lutherans engage the world: may-june 2016
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Lutherans ENGAGE the WORLD
May – June 2016, Vol. 4, Issue 5
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888-THE LCMS (843-5267)
lcms.org
May – June 2016 vol. 4, no. 5
Lutherans ENGAGE the WORLD
2 Sending and Supporting Those Who ProclaimGod’s Word
4 Grounded in the Word of God
8 Through Thick and Thin: Caring forChurch Workers in Crisis
12 Pastoral Care from the Pulpit 19 Loving and Serving the Homeless in New Orleans
inspire
4
12
Engaging the Church in the work of witness and mercy across the globe in our life together.
LUTHERANS ENGAGE THE WORLD is published bi-monthly by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
© 2016 The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Reproduction for parish use does not require permission. Such reproductions,
however, should credit LUTHERANS ENGAGE THE WORLD as 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 ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©
2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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How Will They Hear?
God has given His Church a beautiful gift for the
salvation of men. Te gift is His own Son — Jesus
Christ preached into our ears, poured over us in
Baptism, placed upon our lips in the Lord’s Supper.
Just as surely as our heavenly Father has located
Himself and His gifts in tangible elements like water,
bread and wine, so He locates His saving Word in the
preaching and spiritual care of called and ordained
servants of the Word in the Office of the Holy Ministry.
For Rom. 10:14 says, “How then will they call on him
in whom they have not believed? And how are they to
believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how
are they to hear without someone preaching?”
In a world where the culture of the day assaults every
value we hold as children of God, it is imperative to our
witness and mercy work that we have well-equippedpastors. Tese men of God bear His living, forgiving Word
to us from pulpits, podiums and on our porches.
Well-prepared pastors, deeply rooted in God’s Word
and our Lutheran Confessions, preach and teach in ways
that bring Christ fully into the midst of our broken lives.
Being fortified with Word and Sacrament, we are
then equipped to go into the world and speak the Word
of God that has been spoken to us. We bear the mercy
of Christ that has been shown to us. And in all of it, the
Holy Spirit creates repentance and faith where and when
He chooses.
Tis is how it works in the Lord’s Church. Tis why we
invest so deeply in training pastors and caring for them.
It’s also why our global partners’ chief request is for the
LCMS to provide theological education and seminary
training for their pastors and other church workers.
Tis issue of Lutherans Engage the World focuses
largely on theological education and the service of
pastors and missionaries as they bring God’s Word to
the world.
In Christ,
Pamela J. Nielsen
Associate Exe cutive Director,LCMS Communications
engage
inform 3 10 Questions 9 Making an Impact in Ethiopia 10 Theological Education Around the World 16 Synod Chaplain Wears
Several Hats
16
involve 21 As a Steward, You Have Rights
S T A F F
David L. Strand executive director, communications
Pamela J. Nielsen executive editor
Erica Schwan director, design services
Megan K. Mertz managing editor/staff writer
Erik M. Lunsford manager, photojournalism
Lisa Moeller designer
Annie Monette designer
Chrissy Thomas designer
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
lcms.org/lutheransengage
Cover image: The Rev. Daniel
Conrad, an LCMS missionary to
Mexico, witnesses to a fellow
passenger as he travels via public
transportation in congested
Mexico City.
PHOTO: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
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T
heological education makes an
enormous difference in the lives of
God’s people, and that’s why the LCMS
is so heavily invested in this work around
the world.
Te goal of our work is the sending and
ongoing support of those who proclaim
God’s Word, rightly distinguished in Law
and Gospel. Article V of the Augsburg
Confession confirms that the ministry of
Word and Sacrament was instituted for this
very purpose, so that the Holy Spirit is given
to work saving faith — the faith that God
counts for Christ’s perfect righteousness
— in the hearers of the Word. So, “how are
they to believe in him of whom they have
never heard? And how are they to hear
without someone preaching? And how are
they to preach unless they are sent?” (R.
:–).
You and I participate in God’s “send-
ing” in a mutual response of love toward
our fellow Christians and the Synod’s global
church partners, who repeatedly plead:
“Help us!” How often we hear that they are
genuinely suffering from a shortage of well-educated servants of the Word — Lutheran
ministers apt to teach, marked by pastoral
hearts grounded in faithful proclamation of
the Gospel and fervent desire to care for the
souls of God’s people — who are truly pre-
pared to carry out often-difficult duties
in the abundant fields of 21st-century
global mission.
We answer these urgent requests
with sustainable, accountable
actions. hrough our Synod’s
Global Seminary Initiative, we are steadfastly
forming new pastors at our St. Louis and
Fort Wayne seminaries for future church
service and leadership in their countries
of origin. Moreover, we continue to pre-
pare and send LCMS missionary theologi-
cal educators from the U.S. to teach and
train future church workers in their own
seminaries and contexts. he outcome of
this powerful work is an increase in the
number of former unbelievers who are
daily brought into the gracious presence
and worship of our holy God.
In the sending of His Son, the Savior of
the world, God has provided life and free-
dom in the face of death and slavery. Tus,
we are about the work of bringing others to
encounter a crucified and risen Jesus, prior
to His return in glory and judgment on the
Last Day. Indeed, there is an urgency to this,
since, as God reminds us, “Yet once more
I will shake not only the earth but also the
heavens” (H. :).
We have an unchangeable promise for
that final seismic moment. It is to be
preceded by the sending of God’s
heralds who faithfully carryout the ministry of His
living, active Word.
Te result is a
gathering of every tribe, nation, people and
language on a holy mountain, full of grace
and mercy and glory — the fulfillment of
a great intervention that took place once
upon another mountain marked by fire and
judgment. Te Son of God was there, for
all of us, in the crucial and crucified role.
He has made the difference that counts
into eternity.
In Christ,
Rev. Kevin D. Robson
C M O, L C—
M S
“And how are they to hearwithout someone preaching?
And how are they to preachunless they are sent?” (R. :–)
Sending & SupportingThose Who Proclaim God’s Word
nspire
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DISTRICT PRESIDENT REV.
DONALD J. FONDO
W I
T H
10 Q u e s t i o n s
by Pamela J. Nielsen
6.
What are you most excited aboutin your district?
I am excited about the ministry thathas begun among the Anyuak [Africanimmigrants] at Trinity in Sauk Rapids, Minn.The Lutheran schools in our district are trulymission outposts, as over half of the childrenenrolled are not members of an LCMScongregation. Our district camp recentlydedicated a Creation Science EnvironmentalLearning Center. Our members and rosteredworkers have a heart for mission andsupport projects in Kenya and Liberia.
7.
What one thing do you want people to know about district presidents?
District presidents are men of God who arehere to serve Christ and His Church, and ourdesire is to be of help.
