The audits and summary budgets of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund and The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod Foundation have been completed and are available upon written request.  Please direct your request to: Lutheran Church Extension FundSunset Corporate Center10733 Sunset Office DriveSt.…

After receiving many nominations for individuals to serve as Concordia’s ninth president, 14 nominees have consented to their nomination. Those individuals include: Rev. Dr. Jon Bruss, Lawrence, Kan. Dr. Donald Christian, Round Rock, Texas Rev. Dr. James Gimbel, St. Paul,…

The colleges, universities and seminaries of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the college, university or…

ERIC E. KLEMME, Melrose Park, Ill.; and WALLACE EVERETTE MOONEY, Flat Rock, N.C., have applied for reinstatement to the Ministers of Religion — Ordained roster of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.  JULIE LANE, Bakersfield, Calif.; and JILL L. SCHAEFER, Springfield, Ill.,…

WARSAW (RNS/ENInews) — A Polish bishop has invited fellow Catholics from around the world to attend an unveiling on Nov. 21 of the world’s largest statue of Christ. The statue, located about 20 miles from Poland’s western border with Germany,…

WASHINGTON (RNS) — The number of Americans struggling with hunger remained stable in 2009 despite the economic downturn, but remained at the highest recorded level, according to new federal figures. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released statistics Nov.15 that…

(RNS) — A recent survey of 43,000 high school students found that public school students were more likely to participate in physical violence, while private school students were more likely to have teased or taunted someone, and more likely to…

WASHINGTON (RNS) — President Obama signed an executive order Nov. 17 that reforms the White House’s faith-based office in a bid to improve transparency and clarify rules for religious groups that receive federal grants. The nine-page order reflects numerous recommendations…

BALTIMORE (RNS) — The U.S. Roman Catholic bishops on Nov. 16 approved a mutual agreement with four Reformed Protestant denominations to recognize each other’s baptisms as valid, a pact that was six years in the making. Gathered here for their…

Concordia Historical Institute (CHI) recently gave “Awards of Commendation” for 14 works published in 2009. The awards for unique contributions to Lutheran literature or for personal service in the field of Lutheran archival and historical work were presented at CHI’s…

Dr. Norman E. Barth, who led Baltimore-based Lutheran World Relief (LWR) for 12 years, died Nov. 15 in Sioux Falls, S.D.  He was 83. A memorial service was held Nov. 19 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, a congregation of the Evangelical…

By Paula Schlueter Ross It’s said that nothing is certain except death and taxes, but perhaps it’s time to add to that list “Concordia University System enrollment growth.” This fall marks the 18th consecutive year that total enrollment at the…

By Kim Plummer Krull As the cholera outbreak grows ever more deadly, Willy Gaspar, LCMS World Relief and Human Care projects manager in Haiti, is working with Lutheran partners in the neighboring Dominican Republic to buy desperately needed medicines and…

Missionaries and teachers are applauding the Chinese-language publication of a Greek lexicon that The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod helped publish in English 53 years ago. The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature represents a giant step…

GENEVA (RNS/ENInews) — Global Christian and Muslim leaders have called for a new group that can be mobilized whenever a crisis threatens to fuel conflict between Christians and Muslims. “Religion is often invoked in conflict creation, even when other factors,…

(RNS) — Lawyers for the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office have two weeks to convince a federal judge to remove a temporary hold on a voter-approved state constitutional amendment that prohibits courts from considering Islamic law. U.S. District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange…