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Love your neighbor as yourself
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Servant to Servant 9-15-17
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Installation
The Rev. Raymond Kirk was installed
at Hope, Kitchener, ON, Canada on Sunday, September 10, 2017. Picture right are The Rev. Edward Radke, The Rev. J. Derek Mathers, The Rev. Ray Kirk, The Rev. Roger Ellis and The Rev. Gary Weber.
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Divine Calls
Calls Received
The Rev. Curtis A. Binz has received a call to serve as Senior Pastor at West Portal, San Francisco, CA.
The Rev. George F. Borghardt, III, Zion, McHenry, IL has received a call to serve as Pastor at Family of Christ, Phoenix, AZ. The Rev. Daniel W. Pezzica, Sherman Oaks, Sherman Oaks, CA has received a call to serve as Associate Pastor at Immanual, Columbus, NE.
Calls Accepted
The Rev. Curtis A. Binz has accepted the call to serve as Senior Pastor at West Portal, San Francisco, CA.
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Meet our Missions - Lutheran Student Fellowship (LCMS) - Pittsburgh
By Rev. Eric R. Andræ
So what exactly does Lutheran Student Fellowship (LCMS) - Pittsburgh do? Below is an example of the student ministry that not only touches lives, but changes lives.
Queen (not her real name), a former University of Pittsburgh graduate student from China, was an atheist when she arrived here. After we met at an on-campus Graduate Student Orientation Fair, she started attending worship and was aided in her understanding by the simple structure and uniformity of the Lutheran liturgy; she also found that the people at First Trinity "care for each one's life, thinking, problems. So more and more students visit this church and stay because we have found our home in both physical sense and spiritual sense." On Christmas Eve, Queen was baptized!
If you have a mission or ministry story you'd like to share, please submit for consideration
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Please Pray for Natural Disaster Victims
The Lutheran Church Extension Fund family invites you to pray with us for the victims of recent natural disasters. Harvey devastated Texas. Wildfires are raging in the West. Hurricane Irma tore through the Caribbean islands and Florida. All those involved need your prayers and more.
Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.
Matthew 25:40
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Support Group for Women with Cancer
Risen Savior, Green Valley, AZ, has invited women who are receiving or have undergone treatment for cancer to a support group. Their goal is to be there for each other, to share concerns, to provide support, prayer and information, as well as draw on the spiritual resources of others. Attendees are encouraged to invite a friend or neighbor who could use the comfort of friends.
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Helping veterans
The Operation Barnabas Committee at Calvary, Mechanicsburg, PA, is starting to assemble items for the holidays for 15 homeless female veterans and their children. They plan to pack the bags with toiletries, personal care items, New Testament Bibles, books and activities for the children. Additionally, they are preparing for the January Homeless Stand-down.
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Helping with Harvey
Congregation members from Hales Corners, Hales Corners, WI volunteered their time and energy to help with the clean up following Hurricane Harvey. The team arrived in Houston, TX after 22 hours on the road. They worked at two homes in the neighborhood surrounding Christ Memorial Lutheran Church in Katy, TX. Pictured below is the home of Francois and Nathalie Bonnette and their seven children. Theirs is one of more than 100,000 homes affected in this area.
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Helping with Irma
Members of Shepherd of the Coast (SOTC), Palm Coast, FL reached out to many in need in various ways following Hurricane Irma. Pictured here are members of the SOTC Youth Group clearing a large property for a couple who had just recently been discharged from the hospital. Good kids doing good deeds & serving in His name.
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In our churches
Film event
The Arizona-South Circuit #20 completed its first event for Reformation 500, a screening of Martin Luther, The Idea that Changed the World, at Ascension, Tucson, AZ. The event was attended by 96 people from congregations throughout the area.
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Updated play area
Hales Corners, Hales Corners, WI, has a wonderful new play area, thanks to Director of Children's Ministry, Rachel Stathakis. Rachel led the way on this renovation project, motivating God's people to work together to do His work. The result: a beautiful, inviting space for His littlest ones. Many thanks to all those with loving hearts and talented hands that helped this dream become a reality!
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Blessing of the backpacks
It was a brisk autumn morning for the Hope, Hastings, MN, fall kick-off and outdoor worship. As part of the worship service, students received a special luggage tag reminding them that of all the things (school supplies) they take back to school, Jesus also goes with them!
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In our schools
Early childhood learning
Children at Shepherd King Preschool, West Bloomfield, MI, pretended to work at an ice cream shop. The children used sand, wood chips, and other natural objects to create their inventory. They found seashells that were used as currency. Some of the children took on roles as the ice cream shop workers and others took on the roles of customers.
