In May of 2018 Bethlehem Lutheran Church held an upbeat street ministry event, Taking Jesus to the Streets, in Ferguson. They met more than 100 people a block from the Canfield Apartment complex, the epicenter of the unrest that made the St. Louis suburb infamous. The residents asked them a...
When Todd Barnes, an active member and former president of Zion Lutheran Church, needed a new model for his work with the homeless, he looked at the success of many areas in the country. Lancaster, PA in particular had a model he thought would work in the areas he serves....
“O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old.” —Psalm 44:1What is one thing that congregations can do to strengthen both the church and our communities today? The answer is simple, but not easy....
A Head for Finance...A Heart for MinistryCasey Carlson, Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) - Missouri District Vice President, worked in traditional banking for 15 years, honing his skills and expertise and serving in the private sector. He always felt inspired by the work of LCEF but didn’t necessarily believe he’d...
Family ministry is one of the most powerful tools for outreach in congregations, because wanting the best for your family is one of the few universal feelings we share. It’s also one of the rare ideas that congregations share with our culture. Brandon Metcalf, a student at Concordia Seminary, St....
Change is a favorite word for discussions about the state of the Christian Church and consideration of its future. Church “futurists” propose changes to everything from governance and structure to worship and, among some, doctrinal positions. But as church leaders, we are able to discuss this from the context of...
It’s tradition at Lutheran North High School for Peer Ministers to hang welcome signs on the lockers of new students. This year, there were approximately 60 more hand written notes than last year, for the students enrolled in the brand new Lutheran North Middle School. The school opened its inaugural...
Rev. Dr. Ellis T. Rottmann entered into his eternal home on August 21, 2019. He was the beloved husband of Joyce (nee Kell), loving father of Jon (Cindy), Steve (Jan), and Kathy (Dale) Jensen, and proud grandfather of Stephanie Rottmann, Chris Jensen, and Kayla Jensen. He was preceded in death...
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.—Psalm 32:1In the movie, Return of the Jedi, as part of their complicated relationship, Darth Vader says to his son, Luke Skywalker, “Your thoughts betray you.” How often the person who feels guilt over some dark deed has thought...
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” —Matthew 10:29-31 One of the first thing that the Saxon immigrants did...