Last year the pastor of Hanover Lutheran Church, Rev. Tony Kobak, had a very good problem. He was considering removing the walls in the classrooms to create more space for everyone clamoring to attend an adult Sunday school and Monday night Bible classes. There simply were more people than would...
Preaching is one of the most visible tasks of being a pastor. It’s easy to envision your pastor in his office, Bible open and pen sliding across his notebook, getting that sermon just right before sharing it Sunday morning. But being a pastor comes with many day-in-and-day-out challenges that are...
The Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) will soon be accepting applications for Kaleidoscope Grants for the third consecutive year. With funds between the amounts of $15,000 and $75,000, these grants are available to Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) K-8 elementary schools. LCEF Articles of Incorporation and Synod Bylaws prohibit LCEF from distributing...
Last month, we wrote about how pastors can embrace stewardship with their congregations. As a follow-up, we spoke with Rev. Nathan Meador, Senior Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Plymouth, WI and the Assistant Coordinator of Stewardship for the Office of National Mission-LCMS. Rev. Meador says the first step...
It’s not easy to juggle a church work career, family obligations, and unexpected life events. That means if finances are a source of stress, you’re hardly alone. Most people learn how to manage their personal finance through old-fashioned life experience. It’s deceptively easy to slip into bad habits or to...
In the spring of 2018, a few people noticed a slight dip in the ceiling of the sanctuary of Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Charles. The past year had marked the congregation’s 150th anniversary, which coincided with the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The spot on the ceiling was barely...
News of an impending blizzard seemed to hit everyone’s phones at once. While the storm had been predicted, it had gathered speed and was barreling down on Concordia, MO earlier than expected. Some of the mourners who had been attending a funeral at Saint Paul Lutheran Church chose to leave...
There’s still time to register for Tell the Next Generation: A Family Ministry Conference on March 9, in St. Charles. Jolene Siebarth, DCE at Immanuel Lutheran Church, has been working with families and youth for almost 20 years. In that time, much has changed, but much has also stayed the...
Lutheran schools are vibrant, diverse learning communities thriving in a Christ-centered environment where Christ’s love and mercy abounds. During the month of February, LCMS schools throughout the Missouri District are celebrating in our diversity and commonality as they celebrate Black History Month. During this time of celebration Lutheran schools are...
When communities change, it can be hard to notice from the inside. For example, Kathryne Chapin asked members of Trinity Lutheran Church how many babies would likely be born in an upcoming year. The estimates were approximately 30 times smaller than the real number. Most members estimated (on average) that...