Hurricane Relief From Latimer

Lois Borcherding reports from St. Paul's in Latimer, that their LLL Group held a coffee for relief of hurricane victims. The amount collected was $162.25 and a portion was matched by Thrivent bringing the amount sent to $262.25. The need continues for funds to help rebuild church and home infrastructures.

Rev. Gary Arp Updates IDE's Lithuania Project

News from Palanga Lithuania:

Thank You for your wonderful response to the Palanga Project. A few weeks ago we sent a packet of bulletin inserts to each congregation along with a letter saying this would be our final financial appeal for the Palanga Project. April 27th I received a letter from Pastor Petkunas which included the following paragraph:

We are very pleased with the progress of the work. It is a good thing that we began work when we did, because today the project would cost half again as much. Labor costs for the building trade have risen twice in this year and material costs have also risen from 10 to 20 percent. Buildings are springing up everywhere in the Klaipeda and Palanga region. When you come this year you will see a very changed landscape from last year. With our free market economy the demand for materials has meant that now prices are much higher even among firms which have tried to keep their prices low. The companies that provide concrete forms for construction projects now for the first time have waiting lines. As in the U.S., fuel prices here have risen dramatically. Diesel fuel has gone in the last year from 82 cents to $1.10 per liter [near $4.00 per gallon]. The prediction is as the weather improves more building projects will begin, and this bring even bigger prices in the labor and building supply markets. The biggest increases have come in the building trades. The increase here has been over a 100 percent in the last year. The problem here has been that so many competent labors have been lured to western Europe and United Kingdom where the wages are so much higher than here. As I experienced few months ago airplanes from Lithuania going west are full, but coming back they are one-third empty. There are fewer competent workers, and they can now demand higher pay. The building contractors have now told us that the building is going to cost 20 percent more than the original amount.

I responded to Pastor Petkunas with the assurance that I would call your attention to the situation. And so I am! On behalf of your Lutheran brothers and sisters in Palanga, I ask you to respond to this final appeal with a generous gift. Marjorie and I are going to do so.

The date for the dedication of the building will be set soon. I’ll publish the date as soon as it is firm so you can make your plans to attend! Lord willing, Marjorie and I will be attending.

Convention Nomination Results With Explanation

Our District will be in convention this summer.

As required, the District Secretary has made available the results of the nominations for District President, First Vice President and Second Vice President. These are all names of clergy in the LCMS.

District President
46- Gary Arp
17- Jerry Doellinger
8- Matthew Rueger, Tim Zimmerman *, Brian Saunders *
4- Steve Rempfer
1- Randy McHone, Daniel Krueger, David Rempfer, Dean Rothchild, Daniel Preus,Wallace Schulz, Terry Ellis

First Vice President
35- Matthew Rueger
14- Steve Rempfer
11- Brian Saunders
8- Tim Zimmerman
6- Jerry Doellinger, Keith Piotter
2- Michael Knox, David Splett, Thomas Hedtke
1- Randy McHone, Doug Morton, Kristian Kincaid, Joseph Polzin, David MacKain, David Rempfer, Dean Rothchild, Dennis Arndt

Second Vice President
33- Brian Saunders
12- Tim Zimmerman
11- Keith Piotter
8- Matthew Rueger
7- Michael Knox
4- Steve Rempfer, Jerry Doellinger
2- W. Max Mons
1- Doug Morton, David Splett, Gary Sears, Chris Gugel, Tom Hedtke, Wayne Brinkmann

* Rev. Dean Duncan, District Board Secretary, explains, "It has been brought to my attention that there are some questions on the nominations for District President. In the results I provided [to the IDE TODAY] there is a tie for the third ballot. Yet only one of those three people was put on the ballot for District President [See Convention Workbook]. This year we stated that 'this nomination form must be received by the District Secretary no later than February 1, 2006.' Based on the nominations I received by February First, the totals were: 44 Gary Arp, 15 Jerry Doellinger, 8 Matthew Rueger, 7 Tim Zimmermann, 7 Brian Saunders. However, both I and the District Office received a number of ballots after the deadline. In consultation with Rosanne at the District Office, we decided to include the totals of these late ballots since a number of them were faxed or mailed to the District Office instead of to me. So could [the IDE TODAY Editor] please place an asterisk behind the names of Tim Zimmerman and Brian Saunders. And with the asterisk note below that these totals are final numbers that reflect late ballots that came in after the deadline of February 1, 2006."

Rock Creek State Park LCMS Worship Services

Attention Rock Creek State Park Weekend Campers:

Worship at the Campgrounds this summer. Worship Services will be held at Rock Creek State Park at 6:30 p.m. every Saturday evening throughout July and also on Saturday, August 5. Join us at the Stage on the east side of the lake.

The services are offered by Immanuel Grinnell and Our Savior, Newton.

Call 641-236-6691 or 641-792-1084 for more details.

You also are invited to join both Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grinnell and Our Savior Lutheran Church in Newton, for our respective 9:00 Sunday morning worship services.

For maps and information about Rock Creek State Park, go to: http://www.iowadnr.com/parks/state_park_list/rock_creek.html

Trinity Lutheran Church in Vinton

What could make six teams of four local teens each travel more than 120 miles to do 18 (potentially embarrassing) tasks, and go to 23 destinations? Trinity’s Amazing Race Around Vinton!

The race began at Trinity Lutheran Church 8:00AM Saturday, April 22nd and covered much of northern Benton County.

Tasks included: completing an obstacle course dressed in fire-fighting gear and hitting targets with fire extinguishers at the local fire station, putting and driving tasks at the Country Club, finding pennies buried in sand at a local playground, setting 30 tables and 180 chairs for a local benefit breakfast for a church member battling cancer, decoding the Constitution at the library, and collecting dates from gravestones at the local cemetery, plus many others.

The first time we did this, the winners received 3 candy bars, 2nd place 2 candy bars and 3rd place 1 candy bar each. This time around, I rounded-up local support for the youth through this race and secured nearly $1,200 worth of prizes.

The purpose of the race was to build camaraderie within the group and strengthen friendships with non-church member friends. All was done in the Name of Christ and we used this event to spread a little bit of His Love for us to our youth group, their friends and our community during the Easter Season.

We had 40 people gathered for our lunch devotion including 8 non-member youth. We also used the race for shameless self-promotion through flyers and personal invitations to non-member participants’ parents. As a result, our Saturday evening worship had 90 people in attendance, a third more than usual.

A simple press release to local papers and TV stations also attracted the attention of the local CBS affiliate and 3 local papers. KGAN featured our story on the 10:00 Saturday news. The Vinton Eagle and Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Gazette both covered the race with color pictures and lengthy articles. Praise God for the Press!

IDE's University of Iowa Chaplaincy - Rev. Harold Scheer

Back in the 1980's, the mother of a nurse who works at University Hospitals asked me to minister to her daughter since she and her husband were not active in a local congregation. The nurse and I had several opportunities to work together. Usually the situations that brought us together were various types of emergencies, such as serious accidents or the death of a patient. This nurse and her husband have since become active in one of our local LCMS congregations. Thank You, Lord for answers to prayers.

This past Christmas Day at Our Redeemer, Iowa City, before the late worship service, the mother of this nurse was visiting here from her home in Iowa West. She had met the wife of a patient at the motel where she and her husband were staying. When she noticed me, she quickly stated that she had a patient she wanted me to see. She shared that she did not know their particular denomination, but she knew it was a challenging situation that needed pastoral care. To make it a little more challenging, she did not know the name of the patient. So, sometimes chaplains have to do some detective work.

The fellow in the picture had been repairing a waterline on his farm when the dirt caved in on him. The pain was so terrific that he asked those outside of the hole to just cover him up and put a tombstone on top! Later he was very grateful to have the pain under control and then to have surgery to repair the broken bone in his leg on the day after Christmas. His home pastor was able to visit this patient once while he was here.

However, later on an infection developed which may have been caused by germs in the barnyard dirt. This delayed the discharge date. Some frustration developed, not only for the patient, but also for the patient's wife as she was a nurse and convinced that her husband's care wasn't all that it might have been. When I learned about the complications and the related feelings, I checked with the head nurse. The nurse was willing to meet with the patient's wife so that a better understanding of the overall situation might make the healing challenge easier to bear for the patient and the family. As the pictures show, as more information was shared the patient's wife's attitude changed. This in turn provided the patient with a better healing atmosphere. This patient was soon discharged back to his calling on the farm.

So, we continue to thank the Lord of the Church for His healing power, physically, mentally, emotionally, and especially spiritually. It is such a blessing to know that the Lord is our Shepherd each day and the He blesses us with "under shepherds" to assist us on our way. His Word and the Sacraments continue to empower us as we share the unique gifts our gracious God provides us throughout our lives so that in turn we can support each other as "we bear one another's burdens."

If you yourself, or someone you love, are coming to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, PLEASE BE SURE TO TELL THE FOLKS AT THE REGISTRATION DESK THAT your religious preference Lutheran - Missouri Synod. This will enable our Deaconess / Chaplain Carol Goldfish and / or myself to make contact with you sooner than if your religious preference is listed as "unknown", "no preference", "Lutheran", or "Christian".

The hospital operator (319 356 1616) or "O" within the hospital, can page me on #3436, or Carol on #5133. Since we do have Clinical Pastoral Education residents on some nursing units, you or the person you know may be seen by one of them.

This is important because our entire Department of Spiritual Services sees less than 6 patients out of every 100 admissions. We need to know you are there.

First Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine

These are some pictures from First Lutheran's Passion According to St. John, presented on April 2. Twenty-one members of First Lutheran acted out the Passion According to St. John (chapters 18 and 19) where John the Evangelist narrated the events of our Lord's Passion. Interspersed in the passion where times for reflection and meditation on hymns or choir anthems.

The first picture: First Lutheran's Adult Choir directed by Beth Fay and accompanied by Jolene Blanchard.
The second picture (from left to right): Nick Palmer (Pontius Pilate), Ryan Kurovski (Roman Soldier), Tyler Schwab (background, Roman Soldier), and Jordan Formanek (Jesus).

The third picture (from left to right): Pastor Dean Duncan (playing the flugelhorn), Ryan Kurovski, Vanessa Palmer, Carolyn Kurovski, Jordan Formanek, Ryan Frank (the younger Evangelist), Marilee Gunderson, and Tyler Schwab.

Our Redemmer in Iowa City and Kyrgyzstan

In March, six members of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Iowa City spent two weeks on Mission Trip to Bishkek, Kyrgystan. Chris Schwarz, chairman of the Mission Committee, underwent training through LCMS World Missions in preparation to lead the group.

The trip grew out of IDE’s connections with missionaries Rev. Bob and Sue Pfeil. Pastor Pfeil was an assistant pastor at Our Redeemer and later was pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Riceville. They have been in this former Soviet Republic since 1998.

The Mission team saw how the Holy Spirit is growing the Church there through the use of a medical van, eyeglass clinics, ESL classes, and humanitarian aid to orphanages and old folks homes. Missionaries are using every opportunity to share the Gospel and a nucleus for a church has begun. Currently, there are over 30 stable congregational groups in Bishkek and the surrounding villages, with ten more groups in the beginning stages.

Not just tourist on t his trip, nurses Kathy Schweer and Denise Holida led health education classes and worked on the medical van. Rev. Zimmermann taught classes for seminary students and evangelists and preached at a number of worship services. Chris Schwarz, Marty Wenck and Carol Zimmermann interviewed and filmed activities in order to produce a video for use by the missionaries in sharing their work.

Rev. Pfeil wrote in his newsletter, “Last Friday a group of 6 volunteers arrived from Iowa City, Iowa. Sunday morning Pastor Zimmermann shared greetings from American brothers and sisters in Christ with the congregation in Bishkek and invited them to become a sister congregation with Our Redeemer. The banner shown in the picture is a gift from Iowa City to Bishkek. The heart and cross represents the love of God for all His people and in ‘Lifting High The Cross,’ we will be sharing our faith in Jesus our Savior, sharing our prayers for one another and sharing a ministry of caring and compassion with the Cross of Christ and the heart of Christ in the very center.”

One day, 82 women from 13 villages and cities, joined 3 women from Iowa City for one of the first ever LWML gatherings in Kyrgystan. Denise Holida led a Bible Study. Kathy Schweer, President of IDE LWML, shared the mission of LWML and extended an invitation to the ladies to be Sisters in Christ with LWML in America. Carol Zimmermann spoke concerning how the women in Iowa City work in mission and desire to connect with the ladies there.

It is the vision of our missionaries that by 2010 the Lutheran Church Concordia in the Kyrgyz Republic would be self-supporting, self-perpetuating, self-governing, and have its own seminary. Our Redeemer Lutheran Church looks forward to a growing relationship with its new sister church in Bishkek.

