Children excited about their first day of school; spying a monkey in a tree; eating fresh mangoes; making amaquinas — deep-fried donuts — at a local “tuck shop,” or grocery; distributing school uniforms and shoes to students; painting a home; visiting neighbors; teaching Bible stories to young children.

LCMS Missionary Ginger Taff-Lagergren shares those scenes and more from her service in South Africa in a Facebook photo album that documents five days in January (click here). (If you do not have a Facebook account, click here.)

“Each week holds so many stories. These are only a few. Thanks for sharing in this one — January 14 to 18, 2013,” writes Taff-Lagergren, now 66, who began her 18-month service as a GEO (Globally Engaged in Outreach) missionary Sept. 1, 2011. She plans to conclude her service on the field March 1.

Taff-Lagergren — known as “Gogo Ginger” (“Grandma Ginger” in Zulu) — and fellow missionary Zeal Beale spent the first three months of their service at the Lutheran seminary in Pretoria, learning about the country and the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa, the LCMS partner church the two missionaries serve. The 13 seminary students they met “remain in our hearts,” Taff-Lagergren told Reporter, and she and Beale have stayed close to them via the Internet.

But the bulk of their work has been in the village of Ntshongweni, serving the local Lutheran church and its créche, or preschool.

“Working with the teachers in the créche, we have tutored the children, and led weekly chapel watching their eyes light up as they hear the wonderful Bible stories and sing songs about Jesus with such enthusiasm,” writes Taff-Lagergren. “During these 15 months, we’ve led five weekly vacation Bible school programs during the five school breaks. Over 100 children wind their way to the church to discover the joy of worshiping, singing and playing together in God’s world!

“From the church and créche, Zeal and I have had the privilege of walking the hills and valleys to read English with the children at the primary schools, visiting families to provide spiritual and physical needs — delivering donations from so many caring and loving people both in South Africa and America, and building friendships throughout the community with children, teens and adults. I love hearing the greeting called out across the hillside, ‘Gogo Ginger, hello!’ and look to see a child, teen or adult waving and smiling at me. What a feeling of belonging!

“Zeal and I have had the joy and honor of sharing in traditional Zulu and Lutheran weddings, traditional gift-giving (American equivalent of a wedding shower), traditional ‘coming of age’ celebrations as girls turn 21 years old, celebrating newborn babies and becoming immersed in the community to the point we have forgotten we are the only white people anywhere within a 10-mile radius. We have also shared in the sorrow of more deaths than I care to remember. HIV/AIDS has ravaged this community. Gogos (grandmothers) find themselves raising second and third families, when they thought their sons and daughters would be providing for them.

“The poverty and lack of jobs facing families in Ntshongweni is heartbreaking. However, the hope they find in Jesus’ love enables them to face each day with determination. This is so very heartwarming and inspiring. I have learned so much from these resilient, strong Zulu men and women. Riding with them every day in the 16-passeger vans — taxis — we’ve become friends with the drivers and regular passengers, held their babies on our laps, laughed over everyday stuff, handed out Bibles, given an occasional shoulder to cry on, given lots of hugs and learned how to count our South African coins! It has been a privilege to live and work in this community with Pastor Thwala as our spiritual leader.

“As I transition back to the U.S., I’m thrilled to be seeing my family and friends again — and I’m saddened to be leaving my new family and friends. Yet I’m excited about the work I can do for them from home in Rochester, Minnesota. We are now family — together.”

Jennifer Prophete, program manager for short-term missionary service with the LCMS Office of International Mission, told Reporter that missionaries are needed to serve one week, two weeks, two months, a year or as a career.

“If you are interested in serving the Lord internationally like Ginger and Zeal, the LCMS needs you!” Prophete said.

For information, call 888-THE-LCMS (843-5267) or send an email to mission.recruitment@lcms.org.

Get involved:

• Learn about missionary service at www.lcms.org/service.
• Access the Serve Now service opportunity database at www.lcms.org/servenow.

Story courtesy Reporter Online; http://reporter.lcms.org.

