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January February 2014, Vol. 2, Issue 3
LutheransENGAGE the WORLD
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6
2 10 Questions
6Mercy Moment
12 Serving the Church as a21st-Century Missionary
15 The Horn Family Update
21 To the Four Corners of the Earth
1-888-THE LCMS (843-5267)
www.lcms.org
January February 2014 vol. 2 no. 3
12
inspire
LutheransENGAGE the WORLD
Engaging the Church in the work of witness and mercy across the globe in our life together.
LUTHERANS ENGAGE THE WORLDis published bi-monthly by The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod.
2014 The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod. Reproduction for parish use does not require permission.Such reproductions,
however, should credit LUTHERANS ENGAGE THE WORLDas a source. Print editions are sent to LCMS donors, rostered workers and
missionaries. An online version is available (lcms.org/lutheransengage). To receive the print edition, we invite you to make a financial
gift for LCMS global witness and mercy work. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are property of the LCMS.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001
by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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involve
engageinform
S T A F F
Mark D. Hofman executive director, mission advancement
David L. Strand executive director, communications
Pamela J. Nielsen executive editor
Erica Schwan manager of design services
Melanie Ave staff writer
Megan K. Mertz staff writer
Erik M. Lunsford staff photojournalist/editor
Carolyn A. Niehoff designer
Chrissy A. Thomas designer
3 The Changing Face of Mission Work
10The Road to Missionary Service
16 Region by Region
18 Stewards Corner
8 Giving fromthe Heart
E D I T O R I A L O F F I C E
314-996-1215
1333 S. Kirkwood Road
St. Louis, MO 63122-7295
www.lcms.org/lutheransengage
3
8
Whos Your Missionary?
MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIESare dotted with
images of missionaries visiting our church with their
artifacts a nd colorful clothi ng from the faraway
places where they had been sent to serve. I recal l
special offerings and sending letters and gifts to
missionary families. Missionary support was part
of the fabric of our congregational life together.
Fast-forward 40 years and its much the same
today at my congregation, Hope Lutheran Church
in South St. Louis. We have adopted two missionary
families. Each week we pray for them in our services.
We receive their newsletters, and the congregat ion
has committed to supporting them financially with
a set amount annually.
Recently, missionary support has been woven
into the fabric of my own family as we havecommitted to personally supporting these same
two missionary fami lies with our personal prayers
and financial gifts. Our missionaries regularly
send us emails and notes about their lives on the
mission field.
On their own, the gifts from our congregation
and my family wouldnt be enough to send or
keep a missionary on the field. But joined together
with gif ts large and small from congregations and
individuals across the LCMS, these missionaries are
able to serve in places like Sri Lanka a nd Ethiopia. In
the pages of this issue of Lutherans Engage the World,youll read about the changing face of mission work
and the skill sets and number of people needed on
the mission field, and youll learn about the road
to missionary service. (Do you know someone who
would make a great missionary?)
It is the moment for mission. Whos your
missionary?
In Christ,
Pamela J. Nielsen
Associate Executive Director,
Communication Services
Cover image:PHOTO: LCMSCOMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
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www.lcms.org/missionarysupport
1.What prepared you for
missionary work?Many things have influenced and prepared
me for today. When I look back, I see the web
the Lord has woven in my life. Too often we
don't know the purpose for which the Lord
plans our lives, but I truly believe I am now
where the Lord wants me.
2.Who influenced you to
become a missionary?
Many people have influenced and plantedseeds in my life. Pastor Ted Krey [LCMS
regional director for Latin America] and my
father were especially influential.
3.Why Lima, Peru?I'm here because of the work we are doing,
not because of the place itself. The LCMS
mission has a mercy house where we are
working with children [who are] living and
working in the streets. We help children have
a better life and a better future.
4.Can you describe your
work in more detail?We serve children and their families
in La Victoria [a part of Lima] with
a three-fold purpose of education,
health and life. We have after-school
tutoring, a reading club and an
event called "Saturday Explosions."
That time is for us to interact and build
relationships. We had health fairs and
clinics, and we spend time educating the
people on healthy living practices. Lastly, we
also have [vacation Bible school] classes,
which give us a chance to teach Bible
stories and the love of Christ.
5.What reward does that
give you?Working with the children is a joy. However, the
greatest blessing is these children are coming
to know Christ. They are feeling His love and
presence in their lives through us.
6.What educational goals are
you working toward?I am working on two certifications. I am serving
T grate blesn
the chldr arcomn t know Chri.
by Erik M. Lunsford
my internship while I am here in Peru for my
deaconess program at Concordia Theological
Seminary. In addition, I am working on my
full license for my bachelors of social work.
I currently have my limited license and am
working toward a fully certified license.
7.What is life like in Peru?When I first arrived, every aspect here was
sensory overload. Everything was new and
different and I felt like I spent my whole day
just trying to make sense of things. Because
I live in a large city, there are many days it
feels like a different city away from home in
the United States. There are many other times
when cultural differences and the language
make it very clear that I am nowhere near
anything familiar. A typical day here involves
kisses from strangers, haggling over prices,
great amounts of walking and riding in
broken-down buses, among other things.
8.What do you miss
from home?I miss my family. I miss a
world that speaks English.I am learning Spanish and
every interaction here is
learning for me. I miss doing
things with more
simplicity. I also miss
driving. The streets of
Lima are crazy and
you couldn't pay me to drive here.
9.What advice do you have for
new missionaries?Be patient with all things, with yourself and
with God. When you are humbled by Him
you will seek your fulfillment in Him.
10.What one word describesyour missionary work?
10 Questionswith Missionary Caitlin Worden
nspire
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nform
The Changing Face
of
mission
work
by Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III
modern-day
mission work look like?