8. When you hear that a pastor or parishis facing a struggle, how do youapproach the situation?When I was first elected, I sat down onenight and composed a list of conflictsituations in the district. My list totaled 35.Shortly thereafter, I was asked at a circuitpastors’ meeting what my vision was for thedistrict. My first response was: “It’s difficult
to see if you’re buried in mud.” I proposed to our district BOD that we establish acongregational care counselor position. Thegoal is to direct the focus upon the powerof the Word of God and seek reconciliation
through a process of Bible study andmediation. My greatest concern is thatconfession and forgiveness predominateand the grace of God is received and given.
9. If someone visited your part ofMinnesota, what one place wouldyou tell them to see?Since we are the land of 10,000 lakes, I
would recommend that you start with thegreat lake of Superior. But don’t stop there.
10. What do you like to do when youget a day off?Whatever my wife would like to do! I enjoysporting events, traveling, reading, andsometimes it’s just good to rest.
Deaconess Pamela J. Nielsen is
associate executive director for
LCMS Communications.
1.
What is your greatest joy in servingas district president?
The privilege of working with and servingfaithful people of God: the congregationsand ministries, rostered church workers anddistrict staff. It’s a joy to follow in the train of
those who have gone before us in this partof God’s kingdom, people whom He used tobring us to where we are today.
2. What is your greatest challenge?It is a significant challenge to assistcongregations and called workers to dealwith conflict biblically and confessionally.There is a great need to help our peoplesee what it means to be the Body of Christ.Another challenge is assisting rural/small-
town congregations as they deal with thereduction of family farms and a decliningpopulation base. Outreach and stewardshipneed attention. There is a tendency to makesurvival No. 1 and forget the real mission of
the Church. That’s why it’s so important tobe in the Word and see how God keepsHis promises.
3. What is the main role of a districtpresident in regard to the pastors inhis district?
I see my role as trying to be Aaron-likein holding up the prophet’s hands [therostered church workers]; like Barnabas inencouraging the workers, congregations andother ministries; or like Moses in conductingoversight according to the Word of Godand the Synod Handbook and civil law[ecclesiastical supervision].
4. What misperceptions do peoplehave about the role?Some think that once a pastor is elected tobecome a district president, he stops beinga shepherd and becomes a bureaucrat who
is no longer in touch with life in the parish.Also, a district president is neither a saviornor an enemy.
5. How do you handle the demandsand stresses of the job?The Word of God and the Sacramentssustain me. I am thankful for the love of mywife and family; the blessing of friends; the
tremendous support of our district vice-presidents, board of directors, circuit visitors,members of the [Council of Presidents]; and
the kindness of fellow church workers andcongregational members.
“My greatest concern is that confession andforgiveness predominate and the grace ofGod is received and given.” — District President Rev. Dr. Donald J. Fondow
• Raised in Wisconsin
• Attended Lutheran schools
from first grade through seminary
• Married to Connie, and they have two
married sons and two grandsons
• Drives 35,000-40,000 miles a
year carrying out his duties
nform
MINNESOTA NORTH DISTRICT
198 PARISHES
MOST RURAL
DISTRICT
IN THE SYNOD
42 ACTIVECOMMISSIONEDWORKERS
143 ACTIVEPASTORS
What’s the vocation of district president like? We talked to the Rev. Dr. Donald J. Fondow,president of the LCMS Minnesota North District, to get the answer firsthand.
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Grounded in the Word of God ThIs Is A StOrY Of TwO ChUrChEs In TwO CiTiEs In
TwO VeRy DiFfErEnT PaRtS Of ThE WoRlD PrEvAiLiNg
AgAiNsT DiScOrD AnD StRiFe WrOuGhT By SaTaN.
In SrI LaNkA
In the island country of Sri Lanka off the
tip of India, lush green tea plantations
blanket the upcountry hilltops, soothing the
senses like a cup of tea steeped from leaves
plucked by barefoot workers. Among the
gentle curves of mountains are the calm,gentle and strong people of the Lanka
Lutheran Church.
Te LCMS began work in Sri Lanka in
1927 as a natural outgrowth of its work in
India. Te Lanka Lutheran Church became
a partner church in 2001.
In this sleepy locale, Satan sowed
discord. He stirred wicked men to steal
property, slander the church and assault
family members of church leaders. He
sifted the Lanka Lutherans, and yet they
remain faithful.In the face of evil, the Lanka Lutherans
remain grounded in the Word of God.
“Martin Luther stood for the Word alone
because the Word alone is strong,” said the
Rev. S. Devanesan, treasurer of the
by Roy S. Askins
Lanka Lutheran Church. “Trough the
Word, Martin Luther brought reform to
the church.”
o heal and protect the church, the
Lanka Lutherans seek deeper theological
study for pastors. Tis training preparesthem to proclaim the Word for the souls
placed in their care.
Te Rev. Roger James, LCMS missionary
to Sri Lanka and South Asia area director,
provides ongoing theological education
for the eight vicars and three pastors of the
Lanka Lutheran Church.
In a recent class on the Augsburg
Confession, James said, “Every heresy
begins with ‘We bel ieve the Bible.’ hus,
the church makes, studies and holds
to confessions that keep her true toscriptural teaching.”
He explained that to combat false
teachings, the church returned to
Scripture and then set forth the proper
interpretation of the Bible in creeds and
confessions for all Christians.
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Children listen as Vicar M. Anton Raj reads
Psalm 121 during worship at a preaching
station in Kandapola, a village of Nuwara
Eliya in the Central Province of Sri Lanka.
nsp
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In addition to regular teaching, James
also visits congregations and homes as
opportunities arise. Te vicars, who serve
local preaching stations, join him and
learn to pray the psalms in the homes
of the people they serve. After sharing a
psalm and prayer, James blesses one ormore members of the household.
Teological education for the Lanka
Lutherans has been difficult. Vicar P.
Gnanakumar studied over 12 years in
different programs while he served as
a vicar and evangelist. He began in the
Lanka Lutheran Church seminary, but it
later closed. He then landed in a different
program at Lanka Bible College, from
which he expects to graduate this summer.
Gnanakumar knows the need for
Lutheran theological education. Tisbecame clear when he simultaneously
studied the topic of Christian worship from
Lanka Bible College and from the Rev.
Dr. Wilfred Karsten, pastor of Holy Cross
Lutheran Church, Moline, Ill., who has
traveled to Sri Lanka 16 times to provide
short-term theological education.
He saw a clear difference between
the two teachings on worship. At Lanka
Bible College, worship centered on the
expression and emotion of worshipers.
“But Lutherans understand the worshipservice differently,” said Gnanakumar. For
Lutherans, “the congregation participates,
but God is coming, and we focus primarily
on Christ and God, not ourselves.”