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Rain didn't dampen event
Though everyone got a little wet, it didn't ruin the Redeemer, Oakmont, PA, Dad's Event. A back-up plan of moving dinner inside and playing indoor games replaced the outside sports fun.
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Prepping for preschool
The preschool staff at Hope, Hastings, MN, were busy preparing for the upcoming year with goal setting, team building, and planning. It was a blessing to see church and preschool leadership complement each other with their God-given gifts in preparation to share Jesus with the children.
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Comfort dogs + children = fun at school
Dora Comfort Dog visited students at Hales Corners, Hales Corners, WI. She spent time comforting a friend whose sister was having surgery. She also took her vest off and spent time outside playing with the children.
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Future Ushers
Third graders at Martin Luther Christian School, Pennsauken, NJ, assist in weekly chapels by collecting the offertory.
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Communications Corner
Concordia Technology Solutions posted a very helpful article on securing your church's devices. Click
here
to read about how to make sure your devices are protected!
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Start your new employees off right!
It's a nervous time we've all been through - the first days at a new job. Concordia Plan Services wants to help make it easier for new employees to get acclimated. Click
here for information and tools to help.
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Salary Guidelines for English District Congregations
Click
here for the 2017-2018 salary guidelines. This is a resource providing guidance for Lutheran congregations of the English District.
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Resources
National Lutheran School Accreditation
Your NLSA team is excited to announce the first NLSA Powerful Practice Webinar for this 2017-2018 school year. The first of eight NLSA webinars will be held
next Tuesday, September 1, 2017, at 4:00 PM CT.
Next week's webinar will be led by Principal David Florine and the ministry team at St. John's, Arnold, MO and is entitled "Team Ministry - Making the Grade. Taking Average to Excellent."
Team Ministry - Making the Grade
The letter "C" often gets a bad rap, particularly in education, "C" is not good, nor is it great. It is certainly a passing grade, but there is nothing compelling about it. It is ordinary.
Average. Common. Ho hum. But it doesn't have to be that way. St. John has taken the letter "C" and actually made it extraordinary. Excellent. Outstanding. By implementing
three areas of focus - all that begin with the letter "C" - they've turned the school and church's relationship that very well could be average into something much, much more.
Advance registration
to these webinars is not required and there is no cost to attend. To participate, simply log in using the link and enter the conference room
here.
Attendance is limited to the first 100 guests who log in to the event. All live NLSA Powerful Practice webinars are held at 4:00 PM CT and are later archived for on-demand viewing via the new LuthEd platform (http://www.luthed.org/). The LuthEd platform replaces the Lutheran school portal.
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Reformation 500
The English District website offers information and devotions on the upcoming Reformation 500 Anniversary.
Additionally, the LCMS has a Reformation website that is worth exploring.
It details the significance of the Lutheran Reformation centered on Christ-crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and its ongoing relevance for today.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
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Share the Reformation story
Whether through an outreach event, curriculum, or children's Reformation service, share the suspense of the Reformation and the important truths rediscovered by Martin Luther-that by grace and faith in Christ alone we are saved. Click
here
to get an infographic to help with educational planning.
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Called to Glory
On Tuesday, September 12, 2017, The Rev. Dr. John W. Saleska was called to his heavenly home at the age of 87. He is survived by Sallie, his wife of 63 years, four children, 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
He demonstrated his fervor for the Word by sharing its truth with others-for 23 years as a professor at St. John's College in Winfield, Kansas; for another 23 years as a professor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana; and for 14 years as director of the Concordia Bible Institute, a servant institute of Concordia University Wisconsin.
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Best Practices Conference
St. Peter's, Columbus, IN, will host "Best Practices for Ministry: Heartland" on October 11-13, 2017. The Best Practices conferences work with the philosophy of offering a totally free conference to help churches to find new ideas for how to best serve God and others using the gifts that God has given in the setting in which God has placed the congregation. While you are at the event, we will feed you and provide opportunities to worship as well as to relax -- all for FREE. You just provide your time and travel/lodging costs. Visit our website for the registration link and for more details:
www.bestpracticesheartland.com.
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Previous issues of the Servant to Servant eNewlsetter are available on 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. Forward the newsletter to members of your church 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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Please share your congregation's or school's unique ministries with the rest of the District. Send pictures and stories for consideration to
Lynne Cobb by Wednesday, 3:00 pm ET.
We want to see how YOUR congregation or school is "loving your neighbor as yourself."
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