English District of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
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Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. |
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On Pentecost, Sunday, May 23, 2021, Bishop Jamison J. Hardy had the honor of preaching God’s Word and visiting with Rev. Travis Schmidt and the members of Trinity, Erie, PA. |
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Call Accepted
Ministerial Candidate Daniel K. Greg (CSL) has accepted the call to serve as sole pastor of Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, Elk Grove Village, IL.
Call Returned
The Rev. Nathaniel R. Schwartz (Minnesota South District) has returned the call to serve as the sole pastor of First, El Cajon, CA.
Call Received and Returned
The Rev. Matthew M. Tooman (North Dakota District) has received and returned the call to serve as the sole pastor of First, El Cajon, CA.
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The English District office will be closed on Monday, May 31, 2021 in observance of Memorial Day (USA). Thank you to the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
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On this Memorial Day weekend and the Feast of Holy Trinity, many people traditionally head to a cemetery to remember and pray. We remember those who have gone before us and, in particular, those who sacrificed their lives on the altar of freedom for the freedoms that we now live in and build our futures upon. Do you remember your first visit to a cemetery? I remember mine vividly. I absolutely had no clue about “cemetery etiquette”. My father yelled at me for stepping right on our dear family and loved ones. I didn’t know which side of the gravestone to stand. (I remember saying before the opposite phrase became synonymous with the little boy on “Sixth Sense” - “I don’t see dead people.”) I saw grass, flowers, headstones - but where the dead people were - I had no idea. I asked, “There aren’t any dead people buried under the tree over there, is there?” My parents assured me I couldn’t get in any more trouble standing quietly by the tree. Later my mother put her arm around me saying, “Don’t worry, our loved ones aren’t really here anyway.” If I wasn’t confused before, I certainly was then. I’m irreverently trespassing on family but, at the same time, they really aren’t there at all?! I didn’t know what to believe.
Do you know “cemetery etiquette”? Yes, it’s a real thing. Rules concerning where to stand. What to do and not do. Why you’re there in the first place. These are all a part of visiting a graveyard on Memorial Day or any other day of the year. But this coming weekend, as we remember and pray, as we celebrate who the one, true, Triune God is and what He alone does, please thank the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit for His saving sacrifice on the altar of the Cross to conquer sin, death, the grave and the power of the devil. Thank God in prayer for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our Country. Thank God and remember those who have gone before us forging and shaping who we are today.
You are encouraged to read the following article that touches on all the above issues on behalf of the District Evangelization Team and the joy of bearing witness to the Gospel in all we say and do.
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English District Virtual Gala |
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29th Annual Concordia University Wisconsin Conference for Parish Nursing and Congregational Health Ministries
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English District Parish Nurse Susan Neff (pictured right) and Dr. Marcia Schnorr presented at the conference held May 19-20, 2021. They lectured on Bethlehem, Palestine and the RCMP Academy in Canada. This annual conference is open to all Parish Nurses; but the majority who attend are LCMS nurses.
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Thoughts on Starting a Campus Ministry |
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Jesus commanded, “As you are going, make disciples of all nations.” There are few places where you can reach “all nations” in one setting as in the university setting.
Do you wonder if there might be an opportunity to start a Lutheran ministry to a college campus near your congregation or in your community? Are you wondering how to start?
Pastor Brad Urlaub (Lead Pastor at St. Mark Lutheran, Janesville, WI) has written an article that shares possible answers to these questions. He writes, “There are many things to consider. In this article, you will read the brutal truth of what it takes to start a campus ministry, I will share how God worked through this process to start a campus ministry at Penn State University.”
We are thankful that Pastor Urlaub has given us permission to share his article in the English District. The English District values and actively supports Campus Mission and Ministry.
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1-1-1 Focus on Campus Ministry |
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Our English District identified recipients of 1-1-1 (A Dollar for Mission) for 2020-2021 are the campus ministries of our District. We want members of our District congregations, those who bring a (1) dollar per (1) person per (1) Sunday, to have a clear picture of how these gifts are being used to directly support the mission of our District. These gifts come together to fund important ministries across the District, like Martin Luther Chapel at Michigan State University, $1 at a time.
Read more about the campus ministry of Martin Luther Chapel and how they connect with students and faculty during this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
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English District Financial Aid |
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English District Financial Aid information is available on the English District
website. Please read the material carefully and note that the deadline for submission is June 1, 2021.
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The Bible's promise is true: "If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us" (1 John 5:14).
District daily prayers for June 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.
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For more information, contact the English District Gift Planning Counselor Ron Grimm by phone (412)-584-7039 or email.
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Livestreamed/Recorded Services |
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We encourage everyone to take advantage of alternative opportunities to hear God’s word and to be blessed by the Divine Service. We have compiled a list of opportunities on the English District website that is continually updated.
If your congregation is recording or live streaming and is not included on this list, please email us at info@englishdistrict.org and let us know how people can access it.
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LCMS Statistical Reports Deadline: May 31 |
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2020 Congregation Statistics and Lay Leader Reports
Thank you to the English District congregations who have already submitted their end-of-year statistics on the LCMS Information Support Network (LISN) for Congregations. For those of you who have not submitted your reports, the deadline has been extended to May 31, 2021, and these reports will be used when we invoice the convention assessments this year.
When you file your statistical report, please update your lay leaders and provide their email addresses. These will be important to your congregation receiving timely reminders to participate in Synod governance through the convention cycle.
Congregation statistics are entered directly into the LISN database, which is designed to provide better service and greater access. If you have problems logging in, or need assistance, please send an email to rosters.stats@lcms.org or call (314) 996-1366 to request your login information.
Again, the deadline to submit the congregation statistics is Monday, May 31, 2021. Convention assessment invoices will be mailed from the District office in early April using the figures available at that time. If no report has been filed, the last known figures will be used. For questions regarding the assessment, contact the district office: info@englishdistrict.org or 800-755-9335.
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Redeemer, Oakmont, PA
Martin Naumann was confirmed on Pentecost, Sunday, May 23, 2021 by Rev. Brian Westgate at Redeemer, Oakmont, PA. Martin is the son of Rev. Dr. Edward Naumann and grandson of Rev. Dr. Jonathan Naumann, currently LCMS foreign missionaries who both previously served Redeemer. His father gave him his confirmation verse, Psalm 37:39. God bless and keep him in the true faith unto life everlasting!
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Redeemer, Sarnia, ON
Twin sisters, Jaime and Julie were confirmed on Easter Sunday at Redeemer, Sarnia, Ontario by Rev. Dr. Roger Ellis who is serving as Vacancy Pastor at the church. Because of the pandemic most of the confirmation lessons were taught on line. Two more persons were to be confirmed that day but could not attend because of Covid and will be confirmed when church services in person resume.
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St. Luke, Toronto, ON
St Luke Lutheran Church in Toronto, ON. held a vaccination clinic on May 21st. Church members, staff, and local health care teams collaborated to make this project a blessing to dozens of families in the neighborhood as people came to be vaccinated.
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Calvary, Mechanicsburg, PA
After a forced hiatus during the COVID-19 outbreak, members of Calvary were finally able to hold a Clothes Closet event. 2021 marks the tenth year that Calvary has sponsored a clothing ministry for members of the community. Distribution events are usually held three times each year, so that parishioners and others can care for the physical needs of their neighbors.
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Christ the King, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
Preschool graduation was celebrated at Christ the King Church. Congratulations to the young '4s' and Mrs. Steinkampf, Mrs. Collins, Ms. Champagne, Miss Haley and preschool director Melissa Pieper!
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Please 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. They can subscribe by clicking on the "Sign up for our emails" link at the bottom. 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 jmcgarr@englishdistrict.org by Wednesday at 12:00 Noon ET. We want to see how YOUR congregation or school is showing the love of God to those in your community and around the world.
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