In MeXiCo
In sprawling Mexico City, which is steeped
in hot light and Latin hues, an urban
cacophony surrounds the mission work of
the Rev. Daniel Conrad and yler McMiller.
Here, Satan attacks the church in similar ways to Sri Lanka.
Conrad, an LCMS missionary to Mexico,
provides pre-seminary training and
mentoring to men interested in becoming
pastors in the Lutheran Synod of Mexico
(SLM). Te LCMS has been working in
Mexico since 1940, and the SLM became a
partner church in 1968.
rained Lutheran pastors are scarce in
Mexico because no new pastors have been
ordained in the last 15 years. Until about
a year and a half ago, the SLM lacked itsown route to ordination, so pastors who
retired or died were not replaced easily.
o prevent churches from closing, laymen
stood up to provide for the church. Tese
faithful men do not consecrate or baptize,
but they lead services and read sermons
written by Conrad or other pastors.
However, church leaders who do not
understand the Word of God are not
properly equipped to teach others. “In
order to feed the people spiritually, you
have to be trained adequately. It’s hard tofeed a people spiritually when you’re not
trained yourself,” Conrad said.
Tat’s why the SLM sent four men to
begin their studies at Seminario Concordia
in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last August.
Te LCMS is assisting with this by providing
a yearly stipend of $7,500 to each of the men
to help them pay for the five-year program.
But since not all of the laymen are
able to leave their homes to study at a
seminary, 12 others have started a new
distance-education program, which isoperated jointly by Seminario Concordia
and Concordia Teological Seminary, Fort
Wayne, Ind. Conrad provides mentoring
to these 12 men as they progress through
their online studies.
Conrad uses the analogy of a skyscraper
to explain the need for orthodox teaching in
the Word of God and the catechism.
“Everyone loves the beautiful windows
and architecture,” he said, “but how often
do people go down to the basement and
praise the basement? And yet, without thebasement, the entire building cannot stand.”
One of the men that Conrad is working
with is Alejandro Arevalo. He led his
congregation, El Buen Pastor, through a
particularly difficult struggle. He made a
bold confession that ran contrary to the
predominant culture. Conrad has started
building a foundation of catechetical and
scriptural knowledge with Arevalo, on
which his seminary education will build.
On a Friday night, Conrad sat with
Arevalo at the kitchen table following adinner of homemade tacos and sliced
avocados. In the adjacent room, McMiller
plucked at his guitar, teaching Arevalo’s
two teenage sons a few notes after
catechism class.
In OrDeR To FeEd ThE PeOpLe SpIrItUaLlY,
YoU HaVe To Be TrAiNeD AdEqUaTeLy.
“"
The Rev. Roger James hikes a hilly jungle
trail on his way to a Palm Sunday service
at Immanuel Lutheran Church on the Eila
Rubber Plantation in Sri Lanka.
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Both Conrad and McMiller traveled
hours by bus and train to reach the family’s
home. It’s just the way of life in congested
Mexico City.
“Pastor Conrad’s work is about helping
these guys be the Lutherans they really want
to be,” McMiller said. Whether in Sri Lanka, Mexico, the
United States or elsewhere, Satan will attack
the Body of Christ. But Jesus promises that
“the gates of hell shall not prevail against”
His Church (M. :). Tanks to assistance
with theological education, these two
church bodies are not alone.
The Rev. Roy S. Askins is director of
Communications for the Synod’s Asia Pacific
and Southern Asia and Oceania regions.
Erik M. Lunsford, manager of Photojournalism
for LCMS Communications, also contributed
to this article.
Learn more:
About Sri Lanka: lcms.org/srilanka
About Mexico: lcms.org/mexico
View the photo galleries:
lcms.org/photo/missionaries-
in-mexico and lcms.org/photo/
sri-lanka-miss ions
A young adult listens as Tyler McMiller leadscatechesis at the Lutheran Church of the
Good Shepherd in Mexico City, Mexico.
The Rev. Daniel Conrad chats with a guest
following worship at the Lutheran Church of
San Pedro in Mexico City, Mexico.
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ThRoUgH ThIcK AnD ThIn:
Caring for Church Workers in Crisis
by Megan K. Mertz
Tis was the situation facing an
LCMS missionary and his wife. Te
couple made the difficult decision
to leave their work in Ghana and
return to the United States when
the missionary’s Parkinson’s disease
symptoms became more severe. After returning to the U.S., his
mobility continued to decrease as
the family’s medical bills increased.
Tat’s when the Rev. Dr. Carlos
Hernandez, director of LCMS Church
and Community Engagement, heard
about the couple. In partnership with
the LCMS Minnesota South District,
Hernandez was able to provide a
grant to help cover the family’s high
insurance deductible and also to
purchase an electric wheelchair.Te grant came through Soldiers
of the Cross, an LCMS mercy
program made possible by gifts
from Lutherans who care about
church workers. Soldiers of the Cross
provides transitional or emergency
financial assistance as well as
pastoral care to current church
workers affected by health problems,
employment interruptions and
other emergencies.
“My family and I are very gratefulto you and Soldiers of the Cross,” the
missionary later wrote to Hernandez.
“Without your assistance, it would
have been very difficult for us to
pay our bills or to have the electric
wheelchair.”
In 2015, Hernandez gave out 79
Soldiers of the Cross grants, which
are matched by the recipient’s
district. Since 2012, the program
has given out more than $1 million
in financial assistance to church
workers in crisis.
Hernandez also works with a
similar program called Veterans
of the Cross, which assists retired
church workers — or their widowedspouses or dependent children — by
supplementing low or inadequate
pensions to help these faithful
servants afford the cost of necessities
such as medication, food and
utilities. Veterans of the Cross is
funded by generous donations to
the LCMS Office of National Mission
and administered by Concordia
Plan Services.
As of March, Veterans of the
Cross was providing monthlystipends to 25 retired church-worker
families. Assistance is provided as
long as need is demonstrated.
“Te Soldiers and Veterans of
the Cross programs are ready at
any time to respond to the needs
of our church workers,” Hernandez
said. “We want both our domestic
and international workers to know
that we’re not going anywhere. We
so value the Gospel proclamation
ministries they have carried out orcontinue to conduct, and we want to
support them in their work.”
Megan K. Mertz is managing
editor of Lutherans Engage the
World and a staff writer for LCMS
Communications.
Learn more:
lcms.org/soldiersofthecross
lcms.org/veteransofthecross
A debilitating injury or illness can put enormous strain on afamily. In the blink of an eye, anticipated wages may be lost,and a family member may need to assume a new role as acaregiver — all while medical expenses pile up.
MERCY |MOMENT nspire
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Making an Impact
Te partnership between Te Lutheran Church—Missouri Synodand the Ethiopian Evangelical Church MekaneYesus (EECMY) is a great illustration of the impactof the Global Seminary Initiative (GSI).
GLOBAL SEMINARY INITIATIVE UPDAT
Scholarships toStudy HereGSI scholarships awarded
through LCMS seminaries support those who are studying in the U.S. to serve as
leaders and professors in their home
countries. Some examples include:
Deaconess Tadelech Shumblo
received her Master of Arts from
Concordia Teological Seminary
(CSFW), Fort Wayne, Ind., last
summer. She returned to Ethiopia with
a two-year plan to build awareness
and offer training in diakonia (mercy).
Tis past year, she also helped
coordinate mercy work with those
affected by the drought in Ethiopia.
Abdi Tadesse leads the Christian-
Muslim Relations track of the Bachelor
of Teology program at Mekane Yesus
Seminary (MYS) in Addis Ababa. He
began his study in the Ph.D. program
last summer. One track of CSFW’s
Ph.D. in Missiology focuses on missions
to Muslims — a perfect match for the
teaching he does at MYS.
Lalissa Gemechis is working on the
proposal for his doctoral dissertation.He worked for 12 years at the EECMY
central headquarters as the university
students’ ministry coordinator and
in the Children and Youth Ministry
Department before being selected to
study in the U.S. When he returns as
a professor at MYS, he will have been
greatly strengthened in his biblical and
confessional identity.
in
Ethiopia by Robert V. Roethemeyer
Scholarships toStudy ThereGSI scholarships awarded
through MYS make it pos-sible for 6o students to study in the M.A.
in Teology program. Tese are not
ordinary students. A few are the very top
graduates from the Bachelor of Teology
program, while most are pastors with 15
to 20 years of service. Of these, some are
teaching or leading regional seminaries;
some are serving in leadership roles in
one of the 24 synods (comparable to the
LCMS’ districts); and others are pastors of
congregations in Ethiopia’s largest cities,
such as Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Hosanna
and Nekemte.
Faculty from Hereto Teach ThereDuring the past two academic
years, LCMS professors and pas-
tors with advanced degrees have
taught courses in the M.A. in Teology
program, providing needed faculty at
MYS while Ethiopian faculty like adesse
and Gemechis are studying in the U.S.
Tis year, the GSI supported the travel
of two professors from CSFW; three
from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; one
from the LCMS Office of International
Mission; two from our partner seminary
in Novosibirsk, Russia; and a pastor from
Canada with a doctorate in theology.
Pastors’ ConferencesIn February, the GSI helped
host a pastors’ conference in
Shinyanga, anzania, for pastors and
deaconesses of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in anzania. In April, the
initiative also funded a conference for
LCMS and Ethiopian pastors.
Books fromHere to ThereTe Synod’s profes-
sors did not travel to Ethiopia empty
handed. Trough the coordination of the
Chemnitz Library Initiative, enough cop-
ies of Te Lutheran Study Bible and the
Book of Concord were sent so that all the
M.A. students could add these essential
texts to their pastoral libraries before
graduating. Additionally, more than 100
newer academic titles from ConcordiaPublishing House were added to the
seminary’s library collection.
“Every person trained through GSI
has an impact on 30 to 50 other people
each time they teach,” said the Rev. Dr.
Albert B. Collver III, director of Church
Relations for the LCMS and GSI admin-
istrator. “In terms of investment, GSI
provides some of the best returns on the
investment, getting the Gospel out to
more people than is first apparent. Te
people trained because of GSI train ad-
ditional professors, teachers and futurepastors who, in turn, do likewise. GSI is
Gospel multiplication!”
The Rev. Robert V. Roethemeyer is a GSI
professor and director of Library and
Information Services and vice -president
of Strategic Planning and Mission
Execution for Concordia Theological
Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Learn more: lcms.org/makeagift/gsi
nform
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Vocational deaconess formation
In 2012, LCMS deaconesses serving as missionaries in Latin America began mentoring
Dominican women who wanted to become deaconesses as well. So far, 15 Dominican
women have participated. This work led to the development of a formal deaconess-training
program, which launched in early May. The program will include 10 Spanish-language
courses — developed during the next five years — and will be used to train deaconesses
from Mexico, Venezuela, Panama and Guatemala, in addition to the Dominican Republic.
The program intentionally teaches future deaconesses how to witness, as well as challenges
them to identify the principal area in which they will work. In the Dominican Republic,
deaconess students identified ministry to people with disabilities as a primary area,
although they also distribute food to the poor, teach Bible lessons in local schools and
visit community members.
The educational standard in this
continent is coming up higher and
higher and many of our congrega-tions need well-trained pastors w
better education with better
certificates. But the most importa
thing is that they are grounded in
the proper theology of the church
Rev. Dr. Joseph Ochola OmoBISHOP OF THE E VANGELICAL LUTHERCHURCH IN K ENYA L AKE DIOCESE ANRECTOR OF M ATONGO LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE
MINISTRY TO THOSE
WITH DISABILITES
have participated in the mentoringprogram and are already making adifference in their community by:
DOMINICANWOMEN
VISITINGCOMMUNITYMEMBERS
TEACHINGBIBLE LESSONSIN SCHOOLS
DISTRIBUTING FOOD
DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC
Scholarships
for seminarian
and deaconess
students
Matongo Lutheran Theologica
College is a seminary of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Kenya. The seminary draws
pastoral candidates and
deaconess students from acro
Eastern Africa. Matongo offersa Bachelor of Theology degree
and can accept international
theology students, two things
that set it apart from other
conservative and confessional
Lutheran seminaries in Africa.
There are currently four LCMS
missionaries serving at the
seminary, and the LCMS
continues to provide scholar-
ship assistance for a number
of students.
for student scholarships(2015-2016 school year)
CURRENTSTUDENT
KENYA
A ROUND THE W O R LD
The Gospel is at the heart of all Lutheran education, and teaching the faith is a
hallmark by which the LCMS is known throughout the world. Our international
church partners are imploring us to teach God’s saving Word to their pastors and
church leaders. They know that well-trained church workers will teach the faith to
laypeople, who will tell their families and neighbors about salvation in Christ
Jesus. The LCMS is making the investment of people and resources to walk
alongside our international partners in this way. Every context is different,
requiring creativity and ongoing commitment as we assist in a variety of ways
aimed at strengthening global seminaries and forming well-trained pastors who
will carry God’s Word to their flocks.
THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION
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In the late 1990s, a group consisting of several LCMS missionaries; representatives from
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; and scholars in Hong Kong began the enormous project
of translating Luther’s Works into Chinese. The goal of the project is to translate
15 volumes of Luther’s Works into both traditional and simplified Chinese.
Translating Luther ’s Works into Chinese
As this work involves multiple levels of translation and editorial
work…the process can be incredibly complicated. Yet all this time
and effort pales in comparison to the opportunity for Luther to
speak the Gospel in Chinese and for the key Reformation writings
to be shared with over 1.3 billion people in their own language.”