“We have a wonderfully large opportunity to recruit pastors and lay missionaries,” the Rev. Randall L. Golter, the new executive director of the LCMS Office of International Mission (OIM), told the board. “It’s time we do a full-court press on recruitment.”

LCMS Chief Mission Officer Rev. Gregory K. Williamson echoed Golter’s concern with information from the Concordia University System (CUS), pointing out that the count of pre-seminary candidates in the CUS is down to 178 students this academic year, from 446 students in 2001.

“We [do] get seminary students from other places,” Williamson said, “but these numbers are troubling.”

Both Williamson and Golter emphasized the importance of sustaining strong relationships with the two LCMS seminaries and 10 CUS schools to build students’ interest for the mission field.

This was the first BIM meeting after Golter’s installation in late October.

The Rev. Dr. David Birner, who served as the OIM’s interim executive director, began serving Feb. 18 as executive director of International Education at Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon. In his new position, he will play an integral role in helping to identify and develop students for future mission work.

Williamson expressed his deep gratitude for Birner’s service to the board and welcomed Golter as “a great addition to our team.”

The board asked Chairman Rev. Bernhard Seter to convey its thanks and appreciation in a letter to Birner.

Calls, appointments

After discussing the need for recruitment, the board voted to extend seven missionary calls and appointments, including:

• four career missionaries — two called (to the Asia Pacific and Southern Asia Regions) and two appointed (Asia Pacific and Latin America).
• two Globally Engaged in Outreach (GEO) missionaries  — called (both to Africa).
• one international educator — called (Asia Pacific).

In addition to missionary calls, the board endorsed one military chaplain candidate.

The board also addressed the topic of missionary safety and security.

The Rev. Dr. Edward Grimenstein, director of Missionary Services with the OIM, presented the office’s program for deployed missionary security and safety. The program details the security measures for all LCMS missionaries and their families, including monitoring criminal and terrorist activities, processes to remove them from the field in such situations and actions that would be taken to repatriate them.

“The safety of our personnel is, of course, a high priority,” Golter later told Reporter.

The Rev. Mark Schreiber, the Synod’s director of Ministry to the Armed Forces (MAF), explained to the board the call and vetting process for military chaplains serving MAF. The board reviewed its policy on this process and posed possible changes. As a result, it approved processes for calling military chaplains that enhance MAF endorsing procedures.

Also approved was the draft of a new protocol document with Hong Kong International School.

Policies drafted by the board will be submitted to the LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters and the Synod’s Board of Directors for final approval. Upon approval, the BIM’s initial policy drafting process will be complete.

BIM members heard a theological presentation by Golter titled “Lutheran Mission: A Simple Look.”

“The heart of mission is God speaking people righteous,” Golter said. “Those who are gathered don’t assemble themselves, but it is God speaking that causes a holy assembly and that is the Church.”

Golter concluded his theological presentation by summing up the overall theme of the meeting with a call to action. He emphasized that mission work comes not only from professional educators, but also from throughout the Church, including board members. “It’s time to put our feet to the fire on recruitment,” he said.

The next BIM meeting is set for May 30-31 here.

Get involved:

• Learn about missionary service at www.lcms.org/service.
• Access the Serve Now service opportunity database at www.lcms.org/servenow.

Story courtesy LCMS Reporter Online; http://reporter.lcms.org.

The email is intended to let congregations know that if they want free resources to celebrate the special Sunday in May, they must place their orders no later than March 1.

Beginning Feb. 20, phone calls will be placed to congregations without email addresses so that they, too, may order “Armed Forces Sunday” materials.

A limited number of bulletin inserts will be printed this year, so orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Armed Forces Sunday” may be celebrated on an alternate Sunday, such as those falling around Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Veterans Day, or any other Sunday during the year that a congregation chooses to honor those who are serving in the military.

This year’s theme, “Christ, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God,” is based on 1 Cor. 1:23-24.

“Chaplains are called by the church to project the power and wisdom of God in the military arena, where power projection is a way of life,” said Chaplain Mark Schreiber, director of the LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces. “However, the contrast could not be greater between God’s power through Christ crucified and man’s power.

“Pray for success and wisdom for all our chaplains as they serve in this arena.”

The website for ordering bulletin inserts in quantities of 50, a suggested sermon and responsive prayers is www.lcms.org/armedforcessunday. Items ordered will be mailed in April.

Also available on the Ministry to the Armed Forces website — at www.lcms.org/armedforces — is a form congregations can use to register their armed forces members for the Synod’s “Ministry-by-Mail” program, which provides quarterly issues of Portals of Prayer to servicemen and women.

Congregations that celebrate “Armed Forces Sunday” are encouraged to ask their members who are veterans to come in uniform to worship on May 19 and that a special recognition ceremony be held for them and their family members. Also, a military chaplain may be invited to speak for the occasion.

To locate a chaplain in your area or for more information about Armed Forces Sunday resources, call 800-248-1930, Ext. 1337, or send an email to lcmschaps@lcms.org.

Story courtesy LCMS Reporter Online; http://reporter.lcms.org.

Since October, Birner, 61, has served as associate executive director for Administration, Planning and Operations with the Synod’s Office of International Mission (OIM). Prior to that he served for more than a year as interim executive director and interim co-executive director of the OIM, and was part of the former LCMS World Mission leadership team since 2003.

He also served the Synod’s mission board as area secretary for Asia and area director for East Asia from 1991 to 2003, and was a missionary and field director for Papua New Guinea from 1977 to 1991.

In his new position at Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), Birner will work closely with the academic deans and program directors “to identify, connect and coordinate CUW’s multiple relationships and academic programs in order to further define and expand CUW’s global footprint,” according to a news release from the school.

Other duties include helping to increase the number of international students studying at CUW, and assisting CUW students who wish to study abroad.

“We are thrilled to bring Dr. Birner onto our team,” said CUW President Rev. Dr. Patrick T. Ferry. “Not only does he bring with him Synod experience, but his international work as a missionary will be extremely valuable to our fast-growing program.”

Birner said he is “looking forward to using my networks and life experience to support and promote the excellent reputation of CUW, both here in the U.S. and abroad.” He added that he is “especially excited to join such an energetic, spirited and talented staff.”

Story courtesy Reporter Online; http://reporter.lcms.org.

Please pray for David and his wife, Lois, as they transition to Wisconsin and David’s new role in God’s mission. Give thanks for their 35-plus years of faithful service on behalf of the people of the LCMS through the Synod’s various mission boards and organizations.

• Swimming in the pool.
• Eating yummy Thai food.
• Being with Dad, who travels to other countries for work.

Those are some things Emma Hanson, 12-year-old daughter of LCMS career missionaries Rev. Carl and Chenhsi Hanson, says she liked about the retreat for LCMS missionary families serving in Asia.

But best of all was spending time with other children who “understood what it is like being a missionary kid,” Emma said in an email following the retreat, Nov. 7-11 in Phuket, Thailand, presented by Grace Place Lutheran Wellness Ministries.

“Not everyone at my school understands,” said Emma, who lives with her family in Hong Kong. “At the Grace Place, there were many things that we all had in common. I loved playing with everybody.”

Emma’s was one of 18 families who took part in the health and wellness retreat — a first made possible with the help of a Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) grant and donors to Grace Place, the St. Louis-based LCMS Recognized Service Organization.

Like Emma, the missionaries said they, too, welcomed the rare opportunity to be with their families and ministry colleagues who understand the unique challenges of serving the Lord internationally.

“Due to the fact that many of our mission fields only have one family in one country and that our work often involves a lot of travel away from home, to be together as families was a real blessing and one we will soon not forget,” Carl Hanson, mission facilitator for East Asia, said in an email.

Because of budget constraints, missionaries serving Asia hadn’t gathered as a team since 2004, Hanson said, making this the first time for most of the spouses and children to meet.

Grace Place hosted the retreat to support and encourage professional church workers and their families who, the ministry leaders say, face the same challenges — and more — as counterparts in the United States.

“Maintaining healthy, caring relationships with your family can be hard when you are so isolated and travel so much. Working in sometimes dangerous areas and fundraising pressures also take a toll on missionary health,” said the Rev. Dr. David Ludwig, Grace Place associate director of retreat programs, one of several leaders who shared Christ-centered presentations to strengthen spiritual, physical, emotional, financial and vocational health.

Ludwig noted another missionary challenge: a lack of support from nearby relatives and a home congregation that church workers in the U.S. often take for granted.

“We put a lot of emphasis on the importance [of the missionaries] taking care of self, not in a self-centered way, but as seeing yourself as a gift of God who needs to be healthy for ministry,” Ludwig said.

For the Rev. J.P. Cima, who has served five years in Southeast Asia, the Grace Place retreat offered much-needed spiritual care.

“We are usually the providers of that care, but often starve for it ourselves,” said Cima, at the retreat with his wife, Aimee, and two young daughters. “The Grace Place retreat provided a safe place to discuss, to rejoice, to cry and to pray.”

‘Third-culture kids’

While their parents enjoyed time together, so did more than 20 missionary children. The retreat featured a separate program for the youngsters, ages 3 to 17. Many of the children live in a different country from their birth or have parents from two different cultures.

Growing up as what Grace Place leaders call “third-culture kids” presents opportunities but also challenges, with some missionary children feeling they don’t fit in — in their native country or their mission field.

“We wanted the kids to have a good time and also have a chance to bond and make friends with others who understand what they might be going through,” said Greg Gillard of Anoka, Minn., a retired teacher and grandfather of two former missionary children, who helped lead the children’s program.

Thank-you notes from the missionary families tell how much the retreat succeeded.

International church workers often serve on the “edges” of the Synod, Cima said in an email. “It is humbling to know that we are valued enough to send such a great Grace Place team to Asia to serve us,” said Cima, adding that his family felt “energized to continue our service.”

The Rev. Joel Scheiwe, who, with his wife, Iantha, serves in Hong Kong, said the couple’s three children enjoyed being with other “missionary kids and realizing that such a life is ‘normal’ and even a blessing.”

Just as the missionary families expressed appreciation for the retreat, the Rev. Dr. Darrell Zimmerman, Grace Place vice-president and chief program officer, praised them.

“All church workers make sacrifices, but none more so than these folks,” Zimmerman said. “For us to be able to share a blessing from their church, to let them know the church is thinking about them, cares about them and wants to help them care for themselves, in body and soul and spirit, was a blessing for us, too.”

LWML support

The Thailand retreat was the second presented by Grace Place for LCMS missionaries serving internationally — a follow-up to last spring’s retreat in Kenya for missionary families in Africa.

More international retreats are planned, said Dr. John Eckrich, Grace Place CEO, who is working with the LCMS Office of International Mission on two retreats: for missionaries serving Eurasia scheduled in summer 2013 on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean, and for missionaries serving in Latin America in 2014. Both also will be funded in part with LWML grant support.

Kathy Ludwig, a retreat leader and longtime LWMLer, said the auxiliary’s generous funding for the retreats is no surprise.

“The LWML cares about missionaries and their families and wants them to feel loved and valued,” she said. LWML members “can feel good knowing they helped give these families an opportunity to be together and rest and process what all they go through.”

The new year also includes Christ-centered health and wellness retreats for church workers in the United States. Grace Place will host its traditional retreats for fourth-year LCMS seminary students and spouses in February, in both the St. Louis, Mo., and Fort Wayne, Ind., areas.

Also on tap are church-worker retreats for singles, couples and educators as well as local Congregational Wellness Weekends for church-work staff and lay leaders. (For more information, visit www.graceplacewellness.org or call 314-842-3077.)

In her thank-you note, Eliada Scheiwe, 10, expressed hope for another retreat for missionary families. After writing about her new friends and playing in the swimming pool, she printed a postscript: “Invite us again please,” she added, “Eliada Scheiwe, serving Hong Kong.”

Conference leaders Rev. Glenn F. Merritt, director of LCMS Disaster Response, and Rev. Carlos Hernandez, director of LCMS Church and Community Engagement, shared how, as Christians, Lutheran partner churches and organizations can prepare for and respond to disasters.

Topics covered included “Introduction to LCMS Disaster Response,” “Theology for Mercy,” “Disaster Response as Ministry,” “In the Aftermath of Disaster,” “Post Traumatic Effects of Disaster on Professional Church Workers,” “Sharing the Gospel in the Aftermath of Disaster” and “Assessing Damage and Facilitating Recovery.”

A delegation from the Japan Lutheran Church gave a presentation on “Ministry Following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami,” and representatives of The Lutheran Church in the Philippines addressed “Mercy in the Midst of Disaster.”

“Revs. Merritt and Hernandez brought experience and insight that made the training real and practical,” said LCMS Asia Pacific Regional Director Rev. Dr. John Mehl. “It was uplifting to see how Lutherans in Japan and in the Philippines have provided immediate and intermediate relief after recent disasters.”

Conference participants said it was helpful to hear how their fellow Lutheran brothers and sisters have responded to disasters.

“Even though Cambodia, where I am from, has not been heavily affected by disasters,” the conference provided “a good experience” to “hear some other disaster [responses] that have happened already,” said Sothea Then, assistant at Angel Dormitory in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. “I am very thankful to everyone who helped make the conference happen.”

Genmar Pizzaro, human care program facilitator with The Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP), said he enjoyed the opportunity to learn how the LCP can improve its disaster response. “The lessons, more than anything else, helped us to prepare for future disaster relief operations in the Philippines,” Pizzaro said. “In the past disaster relief operations, we had a little problem in the preparation, but with the help of the LCMS and our fellow workers, we can prepare well.”

Oratai (Dang) Thaweesin, executive director of the Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation in Thailand, agreed that the conference will help Lutheran partner churches and organizations respond more professionally to disasters.

“This conference helps you to learn the professional way [to respond to disasters] and you can transfer the knowledge to others,” Thaweesin said.

To see more photos from the conference, click here.

Story courtesy Reporter Online http://reporter.lcms.org; author Megan Kincaid is communication specialist, Asia Pacific, with the LCMS Office of International Mission.

Through presentations, hands-on witnessing opportunities and small- and large-group discussions, the conferences are intended to teach attendees how to share and live the life-changing message of the Gospel.

More than 2,000 people attended the conferences when they were first held in 2011.

“As a Christian, it is not just about running the race at the final day; it’s about how you train,” said the Rev. Gregory Seltz, speaker of “The Lutheran Hour.”

Through the conferences, “we want to empower you and give you skills so that you will be ready for the opportunities that God is going to send your way,” Seltz said. “God is going to send people who need to hear the Good News into your life …. Will you be ready?”

The upcoming conferences are planned for:

• Feb. 22-23, Hilton Arden West, Sacramento, Calif.
• March 1-2, The Queen Mary, Long Beach, Calif.
• July 5-7, Canad Inns Destination Centre Fort Garry, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
• Aug. 2-4, Holiday Inn Koger Conference Center, Richmond, Va.
• Aug. 9-10, Holiday Inn Westlake, Cleveland, Ohio
• Sept. 6-7, Millennium Maxwell House Hotel, Nashville, Tenn.
• Oct. 18-19, Omaha Marriott, Omaha, Neb.
• November (dates and venue to be determined), Houston.

Depending upon location, registration varies between $69 and $89 for adults, $39 to $49 for students in Grades 8-12, $19 to $29 for children in Grades K-7, or $200 to $225 for a family.

Registration is now open for the first two conferences, in California, and will open at least four months before each of the others.

For more information, or to register online, visit www.lhm.org/roc.

Reunification came Oct. 26 in a vote of delegates from both groups to the church body’s joint convention Oct. 23-26 in Antipolo City, Rizal, the Philippines. Preceding the convention was an Oct. 22 spiritual retreat for pastors.

“When brothers dwell together in unity” (based on Psalm 133:1) was the theme of the convention attended by 121 clergy and lay delegates representing the nearly 25,000 baptized members of the LCP.

“We are all rejoicing in The Lutheran Church in the Philippines,” said the Rev. James Cerdeñola of Baguio City, who was re-elected by convention delegates as president of the united LCP. He has been the church body’s president since 2004.

A Nov. 6 news release from the International Lutheran Council quotes Cerdeñola, with his noting “that the enemy — the devil — for 24 years split the church and because of that, we have not been a very good witness to the community. We have done a lot of things that are shameful and have exhausted the resources of the church. But after all the dialogs and talking between the two groups in the LCP, we decided to come together in a unification convention. … Indeed, praise God, we had a very joyful and successful convention. The two [groups] are now one.”

The news release also says that Cerdeñola “noted that reunification came about with support from members of the LCP and with help from partner churches around the globe.”

The LCP began as a result of the mission efforts of the LCMS, which started work in the country in 1946. It became a full partner church of the LCMS in 1971 and is a member of the International Lutheran Council. Today, the LCP has 190 congregations and preaching stations and 300 pastors, evangelists and teachers. The church operates Lutheran Theological Seminary in Baguio City, a preschool, six primary schools and a secondary school. The church body’s offices are in Manila.

• Learn more about LCMS ministry and partnership in the Philippines at www.lcms.org/philippines.

• Meet LCMS missionary to the Philippines, Sean Harlow at www.lcms.org/harlow.

Story courtesy Reporter Online at http://reporter.lcms.org.       

The award will be presented to Freitag during next summer’s LCMS national convention, July 20-25 in St. Louis.

“The Silver St. Martin of Tours Medal is the highest award our church body grants for exceptional, sustained meritorious service to God and country,” said Chaplain Mark Schreiber, director, LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces. “Lt. Gen. Merle Freitag’s brilliant military career coupled with his selfless dedication to our chaplains, their families and the spiritual welfare of all our veterans is demonstrated by 10 years of faithful service on the Ministry to the Armed Forces Committee. It is the unanimous desire of the committee and the church to recognize Merle for his accomplishments and thank the Lord of the vineyard for sending us such faithful servants. May the Lord Jesus Christ bless Merle and his wife, Phyllis, with good health and a blessed retirement.”

The Silver St. Martin of Tours Medal is awarded for exceptionally meritorious service in support of LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces. The service for which the medal is awarded must normally have been performed over a considerable span of time.

An Avon, S.D., native, Freitag retired as president of LCEF in 2010 after 11 years of service. He served as chairman of the LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces Committee from 2002 to 2012, chairman of the LCMS Ablaze! Steering Committee and a member of the LCMS Blue Ribbon Task Force for Funding the Mission.

He was in the U.S. Army for 32 years, serving as comptroller of the Army (1991-94) and as director of the Army budget (1989-91). He retired in 1994 with the rank of Lieutenant General, U.S. Army. Freitag served two overseas tours of duty, in Vietnam and Korea. He received numerous military awards and decorations including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Freitag and his wife are members of St. John Lutheran Church, Ellisville, Mo. They have two children and three grandchildren.

• To learn more about LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces, visit www.lcms.org/armedforces.

Story courtesy Reporter Online at http://reporter.lcms.org.

OIM Executive Director Rev. Randall L. Golter installed Grimenstein and officiated at the service.

Grimenstein, former manager of Disaster Response for the Synod, began his service with the OIM on Oct. 13.

In his new role, Grimenstein oversees recruiting and support of all short-term volunteer, GEO (Globally Engaged in Outreach, serving one- to two-year terms) and career missionaries, including recruitment, training, security and supervision.

Prior to joining the Synod staff in 2011, Grimenstein served as a pastor, educator and U.S. Army chaplain.

He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1999; a master’s degree in rhetoric from Kansas State University in 2002 and a Doctor of Theology degree in homiletics from the University of Toronto in 2007.

•  Watch video of Dr. Grimenstein’s installation on the LCMS video site http://video.lcms.org/archives/1667
• Learn about open service opportunities with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; visit www.lcms.org/missionaries and www.lcms.org/servenow
• Connect with missionaries past, present and future by liking the LCMS Missionaries Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lcmsmissionaries
• Partner with LCMS missionaries — both financially and prayerfully. Meet our missionaries at www.lcms.org/prayercards