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New Office Tour

Video Link

This video is a tour of our new LWML Offices. You’ll see as we go down the stairs in Loeber Hall on the campus of the St. Louis Seminary. The last hallway is not ours but I walked down it to show you the storeroom we are renting. Many of you will recognize the hallway as the location of the old food and clothing bank. There is a loading dock out back that we can use for truck deliveries.

Gold mums were planted outside the windows of the office by the Seminary to welcome us. The office staff can decorate their offices this week and get settled in. A huge thank you goes to Product Developer, Beverly England, who coordinated the construction, the move, and the interior decorating. She spent hours and hours on the phone and shopping and “coordinating” everything involved. Thank you, Bev!!

We just have to get window coverings and our outdoor sign done. Again, thanks to a donor who donated savings bonds years ago and also an anonymous donor who gave $20,000 towards the move. No Mite Box offering money had to be used.

Please stop in and “set a spell” if you are in St. Louis. Dedication of the office will be Tuesday, November 6, 2019, at 1:30.

Happy October!

Patti

Lutheran Women in Mission, Missions for God

LWML Family News

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We all love to celebrate special events with our family like baptisms, confirmations, birthdays, and weddings, etc. This past Sunday Rev. Dr. Robert Roegner, LWML Pastoral Counselor 2013-2017, was installed to his missionary position with The Apple of His Eye Mission Society at Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas.

Pastor Roegner and his wife, Kristi, who most recently served on the LWML Church Workers in Mission Task Force, will be working with The Apple of His Eye founder, Steve Cohen and his wife, Nancy, as missionaries in Israel. They will be working with Immanuel Ministries and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Israel.

Another reason for the LWML family to mark this day is the fact that this outreach in Israel was made possible, in part, with your Mite Box Offerings from last biennium. You may remember the mission grant paid to The Apple of His Eye Society to do missionary work in Israel.

Now, as we would following any family celebration, we continue in prayer for Pastor Roegner, Kristi, Steve and Nancy as they set out to witness to the lost sheep of Israel. Thank you for your prayers and for your mission support!

To read more and communicate with these missionaries go to their website: www.appleofhiseye.org.

Congratulations Pastor Bob and Kristi!

Patti

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SOS

Hurricane

LWML Carolinas District

Little did they know when they chose their district convention theme months ago how that theme would echo circumstances surrounding this past weekend’s weather events! President Carolyn Smith and LWML friends went ahead with their convention at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. I’d like to share a report submitted by LWML Parliamentarian, Barbara Volk, a member of the Carolinas district. We are so thankful for their convention taking place and the safety of all attendees. Thank you, Barbara, for this report:

The Lord was watching out for our Carolinas District LWML this weekend, so we were able to hold our convention even as Florence moved in. The LWML Carolinas District women were determined to hold their 66th convention at Lake Junaluska Christian Conference and Retreat Center in Western North Carolina on Sept. 14 and 15. 103 women and men (of the 116 preregistered) braved the storm and celebrated under the theme “SOS – Serving Our Savior.” Gifts from the Heart benefitted Haywood Pathway Center, which provides emergency services to the homeless, addiction recovery support, and crisis pregnancy assistance. Servant Activities were filling backpacks with school supplies for Orphan Grain Train and sending cards of encouragement to seminary students.

Because the rain and winds were moving into the area by afternoon, some of Saturday’s business and presentations were condensed, but attendees were still able to hear both parts of the keynote address by Dr. Gregory Seltz, Executive Director of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty—“Called by God to BOAST of Him (1 Cor. 1:26-31)” and “The LCRL and You—Engaging the culture as God’s people for the sake of the Gospel.” Devotions and prayers were led by Senior Pastoral Counselor John Fair. Because the flights for LWML Representative Carol Von Soosten were cancelled, LWML Parliamentarian Barbara Volk introduced the video greetings from President Patti and provided an overview of LWML products and services.

Business included voting for officers, with Cheryl Wulfert elected district president for 2018-2022; selection of a mission goal of $67,000 and district mission grants for 2018-2020; invitation to the 2019 LWML convention in Mobile; and thanks to all who worked on the convention, particularly Donna Kleister, convention host committee chairman and Western Zone President.

I salute the LWML Carolinas District and their guests who braved the ire of their uninvited guest, Florence, to come together to talk about serving our Savior as we serve others through our work in LWML.

Love, Patti

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Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age

Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age is the subject of a three-session webinar that Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) putting on this Thursday, September 13 at 7 p.m. Central time. In this webinar, Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, will discuss LHM’s 2018 research with the Barna Group. Here is LHM’s description of the course. I encourage you to sign up for lhmlearn and take advantage of this learning experience.

LIVE Webinar on Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age

While technology and rapid cultural shifts have altered the face of evangelism, the Great Commission remains. This FREE three-session webinar presents findings from joint research done by Lutheran Hour Ministries and Barna about the state of spiritual conversations today. It explores changes in how and why people share the unchanging Good News in the digital age. This webinar digs deeper into our findings about the changes to faith sharing over the past 25 years, how people are sharing their faith today, the profile of those who are eager to share their faith, and how you can apply those insights to spiritual conversations in your everyday life.