Grace Lutheran Church, DeWitt

The Glory Bound Choir at Grace, DeWitt presented the Cantata, Harvest of Sorrows, on Good Friday at the 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Worship Services. The twenty one member Glory Bound Choir was under the direction of Julie Matzen. Alex Heetland directed a group of seven high school instrumentalists that accompanied the choir. The instrumental accompaniment was also written and arranged by Alex. This solemn service ended in silence as the congregation and choirs reflected on Jesus’ death on the cross.

Band members L to R are: Michelle Blaser, Naomi Demmon, Casey Turner, Alex Heetland, Alyssa Penningroth, Eric Marsh and Melissa Posey.

Rev. Dean Rothchild's May 2006 Article

One of the many things which former President Bill Clinton will be remembered for is the little phrase: "I feel your pain." There are times when we can see the pain which others are going through. We witness the hurt which is traumatizing their lives. We can sometimes identify with the various struggles which people are enduring.
How does the Church enter into these struggles with its members? It begins with a level of trust which must be developed. People will not share their hurts with you if they do not trust you. Trust takes time to develop. If people know that you genuinely care about them they may open up to you and say "I need help."
The Church is made up of real people, saint and sinners at the same time. It is the sinner dimension that causes us pain and sorrow in life while it is the saint aspect by virtue of our Baptism into Christ Jesus that offers and gives us hope.
If there was one who truly understood and endured pain it was Jesus Christ. Isaiah wrote: "He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surelygrief'sriefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried" Isaiah 53:3-4.
As we draw our life and being from Christ Jesus and His Word, it is the message of Christ crucified and risen which brings us hope and comfort. What comfort it is to hear: "Be of good cheer, your sins be forgiven you." The Church is called to take that good news to all people, including those within its walls who are hurting.
Many of the sorrows and struggles which we encounter in life are caused by sin. Sin issues need to be dealt with. They rarely go away on their own. God calls us to repent of our sins on a daily basis. As John declares: "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 1:9, 7c.
May we be real people who have ears to hear the cries of those who are in real pain so that God can use us to bring His wonderful Word to bear on their lives!

St. Paul's Chapel And University Center

Major Munch Launches St. Paul’s Chapel Endowment

St. Paul’s Chapel, in conjunction with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, hosted their first ever “St. Paul’s Charitable Giving Major Munch” on April 2.

There were two main goals for this event, in addition to eating an enormous roast beef dinner. The first goal was to launch the St. Paul’s Lutheran Chapel Endowment. This endowment, which is being created through Iowa District East, will provide funds needed to maintain and expand St. Paul’s Lutheran Chapel, fund new outreach programs, and provide financial protection in case of unexpected financial set-backs.

The second goal of the Major Munch was to introduce students, alumni, and members of the permanent congregation to charitable gifting options. Funding the endowment will happen not only through direct gifting, but also through deferred gifting. Willis Wulf, of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, presented an overview of many ways to give to worthy charities. Many of the deferred gifting options which Willis presented are also explained at http://thrivent.com/planning/charitable/options.html.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Chapel has been reaching out to students at the University of Iowa for over 80 years. Through tools like the endowment, this valuable ministry will be able to continue to grow and expand, reaching many more generations of Iowa Hawkeyes.

Farewell For Golkes

There will be a farewell reception for Paul Golke and his family on Sunday, April 30th, from 4:00 to 7:00 at Camp IO-DIS-E-CA .

University of Iowa In-coming Freshmen

INCOMING!

Calling all incoming Hawkeyes! If you, or someone you love, will be a freshmen or other form of new student at the University of Iowa, St. Paul’s Lutheran Chapel would like to hear from you. You can contact us at

St. Paul’s Lutheran Chapel
404 E. Jefferson Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52245
319-337-3652
chapel@stpaulic.com

Located at the corner of Gilbert and Jefferson, St. Paul’s is the LCMS campus ministry at the University of Iowa. The Divine Service takes place on Sundays at 10:30AM. Bible study is at 9:00 AM on Sundays and Wednesday evenings. We also host a ton of social events including Welcome to the U BBQ, Luther Bowl VI, Softball and Slop, and Snoball 2007. Most importantly, however, we enjoy God’s love and goodness as he feeds us through Word and Sacrament. Once fed and nourished we go forth to speak the story of Jesus to the campus of the University of Iowa.

IDE TODAY DEADLINE

The end of the month is the deadline for the next printed issue of the IDE TODAY. This will be the last issue until next September. Get your pictures and articles in soon!

