the help of the LWML Northern Illinois District (NID) in the late 1970 s, VOC was able to call their first Chaplain to this ministry. Of 300,000 over 90% of persons with disabilities have been raised without having a church home and have a critical need to know their Savior and receive eternal salvation. Because LWML NID could no longer include VOC in their budget, VOC became incorporated in the State of Illinois and was approved in February of In May of 2005 VOC became a RSO in the LCMS and a member organization of Lutheran Services in America. VOC would like to tell its story throughout The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to engage others in giving of their resources and to begin similar programs in their own communities. The mission grant was #12 on the list and was for $50,600. Mission Grant #9 Strengthening and Expanding Campus Ministry has also received their full amount of $100,000. This grant is to cultivate, through technology, a common direction for Lutheran campus ministry, and to connect and support all involved in campus ministry now and in the future. Lutheran students scattered among many campuses have a common place to gather, get connected, learn, and grow online. Regardless of where one goes to school, The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS U) is for everyone. A vibrant network of LCMS U chapters care for Lutheran young people in body and soul on university and college campuses across the country and those students shine the light of Christ through witness in these academic communities. For more information about these two grants or about the other 16, go to There are also many other resources that you can use within your congregations on the Website. And while you are on the Homepage, check out the devotion A Change of Seasons which was for the first week in September. I had the privilege of being the author. On the district level, we are one third of the way to paying our second grant to Acts 1:8 Mission Society in St. Louis, Missouri. This is a refuge home for parents and caregivers with ill children at Children s Hospital. The Lutheran Beacon As summer comes to an end, we re back to monthly publication! This is your newsletter... Articles & Photos are welcome! Send to Gail Peterson gailpete37@yahoo.com Please submit articles as separate attachments in the program you write in. [e.g. Word Perfect, Word, etc.], NOT as part of your . Photos must be submitted as separate attachments [NOT as part of your article.jpeg format preferred.] You may send multiple photos in one . DEADLINE FOR THE NOVEMBER ISSUE IS OCTOBER 12 TH 15

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