Join Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, LHM’s Executive Director of United States Ministries, beginning September 13th at 7 p.m. CST for Session One, Sharing Faith Then and Now. During the presentation LHM staff will be answering questions followed by a LIVE Q&A with Dr. Cook after the presentation.

We look forward to sharing the research findings with you!

Go to  https://www.lhm.org/conversations/webinar.asp to sign up. All of us in LWML need to stay updated on current trends in communication because we have such a wonderful message to share! The message of the Gospel and God’s Grace!

Please keep the LWML Carolinas District in your prayers this week as the stormy weather approaches the location of their district convention scheduled for this week.

Patti

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For the Mite Box

My husband, a cardiologist, will tell you never to eat anything that can be served to you through a window. That being said, I do give in time to time on McDonald’s French fries. When I do, I look down and see the dropped change on the concrete beneath the window. If my car wasn’t so close to the window, I would reach down and pick it up!

When we were on vacation last week I was looking for sea shells on the beach and found a quarter! Bill knows when I see a coin I will pick it up and say, “for the Mite Box”. I also picked up a penny in the airport parking lot. 26 cents for the Mite Box! Wow, you say, not much of a haul. However …

Check out the first of our LWML grants and read the story of it. “Providing Food and the Gospel to Starving Children” a program administered by Mercy Meals of Siouxland, a ministry of Faith Lutheran Church, Sioux City Iowa. Their volunteers package fortified rice/soy meals that are shipped to many international and national destinations to feed hungry people—at a cost of 13 cents a meal!

So, my 26 cents will buy 2 meals for someone! Makes it worth the effort to pick up the coins, doesn’t it! Especially, when you think that not only does it deliver 2 meals, but it delivers the Bread of Life, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, feeding hungry souls as well as bodies.

If you can figure out how I can vacuum up that loose change under the McDonald’s window, let me know!

Enjoy reading John 6:22-59 and see what Jesus has to say.

Patti

Lutheran Reflection, Lutheran Women in Mission

Labor Day

“Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker” (from the U.S. Department of Labor website).

In 1894 the first Monday in September became a federal holiday.

One of my favorite books is “God at Work” by Gene Edward Veith Jr. It deals with your Christian vocation in all of your life. In one chapter he deals with your calling as a worker—your vocation. (I believe it is said that Martin Luther may have thought vocation to be the fourth pillar of the Reformation). For the upcoming Labor Day I’d like to quote from Veith’s book.

“As we have said, God calls people to different kinds of labor as part of His governance of the world. God Himself is operative in human labor, through His providential power. Though human beings tend to be oblivious to the spiritual significance of the ordinary things they do, and though their work is tainted by sin, the Christian, walking by faith and resting in Christ, can live and work as a channel for the gifts of God. God does not treat our works or our vocation as meriting His favor; rather, our relationship with Him is solely based on His free grace and forgiveness through the work of Christ. Good works, which are primarily done within vocation, are the fruits of faith. Good works are done not for God but for the neighbor. The whole purpose of every vocation is to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ (Matthew 22:39).

While looking at your work this coming Labor Day, think of how it is your vocation and how you serve your neighbor through what you do. Pick up a copy of Veith’s book or read Martin Luther’s on the vocations of the Christian. It will encourage you!

Patti

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“Captive Souls … Mercy for All”

Strategic Plan Facilitator Carol , President Patti, & Jr Pastoral Counselor Mitch

Traveling again for LWML found me in St. Louis this past weekend for the LCMS 2018 Prison Ministry Conference. If you look at the list of 2017-2019 Mission Grants you will see that Mite Box offerings financed this conference. Thanks to our faithful family of Lutheran Women in Mission these pastors and lay people involved in prison and jail ministry came together to share experiences, hear numerous speakers, and share resources.

To tell you that this was a worthwhile grant says way too little. These servants of the Lord actually risk their lives, face lawsuits, long hours, and long drives as they deliver the Word of Jesus that He forgives and loves. To listen to their experiences you realize these people are special, called to an incredibly tough ministry and deserve our daily prayer support to protect them from earthly and spiritual attacks. I was incredibly humbled to meet many of them and see their dedication to the marginalized and despised children of God who are in our penal system. They depend on the strength and action of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit.

If you have a local or district prison ministry I urge you have them come and share about how they do their ministry and then find out what you can do to help them.

We all read Matthew 25 and think, yes, Lord, I can feed people, I can give water to people, I can clothe people but whoa, I can’t go visit prisoners. However, through your Mite Box offerings, service projects, and prayer, you can hold up those wonderful men and women who do! As the hymn says, “We can be like faithful Aaron, holding up the prophet’s hands.”

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did is to me.” (Matthew 25:37-40)

Patti

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August travels

Oh boy, did this summer go fast! Our Oklahoma schools open again in a week! It’s been a summer of traveling!  

Traveling last weekend took us to the Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) SENT event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Members of the Lutheran Layman’s League, LHM staff, donors, and guests kicked off a five year special program to spread the Gospel. They have taken the scripture from John 20:21 to heart and made it their theme verse, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you”, spoken by Jesus to His disciples.

President and CEO of Lutheran Hour Ministries, Kurt Buchholz, led a gathering that interacted with LHM Ministry leaders who traveled from Liberia, Jamaica, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, and Paraguay. LHM staff presented information about media offerings that sound really exciting. For instance, go to www.lhm.org and check out THRED, LHM Learn, Sentido Latino, Digging Deeper, Action in Ministry, and of course, The Lutheran Hour. And before you ask, no, they did not announce the new Lutheran Hour Speaker yet.

LWML Presidents

Ran into fellow LWML travelers there. LWML Presidents #14, 15, 16, and 18 were there. Also Karen Soeken, past LWML Planner, Past Convention Manager and Chesapeake DP, Jan Reuter, Past LWML Texas President, Dorothy Hunger and current LWML Oregon DP, Carmen Nagel were enjoying the event. If you have worked on the LHM Rose Parade float, you will recognize the names Dick and Lynn Gast and Lou Marting who were there. Rev. Ingo Dutzmann and Rev. John Nunes led us in devotions and worship. It was an inspiring, uplifting and educational event.

The two mission grants that you have funded from the last two conventions for LHM are pretty amazing outreach efforts in the Middle East. Reporting on the outreach to Syrian refugees in Lebanon –four women shared what it meant to them to now be Christians. Common denominator? A God who loves and forgives them. Really, really beautiful! They and many others will be reached by the broadcasts from the Christian TV station in Cairo that our second grant supports! You are helping make the Word of God travel through the Middle East!

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” Mark 16:15.

Our travels are not over!

Patti

Dick Gast, Bill, Patti
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LWML Office is Moving Part 2

Concordia Seminary St. Louis chapel

The LWML office is moving to the Concordia Seminary St. Louis campus (CSL) this fall! This is the second part of a two-week blog. Please start by reading last week’s blog if you haven’t yet done so.

At our Board of Directors Strategic Planning meeting in October 2016 (elected officers and LWML district presidents), one of the major goals we adopted was to “Communicate a fresh image to LCMS pastors and church workers.” That was to be done by completing these objectives:

  1. Connect and engage with pastors and church workers in a strategic manner
  2. Intentionally invite and involve pastors and church workers in LWML events
  3. Connect and engage pastors and church workers to LWML’s mission focus, and
  4. Increase LWML visibility at LCMS meetings and events.

When the offer to move our offices to the CSL campus came up we found it fit well with this goal and its objectives. It will put us in a great setting for the students and staff on campus to get to know LWML and our mission a little better.

Being a presence on campus will put us visibly in their environment. It will allow our office staff to attend chapel, eat at the cafeteria, and visit with students and their families that come to visit them on campus. When new LWML resources become available they can be readily accessed. Although our staff is small—currently three full-time and one part-time, they represent the best of LWML. They are friendly, open, knowledgeable, hard-working, and love their Lord. They will be an asset to those on campus.

We praise and thank God for a faithful steward who years ago, left in their estate, two U.S. Savings Bonds for LWML. This year after reaching maturity they were cashed in on the advice and approval of the LWML Finance and Operations Committee and the LWML  Executive Committee. The amount of the savings bonds will cover expenses involved in the move. The rest of the cost will be paid monthly with our rent over five years with no interest charged.

We have been blessed! Little did this donor know years ago that they would be helping their LWML make this move and enable us to move forward on one of our goals! We thank and praise God for that donor and for the generosity and support given by CSL.

Be sure to come by and visit when you are in St. Louis!

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23-24).

 

Patti

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LWML Office is Moving

The LWML office is moving to the Concordia Seminary St. Louis campus (CSL) this fall! After years of renting at Concordia Publishing House (CPH) 3558 S. Jefferson we are moving to CSL campus. CPH has been a super landlord for us and we thank them for that business relationship, friendship, and Gospel partnership. They will continue to warehouse our resources and products for us and take care of our order fulfillment.

This first came about as a result of the Rose Parade in Pasadena, 2017. I had the honor of representing LWML riding on the Lutheran Hour Ministries Rose Parade float. I got to ride next to Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer, President of CSL. It was very much on my heart as to how we can make our pastors coming out of seminary more knowledgeable about and supportive of the mission of LWML. I asked him how we could have a bigger presence on campus and he responded, “Why don’t you move your offices to the seminary campus?” Well, I thought, why not?

I don’t know if you know the campus at all. There is a building directly across to the south from the Chapel called Loeber Hall. We are building out half of the lower level for our new office space. We estimate to move sometime late September, early October. Even as we have gone through the process of negotiations and building planning we have already been in contact with seminary students working in various roles on campus. They will get to know LWML as an integral part of our LCMS church with more contact. We are hoping to have some functions with the seminary wives, as well. Hopefully, when your new vicar, deaconess intern, or new pastor or deaconess from CSL arrives at your church next year or after, he or she will be better-acquainted with LWML!

More on this story next week!

Love, Patti

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17).