Dear friends in Christ, We all know that we live in a world that is increasingly unstable with culture shifts, economic pressures, family struggles, and unrest in our nation and world. We see and feel these struggles in our congregations too with aging memberships, financial struggles, and cultural pressures. In...

  Rev. Walter P. Snyder Jan. 16, 1957 – June 1, 2026 Walter Phillip Snyder, 69, of Concordia, Missouri, asleep in Jesus, 1 June 2026. He was born on 16 January 1957 in Springfield, Illinois, to the late Rev. Dr. Walter W. Snyder and Melba (Grossmann) Snyder. He spent his...

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2 ESV). Dear friends of Jesus, St. Paul’s words cut straight to the marrow. In a world fascinated with novelty, personality, and spiritual technique, Paul narrows everything down to one blazing center: “Jesus Christ...

  Rev. Elmer B. Schiefer Jan. 21, 1926 – May 17, 2026 Rev. Elmer B. Schiefer died May 17, 2026. He was born in Vassar, Mich., Jan. 21, 1926, the second son of Edwin J. Schiefer and Agnes M. Block. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church...