Rev. Carl Hanson, LCMS MISSIONARY ANDDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR THE A SIA P ACIFIC REGION
VOLUME 5IS EXPECTEDIN 2017
VOLUMES 1-4HAVE ALREADYBEEN PUBLISHED
Seminary educationThe Lutheran Center for Theological Studies (CLET) in Dapaong, Togo, serves
as a regional seminary for church bodies in eight countries in French-speaking
West and Central Africa. The CLET program prepares men for ordination into
the Holy Ministry and includes two years of on-campus education, followed by
a vicarage. Since many of the men who desire to serve in the pastoral office
have only a limited level of education, a one-year novice (pre-seminary) year
also is offered on-campus to prepare them for the pastoral program.
IN MARCH 2015, THE YOUNG EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF BURKINA FASO
ORDAINED ITS FIRST FIVE PASTORS, ALL OF WHOM SPENT THREE YEARS STUDYING AT THE CLET.
GRANTS
IN 2015
Plus $25,000 to begin
construction on dorms
CURRENT
STUDENTS
TOTAL
GRADUATES
Being a confessional Lutheran in our region is a lonely way. We need
each other to shore each other up in our faith. Opportunities to actually
sit down and talk to like-minded Christians and Lutherans are valuable
to our own resolve in strengthening our witness of Christ, comforting
in getting to know others who suffer for the Gospel with us, and edifying
in sharing our common confession together.”
Rev. James Krikava, LCMS REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR EURASIA
Regional conferences CZECH
REPUBLIC
TOGO
HONG
KONG
The LCMS Eurasia region helped host the Network of Young Lutheran Theologians
conference in February. About 60 pastors, seminarians and laypeople gathered to
discuss topics of importance for their Lutheran church bodies throughout Europe.
The annual event was founded by European pastors for the sake of sharing
together in the struggles of standing firm in the faith in this region.
The Rev. Sam Yeung, director of the Literature Department of The Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod
Lord willing, the CLET will be forming the next
waves of ordained pastors in relatively young Lutheran
church bodies in some of the poorest regions offrancophone Africa. The support from the LCMS and
her congregations for operational costs, library
materials, student tuition and health-care grants is
essential to the running of this institution. It is a great
blessing to serve our African partners in this capacity.”
Rev. Jacob Gaugert , LCMS MISSIONARY AND THEOLOGICAL EDUCATOR AT THE CLET
GET INVOLVED | To learn how you can support projects like these, visit lcms.org/projectcatalog .
nfo
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by Jeni Miller
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P H O T O S : L C M S C O M M U N I C A T I O N S / E R I K M .
L U N S F O R D
reaching.
It’s just one of those things that pastors
do, right? Te preachers preach, and the
hearers hear. No big deal. God said to
“preach the Word,” and so we do. On this
side of heaven, that preaching may look
like a normal guy, standing behind an
oddly shaped podium, rattling on about
a Bible-related topic.
But have you ever stopped to wonder
why? What is this phenomenon, and why
in the world would God come up with
this, anyway?
Te Rev. Wally Arp, quoted above, has
been a pastor for nearly 30 years, and he
currently serves at St. Luke’s Lutheran
Church in Oviedo, Fla. As a seasoned
pastor, he’s had many years to hone his
skills, especially in preaching, and has
pondered the “why” question.
“We are creatures under God — He
created us body and soul, physical and
emotional — not disembodied spirits,” Arp
explained. “God wants to speak to us in
the nature that He created us. And it’s that
incarnational aspect of God’s love for us that
drives the preaching task. It’s an extension of
His incarnational presence among us. Tat
flesh-and-bones pastor among the people
he’s preaching to, it’s a bit like when there’s
a little child afraid of the storm at night, and
the parent calms them by saying, ‘Jesus is
with you.’ Te pastor in the preaching office
brings Christ to the people.”
Of course, there are a multitude of
definitions of “preaching” out there. But
according to Arp, in the LCMS we can speak
of preaching as “[God’s] truth communicated
through personality — unchanging truth that
is proclaimed, announced.”
Unlike simple public speaking,
preaching has the power to kill with the
Law and raise the hearer back to life
again with the Gospel. It’s not just “a guy
in a box regurgitating God’s Word in the
Bible back to us,” Arp said. “But through
the person of the preacher, who is by no
means insignificant and who has love and
passion and integrity and commitment
to Christ, the Holy Spirit delivers God’s
Word to the listener. hat preacher is a
bridge between the world of the Bible and
the world we live in.”
Newer pastors, too, understand
the power of preaching and the great
significance behind this all-important
activity that God instituted for the good
of His people.
“Preaching is not merely a speech
about the Bible,” explained the Rev. Mark
Nierman, pastor at Mount Olive Lutheran
Church in Loveland, Colo. Nierman wasordained in 2003 and served one other
parish before coming to Mount Olive.
“Sure, a good sermon will give
information about a text of Scripture for
our learning, but the goal of preaching
is much more than just conveying
information about the Bible. … Simply put,
preaching is proclaiming Christ and Him
crucified to the hearer. Faith comes from
“Tere’s an intensity to it. You struggle every time you do it.
A mentor and friend on vicarage used to say, ‘Te Sunday
you don’t have butterflies and aren’t nervous about
getting in the pulpit is the Sunday you shouldn’t do it.’”
nspire
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hearing. Te Holy Spirit works through the
preached Word to create and sustain faith
in God’s people.”
Good Sermon, PastorJust as preaching may have varying
definitions depending on whom you
ask, so does t he description of a “good”
preacher. In the LCMS, Arp explained, “A
good preacher loves the Word, loves Jesus
and loves the people. And he cannot get
enough of any of them.
“A good preacher has an absolutecommitment, love, passion and
excitement for the Word of God,” Arp
said. “Good preaching is always rooted
in the Word. Also, when you’re listening
to a preacher who actually believes
what he’s saying, i t’s obvious that he’s
had interaction with the living Word of
God and that it ’s actually penetrated
his own heart. My vicarage supervisor,
when someone would compliment him
on a sermon, he’d say, ‘Just remember, I
preach to myself first!’ … Like his hearers,he’s a real person with a real life and
real struggles, and the Gospel is the only
solution he’s found in his own life.”
Nierman agrees: Tat commitment to
the Word is what makes for good preaching.
“A person may be an eloquent speaker,
but it is not eloquence that makes a
good preacher,” Nierman noted. “A good
preacher is always sticking to the text of
Scripture and conveying to the hearer
what God is speaking to us through that
text. A good preacher simply speaks God’s
Word. But God’s Word can be diff icult at
times to understand. Good preaching is
the clear preaching of God’s Word that the
people can easily understand.”
Nothing Worthwhile Is Ever EasyBut if you ask most pastors how they
preach so that people can easily
understand, they’ll probably tell you that
although it’s incredibly worthwhile, it
isn’t, well, easy .“Even when you have enough time to
really develop a sermon — which pastors
rarely have — it’s still hard,” Arp said.
“I’ve heard it said that standing in the
pulpit and preaching for 15 minutes is as
exhausting as working eight hours.”
If preaching is a challenge for the
veteran pastor, then surely i t’s no simple
task for a younger pastor, either.
“It is a joy to proclaim the Good News
to God’s people from the pulpit,” Nierman
acknowledged. “But regular preaching isa rigorous task. Some weeks preaching
comes easily — ideas for il lustrating come
quickly, and the writing process goes
smoothly. Other weeks it is extremely
hard, and you struggle to get the words
out on the page. I can think of many times
when, during the Divine Service, I sing
the words of a hymn that so beautifully
communicate God’s Word, and I think
to myself, ‘Wow, that one stanza of this
“Pasors lovto talk
about preaching, nd the laity love
to ear theirpastors preach he Gospel.”
— T R . R G ,
LCMS
The Rev. Wally Arp, senior pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Oviedo, Fla.,
makes the sign of the cross during Communion.
The Rev. Mark Nierman, pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church
in Loveland, Colo., preaches during a Lenten service.
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hymn communicates the Gospel more
wonderfully than my entire sermon!’”
So, why do they do it, week after week?
God commands pastors to preach the
Word. Plus, most pastors love the Word so
much that they can’t help but preach it.
But there’s even more to it than that.
Preaching is pastoral care. Te Word of
God proclaimed from the pulpit creates and
sustains faith in a person, and in so doing itoffers the kind of spiritual care that you can
only get through the pastoral office.
“As we gather in God’s house for
worship, we bring with us the cares and
burden of life in this sinful, fallen world,”
Nierman said. “We battle temptation. We
carry with us the guilt and shame of our
sin. We struggle with fears. Te devil, the
world and our own sinful nature have
been hard at work directing us to think in
worldly ways and to not put our trust in
God. Trough preaching, we are able torest in God’s Word. We hear that our sins
are forgiven. We are directed to Christ
and are reminded that His perfect love
casts out all our fears. We are assured that,
even though we face many troubles in this
world, Christ has overcome the world. We
need this time together in God’s Word so
that together as God’s people, we can live
in it and encourage one another by it.”
Just as he mentioned that preaching
connects God’s Word to the world in a
very incarnational way, Arp reiterated thatpreaching brings the care of Christ to bear
on the lives of the hearers, right through the
words delivered by the pastor in the pulpit.
“Preaching is pastoral care because it
meets people in their circumstances of life,
the joys and the tragedies,” Arp explained.
“From the pulpit, on an ongoing basis, the
pastor connects everyday life and vocation
to who [his people] are in Christ, bringing
God’s Word to bear on what people are
experiencing day after day after day.”
It may seem like a radical thought, thatpreaching can protect, comfort and nourish
God’s people. But since God has set up His
pastors to be His undershepherds, it makes
perfect sense.
“A shepherd will protect the sheep
from danger,” Nierman added. “Tis
is a part of pastoral care in preaching.
Trough preaching, the pastor will warn of
dangerous teachings and ways of thinking
and living that are contrary to God’s Word.
With the upcoming 500th
anniversary of the Reformation
in 2017, now is the best time
to honor that occasion with a
renewed focus on preaching. Te
Synod’s “Preach the Word” (PW
initiative is meant to offer pastors
an opportunity to improve on the
craft of preaching and laity on the
vocation of hearing. Here’s
what you need to know.
L E A R N M O R E :blogs.lcms.org/tag/preach-the-wor
hat Twelve teaching modules are being
developed based on the results of recently
completed surveys and focus groups on
preaching conducted by the LCMS.
ho Pastors will gather in groups of three to stud
a module on a certain aspect of preaching,
such as delivery, the Sacraments or preachi
to a persecuted people.
how The modules will be available via the Interne
so pastors can join together from separate
geographic locations.
hy According to the Rev. Randall Golter, who
leads PTW, “The devil hates good Law and
Gospel preaching, but it is what Christ does
His prophetic office: to call pastors to preach
the Gospel and for His people to hear the
Gospel. And the Church is built, sustained an
expanded to the world, as He promised”
(M. :–).
Luther was known as a preacher of the Gosp
and an expounder of the Holy Scriptures. W
better way to honor Luther — and Jesus — th
to improve our preaching and the hearing of
hen January 2017
‘Preach h WordI N I T I A T I V E
about preaching:
…
Believe sermons should be
biblical, Christ-focused and
proclaim Law and Gospel.
Think poorly of sermons that try
to entertain or water down the
Gospel so as not to offend.
Want the sermon to convict
them of their sin, point them
to Christ and equip them to
face the world.
Aren’t typically aware of all
that goes into preparing and
delivering a sermon, but they do
know that it takes a lot of work.
Often remember one main
point, illustration or key
observation from a sermon.
Believe that sermons need to
have application, relevancy for
everyday life.
…
Think preaching is very important.(99 percent said it is “important”
or “very important.”)
Find time management
a challenge.
Worry about getting into a rut.
Struggle to find something
new to say.
Te LCMS recently
conducted surveys and focus
groups that discovered these
thoughts about preaching.
When Law and Gospel are clearly present in
a sermon, it will benefit the hearer and they
will be nourished by God’s Word, bringing
them the comfort of the Gospel.”
Maybe preaching is kind of a big deal
after all. Tanks be to God.
Deaconess Jeni Miller is a freelance writer
and member of Lutheran Church of the
Ascension in Atlanta.
15May–June 2016 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission
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16 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage May–June 2016 lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
The Rev. William Weedon leads a missionary send
service at the LCMS International Center in St. Lo
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17May–June 2016 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission
distinctions of Lutheran theology, the
history of the LCMS and a Lutheran
approach to various issues of the day.
In his director of Worship role, Weedon
is responsible for proposing and creatingprograms that carry out the purposes and
aims of the Synod in matters of worship.
He also oversees the IC’s Community
Chest — a collection of donations from
among Synod employees for helping out
other Synod employees in times of crisis,
including those working at deployed
locations.
“We’ve helped people [in the IC] after
the recent flooding, people with legal
difficulties, people coping with catastrophic
medical bills, and all kinds of situations likethat,” Weedon said.
Although not an employee of the
Synod’s radio station Worldwide KFUO,
Weedon makes time to host the station’s
program “Ty Strong Word,” which airs
weekdays around 11 a.m. Central time. Te
program also is
available
via podcast at
kfuo.org .
