By Kim Plummer Krull A tsunami wave triggered by a powerful earthquake hit Constitucion, Chile, especially hard in 2010, killing some 350 people in the coastal community alone and causing so much damage that survivors feared their town was all…
Concordia Seminary, Argentina, celebrates 70th anniversary
By Pamela Nielsen Nearly 1,000 Lutherans gathered May 1 on the campus of Concordia Seminary in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to celebrate and thank God for its 70 years of preparing pastors and other church workers. Participants included pastors and other…
Why the United Methodist Church canceled votes on same-sex marriage and gay clergy
(RNS) — United Methodists (UMC) concluded their General Conference May 4 without voting on gay clergy or same-sex marriage, a surprising end to a disappointing week for gay activists. On May 3, the nearly 1,000 delegates gathered in Tampa, Fla.,…
Methodists agree: homosexuality 'incompatible with Christian teaching'
(RNS) — Despite emotional protests and fierce lobbying from gay-rights groups, United Methodists (UMC) voted May 2 to maintain their denomination’s stance that homosexual acts are “incompatible with Christian teaching.” Two “agree to disagree” proposals were soundly defeated during separate votes…
'The Voice': New Bible translation focuses on dialogue
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — The name Jesus Christ doesn’t appear in The Voice, a new translation of the Bible. Nor do words such as angel or apostle. Instead, angel is rendered as “messenger” and apostle as “emissary.” Jesus Christ is “Jesus…
'Reporter,' 'Lutheran Witness' win seven ACP awards
The Synod’s two official periodicals — Reporter and The Lutheran Witness — received a total of seven awards from the Associated Church Press (ACP) for work done in 2011. The awards were presented at the ACP’s annual convention, April 30-May…
'Call day' services place 139 pastors, assign 114 vicars
A total of 139 pastoral candidates were placed into their first calls during “call day” services May 1 at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and May 2 at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind. Those called included one student from Concordia…
CTCR responds to ELCA statement, plans conference
By Adriane Dorr During its April 26-27 meeting in St. Louis, the LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) adopted a formal response to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) social statement, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” (HSGT). The…
LCMS reps, Indonesian church leaders hold talks
By Adriane Dorr The Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III, LCMS director of Church Relations, and Darin Storkson, LCMS regional director for Southern Asia and Oceania, recently visited with officials from the Indonesian Lutheran Christian Church (ILCC) to discuss potential…
Fire destroys church in Flat Rock, Mich.
A cigarette butt tossed into a flower cart that sat outside the front doors of Hope Lutheran Church, Flat Rock, Mich., is suspected of causing a fire that destroyed the church on April 26. No one was injured in the…
CNH delegates re-elect Newton president
Delegates to the 69th convention of the LCMS California-Nevada-Hawaii (CNH) District re-elected by acclamation on the first ballot the Rev. Dr. Robert D. Newton of San Jose, Calif., to his fourth term as district president. Meeting April 27-29 in Burlingame, Calif., the convention…
Walther League plans 28th annual reunion
Former Walther League members from throughout the United States are invited to attend the 28th annual Walther League and Lutheran Young Adult Reunion on Saturday, Sept. 29, in Frankenmuth, Mich., as part of a “Heritage Weekend” of activities. On Friday,…
Students, LCEF call first marketing competition a win-win
By Kim Plummer KrullJose Elizondo admits he never heard of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) before he began researching the organization for its inaugural national marketing competition for Concordia University students. But the more the Concordia University Texas, Austin,…
Fred E. Lietz dies — LCMS Church Extension pioneer
Fred E. Lietz, the first executive leader of Church Extension for The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, died April 19 in nursing care at Lutheran Haven, a retirement community in Oviedo, Fla., where he and his wife resided. His death at age…
Harrison leads malaria prayer service at International Center
Synod President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison led staff at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis in a 19-minute prayer service on “World Malaria Day,” April 25. The service included the “14:40 Prayer for World Malaria Day” that asks God…
New book details history of Lutheran Heritage Foundation
The Rev. Robert Rahn, founder of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF), has written a 330-page book that traces the development of the organization from its beginnings in Russia to its present-day work in Africa and Southeast Asia. The book’s title, Jesus…
