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Love your neighbor as yourself
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SERVANT to SERVANT 8-12-16
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Bishop Jamison J. Hardy had the pleasure of sharing God's Word with the members of Our Savior, Hartland, MI on Sunday, August 7, 2016.
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| Bishop Jamison J. Hardy and The Rev. Christopher I. Thoma, Our Savior, Hartland, MI |
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| "I've always been a kid at heart." |
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The Rev. Nicholas D. Wirtz, The Rev. David M. Burge and The Rev. Steven A. De Santo |
On Sunday, August 7, 2016, The Rev. David M. Burge was installed as the Intentional Interim Pastor at Family of Christ Lutheran Church and Early Education Center, Phoenix, AZ. The Rev. Steven A. De Santo, Circuit Visitor, officiated the installation.
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STATE OF THE ENGLISH DISTRICT
From a Layman's Perspective
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Greetings and blessings in the name of the One who loves us all, Jesus Christ!
My name is Terry Leu and I'm serving you in a second term as an At Large representative on the English District Board of Directors. My home congregation is Prince of Peace in Medina, OH. I would like to share with you my perspective on the "State of the English District."
The English District is doing well. We are strong in Spirit, in mission, and in finances. Our Bishop/President Hardy is focused on the Word of God and keeps God's will as the first focus of all we do. He is a strong and just leader. Our congregations are wide ranging and varied in worship style, but all are committed to the preaching of the Word of God. We continue to see our members living out our theme of "love your neighbor" in many different and unique ways.
Thinking about mission, we are a leader in the Synod with regards to campus ministry. Currently we support 11 different campus ministries with diverse people and needs. Our campus ministries are of many sizes and shapes. Some long term and well established, others just getting started and struggling to carve their place among unique and challenging educational opportunities. The Board is exploring an opportunity to partner with five additional campus ministries. I, along with many others, see this as a fertile mission field.
Another mission opportunity we are pioneering is urban ministry. We support the LCMS National missionaries Adam DeGroot and Rob Kieselowsky in the greater Philadelphia area as part of our outreach; and Peter Burfeind as an urban missionary and campus ministry in Toledo, OH.
Regarding finances, our budget is balanced. Bishop Hardy and his staff are working hard in these changing times to present the Board with a Ministry Spending Plan for next year that is both challenging yet responsible. District wide, congregational giving continues to decline, as is being experienced in many of our own parishes. Yet through creative and prudent management we are able to meet our ministry needs. Our Endowment Fund is a blessing. Thanks be to God, who blessed us with a substantial windfall last year. This Fund is starting to produce reasonable, sustainable, growth and income.
To that end, the Board has created a policy that will contribute to the funding of six ministry needs. They are human care/disaster relief, new mission starts, scholarships, church worker debt relief, campus ministry and other ministries. With your support, as this Fund continues to grow, we will see another blessing of income not related to congregational giving.
In closing I would like to thank you for the confidence and trust you have placed with the Board. Please continue to pray for the Bishop, his staff and the Board as we continue to pray for and serve you.
Responding to God's great love for me,
Terry Leu
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The English District Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod supports and funds missions, from our churches' local communities to people across the globe. Whether it is a scholarship or basic humanitarian needs, we try to "love our neighbors as ourselves" in all we do. Your financial support can assist us in doing more in Christ's name. To support English District ministries
click here.
Please prayerfully consider making a donation today.
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The Rev. Caleb M. Adams has received the call to serve as an Associate Pastor of St. Michael, Ft. Wayne, IN.
The Rev. Wallace J. Kimari, Christ the King, Santee, CA, has received the call to serve, Resurrection, Shawano, WI.
Call Received and Accepted
The Rev. Junghoon (Justin) Park has received and accepted the call to serve as an Associate Pastor of St. Luke, North York, ON, Canada.
Call Returned
The Rev. Peter J. Kufahl, Trinity, Mountain Lake, MN has returned the call serve St. Mark, Janesville, WI.
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The English District held a New Pastors Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 9-10, 2016 at the district office. The conference helps new district pastors become acquainted with one another and the district itself. Presentations were given by
The Rev. David Thiele, LCEF Vice President; The Rev. John Bush, Senior Director of Donor Relations, from Concordia University, Ann Arbor, MI and staff members of the English District.
