Objections remain to Moose lodge rituals

Objections remain to tenets and rituals of the Loyal Order of Moose, says a new evaluation of the lodge prepared by staff of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR). “The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod recognizes that the Loyal Order of…

CTCR considers revising policy on response to dissents

The Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) is considering revising its policy for how it responds to those who notify the commission that they dissent from a doctrinal resolution or statement of the Synod. At its Feb. 14-16 meeting in…

Peace accord may herald growth in Sudan church

By Paula Schlueter Ross The last time Rev. Andrew Elisa, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sudan, spoke with Reporter, his church body had about 5,000 members in 23 congregations, and he was the only ordained pastor. That was in November…

Amendment A falls short of `affirmation`

Amendment A to the Synod’s Constitution has failed to receive the two-thirds affirmative vote of congregations necessary to make it effective, while Amendment B has been affirmed. Amendment A would have changed the wording of Constitution Article XI F 2, dealing…

U.S. Lutherans` giving reaches record amounts

Synod members and other Lutherans continue to give in record amounts for South Asia tsunami relief. Through Feb. 14 — the latest figures available — tsunami-relief donations to LCMS World Relief/Human Care totaled $4.1 million.  By early February, gifts to Lutheran…

Planners pick 2007 Youth Gathering theme

“Chosen” is the choice for the theme of the 2007 National LCMS Youth Gathering, set for July 28-Aug. 1 that year in New Orleans. The theme came out of a Jan. 14-16 meeting in New Orleans involving the staff of LCMS…

Focus on cleanup, rebuilding, say tsunami assessment teams

By Kim Plummer Krull Posting personnel in Sri Lanka and Indonesia as quickly as possible and focusing on projects that assist with the “incredible” challenges of massive cleanup and long-term rebuilding are among key recommendations from two LCMS assessment teams…

LCMS ministries act on tsunami recommendations

As soon as LCMS mission-assessment teams recommended efforts for continuing relief work in tsunami-ravaged countries, LCMS World Relief/Human Care and LCMS World Mission began working to turn some key proposals into action. Dennis Denow, an LCMS World Mission education specialist,…

Mission societies meet to form alliances, learn

By Paula Schlueter Ross This year’s Association of Lutheran Mission Agencies (ALMA) conference attracted a few non-members, which actually makes a lot of sense, according to Rev. B. Steve Hughey, LCMS World Mission’s adviser to the organization. ALMA is a network of…

Is your congregation ready for prime time?

By Jeff Crilley When I was growing up as a preacher’s kid in Detroit, I just figured everyone’s father was interviewed on the news and quoted in the paper each week.  It seemed like there were always cameras in my father’s…

Registration opens for `Living Well` symposium

Registration is now open for Wheat Ridge Ministries’ National Symposium on Health and Hope, set for Oct. 13-15 in Denver. With the theme of “Living Well,” the event is being planned as a highlight of the organization’s 100th anniversary this year,…

Call for nominations: education executive

The Board for University Education (BUE) and the Board of Directors of the Concordia University System (CUS) is seeking nominations/applications for the executive director BUE/president CUS.  The executive director/president is directly responsible to the Board for University Education and is…

New Directions conference info to arrive in February

Synod congregations, mission societies, districts, seminaries, and former missionaries should be receiving in February information about “New Directions ’05 — A Networking Conference for Mission Responders,” to be held April 28-May 1 at the St. Louis Airport Marriott.  Theme of…

Seminaries offer free visits

Both Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod seminaries — Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne — are offering free campus visits to prospective students in March. The three-day visits are open to men, college age and older, and their wives…

Notice: nominations for seminary president

According to the Bylaws of Synod (3.7.1.6.2 [c]), nominations for the presidency of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, may be put forward only by the following entities:  congregations of the Synod, the Board for Pastoral Education, the Board of Regents of…

Calls for nominations: university, district positions

Concordia University, Portland, seeks nominations and applications for a level IV staff position, beginning this spring.  This position is responsible for administration and supervision of the Academic Applications Division of Information and Technology Services at Concordia.  This division provides direct…