Please join us in praying and thanking God for the following schools

this week:

Peace Lutheran Preschool, Camarillo, CA

Immanuel Lutheran School and Preschool, Riverside, CA

Mt. Calvary Kids Corner, Running Springs, CA

Below are photos from Peace Lutheran Preschool, Camarillo, CA:

Pre-K class with their Teacher - Mrs. Borodaty (left) and TA - Kelsey Stuart-Southward (right).

Students with Sydney Weiss, who did her Girl Scout Gold Project with our Preschool and developed a sustainable garden. The children are learning about growing fresh fruits and vegetables and the care necessary to maintain them. Last month we harvested strawberries from our garden and, along with some strawberry donations, we were able to serve strawberries as part of our snack. We plan to incorporate harvested fruit and veggies as part of our morning snack for years to come.

This year, we had a Mother's Day Picnic on the lawn. We invited our families to come enjoy lunch with their moms. We provided beverages and a treat for all. It was a beautiful day celebrating our moms.  

Below are photos from Immanuel Lutheran School and Preschool, Riverside, CA:

ILS entire student body after Roadrunner Olympics

Mrs. Holly Smith and her second graders welcome a new student

Preschool Director Trona Salgado at Trunk or Treat with daughters

Zoe and Isley

Ukulele Club at Chapel

Registration for the PSD Administrators Leadership Conference - July 20-22, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells, CA, is live! Click here for all the registration details!

We often are asked for suggestions for chapel offering recipients - so, here is a link to a special listing of six very worthwhile projects that you might want to consider as you plan for next year. These are suggestions we offer BESIDES our new Hearts for Jesus unified mission project - details below!

We are pleased to announce that next year’s Hearts for Jesus Unified Mission project for Pacific Southwest District schools is Hope and Care Outreach! Hope and Care Outreach equips local Liberia believers to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Due to a 13-year civil war, ebola, and a fractured infrastructure, Liberia has one of the worst educational systems in the world. 50% of children will never complete 6th grade.

As the Pacific Southwest District’s unified mission focus, together we can send hundreds of kids to Lutheran schools throughout the nation. $75 is the average cost to send a child to a Lutheran school for the entire year! This modest sum is the difference between children becoming literate or not, realizing the gifts that God has given them or not, and most importantly, knowing Jesus or not. We pray that you will be blessed as you join us in lifting up these precious souls and future Christian leaders of Liberia. More details to come as we approach the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

Read all about how God is at work at Christ Lutheran Church, Coolidge, AZ, and Risen Savior Lutheran Church, Chandler, AZ, in the latest #AroundthePSD article.

1. LCMS International Mission has launched a new podcast, 5 Minutes with a Missionary.  It’s a window into missionary life. As our missionaries talk about their experiences, savor the uniqueness of the places in which God has called them to serve — while finding common ground with your own role and service. Each episode features an unfiltered take on life abroad for the sake of the Gospel in the time it takes to pick up your drive-thru order or empty the dishwasher. It’s fun. It’s personal. It’s real. And it’s always an adventure.
2. We are looking for 8 more volunteers to serve in the Dominican Republic August 1-6, 2022, and provide a VBS-type program for our missionary kids. Spanish is a plus, but not required. This is a time-sensitive request as the application deadline is May 26, so check out these Facebook and Instagram posts on the topic, as well as this informational page.

SAVE THE DATE! LEC will be held November 20-22, 2022, at the Hilton Bayfront in San Diego, CA. This year’s theme is Salt & Light, based on Matthew 5:13-16. We have already contracted three excellent speakers – national author Matt de la Pena, Donalyn Miller - the “Book Whisperer”, and Matt Miller, creator of “Ditch That Textbook.”

This year’s registration cost will be $170 per person. With hotel and travel reimbursement, we anticipate it will cost approximately $395 per teacher to attend. Please budget this expense for next year! As in past years, we will provide a guidance document for you to obtain Title Funds to assist in offsetting costs. We anticipate registration will open for LEC in late August.

Tri-District Rodeo & BBQ Lunch at NYG

Final registration closes May 31!

psd-lcms.org/psd-youth-gathering-event

Join us for an authentic Texas Rodeo and BBQ lunch at the Historic George Ranch; Wednesday, July 13th! Transportation to George Ranch will depart from Minute Maid Park immediately following closing worship and will return groups back to their hotel, George Bush, or Hobby Airport following the event. Registration includes transportation, lunch, entertainment, and a t-shirt! If you have already registered, you should have received additional transportation information. If you did not receive it, please contact Laura Bredehoft.

Save the Date: Orange County Field Day

Orange County area churches are invited to bring their High School youth groups to St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Orange on Sunday, June 12th, from 6:00-8:00pm for a field day complete with fun games and INFLATABLES!! Cost is $25 per youth ($10 per adult leader) and includes access to all inflatables/activities and dinner. If your church is attending the LCMS Youth Gathering in July, this will be a great opportunity to make connections with other youth and adult leaders. Please watch your email for registration materials arriving soon.

Save the Date: San Diego Day at the Bay

San Diego area churches are invited to bring their High School youth groups to Playa Pacifica area of Mission Bay on Sunday, June 26th, from 4:30-7:00pm for a day at the bay! Bring your youth, beach chairs, and a potluck food item to share. If your church is attending the LCMS Youth Gathering in July, this will be a great opportunity to make connections with other youth and adult leaders. Please watch your email for registration materials arriving soon.

Questions? Contact Laura Bredehoft 

[email protected] | 858-272-6363

Do you know someone interested in getting in on the ground floor of an amazing start up school?  LuTEC (Lutheran Technology, Education and Career High Schools) is a cutting edge, technology based, Lutheran high school network, providing an individualized and flexible education to all learners, focusing on relevant knowledge and skills for work or advanced studies in preparation for a career and life in service to their communities.

LuTEC is currently seeking a full time Academic Learning Guide and a full time School Assistant. To learn more, click HERE.

Save the date of July 26, 2022, for a virtual conference for teachers presented by Lutheran Special Education Ministries. This unique, one-day event brings Christian teachers together in an online format for continuing education with amazing speakers and content. The theme this year is "With One Voice" based on Romans 15: 5-6, Click here for more information!

MISSION IGNITION COMPETITION! Give your 2022-23 chapel offering program a jump start! Garuna Ministries is offering a $50 “Rev It Up” Grant to your school, class, or leadership group! Enter the 2022-23 race for your team’s most creative, high octane, mission fundraising project in support of the Garuna Kids in Cambodia, using the $50 grant to help with promotion or supplies. Perhaps it’s a car wash, a bake sale, or an even more creative idea generated by your students or leadership groups! See how a small idea can result in a huge win for missions and for your students’ mission engagement! All project proceeds will benefit the nearly 1,300 Cambodian K-6th graders enrolled at the 7 Garuna Christian (Lutheran) Schools who are hearing about Jesus for the first time in their lives. Interested? Contact Cheryl Ehlers by June 1 to reserve your place in the line up! ([email protected]) Mission Ignition participants will have a chance to share their stories and results after the checkered flag is raised at the conclusion of the challenge.

• We are thankful for the years of service of all of our educators retiring at the end of this school year. God's richest blessings to you!
• We pray for all of our schools as you have end of the year activities, graduations, and other celebrations this year.
• Congratulations to all of our graduates -- preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, 8th grade, and high school!
• Join us in praying for congregations, high schools, elementary schools, and early childhood centers searching for administrators, directors, teachers, and staff for the 2022-23 school year.
• We pray for peace in Eastern Europe, that the Lord may bring an end to the war and restore peace and freedom to the people of Ukraine.

Schools we are praying for the week of May 22:

Christ the Cornerstone Academy and Preschool, San Diego, CA

Bethlehem Lutheran Preschool, Santa Clarita, CA

Faith Lutheran School and Preschool, Tucson, AZ

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 Tuesdays.