Third missionary cohort of 2025 completes orientation

On Nov. 14 at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis, new LCMS missionaries were recognized for completing training. Pictured, from left, are (front row) Kaelin Peralta, Shanna and the Rev. Michael Hageman, and Hanna and Sean McHugh; and (back row) Daniel and Marie Lowitz, and Deaconess Gina and the Rev. Jeffrey Teeple. (LCMS/Frank Kohn)

By Cheryl Magness

On Nov. 14, new Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) missionaries who recently completed orientation were recognized following daily chapel at the LCMS International Center (IC) in St. Louis — the third cohort to do so this year.

The Rev. Dr. Cory Rajek, executive director of the LCMS Office of International Mission (OIM), noted that, in total, 25 missionaries completed training this year — the highest number in at least six years.

Rajek said, “It’s been a delight to lead [these missionaries] through orientation, through [learning about] what is Lutheran missiology. … We give thanks to God for their willingness to serve.” Rajek added appreciation for the OIM’s missionary recruitment team. “They’ve been doing a phenomenal job.”

Missionary orientation comprises four phases:

Zoom training about the region in which a missionary/missionary family will be serving;

In-person training about the Synod’s overarching mission to “Spread the Gospel, Plant Lutheran Churches and Show Mercy”;

Initial visits to potential supporters to teach on Lutheran mission, share about the OIM’s work in the world, and help people find places to connect to the mission of the church; and

A final training at the IC to learn more details about deployment, be trained in safety and resiliency, and prepare spiritually and logistically to begin service.

Rajek noted that Phases I and II of missionary orientation “engage Lutheran theology much more than in the past.” Under the title of “Unpacking Lutheran Mission,” the missionary orientees study:

Mission Foundation – Justification (AC IV)

Mission Focus – Word and Sacrament ministry (AC V)

Mission Emphasis – Theological Education and Catechesis (Catechism as a missional document)

Mission Vocation I – The Need for Both Clergy and Laity in Mission (AC XIV)

Mission Vocation II – The Missionary’s Role in the Three Estates

Mission Cultus – Divine Service and Missionary Life

Mission Challenges – Ecumenical Concerns

Missionaries recognized on Nov. 14 were:

Rev. Jeffrey and Deaconess Gina Teeple, serving as a pastor and project manager in Germany;

Daniel and Marie Lowitz, serving as ESL teachers and outreach specialists in the Dominican Republic;

Rev. Michael and Shanna Hageman, serving as a theological educator and ESL teacher in Tanzania;

Kaelin Peralta, serving as a communication specialist in Africa, based in Kenya; and

Sean McHugh, serving as business manager for the Eurasia region, based in Romania. McHugh will be accompanied by his wife, Hanna.

Peralta said that missionary orientation was a little like “drinking out of a firehose when you’re there,” but it “equipped me with the tools I need to serve the Lord as a missionary. … The spiritual and practical preparation I received gives me confidence to boldly proclaim the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. I am excited to reach the mission field and pray the Lord uses me for the benefit of His kingdom.”

Marie Lowitz said, “Daniel and I could both see God working throughout every step of this process. We could see His hand in our new missionary family, the staff who trained us, and the everyday events leading up to this point.” Lowitz cited 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control,” adding, “If we take a step back and look at all that is to come, it can be quite nerve-wracking. But we know God did not give us a spirit of fear, and we can find peace in seeing how far He has taken us.”

Gina Teeple highlighted “the wonderful team” in the OIM, who “have been insightful, encouraging and supportive throughout this entire process. As we head toward the unknown, we know we are not alone.” Teeple said she and her husband often return to a familiar collect: “Lord God, You have called Your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that Your hand is leading us and Your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

The Hagemans also take comfort from the knowledge that they have a large team behind them to whom, Shanna said, they “can confidently reach out for assistance when needed. Though we are beginning to wade into uncharted waters, we hold on to Psalm 119:105, which says that God’s Word will be ‘a lamp to our feet and a light to our path,’ as well as to Psalm 139:5: ‘You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.’”

This missionary cohort began their training in September. Their deployment dates have been set for early 2026. Learn more about their service at their respective missionary pages:

lcms.org/hageman

lcms.org/lowitz

lcms.org/mchugh

lcms.org/peralta

lcms.org/teeple

Posted Dec. 10, 2025