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…

The Rev. John Barton “Bart” Day was installed Aug. 1 as executive director of the Synod’s new Office of National Mission (Life Together). In the new position, Day oversees the national mission functions of the ministries based at the International…

How the Synod can marshal its theological education and mission efforts for the greatest impact worldwide was the topic for a first-time meeting June 30 of 16 representatives from the two LCMS seminaries, Lutheran Hour Ministries, LCMS World Mission (now…

By James Heine ST. LOUIS — Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod continued their talks regarding “cooperation in externals” during a meeting here May 25-26. The top leaders of North America’s two…

Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod Communications announces an opening for the position of managing editor: Witness, Mercy, Life Together. The position is accountable to the director of News and Information and will be responsible for gathering, editing and supervising the production of…

By Roland Lovstad With a Witness, Mercy, Life Together emphasis, the coordinative services that the Synod will provide to districts and congregations and its mission work around the world will be carried out by two offices — National Mission and International…

By Joe Isenhower Jr. ST. LOUIS — The LCMS Board for National Mission (BNM) and Board for International Mission (BIM), meeting here June 3-4, individually approved their self-governing policies and reviewed with Synod President Dr. Matthew C. Harrison his work on…