The IDE TODAY is printed five times a year for the enjoyment of the members of the Iowa District East of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. All artless and pictures from IDE members, congregations, committees, boards, officers, and from the LCMS will be considered for publication.

Email contributions to IDETODAY@juno.com or mail them to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, The IDE TODAY, 1701 8th Street, Coralville, Iowa 52241.

Maundy Thursday Tornadoes

Rev. W. Max Mons reports that though there was destruction all around them, St. Paul's chapel and University Center in Iowa City came through Thursday night's storm without damage. Pastor Mon's home was also in a direct line of the tornadoes, but, again, his family and their house are safe.

Pictured here is one of the buildings in Iowa City that was damaged by the storm.

LLL

Shown in these photos are some of the nearly 60 willing workers at the 63rd Annual Iowa District East LLL Convention. The convention was held at Camp IO-DIS-E-CA on March 18, 2006.

The IDE LLL Board decided to undertake the awesome task of packing 100 Global Care Packages also formerly known as By Kids...For Kids. Early in January plans were formulated to have nearly forty LLL Congregations bring the ingredients for the one hundred Care Packages. Five churches would bring the pencils, five churches would bring the rulers and so on. Imagine one hundred pencil sharpeners, a hundred rulers, some five hundred pencils and five hundred pens all provided and packed in two hours. Remember we also conducted a full day of convention business.

Included was the election of Alberta Martens of Lowden as Secretary, Virgil Mauer of Cedar Falls as Treasurer and Dale Hein of Iowa City as Board Member at Large.

Pictured here also is Mick Onnen, International LLL Secretary whose morning session covered the subjects of lay participation, volunteer opportunities and how to utilize the LLL Congregation Tool Kit. His afternoon session also challenged us in outreach opportunities for personal witness. Mick had some anxious moments as he returned home into the teeth of a Nebraska Snow Storm.

All LLL members are reminded and encouraged to attend the International LLL Convention to be held in Billings, Montana July 6th through the 9th of July.

LCEF

Demo-what?

The young man had no idea that during a class offered at seminary, he would learn about a service offered by the Lutheran Church Extension Fund that would ultimately change his future congregation’s ministry focus. “Dr. Bruce Hartung taught the class”, he remembers, “but he had a guest speaker from LCEF who spoke to our group about ‘demographic resources’.”

LCEF offers a demographic product called “In Our Community”. When a congregation requests such a study, they will receive parish data, area data, lifestyle profiles of the congregation and community, a religious survey, and help from their local LCEF Vice President in interpreting the study. Countless hours can be spent evaluating a ministry’s needs and better decisions can be made when they are based on accurate information. LCEF is ready to help congregations and schools with the same demographic information that retailers such as Starbucks or Applebees is willing to pay thousands for.

The young pastor remembers sitting in his seminary class that day, thinking, “Demo-what? What is this information?” Once it was explained to the soon-to-be-graduates that they were going to receive summary reports about their future congregations, he took more interest. “I thought, ‘I can bring this information to my parish and share it with them. It will be a positive way to begin my vicarage.’”

The Pastor received his call to a parish founded in 1954 with currently 156 communicant members . Although many of the members had told him that the community included mostly “older families”, his demographic study said otherwise. “I had read in that report that there were many young, up-and-coming families, so I drove a group of church leaders around the neighborhood one afternoon.” What the group encountered were soccer fields filled with young children, young parents pushing strollers down sidewalks, and principals from other schools telling the group that they had kids on waiting lists.

After the neighborhood tour, Pastor proposed to his congregation the reopening of their once-vibrant preschool. “We had visited other local preschools and all of them were full. The closest one to our church had a waiting list of 160 kids.” After much planning and praying, the church reopened its preschool in September.

As a result of the demographic data, Pastor says that the congregation is also focusing on new programs that reach out to younger families in the community. One type of class being taught on site at the church is about parenting. Pastor addresses the group and welcomes them to the church. He often sits in during the class and intersperses Christian teachings with the secular curriculum. “I am able to say ‘hello’ to these parents and children and, as time goes on, they often come up to me wanting to discuss other issues,” notes Pastor. “They open up to me because a relationship has been formed, and many of these families join our church, realizing they need Christ in their lives.”

Pastor says that over the past year, the average weekly attendance has doubled and Sunday school has tripled. How can demographic information help you? For more information, contact Carole White.

Carole L. White
LCEF VP
Iowa District East & Iowa District West
6428 160th AveStorm Lake, IA 50588
Ph: 877.439.5233
Cell: 515.240.2229
carole.white@idwlcms.org
or carole@lcmside.org

Our Redeemer In Independence

Our Redeemer in Independence welcomed five new members. One was by transfer, three came from another Lutheran Church body (WELS), and one was an adult confirmand. This joyous occasion took place on Sunday March 19th, 2006.

Vintage IDE TODAY Picture

This picture appeared in the July 2000 issue of the IDE TODAY. Pictured is the convention floor from that summer's IDE Convention. Recognize the back of anyone's head?

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Iowa City

These pictures were taken when Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Iowa City, sent groups down to Biloxi to help with the cleanup.

The top two pictures are from their March 12-17th trip, and the bottom picture is from their December 27-30th 2005 trip.

The first time they had 18 people fo. The second time they sent 22 people (not all church members).

A poem written by Brenda Johnson who went on the second trip.

Biloxi
The city of Biloxi was in great need,
Many people from all over took heed.

This Iowa City group drove hours to see.
The devastation of life we couldn't believe.

The trees, the bridges, the churches, the homes,
were either twisted or broken or gutted or gone.

The people we talked to were still shaken but proud.
They were determined to survive with some help from this crowd.

Someone said, maybe it was the Queen, "What man made is gone,
But what God made is coming back and will live on."

As we reflect on our own lives - how thankful we should be.
It was our turn to give, as did He.
_______________________________
Below is an email from Kaja Marie, Director of Youth Ministry, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, she wrote following their most recent trip.

Greetings all in Christ's most Holy Name! I am finally sitting at my desk getting back to work here in Iowa City. I came into the office on Sunday early morning to see what kind of damage was done in my mail box for the past week. I started pulling out magazines to order from, information about Sunday school, Bible order forms, concerts to go to, and even a stack of 10 Sermon Summaries to get through from my wonderful 7th grade Confirmation Class. I had an eye opening moment as I remembered that the world did not stop this past week.

Many things till went on while we were gone. I am sure that we are still recovering doing laundry, cleaning our mess from just walking into our home, We went a whole week without watching a movie, or the television. We did not really go shopping for clothes or even things that our family needed. We made no special trips to the grocery store because we forgot something for dinner that night....but the world still went on. The lives we packed up with and headed down south with were not the lives we came back with. We have this new found respect for recycling, and what trash really is.

I was reading 1 Kings 18:21 today. "Elijah stood up in front so all the people and asked them, 'How loving will you try to have it both ways? If the Lord is God, follow Him; is Baal is God, follow Him.' The people didn't say a word." We have a choice now to live as God directing our lives or us. We were so comfortable with our lives before but each of us was driven by the Holy Spirit to come on this trip for different reasons. Think about what those were. Remember what you say, felt, heard, and even smelled. We now get to live a changed life. Yeah!!!! Break some of your routines. Just think, This is a great season we are in...Lent. Did anyone get the connection between our Servant Event and Lent? I know I did not until right now. Tiss the season for reflection. Talk to someone, read your Bible, keep this freshin your mind so that others may benefit.

I am going to do pictures today. Lets talk about getting together in the near future. If anyone has ideas lets communicate.

I thank you all so very much for making this a wonderful trip. I thank God every moment that you were the guys I went with this time. To share just like Paul says in Philippians this kind of "partnership in the Gospel." I truly am honored......to be the Queen of!

In Him,

Kaja Marie

Thrivent

LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS? GO TO CHURCH!
Survey finds Americans more likely to serve through places of worship than other venues

MINNEAPOLIS (April 4, 2006) – Want to find where volunteers hang out? Go to church! A plurality of American adults (30 percent) said they volunteered last year through their place of worship, according to a national survey by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Following faith-based organizations in recruiting individuals to roll up their sleeves in service to others were charitable organizations (28 percent), schools (24 percent) and employers (16 percent).

In all, the survey found that 57 percent of American adults had done volunteer work in the past 12 months while 43 percent indicated they had not performed volunteer work organized by a third party.

Volunteering – A transformational experience
The survey found that many Americans understand volunteering to be a transformational experience. When asked “Who is changed more through volunteerism—the person doing the volunteer work or the people benefiting from the volunteer service?,” nearly half (47 percent) of Americans reported the volunteer experiences a greater change. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said the people benefiting from the volunteer service are changed more, while 21 percent of respondents said that both groups—the volunteers and those being helped—are changed equally.

Read the entire news release at thrivent.com/newsroom.

Lutherans For Life Conference Planning Meeting

Pictures taken at the National LFL Conference Planning meeting on April (correction) 1st. People from Linn Area LFL, Blackhawk County LFL, and State Center LFL, Coalition For Life met to prepare for their summer conference. Some of those meeting included Ed Szeto, Conference Director from National LFL, Marcene Niehaus, Gretchen Hartwig, Ed Szeto, Roger Mobley, Nancy Mobley, Nancy Trimpe, Nancy Nugent, Sue Martinek, Joanie Chapman, Judy Cope, Dick Hoelz, Jane Hoelz, Margaret Speers, Marilyn Young, and Sherry Johnson.

College Hills Lutheran Church, Cedar Falls

CONCORDIA SEMINARY TO OFFER SUMMER WORKSHOP IN IOWA DISTRICT EAST

ST. LOUIS-Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, is pleased to announce its summer 2006 series of workshops for pastors, professional church workers, and interested lay persons. Twelve-workshops, covering a wide variety of subjects, are offered nationwide, and all are taught by members of the Concordia Seminary faculty.

"Incense Rising and Screens Descending: How Do We Worship God in the 21st Century?" will be offered by Dr. Kent Burreson, July 24-26, at College Hill Lutheran Church, Cedar Falls, Iowa. Burreson is assistant professor of systematic theology at Concordia Seminary.

This workshop will enable participants to explore issues in the contemporary landscape of Christian worship. The workshop will focus upon different themes, all interconnected with the general theme of worship in the 21st century. Participants will sketch the issues and trends in 21st century worship, address the contours of a biblical and confessional view of worship, establish guidelines and analyze ways of inculturating worship and discuss the predominant movements in 21st century worship.

The cost for the workshop is $110. Payment is due 21 days prior to the beginning of the workshop, and a minimum enrollment is required in order for the workshop to be held. Housing and meal information is available by contacting the host pastor at College Hill Lutheran Church, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Rev. Tom Ogilvie, (319) 266-1274; rev.togilvie@cfu.ne1.

To register or for more information, contact the Office of Continuing Education and Parish Services, Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105; (314) 505-7123; ce@csl.edu.

St. Paul's Lutheran In Fredericksburg

This cover article appears in the Evangelgram, a publication of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. The issue in which this article appears can be seen at: http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/World%20Mission/2006-03-Evangelgram.pdf

At St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, Iowa, volunteers record the Sunday morning services and distribute the tapes to the sick and shut-ins of the congregation. Henry Budweg, a resident of New Hampton Care Center, watches the video in his room the week after it is produced.

In this way, he can be virtually "in church" on Sunday morning. At first, Mr. Budweg invited two or three other members of St. Paul's congregation to join him and watch the church service.

Soon, other residents were also invited, until his room was full with nine or 10 every week.

"These brothers and sisters in Christ now living in nursing homes and care centers are dear to us and we miss them when we gather together on Sunday mornings,” said Rev. Ronnie Koch, pastor of St. Paul's. "We are comforted knowing that in this small way they are still with us to receive the Lord's Gospel and their prayers and praise rise up to heaven with ours."

Recently one of the regular worshipers passed away and another, near death, could no longer make it to Budweg's room. So Mr. Budweg was able to recruit others to fill the empty chairs.

One of these new worshipers remarked after his first visit that it was "just like going to church." He even tried to leave a dollar for the offering.

Budweg makes sure everyone can participate in the worship. He hands out bulletins from St. Paul's so those watching the video can follow along with the liturgy, Scripture readings, and prayers.

In this small way, the Gospel ministry of St. Paul's Lutheran Church is expanded to reach beyond the four walls of the sanctuary. A couple of the friends and neighbors at the care center who have visited Budweg's room for church eventually became members of St. Paul's.

Thanks to some simple, modern technology and Christian love for the neighbor, the Word of God is going out to those who need to hear it.

"We at St. Paul's Lutheran Church have a reason to celebrate about how the Holy Spirit works through His Word in small and big ways," Koch said. "Unnoticed to most of us, the video camera runs each Sunday up in the balcony of the church. Through the video recording, others are gathered with us into the hearing of the same Word and the worship of the same heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord."