Trinity Lutheran School In Cedar Rapids

Trinity Lutheran School in Cedar Rapids hosted their first Walk-A-Thon on October 21st, raising $7695. A new walking trail, created through the hard work of Trinity's 8th grade class, made the event a success. The trail will be open to all and will also be beneficial to students during Phys. Ed class furthering a healthy lifestyle. Trinity Lutheran is a PK-8, private school open to all denominations. The school currently serves 175 students. Trinity offers sports, fine arts, small class sizes, and the opportunity to grow in faith. Congrats to Trinity Lutheran for a job well done!

LCEF in IDE

LCEF INVESTMENTS AT WORK IN IDE

When Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Coralville was ready to open their preschool, Lutheran Church Extension Fund was blessed to partner with the ministry and fund the startup loan.

Now in its fifth year, the Prince of Peace Christian Preschool is successfully providing a positive, Christian education to 3, 4, and 5 year olds including all kinds of fun field trips and unique experiences. “We had a speaker talk to the class during our forest unit and she brought both a live owl and a hawk. The kids loved it!” said Preschool Director Jenni Bounds.

Need funding for your LCMS school? Contact your District Vice President Carole White at 1-877-439-5233, or Carole.White@lcef.org.

2009 IDE Teacher of the Year

Elyse Wilde was presented the 2009 IDE Teacher of the Year award at the East West Teachers Conference on October 22-23. Rev. Wayne Woolery presenting.

Elyse graduated from Concordia, Seward in 1994. She has been teaching 8^th Grade at Lutheran Interparish School in Williamsburg since 2004. She and her husband, Shawn, have one son and are expecting their second in April.

Elyse brings a lot of energy to her classroom and is regularly looking for new ideas and approaches to integrate into her teaching. She shares the love of Christ with her students and colleagues in many ways. She also actively leads the youth group at Immanuel Lutheran in Williamsburg.

Congratulations and God’s continued blessings on your ministry!

Redeemer Lutheran Church in Ventura

Ventura's Redeemer Preschool

Marks 25th Anniversary

Redeemer Preschool in Ventura marked its 25th anniversary on October 11 with special music from its 2009 class during the worship service.

Redeemer Preschool opened its doors in 1984 with 17 children attending classes in two sessions two days each week. Over the years the class size has fluctuated between 35 and 50 children in two to three class sections.

The original goal for the preschool was to bring children into a Christian setting to serve the children in the community for school rediness with social and academic skills.

Redeemer added a day care program in June of 1998 to serve families with child care needs for full and half day needs. Parents utilizing the day care are relieved to know the preschool is in the same building and is available for their children.

The current director is Kari Markla and the assistant director is Carol Korth. The current staff numbers fourteen. The most recent development for the preschool is its partnership with Ventura and Clear Lake Public School Districts in the Voluntary Four Year Old Preschool Program through the State of Iowa.

Rev. Dr. Dean Rothchild, Assistant to the District President

Confessing Christ Jesus

The Church is called to “confess Christ Jesus.” St. Paul states: "That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation" Romans 10. Jesus said: “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” Matthew 10.

Confessing Christ Jesus is what we do as the Church. Someone confessed for us at our Baptism. We made the confession of Christ Jesus at our confirmation which is a continuation of our Baptism. As I was working on this the idea of a “good confession” crossed my mind. Lo, and behold, I was led back to my confirmation verse given to me by Pastor Loren Vogler. It reads: “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses" I Timothy 6.

The Church confesses Christ Jesus through its preaching, teaching, the administration of the Holy Sacraments and as it gathers around the Divine Service to “receive” the gifts of God. What a privilege to be part of a confessing community of believers we call the “Church.”

As we are sent forth by the benediction, we are sent back into the world where our baptismal life is lived out in service to our neighbor through our various vocations. We enter the Divine Service with the “invocation,” we are sent forth with the Divine Service to a life lived through “vocation” and service to others.

When we fail (sin), we return to our Baptism, confessing our sins, drowning the old Adam and being assured that our sins are forgiven. St. John states it so eloquently and concisely: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” I John 1.

What a privilege to believe and confess and live in the newness of life which is ours in Christ Jesus. What a joy we have to tell that message of Christ Jesus to others!

Rev. Dr. Dean Rothchild

Assistant to the District President

2009 Fall Pastor's Conference

Camp IO-DIS-E-CA in late October.

The Rev. Brian Saunders, IDE District President.

Professor Dr. Andrew Steinmann presenting on Daniel.

The Rev. W. Max Mons, one of four IDE Pastors who presented a paper at the Conference.

Fall Pastor's Conference

In late October, the Pastors of IDE meet for their annual Fall Conference, hosted again this year by Camp IO-Dis-E-CA. This two-day event revolved around Dr. Andrew Steimann's presentation on the book of Daniel. Author of the CPH Concordia Commentary on this Old Testament work, Dr. Steinmann is a professor at Concordia College: Chicago and has several other CPH titles to his credit.

The Pastors also had the oportunity to hear papers presented by four of their IDE peers, had the priveledge of Hearing the Rev. Brian Saunders, IDE President, preach on a selection from Daniel, ad plenty of opportunities vist and catch-up with old friends.

The Rev. Brian Saunders, President of the IDE

President’s Piece for Peace

In the last edition of the IDE Today I shared with you the introductions I have had with the fine and faithful family of laymen and pastor’s in this blessed district. I thought I would use this edition to introduce you to my family.

Karen is my beloved wife of 32 years. She is very gifted with children and substitute teaches in the Cedar Rapids school system. Together we have been blessed with four children. Jill is our first and the wife of Jon Baumgartel. She is a teacher by training and is currently raising four of our five grandchildren. Jon and Jill have two sons; Caleb, Micah, Faith, and Ava. Our son B.J. is married to his wife Julie and they have one daughter by the name of Elle. B.J. is a Dr. of Physical Therapy in Terra Haut, Indiana where he is employed by the National Health Service. Leah is our third and she is a senior at the University of Northern Iowa. Her major is secondary education with an emphasis in European History. Our last and most busy is Michaela who is a sophomore at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids. Volleyball and track are her interests.

Karen and I have been dearly blessed by our Lord with a loving and faithful family. For this we are most grateful. Yet, the greatest gift given to our family is that we have been made members of the Family of God through the waters of Holy Baptism. At the font of regeneration the Lord of Life makes each recipient alive in Him. The Waters of Life bring not only my family but yours as well into a greater and most joyous relationship with Christ and with one another. In Luther’s Small Catechism we read: “What do the words ‘baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost’ mean”? The explanation is golden: “They mean that by Baptism I have been received into communion with the Triune God, and was made partaker of all His blessings”

When Christ therefore says that we are to be baptized “into” or “unto” the name of the triune God, He means to say that by Baptism we enter into a very definite relationship and close communion with God, who here offers and assures to us the riches of His blessings. God the Father becomes our dear Father in heaven, God the Son becomes our Savior, God the Holy Ghost becomes our Comforter; and we, receiving these blessings in faith, become God’s dear children, Christ’s disciples, and temples of the Holy Ghost. (Edward W.A. Koehler)

My family rejoices with yours for the mere reason we are family in the House of God. It is good for us to celebrate, each year, our baptismal birthdays and while doing that give thanks to our Lord for the entire Family of Faith of which He has made us members.

Brian Saunders, President IDE.

St. John's Lutheran Church in rural State Center

INSTALLATION AT ST. JOHN LUTHERAN, RURAL STATE CENTER

On Sunday, June 14, Rev. David Klinge was ordained into the Holy Ministry and was installed as Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church by State Center. Rev. Klinge was an engineer until answering God's call to prepare to be a pastor. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne and this is his first call. Those participating in this special event included IDE President Dr. Gary Arp, Rev. Jesse Cearlock, Pastor Klinge, Rev. Kristian Kincaid; 2nd row, Rev. Gary Schultz, Rev. Parker Knoll, Rev. David Splett; 3rd row, Rev. Mike Maddick, Rev. James Lamb, Rev. Steve Lane and Rev. David Brandt.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Williamsburg

October 4, Williamsburg

“A Taste of Lithuania” shared with Iowans not only a mouthwatering taste of culinary Lithuania but also the spiritual needs of our sisters and brothers in Christ. Since plumbing is an essential part of any building, St. Paul, Williamsburg adopted to fund the plumbing for the muti-purpose building in Palanga, Lithuania.

Several projects have been done to help with this, besides the brunch the youth sold yard signs for the Iowa/Iowa State game. A committee from different church ministries planned a Sunday brunch so people could sample Lithuanian foods. October 4 was also LWML Sunday and Pastor Cloeter introduced the congregation to the history and condition of the Lithuanian Lutheran church and the Palanga parish after Communist rule of over 50 years. He also tied in the work of the LWML in mission work to our fellow Christians outside the USA.

The morning worship and the brunch were held at the Lutheran Interparish School to accommodate everyone. Included at the brunch were a DVD presented by Rev. Dr. Gary Arp on the project. Mrs. Arp brought items from their travels to Lithuania for a display. They both answered many questions.

A silent quilt auction was held and bids will continue until the end of October with proceeds to go to the project.

The brunch committees’ goal was met thanks to God for the good weather and the generosity of the people attending.

Lynn Evans, St. Paul Williamsburg

St. John's Lutheran Church in Hubbard

The St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Youth Fellowship from Hubbard spent a fun-filled July weekend at the Wisconsin Dells. A definite highlight of the trip was the Mt. Olympus Water and Amusement Park.

LLL

The International Lutheran Laymen’s League, which sponsors of the Lutheran Hour Ministries worldwide, would like to invite the people of Iowa District East to…. TWO…different fall Rallies in November.

The first one will be an opportunity to come and meet our new IDE president. Please come and join us on Sunday, November 1st, at St. John Lutheran Church in Newhall, Iowa. Rev. Saunders will share “What it means to be 'The Church of the Lutheran Hour' in the 21st Century.” The Rally will be Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 2:30 P.M. to 5:30 P.M .At St. John Lutheran Church, 310 – 2nd Street E, Newhall, Iowa And a light lunch, dessert, and refreshments will be served.

The second rally planned will be on the entire fourth floor of the German American Heritage Center in Davenport at the foot of the Centennial Bridge on Gaines Street. And yes there is a new elevator waiting for you and your family.

These will be catalyst events to explain the many services of the Lutheran Laymen’s League. And we would particularly like to invite interested young families and current members to understand .....why ......we need the family’s father to bring the entire family to church as a family unit.

The floor has been rented from 12:00 PM Noon until 4:00PM on November 15th, during this time we will have a meeting, some food and or refreshments, and a chance to visit some of Iowa’s German heritage exhibits. However the museum admission is not included in our presentation. My advice is arrive shortly after noon, and spend the next four hours revisiting history, and anticipating our LCMS future. This is the first time we have had an (off-site LCMS entity) Fall Rally and the web site for the German American Heritage Center is: http://gahc.org/

For more information contact Terrajohn1@msn.com or visit our blog site :

http://idelutheranlaymensleague.blogspot.com/

There you will find pictures and a more detailed posting of this event, and you would be clicks away from a map to find these events. Please feel free to comment on any thing that interests you.

College Hill Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls

Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fairfield

LCMS Preschool is 25 Years Old

Mothers’ Day Out Preschool of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fairfield opened its doors 25 years ago and recently celebrated with a congregational potluck and a public Open House.

Mothers’ Day Out Preschool began in 1983 after Rev. John Sattler, his wife Meg, and Immanuel member Dorian Atwood researched and worked together with the congregation to open the only Lutheran preschool in the area. Mothers’ Day Out Preschool has been blessed throughout these 25 years with staff members who are also members of Immanuel.

The first lead teacher was Becky Orr, who was assisted by Marcia Holst, Charlotte Peck, and Cindy Scearcy. After Becky moved away from the area in 1987, member Vicki Eastburn became the lead teacher. Other assistant teachers have been: Sue Kientz, Grace Bogaards, Julia Hafner, Pam Engbrecht, Christe Lamansky, Karen Schewe, and Peggy Mottet. Current Staff & Preschool Committee are: Grace Boards - Administrator Peggy Mottet - Treasuere Corinne Brase - Secretary & Sub Elisa Kretz - Enrollment Chairman Jen McLain - Records/Files Manager Vicki Eastburn - Lead Teacher Pam Engbrecht - Assistant Teacher Peggy Mottet - Assistant Teacher Pastor Mark Brase - Advisor “MDO Preschool is an extension of Immanuel Lutheran.

"We truly feel this is an outreach opportunity for us. Yes, we give these children tools and opportunities to grow emotionally, academically, and socially; yet we also offer them and their families opportunities to grow spiritually as well,” says Eastburn. “Each year we attempt to bring MDO Preschool to our congregation by inviting members to our Christmas and Year-End Programs, and by inviting preschoolers and their families to attend Sunday Morning Worship on a given Lutheran Education Sunday, followed by a potluck for Immanuel members and preschool families.”

“We know other preschools in other areas have struggled at times. We have been blessed with a devoted staff, a supportive congregation, and loyal parents. We believe God has enabled us to grow, change, and continue, by placing the right people at the right time where they need to be. We give Him all the credit”, states Pastor Brase. “What started as a big dream 25 years ago, has become a huge reality for this small church and for the Fairfield community.”