By Joe Isenhower Jr. “The entire room broke into applause” after Bishop Amos Bolay of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia (ELCL) requested altar and pulpit fellowship between the Missouri Synod and his church body during Dec. 31 discussions in…

The Rev. Gregory K. Williamson, a native of Walters, Minn., was installed Jan. 9 to a three-year term as the Synod’s first chief mission officer. Preaching at the installation service, held in the chapel of the LCMS International Center in St. Louis,…

Lutheran schools and their sponsoring congregations may order a variety of resources from LCMS School Ministry and Concordia Publishing House to promote “National Lutheran Schools Week” (NLSW), set for March 4-10, 2012. This year’s theme, “Securing Each Child’s Future —…

By Adriane Dorr Hearing the stories of Lutheran pastors caring for their flocks in the Baltic region has been “personally heartwarming,” says the Rev. Dr. Timothy C. Quill, director of theological education for The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and a professor at Concordia Theological…

In his third and final monthly video message supporting the Synod’s What a Way initiative, LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison urges pastors, teachers and other rostered LCMS church workers to use that initiative’s resources for their well-being.  …

Concordia Theological Seminary is offering its annual Advent preaching workshop Nov. 8-9 on its campus in Fort Wayne, Ind. The workshop will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 8, and from 8…

The Witness, Mercy, Life Together supplement to the October Reporter included a profile of the Office of National Mission (ONM) by the Rev. Bart Day, its executive director. While that supplement is available online (click here), here is a brief summary…

By Kim Plummer Krull When a magnitude 8.8 earthquake and tsunami killed more than 700 people and affected lives in nearly half their country, leaders of the self-described “very small” Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile (IELCHI) questioned how they could help…

By James Heine More than 100 mission leaders and executives attended an LCMS national mission conference Sept. 20-22 in St. Louis. The conference was organized by the LCMS Office of National Mission (ONM) and the LCMS Office of the President. The goal…

The LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) met Sept. 15-19 in El Paso, Texas — first for its regular quarterly meeting and then for an expanded “Consultation on Immigration Issues.”   At the consultation, the CTCR heard presentations from…

By Joe Isenhower Jr. ST. LOUIS — The Synod Board of Directors took several actions and heard numerous reports during its Aug. 25-26 meeting here. Among actions, the Board: appointed Andrea Pitkus of Buffalo Grove, Ill., to fill a lay…

Deaconess Pamela J. Nielsen of Ballwin, Mo., began serving Sept. 1 as managing editor for Witness, Mercy and Life Together with LCMS Communications. In the new position, Nielsen will be responsible for gathering, editing and supervising the production of materials…

By Kim Plummer Krull A few days after they were rescued by boat from their flooded home, Jan and Greg Wilsey say they are “overwhelmed.” But, surprisingly, the members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Delmar, N.Y., aren’t referring to their escape…

“PRAY 2011,” the latest LCMS gathering to focus solely on prayer, is planned for Oct. 13-14 at the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel in St. Louis. Like similar events in 2009 and 2010, the event is open to those who consider…

By Kim Plummer Krull After a surprise visit from a Kenyan Lutheran friend, the Rev. Kevin Vogts now sees a blessing in the midst of those “enormous black columns” of mosquitoes swirling over floodwaters that forced about 70 percent of…

The registration fee for the 2013 National LCMS Youth Gathering — July 1-5 in San Antonio — will be $295 per registrant. A 12-member Gathering executive team set the fee at a July 17-20 meeting in San Antonio. That team…