Promotional items are available to help Lutheran schools and congregations mark National Lutheran Schools Week (NLSW) 2004. Theme of the March 7-13 observance is “Lutheran Schools — A Great Place To Grow,” with the subtheme of “Growing in Grace and Knowledge” (2…

Dr. Dale A. Meyer, the Gregg H. Benidt Memorial Chair Professor of Homiletics and Literature at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and former speaker for “The Lutheran Hour,” has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Bible Society…

The Synod’s Board of Directors has introduced a new question-and-answer feature to its Web site that it says is intended to “clear up … confusion and provide assurance to the members of our Synod” about some of the Board’s recent…

The Synod’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) has forwarded to the Council of Presidents (COP) a draft of “Guidelines for Participation in Civic Events.” LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick in November 2001 asked the CTCR to prepare the guidelines in…

Note: Reporter cannot accept notices about items offered for sale or that people wish to purchase.  Items described as “Wanted” or “Available” are sought or may be obtained for shipping costs only. Wanted Complete sound systems for missions in Ghana, West…

A story in last month’s issue about registration for the 2004 National LCMS Youth Gathering said that both online and mailed registrations were still being accepted.  Online registration now has closed, but mail-in registration remains open. January 2004

Feb. 15 is the deadline for congregations to apply for competitive grants to help them develop support services for immigrants and refugees in their communities. The grants are from the Good Samaritan fund, a joint project of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee…

Lutheran schools will play a major role in the Synod’s Ablaze! initiative to bring the Gospel to 100 million unreached people by 2017, says Terry Schmidt, associate director of school ministry with the Synod’s Board for District and Congregational Services. …

By David L. Mahsman The Synod’s Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) Dec. 13 reaffirmed three earlier opinions that the Synod may not expel a member who, in the performance of official duties, follows the advice and counsel of his or her…

Retired Air Force General John A. Shaud of Springfield, Va., has been chosen to receive the Silver St. Martin of Tours medal in recognition of exceptionally meritorious service to the nation and the church. The medal, to be presented during…

Although 2003 was the last year for awarding congregational-outreach grants from the Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Foundation, the Synod office for that program is getting calls about how to apply for the grants in 2004. “We simply have to inform these…

By Paula Schlueter Ross If every Lutheran church body is already doing outreach, then what’s so special about the Ablaze! movement?, wondered Dr. David Tswaedi, bishop of the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa.  Ablaze! is LCMS World Mission’s initiative to…

“Luther,” the recent motion picture about the life and times of Martin Luther that ran in hundreds of theaters this fall, will be reissued for one week to theaters in communities where there is sufficient interest, according to one of…

Church-work students at Missouri Synod colleges, universities and seminaries are receiving $26,871,471 in financial aid during the 2003-04 school year. Although this is the first year for which the Synod’s Board for Higher Education has compiled financial-aid statistics for church-work students…

Robert W. “Bob” Fowls, head of school at Trinity Lutheran School, Bend, Ore., is among 65 who have been named “2003 National Distinguished Principals” by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Association of Elementary School principals. He and the…

By Paula Schlueter Ross Former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon will be sorely missed by fellow members of Our Savior Lutheran Church, Carbondale, Ill., according to Rev. Robert Gray, the congregation’s pastor. Simon, a member of Our Savior since 1974, was especially…