Bus Tour and New Worker Orientation

August 22-23 were busy days at the District Office as we welcomed new District workers for a Mission bus tour and orientation. Sixteen vicars and new called workers joined four District staff as they toured mission sites in the city of St. Louis on Thursday: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Holy Cross Lutheran Church and Intersect Arts Center, and Christian Friends of New Americans. Participants were able to tour the facilities and hear how God is working through partnerships and volunteers to reach out to communities and new immigrants through these ministries. There was a lot of interactions and questions answered as new workers interacted with staff at the various sites.

On Friday, nine new called workers in the District received orientation to the District and to their roles. They were introduced to the District staff and had opportunities to learn about church and worker health, devotional life, worker support resources, District missions, shared ministry, personal and professional boundaries, and walking together. Breakout sessions allowed pastors, deaconesses and youth/family workers to get more specific orientation related to their called positions. One of the new workers reflected on the two days, “I left with even more appreciation for the leadership of our district and the ministry of our district as a whole. I also left inspired and expectant of how God will use all of us in the coming days and years. Your care for us new church workers and for intentional Gospel proclamation was very evident.”