IDE LWML News

The Iowa District East LWML will host two Zone & Society Officers Orientation Seminars this fall. The first, Saturday, October 28th at St. John Lutheran Church in Waverly, IA . The second, Saturday, November 18th at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Iowa City, IA. Registration will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the seminar 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon. Lunch will be served. All zone and society officers are encouraged to attend one of these events. Further information will be available at the IDE LWML Fall Rallies.

IDE STUDENT AID COMMITTEE

The IDE Student Aid Committee would like to take the opportunity to thank all the individuals over the years who have pledged money to help our IDE students enrolled in church work programs. Your support enables us to better serve the 39 applicants who will be receiving financial support for the 2006-2007 academic year. So, who are you helping?

Jonathan Buescher will be a Senior in the Pre-seminary program at Concordia University in Ann Arbor. Jonathan views full time church work as a rewarding and worthwhile career path. Perhaps it helps that he is one of at least ten members of his family who are in professional church work. Attending our synodical schools is a big financial commitment. As Jonathan says, “The money I get from my home district and from other sources are the only way attending a Concordia would be possible.”

Jonathan will graduate from Concordia-Ann Arbor in 2007 and intends to attend Concordia Seminary in St. Louis next fall. However, before that he will be getting married to Sarah Meyer who is also a student at Concordia. Jonathan would like to express his thanks to the individuals and congregations of Iowa District East for their financial support of church workers, “it helps a lot of kids achieve a worthwhile goal which is unfortunately also an expensive goal.”

David Maddick, a senior at Concordia University in Seward, NE, also benefits from scholarships provided by the funds donated to the Student Aid Committee. David had dreams of being a Hawkeye and a part of the Marching Band. However, this dream changed with the desire to pursue a degree in Lutheran Education. “The decision became easy after my Seward visit,” David states. David credits strong role models in his life that have helped to shape him into the person he is today. People such as Pastor Flansha who confirmed him and taught him the value of investigating the Scriptures, Mr. Saeger, a 7th grade teacher who taught the role of strong discipline and knowledge of math, and Mr. Cox, a high school Spanish teacher who taught the ability to lead and teach by example. Perhaps one of David’s strongest influences has been his time spent at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca. “There I was able to enjoy teaching, having fun, and sharing my faith with middle school kids.” David has spent four years as a Counselor and one as program staff at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca.

David will graduate this year from Seward and will be getting married to Amber Morrison in June of 2007. Amber is also a student at Concordia Seward and will be graduating with a K-12 Art Education Endorsement. Without the help of scholarship monies from IDE and other sources it would not have been possible for David to attend Concordia. “The education I receive at Concordia is only possible with the help of people who donate their funds and prayers to Concordia Students.”

Church Worker Sunday will be celebrated on February 4, 2007. Congregations are encouraged to set aside this Sunday to take donations for our students of IDE enrolled in church work. As you can see, your donations help our students to fulfill their education dreams of serving the church. For more information about how to donate to the Student Aid Committee, contact Rev. Michael Musick. (St. Paul Lutheran church, Luzerne, IA)

King of Kings Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids

Picture: Following the Benefit Concert, from L to R, Performers: Carlis Faurot, Kathy Donnelly, Nina Swanson, and Carol Montag with Aaron & Tracy McCarthy, and children, Luke, Gage and Marisa. (Matthew was at home with a nurse)

On October 11, 2005, King of Kings Lutheran Church member, Matthew McCarthy, 9 month old baby, started out his day like any other. By the end of the day, he was paralyzed. Matthew was diagnosed with rapid onset Transverse Myelitis. Transverse Myelitis is a rare neuro-immunologic disorder affecting approximately 1-5 people in a million each year. Essentially, the virus from a cold he had a couple weeks earlier entered his spinal cord. When his body attacked the virus, it also attacked his cord. The myelin sheath, which acts as the cords insulator allowing signals to flow from the brain to the cord, was destroyed. Matthew suffered total paralysis from the shoulders down.

As bad as that first day was, it was just the beginning of Matt’s plummet. Over the course of his 8-week hospital stay at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Matthew’s heart stopped three times, he fought a series of lung problems and ultimately underwent surgery for a tracheostomy and a gastrostomy.

At the 4-week mark his parents, Aaron and Tracy McCarthy of Marion, met with his doctors in a “Care Conference” to determine his continued course of treatment. "We were given the option to remove all life support and let him go. The doctors classified him as a ventilator dependent, flaccid quadriplegic with little hope of improvement. We refused to believe that he wouldn’t improve and remain haunted by the idea that we were given the option to so easily give up on him.", said Tracy.

Matthew did improve. Within two weeks of the Care Conference, he was ventilator free. He was released from the hospital on December 5th, and returned home to 24 hour in-home nursing care.

