God in All Things - Without Borders

June 9, 2023

Saint John, Springfield, PA, shepherded by Rev. Robert Kieselowsky, celebrated its 175^th anniversary on Sunday, June 4, 2023. Bishop Jamison Hardy was in attendance for this milestone occasion and served as the guest preacher.

Call Received

Mrs. Kimberly A. Hornyak has received a Divine Call to serve as Director of Youth and Family Ministries of Fairlawn, Fairlawn, OH. 

Call Returned

The Rev. Rodney C. Parker (Lutheran Church--Canada) has returned the Divine Call to serve as Sole Pastor of Gethsemane, Windsor, ON, Canada.

The Mission Grant Application form is now available to download here for February 2024 - January 2025.

All applications are due to Rev. Derek Mathers at the English District office by Sunday, August 6, 2023.

Bishop Jamison Hardy is pleased to announce the appointment of Rev. David Tannahill as the new chair of the English District Evangelism Team. Our thanks and appreciation to Rev. Fred Reaman for his outstanding leadership and servant heart during his time as chair of the committee.

Please continue to keep the Evangelism Team in your prayers as they serve to equip and encourage, enable and empower individual evangelism for all the members of every congregation of the English District and to equip congregations for outreach ministry to their communities.

You have hands-on expertise in that part of the field in which God has placed you. You are located in a place which has unique opportunities and advantages as well as challenges specific to your circumstances. Let’s rejoice in the unchanging Gospel that our Lord has given us to announce, and let’s share some of the ways you and I make contact with our friends, family and neighbors. We have the best news the world will ever hear and a limited season to share it. Let’s bring together the resources from our Synod and District experts in this field and you – the expert in the field in which God has placed you. 

Click here for the June newsletter from our Evangelism Team.  

The Lifeline team is seeking an individual who is able to assist in recording videos for posting to our webpage. If you are able to assist or know someone who can, please contact Roni Grad.

Dr. Mark Wood, Director of LCMS Witness and Outreach, Revitalization, was interviewed by Pastor Todd Wilken on Issues, etc. podcast dated May 19, 2023. You can listen to the podcast at https://issuesetc.org/. Each Friday for the next five weeks, we will share one of the interview questions and Dr. Wood’s response for us to ponder. This is week 1 of 5.

1.   What does the closing of a congregation mean to the community?

Dr. Wood: That varies quite a bit on the context of the community, obviously in a suburban area or ex-urban area where we have many different churches.

If a local congregation closes people just move to another church in the community.



Sadly, I've even seen where you know faithful confessional Lutherans who lose their confessional Lutheran congregation will end up in a non-Lutheran congregation simply because they don't have another option. This is really a much more significant problem in rural areas. We often find that a rural area may have a congregation that is struggling with the next nearest congregation could be 45 minutes or an hour away, or even more. So that congregation closes, the real opportunity for people to be active in a confessional, liturgical, faithful Lutheran church is gone. There's simply not a practical option for them.

We talk about inner-urban areas as well suffer from this, where even though you're not densely populated area, if the Lutheran Church closes in that community, for all practical purposes there isn't another option for people. And this is why in many of our urban areas we've lost our footprint completely, while other church bodies have picked up our members.

It can be rather devastating, spiritually speaking, for a community to lose the presence of a confessional Lutheran church.

A World in Need of the True Light

Every year the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession (ECAV) meets in convention. What usually makes up the meeting is discussions of finances, investments, and planning for how the church will survive when the government reimbursements—which began after communism—run out. What is needed, and sadly missing, is discussions on how we can reach the people here with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

If you have read our newsletter, you will know that Czechs are generally ambivalent about God. Atheists and agnostics make up the far-dominant majority. The ringing of church bells is often the prelude to empty services. People are not hostile to the church. They fear that all the church wants is money, an image that the ECAV needs to help repair. And they simply have a general apathy concerning sin, salvation, and the Savior.

It is not that they are just not excitable. On topics of politics, good Czech food, beer, and sport, they can be very passionate. They are avid outdoorsmen that disappear to the countryside on weekends. A great example of their passion is the annual marking of 17 November’s Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day. A major thoroughfare was shut down as crowds gathered and celebrated. There was a huge display of votive lights, each placed individually by people, that commemorated the day when The Velvet Revolution began which brought about the dismantling of the communist system. Czechs are people of passion, just not about Christ.

Click here to read more from the Kasters.

Rev. Charles St-Onge, LCMS Missionary Pastor, Ascension, Montreal, Quebec is in need of some Sunday coverage (July 16, 23, 30) in Montreal while he attends the Synod convention and our LCMS missionary debrief / counseling time. 

For more information please contact Pastor St-Onge via phone 438-490-3698 (cell) or 513-442-2884 (home) or charles.p.stonge@gmail.com.

The Bible's promise is true: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us - 1 John 5:14.



Prayers for comfort and rest for Carol Niles, mother of Rev. Dr. Mark Wood.

Prayers for the Meier family at the passing of Judith Ann Meier, wife of Rev. William E. Meier, Emeritus.

Prayers for the Sanders family at the passing of Commissioned Minister Cheryl E. Sanders, Emeritus.

District daily prayers for July are located on our website.

Your prayer concerns are important to the English District. If you have a prayer request you would like shared in this newsletter, email the District office.

Apostolic, Moses Lake, WA

Benjamin Paul son of Bryan and Elizabeth was welcomed into God’s family through the waters of Baptism just hours after his birth. Pastor Marc DiConti officiated.  

Peace, Fremont, IN

Peace Lutheran Church partners with Image of Hope (a sanctuary for individuals and families to enjoy and learn about animals), donating land to make hay.

Chapel of the Cross, St. Louis, MO

It was a beautiful Sunday for outdoor worship at Chapel of the Cross on June 4!

Redeemer, Pittsburgh, PA

The 8th grade class did a great job throwing a wedding shower for Miss A, soon to be Mrs. H! Congratulations Miss A! Well done 8th grader!

Abounding Love, Lee's Summit, MO

When you are in preschool, Bubble Day is a great day!

Bethesda, Chicago, IL

Last week the Kindergarteners celebrated their promotion to 1st grade by sharing songs, poems, and their dreams with their families and friends. Congrats, Kindergarten! Bethesda International Academy can't wait to welcome you to 1st grade this fall!

COMMUNICATIONS/MARKETING COORDINATOR

Ascension of Christ, Beverly Hills (English District) is seeking a Communications/Digital Marketing Coordinator for the church and childcare center. The job is part-time (30 hours) with competitive pay, plus some benefits. Contact the church at 248.644.8890 or pastorgrams@ascensionofchrist.org for the full position description and to apply.

ENGLISH DISTRICT LCMS

248-476-0039

info@englishdistrict.org

www.englishdistrict.org

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