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Love your neighbor as yourself
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Servant to Servant 8-11-17
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#LoveThyNeighbor
Caring for veterans
On Friday, July 28, 2017, Packages4Patriots, a mission of Holy Spirit Church, Elk Grove Village, IL, delivered care kits donated by Hillside Academy East to the Jesse Brown V. A. Medical Center.
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Caring for children
Young adults from Faith Lutheran Church
, Arlington Heights, IL, had a good time filling food bags at the "Feed My Starving Children" event.
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Caring for communities
Peace, Palm Desert, CA, sent out a big "thank you" to everyone who donated items to help the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission give school supplies to kids in need. When we share the gifts God gives us, we are all blessed.
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In our churches
Welcome!
An Induction Service was held on Sunday, August 6, 2017 at Messiah, Danville, CA for Vicar Andrew Mundinger.
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Baptisms and outdoor fun
Martin Luther Chapel (MLC), East Lansing, MI, was blessed to witness the Baptisms of Carsten and Noelle, infant twins of Nate and Kelly Leonard. They are pictured, below, with their parents, older sister, and lots of family that came to celebrate.
MLC also recently hosted a "Fun in the Son" cookout with games, a bounce house, and fellowship with lots of friends.
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Outdoor Worship
It was a great day for an outdoor worship service and church picnic at Fairlawn, Fairlawn, OH. They also were pleased to welcome Giada Congeni, who had just been baptized before the service.
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Special music
Last month, Morning Star, Lakeside, CA was blessed by a performance of the Equinoxe Quartette Nouveau with lecture by Danielle Alexis Petrovich.
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Beautiful window
Redeemer, Lincoln, NE recently had a beautiful new stained glass window installed which was made by Pittsburgh Stained Glass Studio. The artist studied under the man who made 60 of the other stained glass windows in the church. The match was incredible!
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Missionary visits Peace in the Valley
The Rev. Stephen P. Oliver, LWML's "adopted" missionary, his wife, Maggie, and their three children - Isaac, Gary, and Virginia - visited Peace in the Valley, Benson, AZ on July 23, 2017. Pastor Oliver delivered the message, "I Am Going Fishing," based on John 21:1-19. During the offering, Ginny, who turned six years old on July 27th, sang a solo in Chinese, as she was accompanied by Isaac, age 10, playing the violin; and Gary, age eight, playing the piano. Pastor Oliver and Maggie then joined her in singing the song in Chinese. Before Ginny began to sing, Pastor Oliver explained what the song meant.
A love offering of a little over $700 was received following the worship service.
Following a delicious potluck, Pastor Oliver talked about their work in Taiwan and Asia. He is at the China Lutheran Seminary in Hsinchu. The students and faculty come from many countries. What a joy to see and hear about the Gospel being spread in various countries because of this missionary family and school.
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#VBS2017
Barnyard Blast
Science experiments were part of the fun during the "Barnyard Roundup" VBS at Our Saviour, Chatham, ON, Canada.
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In our schools
Not-so-creepy crawlers
Students at Shepherd King Preschool, West Bloomfield, MI, had an amazing time with Bug Camp! Things got a little messy one day when they handled bug slime. Students used their creativity to build some amazing bugs and even played a game to show off their bug-pretending skills!
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Cooking Camp
School-age students are making all kinds of yummy treats during their Cooking Camp at Abounding Love Preschool, Lee's Summit, MO.
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Call Received
The Rev. Eric S. Carlson, Peace, McMurray, PA, has received a call to serve St. John's, Hannibal, MO.
Call Returned
The Rev. Luke R. Timm, Living Faith, Clive, IA, has returned the call to serve Hope, Hastings, MN.
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Meet our Missions - Holy Cross Lutheran
This month, our "Meet our Missions" introduces the mission and ministry of Holy Cross Lutheran, Toledo, OH.
By Rev. Peter M. Burfeind
Originally we were simply a campus ministry, but through our group "Engineers in Christ" - a "high-tech" service group - we've done service work not only in the Appalachia but also in Toledo's inner city, less than two miles from the college campus. We've built handicap ramps, renovated rooms, and constructed playground equipment, to just name a few things.
Do you have a mission or ministry experience you would like to share? If so, you, too, could be a guest blogger for the English District. For consideration, please send an email to Lynne Cobb, Communications Coordinator for the English District LCMS at
[email protected].
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2017 Regional LFL Conferences
Lutherans For Life is holding four, one day regional conferences.
September 16, 2017
October 7, 2017
October 21, 2017
November 11, 2017
Registration Fees: $50 for adults, $25 for students (including lunch)
Conference registration starts at 8:30 AM
with the schedule of events running from 9 AM to 4 PM.
Get detailed information (lodging, directions, speakers) for each conference here:
Eyes of Life: Phil
Meet Phil. As early as premarital counseling, the Zielinskis talked to their pastor "about wanting a large family, having children through birth and adoption," Phil recalls. "It later became clear that God was going to build our family through adoption alone."
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News from our International Workers
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Back and forth again...
The Ferry family has had quite a ride during the month of July and is eager to get to work and start a new chapter in our service together.
Click
here
to read our latest newsletter and catch our updates on how we're not only preparing for further work, but actually carrying that work forward. As a bonus, read about how one friend is carrying your work forward on his own!
We rejoice in our continued partnership with you, in this work our Lord has called us to do together. We pray the peace of Christ is yours in abundance: the peace of sins forgiven by the grace of God.
Yours in His Name,
The Ferry Family
Rev. Charles, Cheryl, Caleb, Caitlin, Carissa, Cassandra, Chloe
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2017-18 District Grade and Enrollment forms were emailed to all schools on August 10, 2017 for updating. By informing the District office of updates you help us maintain the most current and correct information and keep us up to date on all rostered and non-rostered staff. The form can be returned through U.S. Mail, emailed, or faxed (248-476-0188) and is due back by Friday, September 15, 2017. The updated English District school directory will be emailed to all schools shortly thereafter. If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Jentzen at 248-476-0039 or
[email protected]
.
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How to Automate Your Church Social Media
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Seth Hinz, Assistant to the President - Web/Media Director for the Michigan District, LCMS, has recently published an Ebook on automating your church's social media. Click
here
to read the article, which was originally published on the Concordia Technology Solutions blog, and
download
your free copy of the book!
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Five "L" Words in the Initial Days of Your New Ministry
by Rev. Dr. John W. Stieve
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So, you've arrived at your new (first or latest) station of duty. You are a pastor or commissioned worker in the church, and you are excited to know and find out what is involved with this "Call." We believe and teach that God's Holy Spirit works through God's people, the Church, to extend "invitations" to professional workers to serve with and among them. After thought, conversation, maybe visitation, and definitely prayer, you have been led to say, "Yes" - affirming that you understand this to be a Call not only from this ministry but a Call from God!
Whether this is your first Call or one of many, you are, in most cases, new to this setting. Your work may be within a congregation, school or special ministry. You may be a "sole" worker or part of a team; you may be the administrator or in-charge person --- or one who reports to someone else. No matter the details of this Call, you are about to begin a new experience, and you pray to the Lord to help, guide and keep you in His care and equip you for this work.
Especially if you are the administrator (
e.g.
, Pastor, Principal, Director), there will be a host of expectations, assumptions, hopes or resolves that you will "do it as we have always done it"; "bring new life into this place"; "return us to where we once were"; or "take us into new avenues of service and adventures in ministry." As some have mused, "We want a young pastor with twenty years of experience, with excellent preaching, teaching and counseling skills, who will relate to children and youth, and have an excellent rapport with our seniors." (Enter, Jesus!)
With over forty years in parish ministry, and with a recent "vacancy" assignment, I felt led to share what I feel to be a measured, honest and appropriate response to the "first 100 days," as we hear of politicians. In fact, I am more concerned here with the first 40 days (a good, Biblical number!). While I applied this to my vacancy service, I would suggest this applies to any worker's first 40 days (give or take a few) in a new Call and setting.
If you have found effective and successful approaches, please share them with me (
[email protected]
) and with others. This is not the "be all to end all"; simply, sharing from someone who feels strongly about a healthy relationship between "called, professional workers" and the ministries we serve. I pray these five "L" words will be helpful to you. To God be the glory!
Click
here to read Five "L" Words in the Initial Days of Your New Ministry.
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FREE Reformation Congregation Celebration Kit
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The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod has new, free materials available to help promote the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation this year in LCMS congregations and their communities.
The kit of downloadable resources is available
here.
The resources may be customized to include the congregation's name and contact information.
The resource kit includes:
- posters for use in the congregation and the community;
- a newspaper article about the anniversary;
- a newspaper op-ed article;
- a church newsletter article;
- 12 half-page bulletin inserts;
- 12 copy-and-paste bulletin blurbs; and
- numerous social-media memes.
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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. Please feel free to use this list in your weekend service folders, on the congregational website or in newsletters.
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Whether you are ordering books, supplies or clothes, remember to #StartWithaSmile! Why? Because Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to the English District of
The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. Bookmark the link
and support us every time you shop.
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Attention English District Parish Professionals!
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We have started a private Facebook group for all English District Commissioned Ministers working in the parish setting. The purpose of this group is to provide support, share ideas, and get to know one another. Please feel free to ask for prayer support, ask for ideas, as well as share blessings in your life and ministry. You may join the group by clicking
here
.
If you have questions, please email DCE
Korey Danley
or Rev. J. Derek Mathers.
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New 'Kids in the Divine Service' released for families
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LCMS Worship has released an updated resource known as "Kids in the Divine Service," as it works to encourage and support engaging family members of all ages in Divine Worship.
Written by English District pastor, The Rev. Christopher I. Thoma, of Our Savior, Hartland, MI, the free inserts feature detail on the liturgy, sanctuary, vestments and other aspects of the Divine Service. They are suitable for use in worship bulletins, Sunday school and school or church newsletters. Click
here
for the complete article and downloads.
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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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