King of Kings began to talk about doing some kind of a benefit for Matthew. Chuck Zadow, Thrivent Associate heard about Matthew and called the church to encourage a benefit. The Thrivent community was notified and it was decided to do a Benefit Concert as a community event.

The natural choice for the concert was Carol Montag, professional singer/songwriter and member of King of Kings Lutheran Church. When asked to do the Benefit Concert, Carol without hesitation replied, "I'd be honored". Carol Montag put together a wonderful evening with a heart-warming musical program, with special appearances by Violinist, Carlis Faurot, and Kathy Donnelly, and Nina Swanson of TRIBUTE.

A Benefit Concert Committee was formed and the work of planning and promoting the concert began. The response to the McCarthy Benefit was overwhelming. Matthew's story and the news of the "Carol Montag Benefit Concert for Matthew McCarthy" were picked up by local media, including Channel 2 News, Channel 9 News, The Marion Times and The Cedar Rapids Gazette". Several area businesses also responded by donating money, time or services, including: Adcraft Printing, Basler Design, Blimpe Subs West, Brewed Awakenings, Frank Magid, Hy-Vee, Collins RD & Marion, Karrleton Recording, Lemstone Books, Malone Music, Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, and Nesper Sign, and Xavier High School donated the use of their auditorium.

On Saturday, July 29th at 8:00 PM in the Xavier High School Auditorium, the sold out Benefit Concert all came together. The concert was a perfect mix of light-hearted fun music and spiritual, soul touching pieces. The concert lasted 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission. The last number Carol sang was "The Prayer" to a slide show of Matthew. All were touched in a special way and reminded that the evening was all about Matthew McCarthy, and that all in attendance were there with the same purpose, to reach out with Christian love and support for Matthew and his family.

A special thanks to all the volunteers in the Lutheran and Christian community that came together to reach out with Christian support and love to one of our own families during a challenging time. Thanks to all the churches that took offerings and helped promote this Thrivent Community Event. Thanks to all who purchased tickets and made donations. As the concert was planned many prayers went up, and God graciously answered and blessed beyond measure. Ticket sales and donations to date have totaled $13,408.62 after expenses. With added funds of $5,000 from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the grand total is, $18,408.62, all going to Matthew McCarthy and his family to pay medical costs. Thanks be to God and thank you THRIVENT, and all of you who graciously volunteered your time to reach out with Christian love!

In Christ,
Elise HexumOutreach/Small Group Coordinator
King of Kings Lutheran Church
6621 C Ave. NE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402
319-393-2438
http://www.kingofkingscr.org/

For Our IDE Sunday School Teachers

How Blessed are the Feet of Them that Bring Good News!

Dear Sunday School Teachers,

Most of us are only a few days away from Rally Day and the start of Sunday school. As you start to ramp up and make preparation for another year, the IDE Board for Congregational Services wanted to share this story with you. It came to me from one of the pastors in the district and it really highlights the fact that your labors as Sunday school teachers are not in vain. The Lord uses them for his glory and the good of others.

By the way, the little girl named Ella is three years old.

Peace,

Rev. W. Max Mons, S.T.M.Chairman, IDE Board for Congregational Services

"I thought as her pastor and Sunday school teacher you guys might like to know that despite appearances to the contrary, it really is sinking in:We were heading home Saturday night after having dinner with friends - including Ella's best friend Luci. Ella was sad that she couldn't stay and play longer, and we told her that we needed to go home and rest, because tomorrow was Sunday and we had church. We reminded her that she would see her church friends and learn about Jesus. She sat for a minute, then said "Luci be at church?". I said no, Luci doesn't go to church. Thinking that Luci must go to church somewhere, she asked "Luci go to her church?" I said no, Luci doesn't go to church, not everyone goes to church. She sat for a few moments, and in a tearful voice, said "but how will Luci learn ‘bout Jesus?". She was so sad at the idea of her friend not learning about Jesus. It nearly broke my heart, her concern that her friend didn't know about something so important to her. It also made me so happy to know that the things we are trying to teach her are sinking in - you always wonder, but until you see it reflected in their behavior, you can't really tell. We explained that not everyone goes to church or knows about Jesus, but since she does she can tell Luci about Jesus. She seemed satisfied with that idea, but it was the first time she realized that not everyone knows about Jesus, and the concept was almost unfathomable.

Blessings,
Angela"

IDE College Student Ministry

IDE Members:
You probably have students from your congregation who are attending college here in IDE. We want to reach out to those at any of the following schools/colleges/universities in Iowa District East. We need your assistance in ministering to these students.

Please hand out this form to the parents of college age students. Then send this form to the Pastor who is serving their college.

