Dr. Oswald C.J. Hoffmann, religious broadcasting pioneer and honorary speaker of radio’s “The Lutheran Hour,” died Sept. 8, 2005, in St. Louis after a brief illness. Dr. Hoffmann, 91, had been in and out of the hospital in recent weeks, according…

CARL A. BROWN, Memphis, Tenn.; ROBERT D. MCAMIS, Chattanooga, Tenn.; and JEROME MITCHELL, Brecksville, Ohio, have applied for reinstatement to the Minister of Religion-Ordained roster of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.  FREDRICK L. AUFDEMBRINK, Norfolk, Neb.; JULIE DAVIS, Leland, Mich.; SUSAN…

The Board for Black Ministry Services plans, coordinates, and expands the activities in Black Ministry with the various judicatories of the Synod, including districts and local congregations.  In addition, by special assignment of the Board of Directors, it recruits Black…

Note:  Reporter cannot accept notices about items offered for sale or that people wish to purchase.  Items described as “Wanted” or “Available” are sought or may be obtained for shipping costs only. Wanted The Lutheran Hymnal, 50 copies.  Rev. Harold…

“Friendship Ablaze!” — what’s being described as “the most comprehensive package of user-friendly resources ever developed in our Synod to help congregations and schools be the best welcoming communities they can be, as they share the Gospel with their neighbors”–…

A 53-foot semi-trailer filled with more than $60,000 in chainsaws, generators, wheelbarrows, diapers, and non-perishable foods arrived at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, La., on Sunday (Sept. 4), sent by St. Louis-based LCMS World Relief/Human Care in response to needs…

Assisting with agricultural support for returnees in Sudan and helping to establish urgently needed schools in India are among 24 international mission projects to receive support from $800,129 in grants from LCMS World Relief/Human Care. The grants include 18 for…

Lutherans For Life (LFL) is offering a new eight-page booklet whose author emphasizes that forgiveness in Christ is the key to helping those affected by addictions deal with their lives.  Titled “Forgiven in Christ,” the booklet (Item 908B) may be…

“Call and Ordination in the Lutheran Church” is the theme for the 10th annual Pieper Lectures, set for Sept. 22-23 at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Sponsors of the lectures are Concordia Historical Institute, which is the Synod’s Department of Archives…

Honorary speaker of “The Lutheran Hour” Dr. Oswald C.J. Hoffmann will no longer travel, make public appearances, and answer correspondence on behalf of Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) after serving nearly 70 years as a Lutheran pastor, professor, public-relations executive, author,…

Wheat Ridge Ministries is taking orders for its “Lutheran Wheat Ridge Christmas Seals 2005.” Wheat Ridge distributes the seals free to congregations, organizations, and schools for them to pass along to families and individuals. This is the third year for which Wheat…

With the theme “Enlarge the Harvest,” the 88th annual international convention of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League brought more than 1,000 people to Topeka, Kan., to focus on training leaders and “activating” laypeople for ministry, kick off the yearlong 75th…

The Synod’s Board of Directors (Board) says it wants to hear from presidents of LCMS colleges and universities about a proposal from the Board for University Education (BUE) to test an “RSO governance model” for the 10 schools that would…

By Roland Lovstad Although membership declined by more than 25,000 people from 2003 to 2004, total contributions rose by $51 million among the 6,151 congregations in The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.  According to congregational reports of statistics for 2004, LCMS members…

ORLANDO, Fla.– Synod President Gerald B. Kieschnick told the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s 2005 Churchwide Assembly here Aug. 12 that “all too often” the two church bodies “do not come to the same conclusions regarding what we understand the…