By Sarah Schafer Even as the remnant of Hurricane Isaac brought heavy rainfall and strong wind to the East Coast late Tuesday, Sept. 4, the LCMS continued to take stock of its damages and reach out with mercy to those affected.  At…

Thanks to the initiative of Deborah Henry from Imperial, Mo., the “Luther Rose” (also known as “Martin Luther’s seal”) is now approved for inscription on headstones of veterans’ grave markers in U.S. national cemeteries. Henry is a member of Hope Lutheran…

By Adriane Dorr “The fields are ripe for the harvest,” says the Rev. Dr. Lee Hagan, director of LCMS Rural and Small Town Mission, who believes that the LCMS is uniquely poised to reach out to Christians and non-Christians alike in…

  Tuesday, Sept. 4, update: Concordia College Alabama in Selma, Ala., evacuated some 70 students to a local hotel Tuesday, Sept. 4, because of flash flooding caused by heavy rains.  Concordia President Rev. Dr. Tilahun Mendedo said the college is doing everything…

By Paula Schlueter Ross Arson hasn’t been ruled as the cause of an Aug. 5 fire at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mount Vernon, Wash. — but it hasn’t been ruled out either, according to the Rev. Kevin Schubkegel, the church’s…

Three new staff members “with skills and abilities that will help us address new challenges and opportunities” are being welcomed to the LCMS Office of National Mission’s Youth Ministry unit. The Rev. Dr. Terry Dittmer, director of LCMS Youth Ministry, made…

(RNS) — The Roman Catholic Church has sent a letter to its parishes across Scotland protesting a political race to legalize same-sex marriage. The letter was read Aug. 26 by priests in 500 Catholic parishes urging Scotland’s political leaders to “sustain…

WASHINGTON (RNS) — One year after an earthquake caused extensive damage to the Washington National Cathedral, church officials received a large gift to help restore the structure. The $5 million grant comes from the Lilly Endowment Inc., a philanthropic organization. The announcement…

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Spike Lee is not about to give up filmmaking but — at least for a moment or two — he sounded a bit like an expert on the challenges facing the church as he promoted his new…

CLEVELAND (RNS) — The law of God will collide with the law of man this week in a crowded federal courtroom in Cleveland, where 16 Amish defendants — 10 men with full beards, six women in white bonnets — will…

NEW YORK (RNS) — Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who sparked controversy by agreeing to deliver the closing blessing at the Republican convention in Tampa this week, drew further attention to his political role by asking both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama…

(RNS) — Here’s something everyone can “like”: Social media fosters community, even for those who don’t have a home. A new study finds social media like Twitter and Facebook tear down economic and geographic barriers to help homeless people connect to…

(RNS) — The world’s best-selling book has made it to the small screen in what is thought to be the first religiously themed game show on a secular network. “The American Bible Challenge” tests teams’ knowledge of the Old and New…

By Pamela J. Nielsen Nearly eight years after the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami claimed some 283,000 lives and countless livelihoods, LCMS Disaster Response continues to help those still affected by its deadly waves. The Synod disaster arm’s help keeps coming in…

By Adriane Dorr Fraternal discussions between representatives of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) and The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod continued with a second meeting July 19-20 at the NALC headquarters in Hilliard, Ohio. The NALC is, according to its website,…

By Adriane Dorr  More than 120 Lutheran leaders from around the world will gather in Atlanta, Ga., this fall to discuss the Reformation and its significance in the 21st century. Hosted by the LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR)…