Cedar Falls – Rev. Tom Ogilvie – chlc.lcms@cfu.net
Decorah – Rev. Ron Koch – stpaulfburg@mindspring.com
Dubuque- Rev. Jesse Cearlock - pastorc@netexpress.net
Fayette – Rev. Tim Parker – takenpar@iowatelecom.net
Grinnell – Rev. David Brandt – immanuellutheran@iowatelecom.net
Iowa City – Rev. Max Mons – chapel@stpaulic.com
Mt. Pleasant – Rev. Michael Scudder –scuddermr@@lisco.com
Mt. Vernon – Rev. Mark Gefaller – stpaulmv@yahoo.com
Mason City – Rev. Mark Lavrenz - iascum@mchsi.com
Muscatine – Rev. Brian Saunders – oslcs@machlink.com
Oskaloosa – Rev. Steve Lane – slane814@msn.com
Ottumwa – Rev. Mathew Andersen – mathew@pcsia.net
Wartburg, Waverly – Rev. Mathew Versemann - pastorversemann@msn.com

STUDENT INFORMATION FORM:
Student’s name:
Home address:
Name of parent(s) or guardian(s):
Campus address (if known):
Year in school:
Email address:

Check the school they are or will attend during the 2006-07 school year:

___ Univ. of N. IA, Cedar Falls
___ Luther, Decorah
___ Clarke, Dubuque
___ Loras, Dubuque
___ Univ. of Dubuque, Dubuque
___ Upper IA, Fayette
___ Grinnell, Grinnell
___ Univ. of IA, IA City
___ IA Wesleyan, Mt Pleasant
___ Cornell, Mt Vernon
___ NIACC, Mason City
___ Eastern IA Comm, Muscatine
___ WM Penn, Oskaloosa Indian Hills, Ottumwa

Camp IO-DIS-E-CA

The Camp has new email addresses.

General email: camp@campiodiseca.org
Luke:Luke@campiodiseca.org
Daniel: Daniel@campiodiseca.org
Webmaster: Mark@campiodiseca.organd
Rev. Samll: prsmall@campiodiseca.org

St. Paul Chapel and University Center

A Piece of the Action:

“Your Missions Offerings at Work in Iowa District East!”

St. Paul Lutheran Chapel and University Center

Greetings in Jesus’ name from St. Paul Lutheran Chapel and University Center, your LCMS Campus Ministry at the University of Iowa.

At St. Paul we realize that some things change and some things never change.

We’re undergoing a few changes right now. The biggest change is that our Director of International Student Ministry (ISM), Rebekah Thompson, will be leaving us this fall.
Rebekah is getting married and moving to Kentucky where her husband works as an assistant professor in the school of public health at the University of Western Kentucky. Rebekah’s last day with us will be October 6, 2006.

On October 29, we will welcome Deaconess Intern Leonarda Decker to the Chapel. Leonarda will take over the Director of ISM duties. Leonarda is a native of Lithuania, but received her deaconess training at the Fort Wayne seminary. She is married to Robert and together they have a son named Sebastian. We look forward to welcoming Leonarda.

There are lots of new people at the Chapel. This year we have been in contact with over 100 incoming freshmen and transfer students. Our visitation team has been very busy making calls on these students and the students who attend the chapel. In addition to that, our international student ministry continues to grow as we welcome students from all over the world into the chapel to practice English, learn about life in America and, most of all, to hear the story of Jesus.

We have changed our Wednesday night Bible study format from a time of devotion to a free wheeling discussion group. Each Wednesday we pick a topic and discuss it. First we talk
about what we think about the topic. Then we look at what the Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions have to say about it and then we compare the two and see where our thinking needs to be adjusted. We’ve had some great discussions and a lot of fun.

We’ve got the new hymnal. Lutheran Service Book arrived a few days before the start of school and we have been using it ever since. The students really like the traditional worship and the ease of use of the new hymnal.

Those are some of the changes but some things never change. We still gather for the Divine Service on Sunday morning at 10:30 AM. We still confess our sins and receive Jesus forgiveness. We preach, speak, and hear Jesus Christ and him crucified, dead, buried and risen for us and our forgiveness. We eat his body and drink his blood. Christ still does His thing
among us and in us and through us and that never changes.

Peace,

Rev. W. Max Mons, S.T.M.
St. Paul Lutheran Chapel at The University of Iowa.
IDE Missions Bulletin Insert 8/28/06

News About The Chaplaincy Fund

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW ! ! ! ! The Iowa District East Chaplaincy Endowment Fund went over the $ 250,000.00 mark this past May!!!! We thank the Lord of the Church for continuing to bless this particular mission so that our Savior's Kingdom work at University Hospitals in Iowa City might someday be fully supported by the earnings off this fund. Hopefully, other similar pastoral care ministries might be supported by this fund in other places as well, Ft. Madison Prison, Oakdale Prison, Prisons at Anamosa, Mt. Pleasant, Newton, Mitchellville, along with possibilities in long term care facilities around our District. So many people have no visitors or clergy bringing the Word of our Lord Jesus or His body & blood them, even once a year.

Please note: If you, or someone from your congregation is going to be a patient at University Hospitals, P L E A S E have your religious preference listed as Lutheran - Missouri Synod. Otherwise, it is likely you will not be seen by any of our chaplains. PLEASE feel free to contact Chaplain H. Scheer at 319 356 1987 office, or have the hospital operator contact him 319 356 1616 on pager 3436. Chaplain / Deaconess Carol Goldfish may be paged on 5133 or a message may be left on her voice mail 319 353 6928. Carol is here Monday, Wednesday, & Friday afternoons & evenings. A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO EVERY ONE IN IOWA DISTRICT EAST FOR PRAYING & FOR FINANCIALLY SUPPORTING OUR LORD'S WORK AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS!!!!!

The September Issue of the IDE TODAY

Vintage picture from the March 2001 IDE TODAY. Recognize the Pastor or the setting?

The deadline for the next printed issue of the IDE TODAY is this Friday morning, September 1st. IDE members, send your pictures and words to IDETODAT@juno.com just as soon as possible. - The Editor

CAMP IO-DIS-E-CA NEWS

2007 Theme: “In the Name...”
The 2006 summer camping season drew to a close only a few days ago, but planning is already underway for another great camping season at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca. About 50 more campers than last year experienced the Christ-centered activities of your camp this summer, despite the fact that this season was one week shorter than last year. We plan to extend the camping season by one week to accommodate even more campers next
summer. Centered around the theme: “In the Name...” our summer program will joyfully reflect upon the Holy Trinity and the gifts given to us by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As always campers will have a variety of camping experiences including horseback riding, bike rides, sporting events, archery,air riflery, swimming, canoeing, campfires, cookouts and plenty of fun all centered around the loving work of our gracious Triune God whose Name has been placed upon us in our baptism.

RAGBRAI Challenge
We thank our RAGBRAI riders: Alice, Lee and Pat Hoffmeier,Tony Carter, Joel Hoyum and Matt Sprengler. Our team rode across our beautiful state in memory of Mr. Norvin Hoffmeier who served as Camp Treasurer for 30 years. The riders gathered donations and pledges which were matched by the Thrivent Black Hawk Chapter. You may contribute to this challenge by sending your check to Camp today with a note designating your
check to “RAGBRAI Challenge”. Our riders and donors have helped assure the future development of your camp with these contributions to the “Go Forward in Faith” campaign.

**Upcoming Camp Events**

IDE Youth Leaders Retreat
Aug. 25-26
Calling All Youth Group Leaders! A time to get together to share ideas, support each other and be inspired! Pastor Ryan Matthias is the speaker this year.

Father / Child(ren) Retreat
Sept. 15-16
A perfect opportunity for dad to get away with his child(ren). We will camp in the Tree Village and have plenty of time to enjoy many camp activities, Bible Study, fishing, campfires and much more. Cost: $35/adult, $20/Child. Call the camp for more
information and/or to reserve space.

September 15-16
Join with other LWML’ers from across IDE for this incredible retreat! Look for more details at your church.

IDE Confirmation Retreat
September 22-23
“I am Baptized”
Led by our interim director, Rev. Terry Small, this retreat is a tool for IDE pastors and congregations to supplement their own catechesis programs. In fact, we encourage pastors to attend with their youth. Any size group is welcome. This is a perfect opportunity for smaller groups who cannot have their own retreat. The cost is only $30 per person. Plan to bring at least one adult chaperone for each seven youth. Call us for more information or to learn if we have extra chaperones.

Walther League Reunion
Sunday - October 8th
A Sunday afternoon filled with food, friends and fond memories. Spread the word! Plan to attend!

Fall Festival
October 22 at 2:30
Mark your calendar now for our Fall Festival and plan to join us for an afternoon of activities for the whole family with fabulous food (hog roast, grilled bratwurst, apple cider and more), hay rides, crafts, an auction featuring quilts from area quilting circles, gift certificates and other donated items, campfire, craft
show, and much more. The festival has been moved to the fall to allow more time for planning and publicizing this popular event. Please encourage your crafters and quilters to keep working on their projects and watch for more details next month.
For the first time we will host a juried craft show. Crafters wishing to have a table should contact Debby Small for more information.

Program Director Search
Miss Kelly Dressler, Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca's Program Director, has resigned effective August 11, 2006. Camp Board Chairman,Paul Zoske, has formed a Search Committee to begin the process of identifying candidates to fill this key position. Nominations
may be sent to the camp.

Lithuania Project

The most recent report is that $324,373 has been given for our District Project in
Palanga, Lithuania! That figure is as of July 28, 2006. We thank the people and
congregations of Iowa District East for their generosity in both giving opportunities.

The Lutheran Service Book

The introductory workshops have been scheduled for the fall of 2006. We now have the more than 280 sites scheduled. You can find the locations and dates of the
workshops by going to: http://lsb.cph.org/workshops.asp

There is a bulletin insert with the locations listed next in this packet.

Be aware of several things regarding the workshops:
1) If you live near a state border, you will want to check the neighboring state to see if there is a location that is closer or a workshop on a date that fits better with your schedule.
2) Each workshop is only three hours in length. Our goal is to provide you with the maximum amount of helpful information without tying up your entire Saturday.
3) To ensure that you receive a copy of the hymnal with your registration, be sure that you have registered at least 10 days before the date of the workshop.
4) Registration is now open, either online or via surface mail.

Finally, as the publication of Lutheran Service Book nears, you will want to make regular visits to the official Web site: http://lsb.cph.org.

The site maintained by the Commission on Worship during the last seven years will no longer contain the most up-to-date information. You'll want to go to the
CPH site!

Stay tuned. There's much more to come!

St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mt. Vernon

Director of Music/Cantor

St. Paul Lutheran Church, a modest sized Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod congregation in the historic community of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, is seeking a part-time Director of Music. Primary responsibilities include the coordination and implementation of existing worship music, introducing modern hymnody, organizing special music, and directing choirs. Choirs include vocal, handbell, instrumental, and other occasional ensembles. Secondary responsibilities include accompanist support, equipping cantors, supervision of other parish musicians, and developing musical abilities of others. The ideal candidate will possess a degree in music and liturgy, demonstrate servant leadership, have the ability to develop and sustain supportive relationships with the pastoral staff, the congregation, and the music ministry participants in particular. A musical background in directing both instrumental and vocal music is desirable. Strong organ, piano, and keyboard skills are essential. Please send cover letter and resume to St. Paul Lutheran Church, 600 5th Ave S, Mt Vernon, IA 52314, Attention: Music Ministry.

St. Paul's Chapel and University Center

The TIE, the newsletter of the University Center at St. Paul's Chapel in Iowa City, is available on-line. The reformatted publication is targeted for high schoolers who are interested in the University of Iowa, but it has a lot of information that would interest anyone in IDE.

Click on the link below and then look for the tab marked "The Tie".

www.stpaulic.com

St Paul's Chapel and University Center

Welcome to the U BBQ
By Kourtney Wiemann


Scene: 11:30 AM on Sunday, August 20th, in St. Paul’s parking lot amidst tables and tents on the perfect summer morning.

The Occasion: “Welcome Back to the U BBQ”

What better way to ring in the new school year as one anxiously awaits the start of classes then to gather among fellow believers for free food and the chance to foster new friendships at St. Paul’s Lutheran Chapel and University Center? Students and adults alike filled their plates with chicken, coleslaw, fruit salad, and cookies for the annual barbeque St. Paul’s puts on each year the Sunday before classes start. Returning students were able to catch up with each other after coming back from the summer and new students had the opportunity to meet many new people as they begin their journey at the UI. You could see how the family atmosphere that is St. Paul’s provided each and every student with the comfort they may not have thought they’d find being it their first time away from home or their first time at Iowa. Permanent members wore smiles on this day because a new school year always means the chapel is that much brighter as the students come through the doors. It wasn’t just students and members that were present on this picturesque Sunday morning, though. But God was there working among the congregation as His love shone through and blessed the new Hawkeyes with a place to call “home.”


ISM Back to School BBQ
By Rachel Elsey

On the Friday night before classes started, we hosted a Welcome Back barbeque for international students. The bad weather forced the event inside for the first time ever. Even so, people had a great time and it was a very successful event. The food was great, thanks to a great group of volunteers.
During dinner the students got to sit and really get to know each other. Returning internationals brought new friends for a big crowd. The barbeque also gave volunteers a chance to greet the new students before the school year really got going. Everyone had a great time meeting and making friends from all over the world.

Grace Camp In DeWitt - Summer Camp

In DeWitt, Grace Camp's Summer Camp was held on August 7-9th. In all, 186 campers and counselors were present for the camp. The theme this year was “Soldier of God.”

Camp coordinators were Landon Becker, Director of Youth and Camp Ministry at Grace, Brian Steward, DCE at Trinity, Peoria, Illinois, Christina Niemann and Josh Wold, Summer Interns at Grace and also students in the Director of Christian Education at Concordia River Forest.

Camp activities included Bible Study, devotions, fishing, canoeing, crafts and fellowship. Several volunteers helped with these various activities, kitchen duties, camp store, nurse’s station and etc. to make Grace Summer Camp, 2006 a great success.

Rev. Koch Brings GOOD NEWS To Africa

Catechists in Madagascar review their new copies of the Malagasy language version of GOOD NEWS.
In Kenya, Pastor Koch confers with Bishop Bwanangela of the Lutheran Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Using a map they discussed shipping routes for mailing the Swahili version of GOOD NEWS.

_____________________

In June Pastor Ronnie Koch of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg traveled to Madagascar, Kenya and Ethiopia. With the assistance of translators, he was able to preach at a congregation in Madagascar on Pentecost Sunday and a mission church in Ethiopia on Trinity Sunday.

On his two week tour, Pastor Koch represented GOOD NEWS, a journal of Biblical essays, devotions and Bible Studies. GOOD NEWS is translated into 18 languages and distributed world wide. Koch checked on the distribution and use of the magazine, meeting with several of the translators and distributors. He also taught at pastors and teachers conferences and met with leaders of several Lutheran church bodies.

Christianity is nothing new in this part of the world. There are over 5 million Lutherans in Madagascar; there have been Christians in Ethiopia since Acts 8:39. Yet, as in many parts of the world, the Christians and Christian churches in these East African countries struggle. Poverty, war, and Islamic terrorists work against the church and its gospel. We Christians in the U.S., by contrast, often take the resources we have for granted. We can serve our brothers and sisters around the world by sharing our resources -- most especially, the Word of God. The Christians in East Africa that Pastor Koch met, crave sound Biblical doctrine. They are very appreciative of Biblical teaching and teaching resources, like those they find in GOOD NEWS.

A participant at one of the conferences, Rev. Molla Gojam, of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church-- Mekane Yesus, said about Pastor Koch and GOOD NEWS, “Our church needs such kind of partners who stick on the teaching of the Word of God.”

Pastor Koch's trip was made possible by generous support from Peace Lutheran Church, Shell Rock; Good Shepherd, West Union; St. Peter, Westgate; and various individuals in the Westgate Circuit. He will present more about his trip at a Mission Festival at Peace, Shell Rock on the afternoon of September 17. For more information you can call him at 563-237-5759.

LWML News

The Ladies of the IDE L WML met for the Biennial Convention July 7¬8,and chose to fund the following Mission Grants during 2006-2008 with their “Mighty Mites”:

- University Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, $5,000
- IDE Seminary Student Financial Aid, $6,000
- IDE Student Financial Aid, $9,000
- Food/Clothing Coop, Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, $10,000
-Alaska Mission for Christ, $5,000
-IO-DIS-E-CA, new family campground, $5,000
-Women's Leadership Training for the Kingdom in Kyrgyzstan, $10,000
-Scripture Literature Production for Lutheran Bible Translators, $7,569
-People of the Book-Lutheran Outreach, $5,000
-Seeds of Faith Outreach, $1,500-Vinton and Davenport Lutheran Homes, $8,000
-Tuition Assistance-Students at Christ Lutheran High School, Davenport, $7,931

Making a total of $80,000 to be funded in the next biennium.

These Grants give the L WML of IDE a chance to live up to the theme of the convention and really “Shine Like Stars” as they follow the commands of our Lord in reaching out to all the world with His Holy Word.

“We give thanks to You, 0 God, For Your wondrous works declare that Your Name is near” Ps.79:1. With God's gracious help, we will succeed in meeting this goal.

Our Redeemer In Iowa City

We had a visit today from Cary J. Hahn, the Iowa Traveler of WMT-channel 2 fame, and he did video and interviews regarding our “Soles for Souls” project to collect shoes for our sister congregation in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where Pastor Robert Pfeil, a former Our Redeemer pastor, is now missionary and pastor. We had sent six or our members and Pastor Zimmermann over there earlier this year. They came back and said, “send shoes!” We have collected over 2,000 pairs of a 3,000 goal, and Orphan Grain Train is coordinating the shipping.

The segment is scheduled to air on channel 2 (Cedar Rapids) on Wednesday evening’s 6:00 PM news, and Thursday’s Noon News. Tune in if you can!

Pastor Robert Gebel
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
Iowa City, Iowa

Rev. Dean Rothchild's September Article

Being the Church

God has been gathering His Church together for a long time. He calls people out of darkness and brings them into the light of Christ Jesus. God washes people with the water and Word of Holy Baptism. He says: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!” Isaiah 43:1. Jesus also says: “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draw him; and I will raise him up on the last day” John 6:44. Salvation is totally God’s doing. We in Christ Jesus are the blessed recipients of His grace and mercy! The Church is the called out in Christ Jesus.

The Church is not only the called out but is also the called together as the body of Christ. We have 119 congregations made up of the called out and the called together here in Iowa District East. It is there where God is doing His work through Word and Sacrament. He calls Pastor’s to faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of Holy Ministry.