“It’s unusual
for someoneoutside of KFUO
to host a program
like this, but
it’s an example
of the [LCMS]
Office of National
Mission’s
commitment to
providing biblical
“Good morning,people loved byGod” — those who work at theSynod’s International Center (IC) in St.Louis hear these comforting words over the
intercom around 9:45 a.m. each weekday,
just as they are reminded chapel service is
about to start.
Te voice behind those encouraging
words is the Rev. William Weedon, director
of LCMS Worship and IC chaplain. In
addition to ensuring the roughly 300
people working in the IC have the privilege
of daily worship and also pastoral care
when needed, his myriad other duties
extend well beyond the walls of the Synod’sheadquarters.
Multitasking Worship, ChaplainDutiesIn his chaplain role, Weedon works with
the Synod president’s office in planning
and supervising all chapel
services at the IC and
Lutheran Church Extension
Fund, as well as rendering
informal chaplaincy and
counseling services toemployees as requested.
He also visits hospitalized
IC employees.
Weedon said he currently
is organizing and teaching
the first unit of “Lutheran
U,” an educational offering
that seeks to inform Synod
employees regarding the
catechesis nationwide,” Weedon said.
Preaching, Speaking Acrossthe SynodIn his role with LCMS Worship, he also
has a full plate of preaching and speaking
commitments at LCMS conferences
across the nation. One conference
Weedon is particularly involved with is
LCMS Worship’s 2017 Institute on Liturgy,
Preaching and Church Music, scheduled
for July 24-28, 2017, at Concordia University
Chicago, River Forest, Ill.
Weedon said the theme of the
conference — which will take place in
the year of the 500th anniversary of the
Reformation — is “Te Just Live by Faith:
Make Tis Plain,” based on Hab. 2:4.
Keynote sessions during the confer-
ence will focus on how to allow this core
biblical theme, which is “so important and
beloved in the Lutheran heritage, to bring
its sparkling clarity and joy to sermon,
service and song.”
Weedon also said the goal is to ensure
that worship delivers the promises of God’s
Word in every aspect of the service, as each
element helps God’s people proclaim and
take to heart the message of the Scriptures
read on that particular day.
“Te way the service is conducted, the
way the readings are read, the way the
music is played — all of this can be and
should be animated with the deep joy of
the Gospel, of the sinner’s free justification,”
Weedon said. “Tat’s after all the very heart
of the biblical revelation itself — God in
Christ reconciling the world to Himself and
not imputing to us our sins.”
SYNOD CHAPLAIN
Wears Several Hats by Roger Drinnon
“The way the service is conducted, the waythe readings are read,
the way the music is played — all of thiscan be and should be animated withthe deep joy of theGospel, of the sinner’s
free justification.”
nform
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18 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage May–June 2016
He said the conference is “designed to
be a blessing for pastors, musicians and any
lay persons who care deeply about worship
and serving up the Word of God richly
and excellently in the assembly of saints,
maximally using the vast resources of our
Lutheran heritage and celebrating and
exploring the new gifts that the Holy Spirit
delights to pour out on the Church.
“We’re excited to hold the 2017 Worship
Institute at [CUC,] River Forest this time,”
Weedon said, “given that school’s significant
contribution to music and worship in our
church body for so many years.”
For more information about the
conference, call 888-HE LCMS (843-5267)
or email [email protected] .
Roger Drinnon is director of Editorial
Services and Media Relations for LCMS
Communications.
Learn more:
u Read: lcms.org/resources/worship
u Listen: kfuo.org/category/thy-strong-word/
Free Resources from LCMS WorshipLCMS Worship aims to nurture an
understanding and love for the Lutheran
heritage in Christian worship. Helpful
resources available for free include:
• Let Us Pray weekly prayers;
• Lectionary summaries for Sundayreadings;
• Bible studies;
• Children and youth resources;
• Liturgy audio files;
• Organ instructional videos;
• Radio interviews on worship topics,including a series on the historic liturgyand numerous hymn studies; and
• Unwrapping the Gifts, an electronicpublication devoted to topics of worship.
p The Rev. William Weedon hosts the program “Thy Strong Word” on Worldwide KFUO.
lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
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Loving AND Serving the Homeless in New Orleans
Every Sunday morning, Donna LeeJohnson went to the park to read. As she
sat there, she observed the people coming
and going across the street at Gloria Dei
Lutheran Church in New Orleans as she
heard strains of music drifting in the air.
Finally one week, she went in and sat
in a pew — bringing her trash bags full of
clothing with her.
When the Rev. Gregory Manning, pastor
of Gloria Dei, came over to greet her, sherecalls saying, “Hi, I’m Donna Lee, and
I’m homeless.”
Tat was more than three years ago, and
Johnson is still attending Gloria Dei, where
she has found “a big family” that “cares and
worries” about her.
In addition to attending worship regu-
larly, she also volunteers in Gloria Dei’s food
pantry, cleans the building
and helps prepare snacks
for the church’s summer and
tutoring programs.“I guess it was the Holy
Spirit,” Johnson says of the
day she first entered Gloria
Dei. “He said, ‘Get up, and go
in. It’s time.’”
‘Love Them
Where You See Them’
You have to “love them where
you see them,” says Manning,
who has a passion for
homeless ministry. As he walks to church each
day, he greets many of the
homeless people who sleep
at the local Salvation Army
shelter. Tey are required to leave the shelter early in the morning,
and they can’t return until the late afternoon.
“I truly believe that God gives us the opportunity to meet
people all the time,” he says — a belief that he likes to reiterate
whenever he drives past a homeless person standing on a street
corner. “Te light could have been green. God allowed your car
to stop here, and it was for a reason. So,
I never pass up that opportunity.”
One way his congregation cares
for the community is through its food
pantry. What started as a small closet for
emergency needs now serves more than
770 people.
Rising to the Occasion
Manning dreams of expanding this min-
istry even further. Earlier this year, GloriaDei received a $25,000 grant to open a
center where homeless people can come
during the day.
Gloria Dei was one of 55 applicants
selected to receive a “Stand With Your
Community” grant. Funding for this pro-
gram — which celebrates Martin Luther’s
passion for all to know the true Gospel as
the 500th anniversary of the Reformation
approaches — was provided
through a partnership be-
tween the LCMS, TriventFinancial and Lutheran Church
Extension Fund.
Homeless people will be
able to come to the day center
to wash their clothes, use a
computer and have mail deliv-
ered. Te center also will pro-
vide daily breakfast and lunch
and the opportunity to attend
chapel each week. In addition,
a case manager will be on-site
to help address medical andhousing needs.
“Right now, we’re right on
the cusp of some amazing
things happening with Gloria
Dei,” Manning says. “We have so many different types of people
who come here … because it fills a void in their life, a void of love.”
