Missouri District Professional Church Workers Conference 

Oct. 20–23, 2026 | Osage Beach, Missouri

The Missouri District Professional Church Workers Conference will be held Oct. 20–23, 2026, at Margaritaville Lake Resort in Osage Beach, Mo. This conference gathers pastors, educators and other professional church workers for worship, learning and fellowship, encouraging one another in our shared calling in Christ.

Conference Theme: Live as You Are Called
“Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him” (1 Cor. 7:17a, ESV).

This year’s theme, Live as You Are Called, will focus on our shared vocation as professional church workers, rooted in God’s Word and centered in Christ and His cross. Grounded in our Lutheran identity and given joy in Christ, we are sent with confidence to teach, confess and live out the Gospel in service to others.

Schedule overview: 

Tuesday, Oct. 20: Pastors arrive and register 9:30–1 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 21: Educators may arrive and attend sessions; lunch is not provided. Registration from 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 22: Pastors may depart after morning worship. Registration does not include Thursday lunch.
Friday, Oct. 23: Conference concludes

Please note: A hospitality room will be available for wives and children of pastors to gather and connect from Tuesday through Thursday morning.

Conference Registration

Registration deadline: Thursday, Oct. 1

Registration fees

Pastors $175
*Includes: plenary and breakout sessions A-E, Wednesday pastors lunch and dinner

Commissioned church workers (administrators, teachers, DCEs, and deaconesses) $175
*Includes: plenary and breakout sessions E-I, Wednesday dinner and Thursday educators lunch

Emeritus pastors and vicars $135
*Includes: same as pastors

Emeritus commissioned church workers, student teachers, and interns $135
*Includes: same as commissioned church workers

Pastor guest/spouse $135
*Includes: plenary sessions, Wednesday pastors lunch and dinner (no breakout sessions)

Commissioned church workers guest/spouse $135
*Includes: plenary sessions, Wednesday dinner and Thursday educators lunch (no breakout sessions)

Other Attendee $225
*Includes: all four conference days plenary and breakout sessions, Wednesday pastors lunch, Wednesday dinner, and Thursday educators lunch

Payment information

Registration fees must be paid before the conference.

If paying by check, print and include a copy of your registration confirmation with your payment to ensure it is applied to the correct church, school or organization.

Mail checks to:

Missouri District Professional Church Workers Conference
660 Mason Ridge Center Drive, Suite 100
St. Louis, MO 63141

Hotel Reservations

Registration deadline: Monday, Sept. 21

Hotel reservation information

A block of rooms has been reserved at Margaritaville Lake Resort for conference attendees.

Churches and schools are responsible for making room reservations for their conference attendees. Individuals should make their own reservations. The Missouri District office is not responsible for arranging lodging.

Room rates

Guest room — $145 plus tax

One-bedroom suite — $249 plus tax

Two-bedroom suite — $354 plus tax

Tax exemption: to receive Missouri sales tax exemption, bring:

  • Church tax-exempt letter
  • Church check or church credit card

Personal credit cards are not eligible for the state sales tax exemption.

County lodging taxes still apply.

Check-in begins at 4 p.m.

Check-out is 11 a.m.

Plenary Speakers

Rev. Dr. Jason Lane

Rev. Dr. Jason Lane, associate professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, since 2024, will lead plenaries for the pastors. Under the conference theme, he will examine God’s will for our Christian life in Christ based on Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions, and Luther’s writings. He will address the apparent and persistent problem with Lutheran theology: that our emphasis on faith alone leaves Lutherans lacking in sanctification and good works.

 

Dr. Bernard Bull

Dr. Bernard Bull will lead a plenary for the educators titled, “Features of Fidelity and Flourishing Lutheran Schools.” In this session, he draws from over 20 years of research to offer insights on the habits, practices, and features that we find in faithful and flourishing Lutheran schools and classrooms. Bull serves as the 11th president of Concordia University, Nebraska. His work focuses on futures; the philosophy and praxis of Christian education; models of educational research and development; and the intersection of education and digital culture.

 

Jennifer Tanner

Jennifer Tanner, executive director of schools and youth ministry for the Florida-Georgia District, will lead a final plenary for educators. In “Called to Joy: One Good Thing at a Time,” she will explore how encouragement, gratitude, and small acts of faithfulness can shape healthy ministry cultures and strengthen our witness to those we serve.

 

Conference Resources

Buffet menus are provided for attendees with dietary concerns, including gluten-free options where available.

 

Cancellations, No Shows

Cancellations received before Oct. 1, 2026, will receive a full refund. After Oct. 1, refunds cannot be issued because final attendance numbers have been submitted to the hotel. Registrants who do not cancel by the deadline, and do not attend, remain responsible for the registration fee, as costs have been incurred by the Missouri District.

Excused Absence

The Professional Church Workers Conference is an official District conference for ministers of religion — ordained and commissioned. All rostered church workers are expected to attend. If you are unable to attend, please submit an excused absence request to the District President. Once you submit your request, you do not need to complete conference registration unless instructed otherwise.

Questions

If you have any questions or need further information, please reach out to Events Assistant Sue Thompson at sue.thompson@mo.lcms.org.