Kirk Bolt of Naperville, Ill., and Carl Schiefer, Boca Raton, Fla., are co-recipients of the Lutheran Education Association’s (LEA) National Distinguished Lutheran Elementary Teacher Award for 2004 and Kristin Drake, Arlington Heights, Ill., is LEA National Lutheran Early Childhood Teacher…

Why I Am a Lutheran: Jesus at the Center, written by Synod First Vice President Daniel Preus, is now available from Concordia Publishing House. Rather than provide an exposition of the Christian Church and Lutheran teachings, Preus wrote the book, he…

Rev. Al Tormoehlen says he would like to hear from anyone interested in attending an Aug. 25-29 training event in St. Louis for the Harvesters For Christ program. “We are looking for people of all kinds — laity and/or church professionals,…

Registration remains open for a number of off-campus continuing-education workshops both Synod seminaries are offering around the country this summer. Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, is holding 10 workshops, with registration still open for eight, and the registration deadline has passed for…

From: President Gerald B. Kieschnick Subject:   LCMS Board of Directors and Bylaws Regarding:  Opinions of Commission on Constitutional Matters  Date:  May 23, 2004 In accord with the Constitution of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod it is my duty as president to report to…

By David L. Mahsman LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick is formally reporting to the Synod that the Synod’s Board of Directors has taken actions that, in Bylaw language, “may be in violation of the Constitution, Bylaws and resolutions of the Synod.” A notice…

By Joe Isenhower Jr. On the surface, the 2004-05 spending plan of $84.8 million the Synod’s Board of Directors adopted for national ministries at its May 20-22 meeting in St. Louis appears to be good news, compared with the $77.5 million…

God’s Word to the Nations, an LCMS mission society based in Cleveland, is offering “handy-size” editions of three of its specialty Bibles — GOD’S WORD of Freedom, designed for armed-forces personnel; GOD’S WORD to the Nations, for international students and immigrants;…

Wheat Ridge Ministries is inviting congregations to submit applications from July 1 through Sept. 30 for its “Congregation Health and Hope Grant” program. The grants are intended to help congregations develop health and wellness ministries. All Lutheran congregations — individually or in…

President George W. Bush offered what he called “a few thoughts about how you can make your mark in the world” when he delivered the May 14 commencement address at Concordia University Wisconsin, at Mequon. The commencement assembly first watched…

Registration is now open for the next Mission Planters Institute, to be held July 25-30 at Concordia University, Irvine, Calif.  The institute is sponsored twice a year — in February and July — by the Irvine-based Center for U.S. Missions…

Two Lutheran Witness stories were recognized by the Evangelical Press Association (EPA) during its convention, May 2-5 in Minneapolis.  The EPA’s “Higher Goals” awards were for work done in 2003. The first-place award in the “Reporting” category went to “Bethlehem 2,000…

By Paula Schlueter Ross Is the “Great Commission,” or reaching the lost for Christ, the “primary focus” of today’s Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod? Two-thirds of respondents to an online survey posing that question said no. When asked in a follow-up question what the…

Rev. Brian Friedrich has accepted the call to be the 10th president of Concordia University Nebraska, at Seward, beginning in July.  He will succeed Dr. Orville Walz, who is retiring after 14 years as president. Friedrich, 46, is currently vice…

The incumbent Synod president and first vice president have received the most nominations from LCMS congregations for election at this summer’s Synod convention to their respective current positions. Synod President Gerald Kieschnick received 1,244 nominations for re-election to his office, and…

The Board of Governors of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League invites applications and nominations for the position of executive director, based at its Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) headquarters in St. Louis, Mo.  The executive director provides leadership to accomplish the…