Learn more: blogs.lcms.org/2016/stand-grants-enable-mercy
View the photo gallery: lcms.org/photo/helping-homeless-
new-orleans
by Megan K. Mertz
pDonna Lee Johnson, who is homeless,
attends Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in New
Orleans and volunteers at the food pantry.
pThe Rev. Gregory Manning (left), pastor of Gloria Dei, greets a
volunteer at the food pantry.
WITNESS|MOMENT nspire
19May–June 2016 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission
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lcms.org/freetobefaithful
“The free exercise of religion extends beyond the practice of our faith in houses
of worship. We must be free to put our faith into action in the public square
and, in response to Christ’s call, demonstrate His mercy through our
love and compassion for all people without government penalty.”
REV. DR. MATTHEW C. HARRISON, PRESIDENT
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH—MISSOURI SYNOD
lcms.org/lcmsu #Liberty2017 LCMSU @ LCMSU
Metro D.C.University of Maryland
Jan. 4-6, 2017
Get in on the discussion about issues related to religious liberty.
Join LCMS Life Ministry as we proclaim God’s truth that all
life is sacred — from the very beginning until the natural end.
Register now!
We're taking a
360° look at life!
Jan. 27-29, 2017
Washington, D.C.
lcms.org/lifeconference
http://www/lcms.org/freetobefaithfulhttp://www.lcms.org/lcmsuhttp://www.lcms.org/lcmsuhttp://www.lcms.org/lcmsuhttp://www.lcms.org/lcmsuhttp://www.lcms.org/lcmsuhttp://www.lcms.org/lcmsuhttp://www.lcms.org/lcmsuhttp://www.lcms.org/lifeconferencehttp://www.lcms.org/lifeconferencehttp://www.lcms.org/lifeconferencehttp://www.lcms.org/lifeconferencehttp://www.lcms.org/lifeconferencehttp://www.lcms.org/lifeconferencehttp://www.lcms.org/lifeconferencehttp://www.lcms.org/lifeconferencehttp://www.lcms.org/lifeconferencehttp://www.lcms.org/lcmsuhttp://www/lcms.org/freetobefaithful
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As a Steward,
You Have Rightsby Mark Hofman
I assume that you, reader, are a donor
who is joyfully supporting corporate Synod’s
work in one or more of its various facets:
international missionaries or projects;
national programs or missionaries; mercy/
human-care and disaster-response ministry;
Ministry to the Armed Forces; through our
Global Mission Fund, arguably
one of the most potent ways
to give; or even through the
I have this list of your rights stapled to
a bulletin board next to my desk so I can
see it every day. Each member of my team
does too, as we go about our work and our
service to you.
Since space in this magazine is limited,
I invite you to visit the Synod’s Leader Blog
at blogs.lcms.org/2016/as-a-steward-you-
have-rights to read an extended version of
this article to learn more about the steps
we are taking to honor your rights.
I’m curious to know how you think we
are doing at honoring and respecting your
rights as a donor. If you’d like to share your
thoughts — the good and even the
not-so-good — and suggestions so we can
improve our service to you, please send an
email to [email protected]
and write “For Mark — My Rights” in the
subject line.
In a future Steward’s Corner, I plan to
go one step further and share with you the
code of ethical principles and practices we
adhere to when it comes to our work with
you. You deserve to know that as well.
Mark Hofman, CFRE, MBA, is the executive
director of LCMS Mission Advancement.
unrestricted gift, the most vital of all
donations.
But donors really are — you are —
“stewards” of God’s material blessings and a
vital partner in the ministry responsibilities
handed to us by the Synod at-large.
I’d like to share a few things theLCMS is morally and ethicallyobligated to do for you.
Be i n fo r med o f o u r m iss io n, t he wa y
we i n te nd to use
do na ted reso u rces a
nd o u r ca pac i t y to use do na t io ns
e f fec t i ve l y fo r t he i r
i n te nded p u r poses;
Be i n fo r med o f t h
e ide n t i t y o f t hose s
e r v i ng o n o u r g o ve r
n i ng
boa rd, a nd to e x pec t
t he boa rd to e xe rc is
e p r ude n t j udg me n
t
i n i ts s te wa rds h i p re
s po ns i b i l i t ies;
Ha ve access to o
u r mos t rece n t, i nde
pe nde n t l y a ud i ted
fi na nc ia l s ta te me n ts
;
Be ass u red yo u r g
i f ts w i l l be used fo r t
he p u r poses fo r w h i
c h
t he y we re g i ve n;
Rece i ve a p p ro p r
ia te ac k no w ledg me n
t a nd recog n i t io n;
Be ass u red t ha t i n fo r ma t io n a
bo u t yo u a nd yo u r
co n t r i b u t io ns is sec
u re a nd is ha nd led w i t h res pec t
a nd w i t h
co n fide n t ia l i t y to t h
e e x te n t p ro v ided b y
la w;
E x pec t t ha t a l l re
la t io ns h i ps yo u ha ve
w i t h i nd i v id ua ls
re p rese n t i ng us w i l
l be p ro fess io na l i n
na t u re;
Be i n fo r med as t
o w he t he r t hose see
k i ng do na t io ns a re
vo l u n tee rs, e m p lo ye
es o f t he o rg a n iza t io
n o r h i red so l ic i to rs
;
Ha ve t he o p po r t
u n i t y fo r yo u r na me
to be de le ted f ro m
ma i l i ng l is ts t ha t w
e ma y i n te nd to s ha
re; a nd
As k q ues t io ns w
he n co ns ide r i ng ma
k i ng a do na t io n,
as we l l as to rece i ve
p ro m p t, t r u t h f u l a n
d fo r t h r ig h t
a ns we rs to t hose q u
es t io ns.
A S O N E O F O U R D O N
O R S A N D G O D ’ S S T E W
A R D S,
Y O U HA V E T H E R I G H
T T O :
nvolve STEWARD’S|CORNER
When a person’s Gospel-motivated heart and our work line up, we often see it embodied as a charitablegift. We use the word “donor” to describe a person who makes a gift like this.
21May–June 2016 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage
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This magazine was developed
for you, as one who has supported the Witness,Mercy, Life Together work of the LCMS with your time
and/or financial gifts. Whether your efforts and gifts werefor disaster relief, a specific ministry or an individual
missionary, you are a vital part of the Synod’s work
around the world. The stories found in these pages are
about how YOU are making a difference and changing
lives with the Gospel and Christ’s mercy.Lutherans
Engage the World is our effort to keep you informed about
the difference you are making in the world and to say
THANK YOU for all you do.
Visit lcms.org/projectcatalog to learn more.
Come explorethe NEW LCMSmission project
catalog!Are you interested in caring for children, buildingchurches or furthering theological education around
the world? These are just a few of the special nationaland international mission projects YOU can champion.
Have questions? Contact LCMS Mission Advancement at 888 930 4438
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIO
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
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