After the conference wrapped up, all posed for a photo before heading home to start work in the mission field!
Pictured are (left to right) The Rev. Zachary W. Marklevitz, Grace, Redford, MI; The Rev. J. Derek Mathers, Assistant to the Bishop and Mission Executive; The Rev. Adam Thompson, Fairlawn, Fairlawn, OH; Bishop Jamison J. Hardy; The Rev. Todd A. Seaver, All Saints, Slippery Rock, PA; (next to banner) Candidate Samuel Maconachy, Faith, Naples, FL.
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CHURCH AND SCHOOL ACTIVITES
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Love Your Neighbor
"Paws-ing" to welcome
Lutheran Church of the Prince of Peace, Menomonee Falls, WI, welcomed its newest member: a Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog. She will help comfort the church family and its community!
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Fiesta!
Lutheran Church of the Shepherd King, West Bloomfield, MI, hosted a Mexican Fiesta - Head Start Schools Fundraiser. Great times with friends, great food and cooking towards a great cause in the community.
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Packing for school
Faith, Arlington Heights, IL, spent a few days filling backpacks, so that about 600 students in Arlington Heights will have most of the supplies they need when they head back to school. In addition to church members and friends, workers from Kohl's and others joined to help!
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#VBS2016
Martin Luther Christian School, Pennsauken, NJ, hosted a fun Vacation Bible School, where students were nourished in both body and spirit!
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#MOREVBS2016
Bethesda, Chicago, IL, Telugu ministry held its VBS from July 25-29, 2016 morning to evening. Forty-one students and 11 teachers and parents participated. Mrs. Suchitha Karri organized this under supervision of The Rev. Paul Bacon and The Rev. Shadrach Katari.
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The Rev. Dr. R. Wayne Morton, Mrs. Sally Naglich,
Mrs. Peggy Oke, and Bishop Jamison J. Hardy
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Almost thirty years ago, Peggy Oke, Administrative Assistant to the Business/Finance/Treasurer & LCEF VP began working for the English District. During her tenure, she has had the privileged of working with four District Presidents. In special recognition and in celebration of her upcoming thirtieth anniversary, the Board of Directors surprised Peggy with a nine-day trip for two to Dublin, London and Paris. Congratulations, Peggy!
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NEWS FROM OUR INTERNATIONAL WORKERS
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Meeting and working together...
...from one church convention to another!
Hello from Indonesia.
The Ferry Family monthly
Newsletter
is ready for your review, printing, and posting on church bulletin boards everywhere.
In this issue, you can read about attending conventions on both sides of the world and about some special festivities that gave us great opportunities and reasons to celebrate in Indonesia.
This is YOUR work, as you are together with us in what we are called to do wherever our Lord places us.
Peace and joy to you in Jesus,
The Ferry Family
Charles, Cheryl, Caleb, Caitlin, Carissa, Cassandra, and Chloe
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Greetings in the name of our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Rejoice with us in the safe delivery of Charles Robert Ritzman. Born in Papua New Guinea on Friday, July 8, 2016.
Weight 7 lb. 10 oz. He was born again in the waters of Holy Baptism on Sunday, July 17, 2016 at Timothy Lutheran Seminary Chapel. He and Mama are both happy and healthy. Thanks be to God.
The newest addition to our family came early in the morning. Another little boy has been given to us to care for and to bring up in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus.
As you can imagine, our time was filled up with new baby activities, b
ut I still managed to get some work done. There have been many occasions to meet with our Partner Church as they continue to work through the legal cases revolving around their leadership struggle. As they progress through that process, the work of the Church continues and the LCMS has been integral in supporting their efforts. Their seminary is set to graduate nine students, and their pre-seminary Bible school enrollment is up this year, meaning that many potential candidates will be available to start training to become pastors.
Charles was baptized and united to the death and resurrection of Christ. We thank God for this wonderful gift and look forward to sharing our lives with him now and in the restored Heaven and Earth.
Thanks be to God for the new life we have been given through faith in Jesus' redemptive work.
I will leave you with one last baby story.
Baby's arrival date was drawing near, and our missionary friends, Rev. Larry and Tina Matro were coming to stay near us, should we need their assistance. Well, Charles got here two days before them. So we thought, "What better way to announce his birth than to surprise them when they get here?"
The Matros were bringing us a car seat and some other gifts. When we came out on the porch to say 'hi' we brought Charles with us. The looks on their faces tell you what they thought. Needless to say, they were VERY shocked, surprised, and excited.
Please support our work in PNG by going online to www.lcms.org/ritzman or sending a tax-deductible gift to:
The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, PO Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861
Make checks payable to: The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod or LCMS
Mark Checks: "Support of Michael Ritzman"
Alternately, checks can be mailed to Mission Central at:
Mission Central, 40718 Highway E16, Mapleton, IA 51034-7105
Thank you, and I pray that God will richly bless you in Jesus Christ. He is risen, and we too shall rise to eternal life. God and sinners are reconciled through the shed blood of Jesus. Our sins are atoned for, paid for, and forgiven. Peace with God is ours and Heaven is our home. Alleluia. Amen.
Michael Ritzman
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WEBINAR
The Impact of New Overtime Regulations on Districts, Congregations, Schools and Other Religious Organizations
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The announcement of new overtime pay regulations going into effective December 1, 2016 has caused confusion and concern about how the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and overtime regulations apply to religious organizations and their employees. Attend this webinar to learn about your organization's obligations and options under these new regulations. This will apply only to religious organizations in the United States.
Webinar
August 25, 2016
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Central Time
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We encourage you to use the prayer list for your daily personal, congregational, school, classroom, staff, and circuit prayers to the Lord, our God. The Scriptures tell us to "pray without ceasing." Please feel free to use this list in your weekend service folders, on the congregational website or in newsletters.
September Prayer List
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You are invited to a Service of Installation for President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison and the vice-presidents, officers, and board and commission members of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod beginning at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 2650 Miami Street, St. Louis, MO.
A brief lunch reception will be held at Concordia Publishing House (CPH) immediately following the service. Complimentary parking is available at CPH parking lot located one block east of Jefferson Avenue on Miami Street.
Please contact the LCMS Church Information Center with any questions at 888-THE LCMS (843-5267) or
[email protected].
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THEOLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM
September 20-21, 2016, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO
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From Font to Grave: Catechesis for the Lifelong Disciple
We have entered a millennium in which people claim to be spiritual but know next to nothing about religion. And the people in the pews are no exception. The rote way of confirmation ministry a generation ago is failing our children in a society marked by religious pluralism. We need to think afresh how we form disciples of Christ, not only in eighth grade but throughout their entire lives. Does this mean we abandon the Catechism? Exactly the opposite. More than anything, we need to recover and renew the church's catechetical tradition, discovering anew what it means to be Christ's own and to live under Him in His kingdom today.
Check out "Dr. Charles Arand invites you to be part of the Theological Symposium, September. 20-21" by Concordia Seminary on Vimeo.
Early registration for the Symposium is $130.00 per person through September 2, 2016 after which time the fee increases to $140.00. Online registration closes September 9, 2016. Registration options include full, single-day or single-session registration, and live stream access. A buffet dinner Tuesday evening is included in the cost of full registration. Additional meals and on-campus lodging may be available for additional charge. Visit the registration page for more details.
If unable to attend the Theological Symposium in person, parts of it will be available via live stream. Live stream access is $80.00 and includes the introduction, three plenaries, the Dr. Jack Dean Kingsbury Lecture in New Testament Theology and select sectional lectures.
To purchase live stream access, click
here.
For questions, please contact the Continuing Education office at 314-505-7286 or
[email protected].
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Four Tips to Keep Your Family Financially Safe and Healthy
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Like Adam and Eve struggled with the concept of stewardship, we struggle still today to balance caring for God's world, including our church, families and daily lives. Are you paying close attention to bills, fees and borrowing habits to keep our families financially safe and healthy?
Here are four tips for successful financial stewardship:
- Paying bills as a sign of good faith - By acquiring only what we can pay for, we are being good stewards and acting in good faith to others. Services such as online banking, bill pay, alerts and the bill calendar at Lutheran Federal Credit Union (www.LutheranFCU.org) can help make managing bills easier.
- Build a buffer - Avoid borrowing or selling valuables for emergency purchases with a bank account buffer. A common rule of thumb is to have liquid savings (those with no penalty if withdrawn) equal to two months of expenses. Keeping that extra cash on hand helps protect against overdraft or interest fee. For larger expenses that need to be budgeted, a Whatever Loan at LutheranFCU offers interest expenses far below credit card rates.
- Minimize expenses - When you minimize expenses you have a better chance of staying within your budget and saving. Be mindful of bank fees. For example, at LutheranFCU there are no monthly minimums or fees on any of our checking account options or features.
- Borrow mindfully - Debt itself is not bad if you borrow responsibly and use it for assets (like a home) that retain and grow in value. Borrowing mindfully means only borrowing what you can repay and paying back your debts on time. Before you borrow, explore your options. Understand the terms and fees associated with each option so that you can make the right decision for your financial situation. There are several ways with LutheranFCU to potentially consolidate debt, reduce interest payments and free up income for savings.
About LutheranFCU
Lutheran Federal Credit Union opened to all eligible members January 2016. With a robust product set now available, solutions are available for all types of entities, church members, school families and volunteers that are part of our LCMS community. Visit
LutheranFCU.org to learn more! Contact: Jane Dulle/
[email protected].
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Seniors Take Heart!
LCEF once again offered high school seniors who are LCEF investors a chance to earn a scholarship for higher education. Entrants to the Take Heart Scholarship had to complete a 1,000-word essay on the topic of "How do you live out your faith?" Click on the links below to read each of the winning essays.
The scholarship recipients were:
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Caleb Alles
Milwaukee Lutheran High School,
Milwaukee, WI-$3,000
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Aric Zillinger
Washburn Rural High School,
Topeka, KS-$1,000
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Rachel Larson
Lutheran High School South,
St. Louis, MO-$500
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DOLLARS & SENSE CHURCH REVIEW
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Congregations both large and small face the serious task of managing their funds. The members work unselfishly to share His Word in the local community. In order to do this most effectively, each church must make daily decisions as to how to best manage its finances. Many congregations have in their constitution the requirement of an "audit" of their financial records on a periodic basis. Often times, this can be difficult to accomplish due to a lack of availability of the proper level of expertise.
Bishop Jamison J. Hardy has been contacted by many congregations and, thus,
the English District would like to offer an objective and confidential solution.
Paul J. Stanis is a baptized child of God. What he has been doing to support his family since 1976 is to work as a CPA (currently on inactive status). He is experienced in accounting, tax and finance in a wide range of industries. More specifically, he worked as the Treasurer of Peace Lutheran Church in McMurray, PA for three years and had previously held the positions of Provisional Council President, Head Elder, Deacon and Stewardship Chairman.
The English District would like you to consider using Paul to meet your need for this financial review. The only monetary responsibility to the congregation would be for his travel expenses (transportation, lodging and food). This will not require an extended amount of time on site and he would be willing to help defray the cost by staying at a member's home and enjoying Lutheran potluck meals.
The long range goal would be for you to engage Paul every few years, per your constitution.
If you would be interested in exploring this opportunity to strengthen your congregation's foundation, please feel free to contact Bishop Hardy for a personal reference. Since this is currently in the developmental stage, please sign up through the District President's office 248-476-0039 or [email protected] by November 30, 2016. This will give the District Board of Directors an idea of whether to make this a regular tool for your use
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Previous issues of the e-Newlsetter, Servant to Servant, are available on the Resources page of the English District website:
You are encouraged to share the information from Servant to Servant with members of your congregation. All are invited to subscribe to this weekly publication by emailing Peggy Oke at [email protected] (include first and last name, email address and church) or simply forward the newsletter to them using the "Spread the Word" link at the bottom left of this newsletter. They can subscribe by clicking on the link at the bottom right titled "Sign up for our emails." Thanks for spreading the word!
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