“When I got off the plane, I said, ‘My life is going to be protected now.’  Instead I was locked up like a criminal. … I kept saying, ‘This is America?’” Mekabou Fofana, a young man who fled war in…

The Center for Liturgical Art at Concordia University, Seward, Neb., is inviting artists whose work has religious themes and is meant for worship settings to submit information for a database of liturgical artists that the center is assembling for its…

Twelve Lutheran college fairs are planned this winter and spring at locations around the country.  A fair in Phoenix took place too late for this issue of Reporter. Representatives of the schools — the Synod’s 10 colleges and universities and those…

“Building Blocks for Today’s Great Commission Congregations” is the theme for the fourth annual Outreach Leadership Institute, to be held July 29-31 at Concordia University, St. Paul, Minn. The institute is a training event for those “who have a heart…

A traveling exhibit from Germany with more than 100 copies of items associated with Martin Luther has upcoming engagements on the campuses of the Missouri Synod’s two seminaries. The exhibit, titled “Martin Luther: The Reformer,” features “high-quality facsimiles and copies”…

Six days after President George W. Bush proposed new immigration policy on Jan. 7, the president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) said his agency “applauds [Bush] for bringing immigration reform into the center of policy debate.” “As a nation…

By David L. Mahsman The Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) and representatives of the Synod’s Board of Directors Jan. 5 had what the CCM’s chairman termed an “open and frank discussion” related to recent Board actions. Synod President Gerald Kieschnick…

All members of the Synod’s Board of Directors were aware that the Board had decided during the afternoon session to resume their meeting with a previously unscheduled evening session Nov. 21.  It was at that evening session that the Board…

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…

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…

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…

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 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…

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…

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 nation’s three largest Lutheran church bodies are conducting a study to determine the extent of indebtedness of their rostered professional church workers. They are The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran…