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Minnesota South District eNews
December 26, 2018
Volume 18, Issue 52

Links of Interest 

MNS District Website

LCMS Website

District Mission and Initiatives

District Blog

Call Update

District Calendar

Public Policy 

Networking

Classifieds

MNS LWML Website

MNS DCE Website

Plan Your Legacy

Camp Omega

Concordia Plan Services

CSP News

Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF)

LCEF Minnesota South District

Lutheran Hour Ministries

SAGES

Ministerial Health Resources

Need a Christian counselor? Check out the listing of counselors.

Recovery issues? Need support? Check out Fellowship of Recovering Lutheran Clergy. Weekly online meetings. Completely anonymous for clergy only. Every Thursday, noon Central time.

Concordia Plan Services offers an Employee Assistance Plan, which includes a Pastoral Support Network.

In Our Prayers
Our district staff, boards, and committees.

 
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christ Academy @ Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne
Christ Academy has awesome opportunities for confirmation and high-school aged kids to experience life at the seminary with professors. The next confirmation retreat will be February 15-17 on baptism. The next high school academy will be June 16-29. More information about all opportunities is available on their website.

UPDATE Main Street Living TV Program
Main Street Living is coming to MN! Starting January 6, the program will air every Sunday from 10 to 11 a.m. on WFTC channel 29/9-2. Viewers will enjoy re-mastered "This is the Life" episodes from Lutheran Hour Ministries and a modified Lutheran worship service, led by a different MN pastor each week. Click here to download December and January bulletin announcements. More information on the Twin Cities tab of the Main Street Living website.

PLUS, preview the first episode before it airs by going to the Twin Cities tab on the Main Street Living website.

Lutheran Hour with Rev. Dr. Dean Nadasdy
Rev. Dr. Dean Nadasdy, President Emeritus of the MN South District, will serve as guest preacher on The Lutheran Hour on Sunday, December 30. His sermon, "A Long  Goodbye," will be based on Luke 2:27-32. Check Lutheran Hour's broadcast guide to find your local radio listing.

Volunteer for the 2019 Youth Gathering
The deadline to apply to be a Young Adult Volunteer is in less than one week. Make sure your 19-25-year-old friends know there's still time to sign up!

And if you're over 25 but still want to help at the 2019 LCMS National Youth Gathering, registration is still open for local Youth Gathering volunteers.
If you would like to financially support the ministry of the Minnesota South District, please click here and then click on "Donate Now." For your convenience, the Minnesota South District is able to process ACH's (Electronic Funds Transfers) and credit card transactions. We thank God for your partnership.

UPDATED Constitution Committee
If you have a new or revised constitution, make sure you mail FIVE copies to the MN South District Constitution Committee by January 8 to:
Rev. Harold Storm
St. John Lutheran Church
23677 491st Street
Gaylord, MN 55334

Are you ready to "Move the Needle" in mission?
Let’s work together to make 2019 a year of blessing for our neighbors and our communities! You might start with a deeper study of your community demographics, hosting a Connect to Disciple outreach workshop, forming a congregational Journey into Mission discovery team, or launching a Bible study focused around the Mission of God.

If you would like to know more about your options and how we would like to partner with you, check out the Mission Formation web page or call Phillip Johnson at the District office (952.223.2616) for more information.

NEW TEC21 Workshops
Open Enrollment for the TEC21 Workshop Program begins January 2. Seats for this progressive professional development program go fast! The TEC21 Workshop Program is a unique professional development strategy with a mission to assist teachers in gaining new expertise to confidently and effectively integrate technology into the learning environment.
 
We'd love to see every school in the district take advantage of this opportunity! This is an investment with immediate return in your teachers' ministries and students’ learning. Register your teachers here: http://tec21connect.com/registration/! Click here to download the TEC21 flyer.

Does someone you know work in North Dakota?
Consider giving their contact info to oil field missionary Rev. Zelwyn Heide: 701-300-4249 or pastor@badlandslutheran.org.

Synod wellness page for church workers
"During this busy time of the year, we can get exhausted, worn out, and even sick because we burn the proverbial candle at both ends. With that in mind, I invite you to take a look at the new Synod wellness page. Blessings on your ministries throughout this holiday season as you faithfully point our congregations and schools to the Newborn Christ!" 
~ Rev. Tom Evans, Ministerial Health

Camp Omega Polar Plunge
Don't forget to sign up for Polar Plunge at Camp Omega on February 9. Get your team of friends, relatives, and church members together today!

Bible study resource for churches
Crave is the first in a new series of three video-based Bible studies for churches that looks at the importance of  being rooted in the word of God. Crave is great for high schoolers and up. Rev. Matthew Versemann and his son Micah from Trinity Lutheran in Decatur, IL, created the study.

Christian dating speaker opportunity
"Pam Stenzel, a world-renowned speaker on Christian dating and the real-life consequences of breaking the sixth commandment, will present in our area on April 24. If you want your youth group to hear Pam while she is in MN, contact Colin, Pam's assistant, for more information at 303-888-6876."
~ Pastor Jon Vollrath.

UPDATE LCEF offer ending soon
We're nearly there! LCEF needs to raise $100 million in new investments to support ministry loan needs. LCEF is blessed to help fund LCMS ministries at home and aborad. Thanks to faithful investors like you, LCEF is nearing the goal. Click here for the latest update.
 
Lutheran Church Extension Fund is a nonprofit religious organization; therefore, LCEF investments are not FDIC-insured bank deposit accounts. This is not an offer to sell investments, nor a solicitation to buy. LCEF will offer and sell its securities only in states where authorized. The offer is made solely by LCEF’s Offering Circular. Investors should carefully read the Offering Circular, which more fully describes associated risks. Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri Synod is registered and licensed through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System- NMLS#3444. LCEF StewardAccount® access features provided through UMB Bank n.a. The StewardAccount is not available to investors in South Carolina.

Best Practices Initiative
The congregational teams who are participating in the 2019 MN South District Best Practices Initiative have been selected. Please pray that they would be led to new opportunities in the coming year for reaching people in their communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ!

LCEF District Outreach Event Grants – Apply by Jan. 31, 2019
The Lutheran Church Extension Fund is a nonprofit ministry of the Church; therefore, fiscal year end operating results are put right back into mission and ministry. LCEF is blessed by strong investors and faithful borrowers. Grant funds are available for LCMS organizations in the Minnesota South District. Learn more and apply online at lcefcentral.org/grants
 
LCEF District Scholarships – Apply by Jan. 31, 2019
A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to at least one applicant from the Minnesota South District. Applicant must be a graduating high school senior or current full-time post-secondary student at an accredited institution with at least one year of courses remaining. Candidates must also be members of a congregation belonging to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod located in the Minnesota South District. Learn more and apply online at lcefcentral.org/scholarships

Interested in applying for grant dollars from district grant sources? Visit our website to learn more about these funds.

Those hospitalized or receiving medical care at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester are now being cared for by the pastoral staff of Trinity Lutheran Church of Rochester. If you have a member in need of pastoral care please contact Pastor Nate Schwartz at 816-806-6797 or chaplain@trinitylutheranchurch.org. The pastoral staff at Trinity is honored to assist you in caring for Christ’s sheep.

We also have a list of LCMS pastors near other Minnesota hospitals that are willing to provide pastoral care. 


The 2019 Bible Bowl will be held on April 6, 2019.

Resources (from LCMS.org)
   
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