Would you describe an image
of men clad in khaki and pith hats,
slashing through thick vegetation, living
in mud huts and teaching and preaching
the Gospel to indigenous peoples?
W
Rev. Dr. Otto Hintze teaches Jesus
es Me to the indigenous people in Papua
w Guinea (circa 1950). Hintze was one of
first LCMS missionaries to the country.
Rev. Ted Krey, LCMS regional director
Latin America and the Caribbean, lays
ds on Willy Gaspar during his ordination
011. Gaspar was the first man from the
minican Republic to become a Lutheran
tor because of LCMS mission work.
The Rev. Theodore Naether and
family, the first LCMS missionary
to India (circa 1890)
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If so, youve given an 1895 kind
of answer. Tat was the year that the
Rev. Teodore Naether, the first LCMS
missionary, was sent to India. Pastor
Naether was only 27 years old when he and
his family made the long journey overseas
by steamship. After 10 years of sharing
Christs forgiveness and peace with sinners,he died of the plague while surrounded by
his beloved congregation. His work laid
the foundation for our first LCMS partner
church, the India Evangelical Lutheran
Church, which today has hundreds of
thousands of members and a vast system of
schools and mercy institutions.
Or maybe you would describe a time
before the mid-19th century the early
modern period (the past 500 years) which
often evokes the black-robed priest living
in a Native American village, teaching therudiments of the Christian faith to natives
while trying to survive in harsh conditions.
Perhaps the first thought you have
is boarding an airplane to fly to a Latin
American country, speaking the Gospel
while passing out eyeglasses or building
shelters for homeless people, a more recent
reality. Each of these images helps illustrate
the changing face of mission work in the
Church today.
Our concept of mission work developed
during the past 300 years or so. Te Church
followed where Christian, European coun-
tries explored and settled. Te late 18th and
particularly the 19th centuries also saw the
rise of international mission societies. Tese
lay groups organized to send pastors and
others with various skills, helping to spreadthe Church to the four corners of the earth.
oday, the face of mission work, although
connected to these past efforts, looks very
different. Inexpensive airfare, cell phones
and the Internet connect people from
different cultures, lands and languages who
interact in a way inconceivable to earlier
generations.
Church groups can easily board an
airplane, traveling to the farthest reaches of
the globe to teach vacation Bible school to
children in Mongolia. In places where nochurch existed 100 years ago, some of the
largest Lutheran churches on earth now reside.
Te mission field also can now be found
in parts of America that have become the
home of entire African communities, who
only a generation ago would have only been
found in the heart of Africa.
Yet, the goal of mission work is always
the same: to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ
to sinners.
oday, Te Lutheran ChurchMissour
Synod accomplishes this work in several
ways. Church planting establishing a
Lutheran altar and pulpit continues to
lead our activity in places where no church
exists. Where we have an existing partner
church, LCMS mission efforts are focused
on providing specific resources that willhelp sustain, revitalize and strengthen the
partner church as it proclaims the Gospel.
ogether, the local, indigenous church, our
missionaries on the ground and the LCMS
Office of International Mission staff work
to determine the best way to approach the
work on the field.
Help Us Train Our PastorsTe number one request coming from
our LCMS partner churches worldwide is:
Help us train our pastors. Our reputationfor robust theological education that
fully equips a man to shepherd a flock is
recognized around the globe.
How we enhance and strengthen
theological education depends upon
the location and setting. It might involve
providing scholarships for men to study at
a local or regional seminary like we do in
Argentina, where nine Latin countries send
their students. In Africa, it might involve
the goal of mission
work is always
the same: to bring
the gospel of jesuschrist to sinners
4 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
Left:LCMS missionary Rev.
Mark Eisold (far right) stands
with congregation members
at an LCMS church plant in
Lima, Peru.Right:Seminary
students listen to a lecture at
the seminary of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Ghana, an
LCMS partner church.
LCMS missionary Michelle
Cagnin leads a microcredit loan
workshop in the Philippines.
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providing assistance at a missionary training
center as we do in ogo or sending a recent
seminary graduate to a local Bible school. Or
perhaps it involves sending a pastor with a
Ph.D. to teach for a few months to strengthen
seminary faculty, as we are doing now in
Ethiopia. Parish pastors who can provide
administrative and teaching support to a
partner church seminary are also requested.
Providing long-term theological educators isanother way the LCMS is instrumental on the
mission field. Although intensive short-term
courses are appreciated, the most frequent
request we get is for people who can teach
for several years.
In Siberia, Russia, for example, the
Rev. Alan Ludwig, serves as a theological
educator. He has taught seminarians,
preached at local Lutheran congregations
and assisted in building up Lutheran
pastors in the region since 1998. Dr. Ludwig
writes: Missions means planting churches.For many reasons including political,
economic and cultural ones this can
better be done by trained Russians. It is
better to equip 10 Russian pastors than to
send 10 American pastors. Tis will help
insure the continuation of the Lutheran
church in Russia and other territories. Long
after foreigners have left, the church will
have strong, confessional leaders.
Te Lutheran churches in Africa are
requesting our theological educators to help
train more pastors to serve the hundreds ofnew congregations being formed. Te Rev.
Dr. Carl and Deaconess Deborah Rockrohr,
missionaries in Ethiopia, currently assist
with theological training. Dr. Rockrohr
instructs seminarians desiring to be pastors
at the Mekane Yesus Seminary in Addis
Ababa, while Deaconess Rockrohr helps
to teach theological courses for women
considering vocations within the Church.
Tey write: Te EECMY has set big goals for
itself. Concerning the seminary, the church
wants to expand the new graduate programso that in five years there will be 200 M.A.
students and up to 30 doctoral students. Te
challenges to reach these goals are immense.
Despite the challenges, the students are
very eager to learn!
In Madagascar, there are not enough
pastors to serve the more than one new
congregation that opens each week. Can
you imagine it? A new congregation serving
between 1,000 and 3,000 people opening
every week! In many cases, congregations or
preaching stations are served by evangelists,men who still require theological and
practical training.
Many SkillsLCMS missionaries are often focused on
supporting, revitalizing and strengthening
Lutheran churches around the world. Tey
frequently serve as Aarons, holding up
Moses hands. Tey assist our partners
through a variety of ways ways specifically
requested by the partner, such as bringing in
doctors and nurses, people to teach English
as a Second Language or by finding skilled
workmen to complete various construction
projects. Tese lay missionaries, serving
alongside pastors and deaconesses, have
been sent with almost every imaginable
skill and profession accountants, doctors,
nurses, schoolteachers, farmers and otherlaborers.
What is the face of missions in 2013? Your
answer depends on where in the world our
LCMS missionaries are serving and what
they have been given to do for the church
in that place. But no matter where they are
or what their vocation may be, our LCMS
missionaries work is always done at the
foot of Christs cross and focused on witness
(proclaiming the Gospel), mercy (showing
love and compassion to people in need) and
life together (having a community of peoplegathered around Jesus).
The Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III is director of
LCMS Church Relations and assistant to LCMS
President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison. Learn
more: www.lcms.org/international
JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage 5lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionlcms.org/givenow/globalmission
A volunteer treats a child during
a 2009 Mercy Medical Team trip
to Madagascar.
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ean Harlow, LCMS missionary
to aiwan and the Philippines,
descends from his seat atop gas cans in
the vans trunk, dons a floppy military-
style hat and lands with a pair of flip-flops
on the debris-strewn ground of acloban
City, Leyte province, Philippines. He
carries a bag of rice, bound for hungry
families of Christ Lutheran Church.
Across the street, body bags lay in a
sloppy row. I have never seen the degree
of destruction that I found in acloban,
Harlow said after delivering rice as part
of the initial LCMS disaster-relief effort
following yphoon Haiyan in November
2013. Even though it was very hot,
I felt a chill come over me, which
coincided with the sense of death and
destruction that surrounded me from all
angles and directions.
As part of his role as a career
missionary, Harlow serves as the assistant
to the president of the Lutheran Church inthe Philippines (LCP).
An average student in a family of four
brothers, Harlow grew up in a home rich
in Christian discipline, participating in
nightly prayer and devotionals while
his father studied to become a pastor
in St. Louis.
I loved reading and memorizing
the Bible, singing Christian songs and
learning the difference between being a
lover of Jesus and a lover of the world,
he said.
Harlow easily grasped biblical
concepts, and he knew he wanted to share
them with others.
Following graduation from Lutheran
High School North in St. Louis and
Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich.,
Harlow enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.
He fought in the Persian Gulf twice during
his five years of military service.
Harlow said his military career helped
him prepare emotionally and mentally for
disaster-relief work.
Being able to show compassion
and mercy to those in need is incredibly
important, he said, but it is also
important to not let the situation become
overwhelming or overbearing.
On Nov. 8, yphoon Haiyan killedmore than 5,000 people on the island
of Leyte and the surrounding islands
that make up the Philippines. Te storm
displaced millions and wiped out entire
communities.
Although he was attending a fall
retreat at the time of the storm, Harl
quickly researched the affected area
and found friends and LCMS partne
who were suffering from the disaste
coordinated with LCP Disaster Resp
Leader Rev. Antonio Reyes and help
prepare for the arrival of the LCMS
Disaster Response team from the
United States.
When the St. Louis-based respon
team arrived in the Philippines, Har
traveled with the group from Manila
plane to Cebu City then onto Ormoc
the island of Leyte. raveling by boa
night, Harlow marveled when the bo
pulled into port.
We could all sense the destructi
that surrounded us in the dark, he s
We could see the bare skeletons of
coconut, banana and palm trees tha
destroyed by the storm.
One night during the trip, spider
walked across Harlow as he slept ou
in the rain. During the day, he work
behind the scenes for the LCMS Dis
Response team, scouring nearby cit
Missionary Sean Harlow
On Nov. 8, 2013, the Philippines was hit by Typhoon Haiyan,
leaving thousands dead and millions displaced. Missionary
Sean Harlow joined responders from the Lutheran Church in
the Philippines and the LCMS, bringing food and supplies to
hard-hit communities along with a witness of the hope that is
found in Christ.
MERCY|MOMENT
Sby Erik M. Lunsford
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upplies and coordinating transportation.
I love that my job is always an
dventure of responsibilities that lead to
rving Jesus and others through being
witness, showing mercy and building
lationships with both those who know
dont know the Lord.
Missionaries around the world are
ot only engaged in witness but are often
alled upon to lead and bear mercy in
eir regions.
Harlow said he is saddened at the
orrendous devastation from Haiyan,
ut he cherishes the opportunity to help
hers who have lost everything.
I feel that this is what the Lord has
lled me to [do], he said.
nspire
k M. Lunsford is staff photojournalist and
itor for LCMS Communications.
deo update: www.lcms.org/video/
ilippinesUpdate oto gallery: www.lcms.org/photo/
ilippinesUpdate
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nvolv
FROM THE HEARTT O S U P P O R T M I S S I O N S A N D M I S S I O N A R I E S
But the way the two couples
support the churchs work is
quite different.
Te Harmans directly
support three LCMS careermissionaries who are based in
different parts of the world.
Te Keithlys regularly give
to the LCMS Global Mission
Fund, which supports the
Synods Gospel proclamation,
disaster response and human-
care activities. Global Mission
funds are distributed where
they are needed most,
by Melanie Ave
Ron and Evelyn Harman and
Kelly and Cheryl Keithly are vital to the national
and international witness and mercy work of Te
Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod (LCMS).
Dnationally and internationally.
Every donor brings a
unique, distinctive blessing to
our work, said Mark Hofman,
executive director of LCMSMission Advancement. Both
those who desire a deep
personal connection to the
missionaries doing the work
and those who are willing to
let the LCMS determine where
their gift is most needed out in
the field are equally treasured.
What our donors all share
is a deep love of Jesus and a
passion for sharing the Gospel
with the world, combined with
the immense trust of a heavenly
Father who provides for their
every need. ogether they take
action as the body of Christ to
bring hope and healing to those
who are lost, weak or new in
the faith.
Heres what the Harmans
and the Keithlys have to sayabout why they give the way
they do.
Ron, 81, and Evelyn, 79,
Harman live in Phoenix and
have been supporting LCMS
missionaries for about a
decade.
Each month they write
checks to the LCMS that
directly support Shara
Cunningham, who serves in
Kenya; the Rev. Stephen and
Maggie Oliver, who serve in the
Asia Pacific region; and another
missionary family.
For Ron Harman, a retired
Lutheran school teacher, the
motivation behind his support
of missionaries is simple.
Teyre doing what the
Church ought to be doing, hesaid. According to the Great
Commission, that is No. 1.
Te LCMS trains, sends
and supports called and
appointed career, long-term
and short-term missionaries
worldwide where there are
mission stations, partner
churches, schools or mission
relationships.
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9JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission
Every donor brings a unique, distinctive blessing
to our work. Both those who desire a deep
personal connection to the missionaries doing the
work and those who are willing to let the LCMS
determine where their gift is most needed out in
the field are equally treasured.
Mark Hofman, director of LCMS Mission Advancement
Because missionaries
must raise 100 percent of the
funds necessary to support
their overseas work, they
need individual andcongregational supporters
like the Harmans, who have
been married 56 years and
have four children and 15
grandchildren.
Nothing is more important
than sending missionaries out
into the world, said the Rev.
Edward Grimenstein, director
of Missionary Services for the
LCMS. Tis is one reason why
the LCMS exists to speak of
Christ to all nations.
Grimenstein said people
who support missionaries
get regular updates from
them while the missionaries
serve overseas. Tey also are
encouraged to pray for the
missionaries they support.
Tis allows any LCMS
member to be a part of
Christs Great Commission,
Grimenstein said, actively
ensuring the Word of God is
spoken throughout all nations.Te Harmans feel a special
connection to missionary Shara
Cunningham, who is a member
of their congregation.
Supporting her and the two
other families is an honor, Ron
Harman said.
Te Lord has blessed me
with enough money since I
retired that I can do all this,
said Harman, a member of
Christ Church Lutheran in
Phoenix. I have the resources
now. Its a joy to do.
Kelly, 68, and Cheryl,
70, Keithly are part of the
Ascending Roots sustaining
giving group that supports the
LCMS Global Mission Fund.
Members of the group send
gifts monthly, quarterly, semi-
annually or annually, becoming
partners with the LCMS in
ministry. Te minimum annual
commitment is $300.Te Keithlys have strong
beliefs about the importance of
Christian stewardship.
For Cheryl Keithly, giving to
the church has been part of her
entire life.
I was raised tithing, she
said. Te first dollar I earned I
put a dime in the Sunday school
plate. It comes naturally. Its
always the first check I write.
Always has been.Like Ron
Harman, Keithly
said giving is a joy.
We believe
everything we
have comes from
God, not just
our money, but
our health, our
material goods,
jobs, everything,
said Keithly, whowith her
husband
are
members
of Christ Lutheran
Church in Yuma, Ariz.
Tey are a gift and we
are the stewards.
Its all from Him.
Giving also is an act
of faith for the Keithlys.
Keithly said sheremembers writing
checks early in the couples
marriage that they really
couldnt afford, but they always
trusted God would work it out.
Weve learned through the
years that faith is intimately tied
into stewardship and our ability
to give faithfully, she said.
You cant out-give God. Weve
always tithed, even when, as
my husband says, we were too
poor to pay attention.
Te Keithlys are delightedto be a part of the larger global
mission and ministry of
the LCMS.
Te Keithlys, who own a
vegetable seed sales business,
have been married 48 years
and have four children and 13
grandchildren.
Cheryl Keithly said by giving
to Lutheran causes she and
her husband feel a sense of
ownership and belonging to
a larger ministry that extends
beyond their immediate
church family.
Its a joy knowing we can be
a small part of it, she said. Its
the least the rest of us can dofrom the comfort of our homes,
share the gifts God gives us.
Melanie Ave is a staff wri ter
for LCMS Communications.
Support a missionary: www.
lcms.org/missionarysupport
Support the LCMS Global Mission
Fund: www.lcms.org/givenow/
globalmiss ion
Photo provided by Ron and Evelyn Harman
Photo provided by Kelly and Cheryl Keithly
Opposite page, left:LCMS missionary Shara Cunningham hugs a girl who has
just received her first pair of eyeglasses at a church-sponsored eyeglass clinic
in Kenya in 2012. Right:A Mercy Medical Team volunteer takes a womans
blood pressure during a 2010 trip to Kenya.
http://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/missionarysupporthttp://www.lcms.org/missionarysupporthttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/missionarysupporthttp://www.lcms.org/missionarysupporthttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://lcms.org/lutheransengage -
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REFERENCESare reviewed
FILL OUTAPPLICATION
from recruiter
STARTcontact recruiterRev. Dan McMiller
414-882-1530
TheologicalInterviewwith LCMS Office ofInternational Mission leadershipPOSITION MATCH
Candidates are matched
with the needs of the field.
FORMAL ASSESSMENTwith a counselor helps place
candidates in fitting locations.
THE ROAD TOM
The Mission Fiel
ChurchP
lanter/EvangelistCommunic
ationSpecialistProjectManager
Theol
ogicalEducatorTeacher
V
lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 201410 lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
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d Interviewgional director who helps matchof the field with a candidates skills
ExecutiveInterviewwith executive directorof the LCMS Office ofInternational Mission
ORIENTATION/TRAININGprovided by:
LCMS Missionary Services
LCMS Communications
LCMS Mission Advancement
PLACED IN THE MISSION FIELDA missionary is deployed to the feld when roughly
75% of his/her donor network is built.
S IONARY S
ERVICE
ds You!
Medical
MissionaryStra
tegic
MissionDeveloperDeaconess
Busines
sManagernator
CALL OR SOLEMNAPPOINTMENTis issued by the LCMS Board
for International Mission and
accepted by the missionary.
2013 LCMS
DONOR
-NETWORK
BU
ILDIN
G
BE
GINS
JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage 11lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
nform
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This is not a temporary thingor a stage in our life. Its nottwo years of the Peace Corpsas a resume booster.
James Neuendorf,LCMS missionary to Latin America
Serving the Church as a
21st-CenturyMissionaryby Melanie Ave
nspire
12 lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionlcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 2014
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Te Rev. Dr. Carl Rockrohr and his wife,
Deaconess Deborah Rockrohr, began new
positions in Ethiopia in 2013 after
the fast-growing church in Africa requested
help with theological education. Te
couple had been serving as missionaries to
South Africa.
Carl Rockrohr is now serving as dean of
the school of theology at the Mekane Yesus
Seminary of the Ethiopian EvangelicalChurch Mekane Yesus, the second-largest
Lutheran church in the world. Te church
has 8,000 congregations but only 3,000
ordained pastors.
Rockrohr is overseeing the training of
3,000-plus pastoral students. In August, he
led the graduation procession and was
the leader of the graduation program, the
couple wrote in a newsletter. How happy
were the graduates and their families!
In Latin America, James Neuendorf
develops resources for laity and generatesand promotes the creative expression of
the Lutheran confessional faith using local
resources. He also produces multimedia
resources such as books, films, websites
and Web video series for missionaries and
national churches to use in evangelism.
Being flexible, he said, is an important skill
for a missionary.
We have committed to lifelong, eternal
service to the Gospel and the Lord of that
Gospel, with all of our gifts and abilities that
He has given us and every moment of ourexistence, he said. Tis is not a temporary
thing or a stage in our life. Its not two years
of the Peace Corps as a resume booster.
Steps to Missionary LifeTe process of becoming a missionary
typically takes about two months. It often
begins with an application, which is
followed by a series of phone and in-person interviews and an assessment by a
counselor to make sure the missionary-to-
be would fare well overseas and work well
in team environments.
Te candidate must pass an interview
with one of five LCMS regional directors,
a face-to-face interview with the Office of
International Mission in St. Louis and a
review by the LCMS presidents office.
It is then up to the LCMS Board for
International Mission to formally issue a call
to church workers or a solemn appointmentto non-church workers. Once accepted,
missionaries attend an orientation, offered
twice a year.
Tey can then begin fundraising. Once
missionaries raise 75 percent of the funds
necessary to support their first year of
service, they are deployed to the field.
Phil Jaseph, 23, a graduate of LehighUniversity, will soon head to Nairobi, Kenya,
where he will serve as a communication
specialist for Africa. He has been reading
about the African culture, finishing
vaccinations and fundraising.
Te prospect of raising money was
stressful at first, he said, but God has
provided.
Tere have been great days and difficult
days, but I have experienced a big shift in
perspective during preparations for service,
Jaseph said. I had two or three othermissionaries remind me that Gods work,
done in Gods time in Gods way, will never
lack Gods supply.
Grimenstein said the importance of
missionaries, even in this technology-
saturated world where many people are a
cell phone or Internet video message away,
cannot be understated.
It comes back to St. Paul, he said. Faith
comes by hearing. We cannot and must
never downplay that relationship between
people and the speaking of the Gospel.It takes time and it takes warm bodies of
people who are willing to sacrifice for that
Gospel to be spread.
Caitlin Worden serves
as a GEO missionary in
Peru. She works with
the children who cometo Casa de Misericordia
Castillo Fuerte, a
community center where
LCMS missionaries and
Peruvian Lutherans care
for the physical and
spiritual needs of the
community.
Philip Jaseph, a GEO
missionary in Kenya, serves
as the communication
specialist for the Africa
region. In this role, he
helps to share the story of
what God is doing in Africa
through missionaries, partner
church bodies and all
believers.
Lima, Peru
Nairobi, Kenya
14 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
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There is so much work to do here,wrote the Rev.
Jeffrey Horn, an LCMS career missionary to Papua New Guinea, ina recent newsletter. Preaching Christ crucified. eaching good
doctrine. Preparing solid new Lutheran pastors. Edifying pastors and
evangelists in the field. Confronting false doctrine. Protecting the
little sheep. Building relationships.
Horn and his family arrived in Papua
New Guinea in August, where they have
continued the work first started by LCMS
missionaries to the country in 1948.
Horn serves as a theological educator,
teaching new pastors at imothy Seminary,the seminary of the Gutnius (Good News)
Lutheran Church, an LCMS partner church.
He also travels around the country and
offers continuing education to pastors and
evangelists in the field, many of whom
have been working for years with very few
educational resources to help them through
challenging times.
After their arrival, the Horn family spent
the first few months learning Pidgin, a
common language used by the countrys
different tribes. Now Horn is preaching inthat language and he will begin using it in
the seminary classroom in February. He
also plans to study Enga, the language of
the Enga people, with whom he works.
His wife, Lora, and their two children,
Chris, 17, and Maggie, 11, are adapting
to their new life in the Highlands. Lora
homeschools Chris and Maggie, tends a
garden, leads a womens Bible study at the
seminary and plans to begin teaching an
English class next year. Chris has started
learning how to play the guitar, while
Maggie makes friends everywhere she
goes. Te family also has adopted two
cats and a dog.Almost everything is new, Horn wrote.
You have to learn how to go to the market,
how to cook new foods, how to deal with
having electricity for only a few hours a day,
how to drive, how to do banking, how to
deal with bugs and other critters, and many
more things.
Despite the challenges, Horn says the
family has pulled together and the work
among these brothers and sisters in Christ
is worth it.
Tere are many faithful Christians hereand they are excited to work together, he
reports. Tey are grateful for the ongoing
commitment the LCMS has made to work
with them to strengthen the church in
Papua New Guinea and spread the Gospel.
Megan K. Mertz is a staff writer for LCMS
Communications.
Update
The Rev. Jeffrey
and Lora Horn,
above, were
featured in
Lutherans Engage
the Worldlast year
as they prepared to
begin missionary
service in Papua
New Guinea.
DID YOU KNOW?The LCMS began work in Papua
New Guinea in 1948, at the invitation
of a Wauni tribal leader.
In 1971, the Gutnius Lutheran
Church became an LCMS partner
church. The church has grown to
a baptized membership of more
than 54,500 in approximately 550congregations.
Te Horn Family
PAPUA
NEW
GUINEA
NEW ZEALAND
INDONESIA
AU ST RA LI A
MALAYSIA
EAST TIMOR
INGAPORE
13NovemberDecember2012 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage
GoingDistance
the
fromIndiana
toPapuaNewGuinea
byKimPlummer Krull
.
Horn acceptedthecalltoserveasan LCMScareermissionaryinPapuaNewGuinea,heconsideredthe
challenges:zleavingtheparishministryandabeloved
flockafter15years.zensuringthathisw ife,Lora,alsowantedto make
thedramaticleapfromtheirGarrett,Ind.,parishZionLutherant oaremotemissionfield
withanew cultureandmorethan900spokenlanguages.
zaskingthecoupleschildrentosaygoodbyetofriends,grandparents,petsandsnow.
Butevenas Horn,42,weighedthehurdles,hesaysapressingneed
weighedonhisheart. TeneedinPapuaNewGuineaisst rong,
hesaid.Teirsystemfortrainingpastorshasbrokendowninmanyways,andif. ..theydont
fi nd away to getthatgoingagain,theywonthavepastorstohelp the
churches;thechurchesthenwillstruggle,and lotsofthepeoplewho cameto fai thi nthelast20to 40
yearsmightnothave thatfaithpreachedtothem.
longtimedesire
SincehischildhoodinLosAngeles,Hornhaslongedtoserveas a
pastoranda missionary.Heremembershearingaser mo nwhenhewas
aroundage6about theneedtoreachall peoplewiththeGospel. Hefelt
thepastorwas speakingdirectlytohim.
Growingupwithaninternationalmixof
friendsfueledhisdesiretobea missionary,Hornsays,makinghima person
whoenjoysotherculturesandpeoplefromallovertheworld. Butwhenhegraduated
fromConcordiaTeologicalSeminary
ISTOCK;LCMS
TheLCMS began work in Papua New Guinea in 1948, at the invitation of a Wauni tribal leaderin Yaramanda, Enga Province
nspire
by Megan K. Mertz
15JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission
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16 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
THE GAMBIA
GUINEA
SIERRA LEONE
LIBERIA
BURKIN
A
FASO
IVORY
COAST GHANA
TOGO
M A L I
VENEZUELA
M E X I C O
JAMAICA
REPUBLICHAITI
PUERTORICO
GUATEMALA
PANAMA
B R A Z I L
PARAGUAY
A R G E N T I N A
URUGUAY
CHILE
B O L I V I A
CAYMANISLANDS
PERU
DOMINICAN
BELIZE
DEUNITEDKINGDOM
FRA
S P A I NPORTUGAL
BELGIUM
The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod
has a long tradition of internationalmission work that dates back to the
1880s. This work has encompassed many
different witness and mercy projects over the
years in some 80 countries around the world.
Today, LCMS efforts focus on training pastors,
planting churches and starting schools, all while
working in collaboration with partner churches
in the five mission regions. God has enabled
and blessed the far reach of LCMS mission
work through you, the LCMS members who
support this work with your prayers and gifts
to the Global Mission Fund and through direct
missionary support.
by Megan K. Mertz
Region
RegionbyAn Overview of LCMS Mission Work Around the World
Latin America andthe CaribbeanTe LCMS began work in Latin
America and the Caribbean in 1900
at the request of German immigrants
who were living in Brazil. Since that
time, the LCMS has expanded its
witness and mercy work to many
other countries in the region.
Current LCMS projects in the region
include providing scholarships
for seminarians from six countries
to study at Concordia Seminary,
Buenos Aires, Argentina, and
church planting in eight countries
with mercy houses alongside.
First mission field: Brazil, 1900
Missionaries: 18
Missionaries needed: Pastors, Deaconesses,
EFL Teachers (English as a Foreign
Language)
Partner church bodies: 8
Partner seminaries: 2
Partner congregations: 2,600
Mercy projects: 10
AfricaFrom the earliest days of the LCMSmission work in Africa, church plan
and evangelism has been a top prio
As the Lutheran church in Africa
has grown, the churches establishe
by missionaries have planted new
congregations. Tese African-initia
Lutheran churches are emerging all
over the region and provide a great
opportunity for theological educati
and partnership with the LCMS.
First mission field: Nigeria, 1936
Missionaries: 24
Missionaries needed:Area Facilitators, Missi
Facilitators
Partner church bodies: 7
Partner seminaries: 5 Non-partner seminaries
Partner congregations: 7,840
Mercy projects: 16
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17JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission 17
I N D I A
PAKIS
TAN
SRI LANKA
VIETNAM
P H I L I P P I N E S
TAIWAN
I N D O N E S I A
SOUTHKOREA
JAPAN
C H I N A
M O N G O L I A
HONG KONG
MACAU
THAILAND
CAMBODIA
PAPUANEW
GUINEA
MALAYSIA
SINGAPORE
KENYAUGANDA
MADAGASCAR
TANZANIA
BOTSWANA
BURUNDI
S U D A N
DEM. REP.
OF CONGO
O U T H
F R I C A
E T H I O P I A
(DRC)
MOZAMB
IQUE
LA
SOUTHSUDAN
ESTONIA
LATVIALITHUANIA
D
SLOVAKIAY
GEORGIA
KYRGYZSTAN
K A Z A K H S T A N
R U S S I AFINLAND
AFGH
ANISTA
N
UKRAINE
BELARUS
T U R K E Y
nfo
EurasiaTe Synods work in Eurasia is focusedon connecting the people of the region
to the resources of the LCMS so they
might hear the saving Word of God.
Te missionaries work is focused on
those who have never heard of Christ
and those who have heard but do not
yet believe in Christ as their Savior.
Missionaries are involved with church
planting, theological education, music
instruction, agriculture, human-care
needs and prison ministry.
First mission field: Denmark, 1898
Missionaries: 25
Missionaries needed:Area Facilitators,
EFL Teachers (English as a Foreign Language)
Partner church bodies: 10
Partner seminaries: 4
Partner congregations: 250
Mercy projects: 4
Southern Asia andOceaniaTe Southern Asia and Oceania region
is home to 1.5 billion people. It also is
the site of the earliest LCMS mission
field and some areas where Lutheran
groups are just starting to emerge.
Trough this renewed commitment in
this region, the LCMS plans to provide
the guidance and support necessary to
help fellow Lutherans in Southern Asia
and Oceania overcome obstacles and
become strong witnesses for the Gospel.
A critical priority for future work in this
region is the recruitment and sending
of missionaries to work alongside
indigenous pastors and church leaders.
First mission field: India, 1895
Missionaries: 11
Missionaries needed:Theological Educators,
Deaconesses, EFL Teachers (English as a Foreign
Language)
Partner church bodies: 3
Partner seminaries: 3
Partner congregations: 2,269
Mercy projects:2
Asia PacificTe Synods mission work in the Asia
Pacific region began in the early 20th
century and escalated following World War
II. During the last 60 years, the LCMS has
been involved in many acts of witness and
mercy in diverse areas of the region, from
remote villages in Tailand to the modern
metropolis of Hong Kong. Te LCMS,
whose rich heritage includes a strong
emphasis on education, also has helped
start Lutheran schools in many countries
of this region.
First mission field: China, 1913
Missionaries: 50
Missionaries needed: EFL Teachers (English as a
Foreign Language), High School Teachers, Outreach
Coordinators
Partner church bodies: 5
Partner seminaries: 7
Partner congregations: 312
Mercy projects: 34
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lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 201418 lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionlcms.org/givenow/globalmission
Troughout his career as
a fundraiser, the executive
director of LCMS Mission
Advancement has seen the
joy drained from the hearts of
generous donors because of
complicated giving options.
His advice for keeping
the joy in your giving? Be
intentional, Hofman said,
and spend time thinking
about what you want your
gifts to achieve.
Hofman said he tailors
his approach to donors to
maximize his relationship
with them. Tey are trustingus to accomplish some very
important work on their
behalf, he said.
He advises donors to
focus their gifts on issues
by Erik M. Lunsford
ark Hofman wants to simplifythe lives of people who giveto the LCMS.M
that really matter to them.
But when donors make a
major contribution, they
should consider granting
the LCMS some flexibility in
how to spend the gift since
the organization best knows
how to use the funds most
effectively.
We accomplish more
working together than any
of us could if we went at it
alone, Hofman said. He
urges donors to commit
to a routine contribution
schedule throughout the year
as a way to increase theirgiving and decrease end-of-
year cramming.
Hofman said charitably
minded people, especially
Christians, are willing to give
because they know the Lord
will sustain them and they
see themselves as stewards of
Gods gifts.
Tey love the Gospel,
he said, and they love their
Lord.
Hofman said gifts tothe LCMS have immediate
and long-term impact. Te
ultimate goal is to bring
people into the body of Christ,
allowing them to receive the
Word and Sacraments on a
regular basis.
Donors are an important
piece of the churchs mission.
You cant do anything
without good people so
when we send missionariesoverseas, thats immediate
impact, he said. Te gifts are
what provide the resources
and materials to do the
Witness, Mercy, Life ogether.For donors on the fence,
Hofman is passionate about
earning their trust and
their gifts.
We want people to give,
but what we want most is
not the money but for each
donor to experience the joy
of something wonderful,
he said. Were the Synods
advocate to ask for support
but at the same time were thedonors advocate. Were here
to help them get to the feeling
of joy.
STEWARDS|CORNER
Giving
Simplified
nform
You cant do anythingwithout good people
Mark Hofman, executive director
of LCMS Mission Advancement
Mark Hofman, executive director
of LCMS Mission Advancement,
plays with his 4-year-old son,
Matthew, at his office at the
LCMS International Center.
http://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://lcms.org/lutheransengage -
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Contact our recruiter: [email protected]| 414-882-1530
Cross Edges
A COLLECTION OF FIVE PROGRAMS FEATURING FRESH TALK ABOUT
LUTHERAN CHRISTIANITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
S www.kfuo.org. L www.facebook.com/KFUORadio.
M
Cross Defense
Host: Rev. Rod
Zwonitzer. Dig intoChristian apologetics to
get answers to the hard
questions skeptics ask
about the faith.
W
Culture and
Christianity
Host: Lori Lewis.Featuring a look into
the vocations and
lives of todays top
musicians, artists,
scholars and more,
the program addresses
the place of Christians
in modern culture as
they serve God and
neighbor.
T
Concord Matters
Hosts:Rev. Rod
Zwonitzer, Rev.Craig Donofrio, Rev.
Charlie Henrickson
& Rev. Joshua
Scheer. Join in a
lively, roundtable
discussion for
the layperson
on the Lutheran
Confessions.
T
The God
Whisperers
Hosts:Rev. CraigDonofrio & Rev. Bill
Cwirla. Tis offbeat
program features
observations
of the everyday
life of Christians
with humor and
intelligence.
F
Book Talk
Host:Rev. Rod
Zwonitzer. A looat literature and
how the writing
of todays best
authors intersec
with the faith.
2-3P.M. CSTMONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.checkit
out
Medical ProfessionalsNeeded for Short-Term Service
M M T
March 13-23, 2014: Madagascar, Africa
(Clinical eam)
May 5-12, 2014: Dominican Republic, Caribbea
(Educational eam)
June 6-16, 2014: Kenya, Africa (Clinical eam)
July: MM Alumni and Leadership Reunion an
Retreat, Dallas, X (Date to be determined
Sept. 13-23, 2014: Kyrgyzstan, Eurasia
(Educational eam)
Oct. 16-26, 2014: Madagascar, Africa
(Clinical eam)
Additional Mercy Medical eam dates are
currently being scheduled.
LEARN MORE HERE: www.lcms.org/mercyteam800-248-1930, ext. 1711 [email protected]
19JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission
http://www.kfuo.org/http://www.facebook.com/KFUORadiohttp://www.lcms.org/mercyteamshttp://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/mercyteamshttp://www.facebook.com/KFUORadiohttp://www.kfuo.org/ -
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Find your missionary atwww.lcms.org/missionaries
}GLOBAL MISSION FUND
www.lcms.org/globalmissionfund
Learn more about how making an
annual cost-effective gift in any
amount can vigorously make known
Christs love in word and deed
throughout the world.
Contact: [email protected]
800-248-1930, ext. 1648
}ASCENDING ROOTS
www.lcms.org/ascendingroots
A giving society for those committed
to the Global Mission of the LCMS,
through the Global Mission Fund.
Contact: [email protected]
800-248-1930, ext. 1648
}SPECIFIC PROJECTS
www.lcms.org/givenow/projects
Learn more about specific witness or
mercy projects intended to grow and
strengthen the body of Christ.
Contact: [email protected]
800-248-1930, ext. 1655
}MISSION SENDERS
www.lcms.org/missionsenders
Do you or your family want to directly
support a specificoverseas LCMS
missionary?
Contact: [email protected]
800-248-1930, ext. 1047
} TOGETHER IN MISSION
www.lcms.org/togetherinmission
ogether In Mission (IM) is a way for
your congregation to directly sponsor
one or more specificoverseas LCMS
missionaries.
Contact:
800-248-1930, ext. 1651
} Mission Central(Iowa)
www.missioncentral.us
Individuals, families
and congregations in
Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and other
Great Plains states may also contact:
712-882-1029
If sharing Jesus Christ with the world is your passion, the LCMS stands ready to be your partner.
20 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
Whos Your
LCMS Witness andMercy Work WorldwideMissionary?
Supportnvolve
LCMS Mission Advancement Donor Care Line: 888-930-4438
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to the four corners of the earth
F
erdinand Sievers and Teodore Naether. wo
men you have likely never heard about. Yet they
loom large in the long, faithful story of LCMS
mission efforts around the world. Sievers wassent to Michigan in the 1840s by the German pastor
Wilhelm Lehe. He became a missionary to Ojibwa
Indians who were native to the Northern Great Lakes
region. And because of Sievers, many, many Lutheran
congregations were planted in places like Frankentrost
and Frankenmuth, Mich.
Youve already read about the Rev. Teodore Naether,
who more than 100 years ago was sent with his family
to be a missionary in India. Who would have thought
that the result would be our first international partner
church? Our first mission plant is now a church body
with hundreds of thousands of believers in Christ.
Naether gave everything he had, including his life for
this work.
What an amazing, amazing effort. And as youve read
in this issue, efforts like his are still going on all over
the world. We have missionaries in the four corners
of the earth laypeople and pastors, teachers and
deaconesses who with their families are sharing the
Gospel of Christ and teaching about His salvation. Tey
are doing all kinds of activities in service to the Gospel
and having mercy on people in the name of Jesus. And
that is just what Jesus wanted. Te Bible tells us thatJesus had compassion on the multitudes and then He
said, Pray that the Lord of the harvest send workers.
Te moment is right for us.Because of theMissouri Synods strong biblical position, the Lutheran
world is coming to us. Huge church bodies are looking
to us for help in theological leadership, in training
their own missionaries, in training their own pastors
and deaconesses. And thats just one big part of whats
happening worldwide in mission. Tese churches want
help with mercy work, teaching English, medical clinics
and so much more. We need people right now serving
all over the world. And we need people like you to pray
and support this work with your financial gifts.
One day when his wife, Katie, was complaining about
him giving money away, Luther said, Look Katie, the
hand has been made with holes in between the fingers
so money can fall out easily. What an observation.
Its our time and its your chanceto support theglobal witness and mercy work of the LCMS. Its a time
to personally support one or more of our wonderful
missionaries who carry out this work overseas.
Te gift is acceptable according to what a person
has, Paul says. But be generous. Be generous and the
Gospel message shall fly out all across the world for the
salvation of many souls.
God grant it,
Pastor Matthew Harrison, President
Te Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod
Rev. Theodore Naether
21JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission
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