In grateful response to God’s grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacraments, the mission of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is vigorously to make known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities and the world.

E-newsletter: December 15, 2021

Click the image below for Call and Vacancy Information



Convention News and Notes

1)     Here is the link to the report/press release, which will give you some election results and will highlight some of the resolutions passed by the delegates: Press Release

2)     Convention Essay: Texas District President, Rev. Michael Newman, was the essayist for the convention, speaking on the topic “Gospel DNA: Five Markers of a Flourishing Church (Learning from a Movement Called Missouri). Here is a link to the printed copies of the slides from his PowerPoint. We also want to inform you that we have a number of copies of Rev. Newman’s Gospel DNA book available here at the District Office, along with a number of copies of his Getting Through Grief book, the adult edition and the youth edition. The cost is $10 for the Gospel DNA books and $5 for Getting Through Grief. We’ll send you the books, or make other provision for getting the books to you. Just let us know by email or phone if you’d like a book and send us a check to cover the cost of the book (checks payable to “SD District—LCMS”). If you’d like to study the books with others, we can provide up to a dozen copies of each book to you. 

3)     Convention Presentations on YouTube: Three presentations from the convention will soon be posted on the District’s YouTube platform – those of the Synod President (Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison), the District President (Rev. Scott Sailer), and the essayist (Rev. Michael Newman).

4)     Convention Offering: Through December 9, the offerings collected for church planting efforts in The South Dakota District amount to $13,619. Thank you for your generous support and participation in the Lord’s mission.

Pastor Clint Thorson of Our Savior Lutheran Church of Madison and St. John Lutheran Church of Howard was the winner of Lutheran Family Services drawing at the recent District Convention. Clint chose a red Lutheran Family Service polo shirt for his prize.

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GIVING.............

As communities across Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois continue to assess the devastating loss, the Mid-South District, LCMS is coordinating donor funds to help with recovery efforts. Click here to read more and donate

PASS IT ON! We have been asked if the recipients of this email newsletter may forwad it to others. YES! Please share it with whomever you wish, including your church's group email list. Simply click on the button below for sharing!

A Higher Things Retreat........

"My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?" Was Jesus cancelled? Yes! For you Jesus was cancelled by the Father when He claimed all your sins as His very own and gave up His life so that you may be reconciled with the Father. No, this isn't woke and in step with modern society. God became man so that you and I may not be cancelled, but rather accepted by the Father. The atonement is not a social movement, but rather the very gift of our Lord for us that we may never be cancelled, but always received by our Father in heaven because of the blood, wounds, and death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Come and walk along with Pastor Chris Hull and other amazing Lutheran pastors as we live our life together, kept safely in the peaceful hands of our Lord Jesus. Click here for more details!

The Making Disciples for Life Winter 2022 conference, The Rock in Shifting Sands, begins on January 10, 2022.



Register now for the conference to be among the first to select sessions when the agenda is published and session registration is opened on December 8.

Attend the conference in person in St. Louis or on-line wherever you are. You can even use a single registration to host watch parties for groups of any size.

“I experienced dark times in my life as a child and at every stage of my growth into and through adulthood. I became a prisoner of my anxiety.” Managing the physical aspects of anxiety along with the cognitive processes that feed anxiety can be extremely helpful to improve daily functioning and quality of life.

Read the article to learn how to manage your anxiety!

Introducing: Media Helpline for SD District Churches and Schools

Have you ever had a technical problem and didn’t know what to search for on Google? To assist you, the South Dakota District has assembled a small team of tech and media savvy experts to serve as consultants at no cost to your church or school. The team members are: Brian Hall, Cole Hyde, and Chad Zinnel. The initial consultations are designed to take place via email. More information about the Media Helpline is found under the Resources tab on the District’s website.  Click here for more information.

Click here for the latest information from Reverend Daniel Jastram our Together in Mission Missionary!