Our world isn’t just changing - it CHANGED!

While Jesus, the Word, the Sacraments, and the hope of His Gospel are the same yesterday, today, and forever, the challenges we face to ENGAGE with our broken world call us to new ways of thinking and serving.

The 2021 Pacific Southwest District Pastors’ Conference will address this critical moment in Christian history with presentations by home-grown PSD practitioners who will lead us in generative thinking, study, and discussion.

Significant time has been built into the conference to gift us with opportunities to reconnect, recreate, and refocus with one another for the exciting ministry season ahead.

Fall Pastors’ Conference will be taking place October 4-6 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Phoenix/Scottsdale in Arizona. Check-in will be available on Sunday, October 3 from 4 - 8 pm for those arriving early.

Exhibitors: click here to be redirected to the Exhibitor Registration page.

The 2021 PSD Continuing Education Conference will be on Sunday, October 3 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Scottsdale, AZ. This ½ day conference will begin with lunch and fellowship at 12:30pm and will end about 5 pm. Our guest speaker will be Rev. Jon Bjorgaard speaking on the topic Keys to Having a Successful Mission and Ministry in a Post-COVID World.  

As of this writing, the LCMS Southern District Office is without power due to Hurricane Ida's devastating effects. President Johnson has been out delivering fuel, water, and generators to pastors and parishioners in need. Currently, their web page cannot be updated, but you can still go to southernlcms.org, click on disaster response to donate. 100% of donations go directly to disaster relief.

Salam Ministries will be teaming up with other Christian organizations to serve and reach out to newly arrived Afghani families. Newcomers need to find a place to stay, furniture, appliances, get their driver's license, buy a car, find jobs, enroll children in schools and much more .. but most of all they need Jesus. The love of Jesus will be presented to them in practical ways in meeting their urgently felt needs. We need every prayer, every volunteer, and every small and big donation. Please contact us if you would like to help.

Redeemer Lutheran Church, Huntington Beach, CA is hosting a Breakfast Bible Study on Saturday, September 11 at 9:00 am.  Breakfast starts at 8:30 am in the Fellowship Hall followed by the presentation at 9:00 am. RSVP to the Church office at churchoffice@redeemer-lutheran.net or call 714-846-6330. For those who prefer Zoom, a link will be posted on our website under Events, Upcoming Events.

Twenty years later, September 11 continues to live in infamy as the memory of a vicious flesh and blood enemy attack on our homeland. “Be strong in the Lord” said Saint Paul as he talked about the invisible enemy of our soul with which we wrestle every day, the unseen enemy behind September 11 and all evil every day. It is for a reason that Jesus taught us to pray “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” We don’t live our Christian faith in a vacuum; we don’t just inhabit this planet; we cohabit with fallen angels, evil spirits who blind the minds of unbelievers to keep them from trusting Jesus and being saved, who attack us, the children of God, with fear, discouragement and deception, to steal our joy, kill our effective witness to Christ, and destroy our unity and love. That’s what Jesus said in John 10:10, the thief/devil comes only to steal, kill and destroy. In his letter to the Ephesians, Saint Paul shows us how we overcome, how to defeat the unseen enemy by living a Christ-like, Spirit-filled life, by putting on the protective gear of the truth of the Gospel and wielding the offensive weapon, the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, standing firm, believing, embracing, living by and speaking the truth of God.

The Pacific Southwest District LWML is now accepting grant applications for the 2022-2021 Biennium. If you have a new Gospel outreach idea or would like to expand upon an already active mission in your church or community, please apply by visiting psdlwml.org. You will find the application and guidelines under Mission Grants. Mail deadline is September 15.

The Lutheran Hour Ministries Float Committee is pleased to announce additional riders for their 2022 Rose Parade Float entitle Jesus Teaches.

Dr. Kurt Senske, Chairman of Lutheran Hour Ministries Board of Directors

Debbie Larson, Lutheran Women's Missionary League President

Rev. Bil Hood, So CA LLL District Pastoral Advisor

Rev. Nadar Hanna, Faith Lutheran Church, Huntington Beach

Rev. Matt Nolte, St. Paul, Agoura Hills & Redeemer, Thousand Oaks

Nikki Nolte, Lutheran Hour Ministries Float Committee

Nicole Heerlein, LHM Associate Director, External Relations

Carl Perr, Orange Lutheran High School Class of 2021

Rev. ST Williams has been in continuous communication with church leaders of our sister church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti. They are seeking support from their brothers and sisters. They need prayer, food, cleaning drinking water, health kits, blankets, and tents. All of these items can be purchased in Haiti and/or the Dominican Republic. The pastors and church leaders will purchase these items then transport them. Shipment of these items from the United States would be expensive and time-consuming.

Donations can be sent to:

St. Paul Haiti Mission: 3901 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018

Zelle: Haiti Mission: 402-525-3395

Cash App: 402-525-3395

Registration is now open for the 77th Annual Southern California District Lutheran Laymen's League Conference Bringing Christ to the Nations on Saturday, October 9 at Concordia University Irvine.

Our speakers will include:

This event is FREE. Lunch is provided. A free will offering will be accepted.

2022 Concordia Health Plans (CHP) Employer Elections end on Friday, September 3. It is strongly encouraged that PSD churches, schools and other employers actively engage in this process, as there are benefits such as Accidental Injury and Critical Illness coverage that employers need to actively elect in order for their workers to sign up.

Click here to access the Employer Election Hub.

Click here to access the recording of Concordia Plans’ 2022 ALL District Town Hall that covered available benefits, plans, revisions, new products, and more.