God’s people are gathered in the Divine Service to be forgiven, fed, and sent back out into the real world. The Divine Service is not about what we are doing but rather about what God is doing for us. Note the rhythm of this as stated in the our new hymnal the Lutheran Service Book:

"Our Lord serves us today through His holy Word and Sacraments. Through these means, He comes among us to deliver His forgiveness and salvation, freeing us from our sins and strengthening us for service to one another and to the world. At Holy Baptism, He puts His name upon us, pours His Holy Spirit into our hearts, and rescues us from sin, death, and the devil. Through Holy Absolution, He pronounces His forgiveness again. With His holy Word, written in Scripture and preached into our ears, He daily proclaims His abiding love for us through all the joys and sorrows of this world. In His Holy Supper, He gives us His own body and blood to eat and drink as a priceless gift to nourish and strengthen us in both body and soul" (p. viii).

Our response to that is:

"The Lord’s service calls forth our service – in sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to Him and in loving service to one another. Having been called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, we receive His gifts with thankfulness and praise. With psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, we joyfully confess all that God has done for us, declaring the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light" (p. viii).

We are gathered and then we are scattered back out into the real world where we live out our Baptism each day interacting with many people through our various vocations. That is our mission field. That is where God has us functioning as salt and light to serve our neighbor. It is there that we have opportunity to “tell others what Jesus did for us.”

We are then re-gathered each Lord’s Day. We have the privilege of getting to invite and bring people to the Divine Service. Our Pastor’s can then instruct and baptize people into Christ Jesus. That is being the Church!

LLL Convention News

International Convention of the Int'l LLL Glorifies the Lord

At the recent international convention of the International Lutheran Laymen's League in Billings, Montana, IDE's Keith Schmidt, of Long Grove, was among the nearly 1,200 people in attendance. The 89th annual convention, entitled “Glorify the Lord” (Psalm 34:3), empowered attendees to use their time and talents to fulfill the Great Commission.
“This theme is appropriate since we are here in the midst of some of the most glorious country that God has created,” said Jack Kidwell, President of the Int'l LLL. “We are here to proclaim that Glory by lifting our praise to Him for all that He has done.”
Outreach Expo Inspired the Laity
In addition to the time provided for worship, fellowship, and Bible study, one of this year's highlights was an outreach expo offering laypeople the chance to learn about the volunteer activities available to them through the Int'l LLL/Lutheran Hour Ministries.
“I used to shy away from getting actively involved in anything labeled ‘outreach’ because I always considered that to be the pastor or church worker's job,” said LHM Executive Director Greg Lewis. “But the Lord has opened my eyes... sharing God's love and grace with someone who doesn't know Him is too big a job for just professional church workers. The laity must help in this battle to reach the lost.”
The outreach expo allowed attendees to attend sessions to learn about things such as Equipping to Share workshops for everyday evangelism, Global Work & Witness short-term volunteer mission trips, congregational outreach training, and much more.
“Lutheran Hour Ministries is People of Christ With A Message Of Hope and it is important that we are all involved in spreading that message of hope to as many people as possible,” said Kidwell. “We have placed a major emphasis on increasing our quantity and quality of volunteers in the coming years as part of our new strategic plan to partner with churches in outreach.”
Dr. Dale A. Meyer Addressed Convention Attendees
Dr. Dale A. Meyer, former long-time Speaker of The Lutheran Hour and host of On Main Street, served as the speaker during the fellowship luncheon. Meyer shared his love and admiration for the Int'l LLL and its supporters and pledged support to the Int'l LLL in his current role as president of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.
“It is good to be with friends, good to see people who have a heart for the growth of the Church, and good to see the clergy and laypeople working together,” said Meyer. “But above all, it is good to see us fixing our eyes on our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Convention Celebrated 75 Years of Broadcast Excellence for The Lutheran Hour
Attendees had several chances to hear inspiring messages from the Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, the world’s longest-running Christian outreach radio program currently airing on more than 800 stations. Klaus spoke during one of the general sessions and delivered a motivating message during The Lutheran Hour Rally.
“As The Lutheran Hour begins the last quarter in 100 years of proclamation, what will tomorrow bring?” Klaus asked. “God has not given me the gift of prophecy, but you need not be a prophet to know that we will preach the Word because Christ has commanded it and because sinful souls need it.”
The Rally message will be presented again on a broadcast of The Lutheran Hour during September. Visit www.lutheranhour.org for more information about the date and time for this broadcast.
The convention wrapped up with a banquet celebrating the rich history of The Lutheran Hour. In addition to Klaus, attendees heard from Dr. Walter A. Maier II and Dr. Paul Maier, sons of the program's original Speaker, and several other people who shared their memories of the program and the reasons for its longstanding success.
The 2007 international convention will be held July 26-29 in Duluth, Minnesota. For more information about the Int'l LLL/Lutheran Hour Ministries, visit www.lhm.org or call 1-800-876-9880.

