Rev. David A. Johnson of St. Louis has accepted the call to serve as executive director of the LCMS Commission on Worship, effective June 2. In that position, Johnson succeeds Dr. Paul Grime, who began serving last fall as associate…

Dr. Jaroslav (Jary) Jan Vajda — a retired LCMS pastor, author, and editor who was known as “the dean of hymn writers in North America” — died May 10 at Laclede Groves Senior Living Community in Webster Groves, Mo., where he and…

Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Baltimore, is seeking members of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and other volunteers to travel to India this fall to build low-cost homes through the “Thrivent Builds Worldwide” program and to visit communities in which LWR works…

Karen Sansone, director of the Tax and Compliance section of the Synod’s Accounting Department, reminds all LCMS entities that their efforts, if any, to “educate voters” must comply with Internal Revenue code requirements concerning political campaign activities. The code, Sansone…

By Roland Lovstad Theological training with a mission emphasis is the thrust of the Lutheran Hispanic Missionary Institute (LHMI) that began offering classes this year in El Paso, Texas. Supported by LCMS World Mission and the LCMS Rocky Mountain District,…

Registration remains open for LCMS Youth Ministry’s third National Lutheran Youth Workers Conference (also known as “NATIONAL”) — set for July 10-13 at the Westin Hotel In Indianapolis, where participants may take advantage of a special discount room rate until…

“Lutheran Ecclesiology for the Third Millennium: Beyond Walther” is the title of the 19th Annual Theological Symposium, to be held Sept. 23-24 at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. The American Lutheran understanding of what it means to be the church has…

The fifth edition of the sex-education series for children, “Learning About Sex,” is now available from Concordia Publishing House. The series provides up-to-date and medically correct information, with age-appropriate language and illustrations. Originally released in 1982, the set is designed…

The Good Shepherd Institute of Pastoral Theology and Sacred Music at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., has released an 80-minute DVD course on the history of Lutheran congregational song called “Singing the Faith — Living the Lutheran Musical Heritage.”…

LCMS World Relief and Human Care awarded initial emergency grants to two Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod congregations with members and facilities affected by tornadoes that tore through Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas the night of May 10. Mother’s Day weekend twisters there…

LCMS World Relief and Human Care and its Baltimore-based relief and development partner, Lutheran World Relief (LWR), are appealing to U.S. Lutherans to send contributions for desperately needed emergency aid to Myanmar (Burma) in the wake of the May 3…

Sourcebook 2008: Your Guide to Architectural Stained and Art Glass is now available free on compact disk. The publication is produced annually by the Stained Glass Association of America for use by architects, congregations, liturgical consultants, and other professionals active…

Concordia Publishing House is offering its customers a way to stretch their ministry dollars: Each purchase of $50 or more of any in-stock product ordered by May 16 earns a gift certificate that can be used on a future purchase.…

While the phrase “random acts of kindness” is a familiar one, Jeff Van Beaver would like the phrase “Planned Acts of Christian Kindness” (PACK) to be the rallying cry for congregations to reach the unchurched. Van Beaver is president of…

“Attitudes of mutual respect, good will, and shared hope that both bodies will have strong churches” were emphasized in a joint communiqué issued by representatives of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) after a meeting…

Rev. Edward Balfour of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, tendered his resignation from the LCMS Board of Directors in a March 13 letter to Board Chairman Donald Muchow. The process is under way to fill the resulting vacancy on the Board.  Balfour,…