‘Catalyst’ to advance rural, small-town ministry

By Roland Lovstad LCMS ministry in rural areas and small towns can be summarized with a couple of 50 percent statistics:  Slightly more than half of the 6,000-plus LCMS congregations are in communities with fewer than 15,000 population, and about…

Group purchasing brings savings for supplies, services

When she orders church and school supplies for Hales Corner Lutheran Church, Julie Crowe likes to track the discounts from the catalog prices. “I do keep track of the catalog list price and the savings are substantial,” she says of…

Vogel to serve as CTCR associate director

Rev. Larry Vogel has accepted the call to serve as associate executive director of the LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR). Vogel has served as pastor of Martin Luther Chapel in Pennsauken, N.J., for the past 18 years. …

Seminaries schedule campus-visit events

Prospective students can get a sample of seminary life and curriculum during March visitation events scheduled at the LCMS seminaries in St. Louis and Fort Wayne. Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, will host “Contemplate” March 12-14 for prospective students.  Concordia Seminary,…

CPH now offers English, Spanish, bilingual VBS

Concordia Publishing House is offering English, Spanish, and bilingual vacation Bible school programs for summer 2009. In Gadget’s Garage, available only in English, children meet Gadget, a teen who spends time tinkering in his workshop creating unique inventions, including a robot…