Thank you to all who attended our PSD Small Church Conference on Saturday, June 27! We've received very positive comments from attendees, and the content provided by Rev. Karl Vaters was very timely and provided great ideas and guidance for smaller churches.  The recording is available on our PSD website: psd-lcms.org/psd-events .  The content from the conference is broken into topical videos: 

• Redefining Success In Ministry
• Big Church-Small Church - What's the Difference?
• How to Discover and Use What Your Church Does Well
• COVID-19: What's Working In Churches That Are Thriving

We encourage you and your leadership to use the video one session at time for ministry evaluation and planning. You can access Rev. Karl Vaters notes and slides at KarlVaters.com/LCMS2020 .

The district staff and board of directors have established a new part-time, 20 hour-per-month position titled DCE Liaison. Please obtain the position description and application  HERE . Thank you!

Applications should be sent to the Pacific Southwest District, attention Rachel Klitzing or can be emailed to rachel.klitzing@psd-lcms.org. Deadline for submission is August 10, 2020.

High school students considering a future in ministry are invited to participate in  Concordia Seminary, St. Louis' virtual  Vocatio  event Aug. 2-4, 2020. The event is usually held on campus but has been moved online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

During the event, students will explore God's calling and direction through Bible study and thoughtful conversation about vocation. Students will interact with Seminary faculty throughout the event, as well as with representatives from the  Concordia University System during a virtual college fair.

"The world around us is continually falling apart, and people need hope. That's why Jesus established the church, so people would know where to find Him and His cross," says Director of Recruitment Rev. Micah Glenn. "We need more pastors and churches so more people might come to know Jesus and the peace only He can offer through the Word and Sacraments. There's no better place than Concordia Seminary to train to become a pastor or church leader."

The event is free, and the registration deadline is July 17. Interested participants can learn more and register at  csl.edu/vocatio.

Please join us for a Breakfast Bible Study at Redeemer Lutheran Huntington Beach on July 11th. Breakfast starts at 8:30 am in the Fellowship Hall followed by the presentation at 9:00 am on "The True Meaning of John 3:16 - Seven Steps to Stop Misreading the Bible" by Pastor AJ Espinosa, host of Thy Strong Word on KFUO. COVID-19 precautions will be followed insofar as possible. RSVP for breakfast to the Church office at (714) 846-6330 or  churchoffice@redeemer-lutheran.net. For those who cannot attend in person, the study will also be live on Zoom. 

Please visit our website  www.redeemer-lutheran.net and look under Events, Upcoming Events for information on how to participate.

A planning guide for PSD Early Childhood Centers, Elementary Schools, and High Schools to reopen for Fall 2020.

Many Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) borrowers and others within our church body received PPP loans and are at the point of applying for loan forgiveness.

To help you navigate through the forgiveness process, LCEF invited two SBA representatives from the St. Louis District Office to offer helpful advice and insights.

A selection of recommended resources to encourage congregations/schools to pray, listen, and act as it concerns racial realities within the church, our neighborhoods, and society.

The Covid-19 pandemic has escalated into a humanitarian crisis in India impacting the poorest of the poor. Many of our ministry partners in India are already responding - and they are pleading for help. A gift of $40 will feed a family of 4 for 4 weeks. Will you help them? Donate Now

Happy Birthday, America. This month we once again celebrate our country's birth date, the 4th of July. The hallmark of America is  "freedom."  From the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution, the Emancipation Proclamation, and other historic documents, America has become a beacon for freedom....

 

This year of 2020 we find ourselves in a deeply divided nation over many issues. The church continues to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the midst of these issues. Congregations are starting conversations about race, justice issues, policing policies, Supreme Court rulings, how to manage the pandemic, etc. As we celebrate our nation's birth date, we acknowledge our nation's short-comings to live up to its highest ideals. We also need to lift high our nation's highest aspirations.

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Prospective students and their families are invited to learn more about Concordia Seminary, St. Louis during the Next Steps visitation event, set for Saturday, July 11, 2:00-4:00 pm (CDT). Due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, the event will be held online.   Designed for prospective pastoral and diaconal students who are married or who are engaged and will be married when they come to the Seminary, the event will give participants valuable information about the application process, financial aid and housing. The event also will include a panel discussion with current students and their spouses who will answer questions and provide information about campus life, local schools and transitioning to the Seminary.   The registration deadline for this free event is July 9. Learn more and register at  csl.edu/nextsteps . For more information, contact  admit@csl.edu  or 800-822-9545.