ST. LOUIS, July 18, 2025—More than 1,500 youth and adult leaders from 81 Missouri District churches are traveling to New Orleans, La., to participate in the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering, a triennial event hosted by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) since 1980. They will join nearly 20,000 youth and adults...

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law,” (Gal. 5:22-23, ESV). Sanctification—the Holy Spirit’s work of strengthening us to lead holy lives—is never wrong. Before St. Paul provides the list of the fruit of the Spirit, he first includes a list...

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,” (Gal. 5:16, ESV). Whether it is a journey through the snow or a forest, we often follow a path that has already been marked. The psalmist notes, “Your word is a lamp to my...

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom,” (2 Cor. 3:17, ESV). Every day is a day to celebrate our freedom as a Christian. We do so not with fireworks or patriotic parades, but by making the sign of the cross and remembering our...

  Rev. Gary A. Lampe June 29, 1952 – May 19, 2025 Rev. Gary A. Lampe, affectionately known as “Padre,” passed away peacefully on May 19, 2025, at the age of 72. Lampe was born on June 29, 1952, in Monett, Mo., to Erwin and Olga (Holle) Lampe. He was...

  Jacqueline L. Loontjer Sept. 27, 1947 – June 12, 2025 Jacqueline Louise Loontjer, 77, passed away on June 12, 2025. Jackie was born in Dodge City, Kan., in 1947 to Jack and Dorothy (Leighty) Maskus. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Wayne; and her brother,...

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as...

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual,” (1 Cor....

“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life...

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you,” (John 14:16-17, ESV). John’s Gospel includes the extended...