English District of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
Servant to Servant
Greetings!
January 14, 2022
Divine Calls
Calls Received

The Rev. Dr. Adam C. Koontz has received a call to serve Peace, Oxford, MS (Southern District).

The Rev. Joshua P. Moldenhauer has received a call to serve Martin Luther Chapel, Pennsauken, NJ.
Presidential and Vice-Presidential Nomination Reminder
The 2022 English District Convention is scheduled for June 20–22. Summer events might not be on our minds right after Christmas and New Year’s Day. But even if convention thoughts aren’t front and center, the February 20 deadline for congregations to submit nominations for President and Vice President is rapidly approaching.

Nomination ballots for President and Vice President were previously mailed to each congregation of the District. With the deferral of the District Convention from 2021 to 2022, congregations may have postponed decisions about nominations.

Congregations that have yet to submit nominations for President and/or Vice President may do so prior to the February 20 deadline. Some may have Voters Assembly meetings scheduled for January or February, which would provide an opportunity for those congregations to determine whom they wish to nominate.

If your congregation has already returned nomination ballots for President and/or Vice President, those have been received and recorded.

If any congregation needs new nomination ballots, please contact the District Secretary, Rev. Luke Zimmerman, who will supply replacements. Other questions about the Presidential and Vice-Presidential nomination process can also be directed to him.
Convention Deadline
February 20, 2022 is the deadline for the following:
Nominations for Board of Directors, Committee on Nominations and Endowment Fund Board of Managers
Circuit Visitor selection results
Submitting Overtures
Convention Delegate Accreditation Forms

More detailed information and forms are available on our website.
Convention Youth Delegates
Looking for youth of our District Circuits to attend the English District Convention being held at Concordia University, Ann Arbor, MI Monday, June 20, 2022 to Wednesday, June 22, 2022 as Youth Delegates.

This is a wonderful opportunity to identify, encourage and support a high school youth (aged 14-18) to serve as your circuit’s youth delegate. Travel, lodging, and meals are covered.
 
During the convention the youth will have opportunities to experience convention proceedings. There will also be a servant event and a special evening event with the Youth Delegate Leadership Team. For more information please contact Pastor Derek Mathers..
Classic Doxology Program for Pastors
This is the acclaimed three-part program for pastors providing three retreats: 1) focused training for pastors; 2) engaging participation of lay leaders; 3) a weekend retreat with spouse. Pastors report this is the single most helpful thing that they've done for their ministry, themselves and their family.

Register and learn more here. It's time; make this the year you get to go to DOXOLOGY. If you have questions about funding, please connect with DOXOLOGY for further information. If you've graduated from PALS within the last three years, you are eligible for a grant covering 50% of tuition cost. There's still time to join us in Plymouth, Indiana, but the registration deadline is this Sunday, January 16.
Respite Retreats for LCMS Commissioned Ministers and Teachers
DOXOLOGY will be providing "Take Heart: Renewed to be a Blessing" Respite Retreats for LCMS Commissioned Ministers and all teachers beginning next month. Over the next year, there will be retreats throughout the country. The first two retreats will be in Kansas (2/25-2/27) and Wisconsin (3/18-3/20). All information and registration is available by clicking here:
The Kansas event page is available here:
The Wisconsin event page is available here.
All teachers and LCMS Commissioned Ministers are invited to attend.
District Office Closed
Please note:
The district office will be closed on Monday, January 17, 2022 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Changes to Student Debt Forgiveness Program Could Be in Your Favor
Clergy members and others engaged full-time at faith-based entities are no longer excluded from a program designed to lighten the federal student debt burden for public service and many not-for-profit workers. Thanks to new rules that went into effect in July 2021, now employees of religious not-for-profit organizations may qualify to have their loans forgiven.

Join Concordia Plans for a webinar, where a representative from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be presenting information on PSLF and providing resources.

Highlights:
  • Qualification requirements
  • How to apply and key dates
  • What it could mean for prior years’ loan payments

This unique learning opportunity is being presented by members of the Church Benefit Association Wednesday, January 26 at 1 p.m. ET.

Lutheran Witness Renewal Deadline
ATTENTION CONGREGATIONS! If you wish to make any changes to your current Lutheran Witness subscriptions for the coming subscription year (removals, additions, address changes), please return your completed renewal forms to the district office by January 24, 2022. When purchased through the congregation, the cost of a yearly subscription is $10.80.

All current subscriptions will renew automatically, so it is not necessary to return the forms if you don’t have any changes. If you are unable to locate your forms, contact the district office: info@englishdistrict.org.
Evangelization Team
THE DEFINING TRUTH OF YOUR BAPTISM
 
If the local newspaper sent a reporter to your home to interview you for the lead front page article for the upcoming Sunday edition, you might be overwhelmed by the opportunity. Everyone gets the Sunday paper (usually for the ads and coupons). What will the entire world (or at least your local area) find out about you? With great excitement and anticipation, you agree to the interview. You welcome the reporter in and offer them coffee, water, and possibly a snack. You sit them in your favorite chair as a gracious host. The reporter gets right down to it by asking, “I want to share with all our readers what defines you. Do you have a defining moment? What makes you tick?” Your entire life flashes before your very eyes. Was it the home run or no hitter from your little league days? What about sitting on the homecoming court your senior year of high school? Could it be your high school or university diploma? Was it your faithful service in one of the Armed Forces? Or your university, masters or doctorate degrees? Maybe it was your choice of a spouse and your wedding vows? Was it the day your children or grandchildren were born? Could it be the gold watch you received for all your years on the job? Could it be the sports teams you root for? No matter what your age, it seems impossible to choose just one defining moment or even the one thing that actually defines your life.
 
May I be so bold as to suggest that your answer to the question “what is the defining truth of your life?” is just as important for the world to know as it is for you personally. Your answer serves as a dynamic witness of Jesus for the world. As children of God, we are defined by God and His saving and life-changing claim: YOU ARE MINE. At the moment of our baptism, God marks us and claims us: “You belong to Me!” The prophet Isaiah penned these words of God, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine” (Isaiah 43:1). Read this article from your English District Evangelization Team to help you remember your baptism, help establish your baptism as the defining truth of your life, now and for eternity, and to equip you with a personal, dynamic witness of Jesus in your everyday life.
Lumen Christi Award Nominations
Our gracious Lord blesses our English District by providing dedicated and talented professional and volunteer leaders/teachers in child, youth, adult, and family ministry areas. These servants of our Lord exercise their God-given gifts in many creative and unique ways to bless those they serve. The Lumen Christi award is presented to publicly recognize the service of educators, to further promote and encourage all professional and volunteer leaders/teachers who are active members of an English District – LCMS congregation.   
  
The 2022 Lumen Christi Award nominations for the English District Professional Educator of the Year and English District Volunteer Educator of the Year are due by February 28, 2022. Nomination forms are available through the links above. Please prayerfully consider making a nomination. 
 
2022 LCMS YouthLead Leadership Training
YouthLead, formerly known as Lutheran Youth Fellowship, is an annual training event that is teen-led and gives teens the tools they need to mature in their faith, become leaders in their congregations, and reach out to their peers with the love of Christ.
 
The English District has sponsored and encouraged teens to attend this training for many years and would like to continue to send teens to this annual training to be held March 17-20, 2022 in St. Louis, MO. Please contact DCE Rod Lane at dcerod@redeemerlincoln.org or 402-499-0807 for more information. District stipends will be made available to help cover the cost to attend which is a registration fee of $375.00 per youth or adult plus travel expenses. Adults are not required to attend. English District Youth Coordinator Rod Lane will be attending and is comfortable chaperoning teens from other churches.
All Saints Campus Ministry
Sometimes campus ministry focuses on attracting entire groups, but other times we may target individuals. All Saints thought going to the shooting range would be a way to bring Jon out and we were right. Jon loves guns and welcomes time with people his own age. We felt that he would return to worship after spending time with students from Westminster College, Grove City College and Slippery Rock University.

When Jon (not his real name) came to worship the following Sunday we thought he would attend church regularly. When he did not return in the succeeding weeks, we wondered why. Click here to read more.
Holy Land Familiarization Tour 2023
In preparation for the Holy Land Tour with District President Wally Vinovskis and LCEF District Vice Presidents TJ Mattick and Rev. Dan Lepley, Pastor Lepley will be leading a monthly Bible study open to all. Each class will be offered twice, a morning or evening session.

Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 10:00 a.m. EST/7:00 a.m. PST Zoom Link

Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 9:00 p.m. EST/6:00 p.m. PST Zoom Link

All pastors, spouses and lay people are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Prayer Requests
The Bible's promise is true: "If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us" (1 John 5:14).

We pray for Rev. Gregory Musolf and family – at the passing of his father.

We pray for Rev. Timothy Yeadon, District President, New England District LCMS – for healing.

District daily prayers for February 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.
Calling a Seminary Candidate/Requesting a Vicar
If your congregation is interested in extending a divine call to a seminary candidate or plans to apply for a vicar, please contact Kathy Stanis, Administrative Assistant, at 248-476-0039 ext. 320 or by email at kstanis@englishdistrict.org. A new version of the call documents is available (ver. 4.9.3). Do not use any older versions or the call documents will be returned for correction and resubmission. Call documents and vicarage applications must be received at the English District office no later than February 1, 2022.
LCMS Foundation
Contact the English District Gift Planning Counselor Ron Grimm for more information at (412)-584-7039 or email.
In Our Churches
St. Mark, Mississauga, ON

Long-time member of the Church of St. Mark-Lutheran, Rev. Ernest Hahn was recently called to glory, but leaves behind a legacy of missionary work with Muslims. Click here to read about his ministry in his own words.
Redeemer, Sarnia, ON

On the Baptism of our Lord Sunday, Wendy was received by the Sacrament of Holy Baptism as a member of God’s holy Church and as a member of Redeemer Lutheran. She is pictured here with Rev. Dr. Roger C. Ellis, Vacancy Pastor.
In Our Schools
Shepherd King, West Bloomfield, MI

It’s been a very cold and snowy winter themed week at Shepherd King Preschool! Students have been ice skating in the ice skating dramatic play area. Students made melted snowmen, melting baking soda snowmen and learned to cut out snowflakes. They also tried melting ice, painting ice and doing many other winter activities.
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