Grace Camp in DeWitt

Grace Camp held a series of Day Camps during June and July for youth in the congregation and community. Projects made the Woodworking Camp included a Bug House, Wooden Cross and using their imagination to create a project with various pieces of
wood, nails and a hammer.

Grace lutheran Church In DeWitt

Pastor Leif Camp and his family were visiters at Grace Lutheran Church in De Witt. Pastor Camp gave the message at the Thursday evening worship service on July 27th at Grace. Pastor Camp has served as a missionary in Russia with the Church of Ingria which is in fellowship with the LCMS.

The IDE District President's September Article

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

News from Palanga Lithuania:
Thank you again for your wonderful response to the Palanga, Lithuania Project. In my last IDE Today article I included am e-mail note from Pastor Petkunas in which he wrote of the escalating cost of building in Lithuania. In a recent e-mail he stated that labor costs have risen 100% since the building project began! None the less the construction continues. It is expected that the roof will be completed soon. Then the windows can be installed. Once it is enclosed we hope can have work crews from IDE go to do some inside work. When they are ready for that we will let you know. In the meantime I encourage you to consider whether you might be able and willing to travel to Lithuania at your own expense and lend a hand on this project. I assure you, it would be worth the time and expense!
As I said in my last article, in view of the rising cost we will continue to receive gifts and offerings for this project. Marjorie and I will be traveling to Latvia (at our own expense, in case you are wondering) where I will attend a conference. Following the conference we will go to Palanga to get a first hand look at the progress on the project.

A Wedding in the Czech Republic
While in Europe we will also be attending the wedding of Sarka (pronounced "“Scharka"”) Prchalova in Bruno, Czech Republic. I baptized and confirmed Sarka in the faith in 1994 when attended a year of High School in Waverly. Phyllis Schmidt, a member of St. John, Waverly, had met Sarka while teaching English in the Czech Republic. Phyllis invited Sarka to come to the U.S. for a year of High School. Sarka'’s parents approved and she accepted the invitation. Sarka had grown up under communism. Her first contact with the Christian faith came through Phyllis. I took her through an adult instruction course and before she left Iowa to return home she asked me to baptize her. I did and she received her first communion at St. John. It was one of the great highlights of my pastoral ministry! We are looking forward to seeing Sarka and her family again.

Ordinations, Installations and Anniversaries Around the District:
Summer is the season for ordinations and installations as the new graduates from our seminaries take up their pastoral responsibilities. This means also that summer is the season of ordination anniversaries. In our District convention we acknowledged in five year increments the 25th through 70th ordination anniversaries of thirty-nine pastors. Rev. Ewald Stuempfig is the "“SENIOR"” pastor in the District! I had the honor of preaching at two 25th anniversary celebration. It is a joy to see congregations honor their pastors in this way. If you are not doing so, I urge you to honor your pastor by celebrating these anniversaries. IDE

The IDE TODAY Dead Line Is Approaching

The next printed issue of the IDE TODAY will arrive about a month from now. The Dead Line for articles and pictures will be September 1st. But do not wait, the pages are already filling up!

Send articles and pictures to IDETODAY@JUNO.com or to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 1701 8th Street, Coralville, IA 52241.

In Christ,
Rev. Mitchell Otto
Editor

ReCap On This Summer's IDE Installations

Rev. Peter Hoft was installed as Associate Pastor at Park View Lutheran Church in Eldridge.


Rev. Randall Russell was installed at Peace, Oelwein and Our Redeemer, Independence.


Rev. Jesse Cearlock was installed as Assistant Pastor at Our Redeemer, Dubuque.


Rev. Edward Killian, Faith Lutheran Church, Waterloo,


Rev. Stephen Henderson was installed as Pastor of Family and Youth Ministry at Risen Christ Lutheran Church, Davenport.

The International LLL Convention

The Int'l. LLL Convention was held in Billings MT this summer. IDE attendees in cluded Chaplain McHone, pictured with Dr. Dale Meyer. Pastor McHone of Waterloo led a prayer for the convention goers.

Park View Lutheran Church in Eldridge

On Sunday August 6, at 3:00PM, Peter Hoft was installed as Associate Pastor at Park View Lutheran Church in Eldridge. Pastor Hoft was installed by the Davenport Circuit Pastors and by his father, Pastor Thees Hoft of Mt. Clemens, MI, who also gave the Installation Sermon. Rev. Peter Hoft will serve as Associate Pastor along with Rev. Robert Bartel. Rev. Hoft, his wife Bethany, and family will reside in Park View of Eldridge.
The Pastors in attendance were, L to R, back row: Pastors Vokt, Piotter, Arndt, Larsen, Jones, Gerke, and Goldberger. L to R, front row: Pastors Mueller, Pannier, Bartel, Peter Hoft, Thees Hoft and Henderson.
A reception for the congregation and community followed the installation.