Thank you to all those who attended our first-ever virtual Administrators Leadership Conference! SO much valuable information was shared regarding the re-opening of our schools from an instructional leadership and legal point of view. We also had three tremendous Bible studies!

​A folder will be sent out later today with all of the recordings and handouts to everyone who registered for the conference. If you were unable to attend but would like to have access to the resources and presentations, you can still register here .

If you attended, please complete the evaluation of this conference that was sent to you by email yesterday. We value your feedback! Thank you again for your attendance.

Rostered workers:

Last week you should have received your annual email request from Synod to update your information and your CMIF (Commissioned Minister Information Form). Don't forget to do so!

Administrators:

Please advise the district office of calls accepted for the new school year as well as other staff changes, including retirements and staff not returning, particularly for called workers. Thank you!

Thank you to all the generous supporters of Hearts for Jesus this year. Contributions have reached $23,615.36 , which will provide funds for 984 students to attend Children’s Bible Clubs, sponsored by Mission India, where children will hear the message of God’s love for them, and learn of Jesus as their Savior. 

We have some really great news to share: Our Hearts for Jesus campaign qualifies for a matching gifts available by a Mission India donor, so the number of children doubles to 1,968! God is good in the midst of this COVID crisis!

 

As the Hearts for Jesus mission project for this school year is coming to a close, please send your contribution for Hearts for Jesus to the district office by July 31. At that time, we will send our 2019-2020 Hearts for Jesus offering to Mission India. Funds received after July 31 will be applied to the Hearts for Jesus project for next year.

From the Council for American Private Education (CAPE):

Dear Friends of Religious and Independent Schools:

Congress is working on another package of COVID-19 relief, which is expected to include aid for K-12 education.

Please use CAPE's Legislative Action Center to let your representative and senators know that this aid package should include support for the students who are educated in America's private schools.

Thank you for your swift attention to this matter.

 

Michael Schuttloffel

Executive Director

phone: 844-883-CAPE

web: www.capenet.org  

Below is a message sent two days ago from President Gibson:

I thank God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3

 

Today we were told by California Governor Newsom that churches in 31 California Counties (this includes all California Pacific Southwest District counties other than Mono and Inyo) need to stop  INDOOR  in-person worship immediately. Churches that are currently doing  OUTDOOR worship can continue to do so. Please note that the Governor did not just single out houses of worship in this order. As of this writing we have not heard if Arizona and Nevada will follow suit. 

Here are some links to this information:

The position of the PSD remains as it has throughout the COVID-19 crisis: Please follow the requirements of your local authorities and pray for God to heal our communities, nation, and world.

This still  is not  an Acts 5:29 thing:  "We must obey God rather than man."

 

This  remains  a Romans 13:1-4 thing:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God's servant for your good.

 

This  remains  a Philippians 2 thing:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

 

The concerns of the weakest among us are so very critical in this moment - even when we, and everyone around us, are feeling just fine. Pastors, please share your struggle about what to do next with your congregation. Be transparent and seek God together. Your congregation loves you and will follow you.

Again, my heart hurts with all of you as we continue to face these difficult COVID-19 realities.  Please be confident that we in the Pacific Southwest District stand with you and are here to assist you in any way we can.

PSD COVID-19 Resource Page

If you will be requiring parents and/or teachers to track students' temperatures and/or their own temperatures and would like an easy way to record those health screenings, Zing Apps may have a solution for you. Mitchell Germain and his team at Zing Apps have created a new app for schools called myTempTracker . This is an easy-to-use tool that will allow parents and/or teachers to log a child's temperature after it has been taken and quickly answer some basic health screening questions each day to allow their child entry to school. Through July 31, Zing Apps is offering a special sign up with a free three month, no obligation trial of this app. For more information, please click here to be directed to their website and watch a short introductory video.

Here is an update from one of our past Hearts for Jesus recipients:

Quarantines and adjustments are happening all over the world! Even the six Garuna Christian Schools in Cambodia are “quarantined” for a few months. Remote learning isn’t an option for their quarantine. Instead, the government is allowing the teachers to return to the old “home visit” model which was once more commonly seen with Lutheran schools in the USA! These pictures demonstrate ways in which the 1000+ students are still learning academics and hearing about Jesus each week. Now, even their families are hearing the Bible lessons, too. Open doors to the Gospel are a result of some of these challenging times, which is the “blessing in disguise”. That Gospel sharing is extending into the capital city of Phnom Penh as Garuna school #7 is being built, opening in late 2020! The PSD supported Garuna’s 4 ^th school building construction during a past “Hearts for Jesus” offering event. Your gifts continue to make a difference…many thanks to you all! To learn more, go to www.garuna.org .

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 . Applications should be sent to the Pacific Southwest District, attention Rachel Klitzing or can be emailed at [email protected]. Deadline for submission is August 10, 2020.

The July TLC Grant application window is open.  The TLC Grant is an educational grant on behalf of the Trinity Lutheran Church Educational Endowment Fund (Reseda, CA). This grant has been established as a gift to the Church for the continuation of excellent Lutheran education in the Pacific Southwest District. This is a competitive grant based on the strength of the application and is open to all schools, K-12. More information on the purpose of the grant money is in the grant application packet. Since the inception of this grant in January 2016, $227,942 has been granted to 44 different schools in the district. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to enhance the education you share with your students.

 

Please click here to be directed to the application form.  The deadline to submit your application is July 31 . Recipients will be notified in mid-August.

One Minute from Rev. Ron Rehrer, Counselor for Church Workers of the Pacific Southwest District :

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.

Read Full Article

Here are some summer resources for the children in your life. Lutheran Hour Ministries is a trusted resource in global media that equips and engages a vibrant volunteer base to passionately proclaim the Gospel to more than 136 million people worldwide each week.

 

Send kids on a trip with Gospel Adventures!

Watch videos where kids can meet kids just like them from another part of the world. Start your journey to Mongolia today! View Day 1

No charge registration for additional days here: https://www.gospeladventures.org/#  

Let's Be Disciples

Jesus’ first disciples were ordinary people like you and me. He called and they followed. He taught and they listened and learned. As God loved the world through His Son, He loves the world now through us. We can all be His disciples and spread the Good News of Jesus. Preview Booklet

Sharing Your Faith

This booklet is geared towards pre-school to 3rd grade children. This children's book is full of fun rhymes for youngsters (and parents). It reminds readers that both words and actions are part of telling others about Jesus. Preview Booklet

Learning to Pray

This booklet is geared towards pre-school to third-grade children. It is written in rhyme to teach and encourage children (and Parents) to spend time with God in prayer. Preview Booklet

Do You Know Who Jesus Is?

This booklet is geared towards pre-school to third-grade children. It is written in rhyme to teach children the answer to the question, "Who is Jesus?" Preview Booklet

Each week, prayers of thanksgiving and prayers for teachers, administrators, support staff, pastors, students, and families of the Lutheran schools, early childhood centers, and churches of the Pacific Southwest District are listed. To include names on the list, please send information to [email protected] by noon on Wednesday of each week. This week we pray for: