SEC LCMS News Feed

Shell Ministry

2012-02-02

The following faith-sharing story is one of thousands taking place throughout the Southeastern District as individuals share who Jesus is and what he is doing in their lives. The Lord has led Doris Reinheimer to share her faith through pieces of shells washed up on the shore.

If you have a faith story you would like to share please take a few moments and send to Sally J. Hiller @ sjhiller@se.lcms.org

Year's ago while my husband, Dan, fished off the Nags Head Pier, I decided to walk the beach. I was fascinated by the small shards of seashells washed ashore, glistening in the sun. I soon found myself with a pocket full of shells. I had no idea what I was going to do with them, but God knew. I showed them to Sandy, who was also a Pastor’s wife. She went to a Christian bookstore and bought some stickers with a cross, put them on the shell shards and gave them with a blessing to people in crises. I could do that! I decided to paint a gold cross and a rose bud on each shell, and put a few in my purse to give away. Waiting in a hotel lobby while my husband went for the car, I overheard a man on the other end of the lobby speaking on his cell phone. He said, “She died a half hour ago.” I went over to him, placed a shell in his hand and said, “God is with you and He will help you and see you through your sorrow.” He never said a word as his eyes glistened. Later that morning he approached me and said how much it meant to him. Thus began the Shell Ministry.

My daughter, Carla, is the head night nurse on the oncology floor of a Catholic hospital. She has given dozens of shells to her patients. A 14 year-old boy, a cancer patient, had a bad time with chemotherapy treatment. She said “Don’t be afraid.” And placed a shell in his hand, “Jesus is with you.” The next day he went to Carla, whom he now called the “prayer shell lady” and asked for another shell. “I gave mine to a lady who was crying” he said. A terminal cancer patient couldn’t sleep, so Carla had a prayer with her and placed a shell in her hand. She died with the shell in her hand. She now gives out two shells, one to keep, and one to give a blessing to someone else in crises.

Our son Peter and his wife Sylvia are very involved in fund raising for breast cancer survivors in California, where they live. They asked me some shells. I asked how many would you need. They said about a hundred. Dan and I got busy picking up shells on the beach, and started painting.

I have many stories of people who received a blessing from the shells and then passed on the blessing to someone else. I recently spoke at a women’s church group, passed out shells, and now the stories are coming in. It has given Christians the boldness to speak the Gospel to strangers. There is no strings attached, nor any church advertisement, so the shells are eagerly received by people of all faiths. The shells were blessed by my now deceased husband, Rev. Daniel Reinheimer. He wrote the following to be given on a card along with the shells.

The Story of Shell MinistryA shell lay broken on the bottom of the sea until it was washed toward the beach. The movement of the tide and the sand in time healed the brokenness making sharp edges smooth. In time God brings healing and forgiveness through the cross of His Son. He is as close to you now as the shell in your hand. God has promised: “I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, Do not fear, I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:13). Pass the blessing to a friend in need, saying” God loves you and will se you through this crisis.”

Ways to support new ministries

2012-01-25

Rev. Glenn Lucas, Executive Director for Mission Development discusses ways that you and your congregation may support new ministries.

10 Ways To Support New Ministries

Personally1. PrayGod has a plan for reaching people through new ministries. Satan would like to see the new ministry fail and does not want to lose territory he has claimed. Pray for the people leading the new ministry, especially the church planter and his family. Pray that they will not fall into temptation. Pray that they will have courage in the midst of challenges and hardship. Pray that they will continue to grow spiritually. Pray for the people who live in the target community. Pray that people of peace will be found in the community. Pray that there will be an ever increasing longing for the hope and peace that only Jesus can bring. Additionally, become a Prayer Partner with the Southeastern District.

2. Designate a percentage of your tithe for a specific church plant/new mission.New ministries always face the challenge of funding. Designating a portion of your tithe or making an additional contribution for a new church plant or ministry can provide much needed funds to advance the mission of the new ministry.

3. Serve as a “short term” missionary at a church plant/new mission’s using your gifts to help advance the mission or make an event happen.Early in the life of a church plant one of the biggest needs is workers to assist in executing ministries and events that impact the community. This work may include stuffing envelopes, handing out hot chocolate or water at a local store, hanging door hangers in a community, canvassing a neighborhood, prayer walking, etc. The gift of your time and talents will encourage those launching the new mission.

Corporately1. PrayCongregations should pray for lost people in their public worship services. Congregations can create prayer groups that pray for specific church plants, planters, and communities. Additionally, congregations can become prayer partners with church plants and planters.

2. Invest 1-5% of your income in a new mission account.A great way to get ready to plant a new church is to set aside a percentage of all income in a mission account. These funds can be used by your congregation to plant a church or combined with funds from other congregations to support a new church plant.

3. Partner with a new mission financially.Church plants by nature are largely made up of new believers whose giving tends to be less than that of more mature disciples of Christ. Missions often struggle in the beginning because of inadequate funding. Your congregation's financial partnership may make the difference between a plants success or failure.

4. Invite a church planter to share his ministry with your congregation during your weekly services.Church plants and planters need exposure and support. Giving a church planter the opportunity to preach or share the story of his church plant during your Sunday morning service will raise the visibility of the church plant and planter. It will also affirm and encourage the church planter. Promote the coming of the planter during the Sundays leading up to the day he will be present. That Sunday is also a good Sunday to have a special offering for the church plant.

5. Provide a “Night Out” for a church planter and his spouse.Church planting is difficult work. It takes an emotional, physical, and spiritual toll on a planter and his spouse. A great way to support a planter and his spouse is to provide them with a night out. This night out could include a generous gift card to a restaurant, movie tickets, and even a hotel room as part of a romantic get away. If they have children your congregation can provide babysitting. The night out is a nice way to show that your congregation appreciates the church planter and his family.

6. Partner with other churches to start and/or support a new ministry.

Your congregation may be the lead church in planting a new ministry or it may come alongside of a planting church to assist in planting by providing funds, a platform for the planter to share the church plant story, releasing member to be a part of the launch team, sharing the names of guests of your ministry that may live in the target community, etc. There are many ways to partner and encourage the planting of a new ministry.

7. Send "short term" missionarires to help a new mission in a special event/outreachNew missions often need extra hands when they are seeking engage their communities. "Short Term Missionaries" are people who come alongside a mission for a brief period of time. Their work may be to help plan and execute a specific event or ministry. They may be people who show up to canvass a neighborhood or workers in a Vacation Bible School. There are all sorts of opportunities to serve in a new mission.

Learn How to Fund Your Mission in 2012

2012-01-24

The Southeastern District Multi-culturual Team is hosting a workshop on funding your ministry

Whether you are experienced at fundraising or just starting out, learning a few basics will help put you on the biblical path for recruiting and maintaining donor support. Essentially it is what late author Henri Nouwen says is “proclaiming what we believe in such a way that we offer people an opportunity to participate with us in our vision and mission.” Focus on mastering eight money management principles, setting a fundraising strategy, making your appeal to donors, and keeping your givers giving.

Step 1: Pray about God’s vision and mission

Step 2: Register for this daylong seminar by raising $200

(Appeal to 10 or more family, friends or supporters of your ministry).

Please register on-line

Step 3: Order and read Funding Your Ministry by Scott Morton

Join us at Peace Lutheran Church 15 49th Place Northeast, Washington, D.C. 20019

Saturday, March 24 9 a.m.- 4 p.m

For more information, contact: Rev. Lloyd Gaines at 301.266.7866, or email: lloydgaines@mac.com or Yvette Moy at yvettemoy@hotmail.com

For those traveling from out of town there are two hotels convenient to Peace Lutheran Church

Country Inn & Suites

8850 Hampton Mall Drive North

Capitol Heights, MD 20743

1-800-276-7415

Hampton Inn

9721 Largo Drive

Upper Marlboro, MD 20774-4758

1-301-377-4519

Pre-Retirement Workshops

2012-01-06

The Southeastern District is hosting two pre-retirement workshops from Concordia Plan Sevices in our district. The first one will be February 6th at Hope Lutheran Church in Wake Forest, NC and the second one will be on March 15 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Baltimore, MD.

Steps to Witnessing - The Roman Road

2011-11-01

No Excuses! We are Christians! We have a Call! We have the most glorious news to share! And there are no excuses! In his Training Lutherans For Outreach presentation Rev. Belton parts the curtain that blocks our view so that we can clearly see the opportunity and joy that we have as redeemed children of God to share with others.

Rev. Dr. Victor Belton shares his steps to witnessing “the Roman Road.” The Roman Road process to share Jesus without fear uses six verses and key questions. Watch a video of Rev. Belton as he speaks about the Roman Road process.

Key Questions for the Roman Road

Are you a sinner?

Do you desire forgiveness of your sins?

Do you believe Jesus died on the cross for you and rose again?

Do you desire a relation ship with God and the Holy Spirit

Would it be OK for me to pray with you?

Now pray and watch the Word work.

Disaster Response Update

2011-10-19

Mercy and Compassion in times of Disaster

During the month of August and September, members of SED congregations experienced numerous natural disasters: from earthquakes to hurricanes to tropical storms. All around us were opportunities to reach out with helping hands as we helped to make the Gospel a visible reality.

Lutheran Mission Society, Baltimore MD has eight compassion centers. Three of them suffered roof damage and flooding. The roof of the Cambridge Center was completely lost. More than 200 boxes of clothing were lost and workers are challenged to be there with the growing mold problem. Watch the YouTube video for the complete story of damage at the Lutheran Mission Society.

Mt. Olivet, Washington DC suffered severe damage with the earthquake. Fallen chimneys, buckled walls, and cracks around the stained-glass windows weakened this 150 year-old structure with a parish house located less than a mile from the White House.

New Kent Mission, Providence Forge VA is another ministry that was adversely impact by the floodwaters of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The Mission Team discovered about 8 inches of water that entered the church building during the storm after the water rose following a breach in the dam of a nearby stream. Carpet tiles and floor coverings have been removed. Interior walls torn down and rebuilt, and for a period of time the building determined to be unusable.

Crossway, Norfolk VA flooded because an exterior wall buckled. This building has been condemned and this ministry is in a time of discernment and fasting prayer to determine God's will for this ministry. The congregation strongly believes that they are being called to serve downtown Norfolk and now they seek the new way through which this will happen.

St. Paul, Havelock NC was spared tremendous damage as a huge tree fell missing both the church and parsonage. Throughout Havelock, the tree damage was severe. Rev. Jim Daub and members of the congregation gathered forces to remove the debris and serve in the recovery of this community.

Grace, Woodbridge VA serves in the community where an entire trailer home park was destroyed. Working with the local schools, they have identified 70 families from this community who are in the midst of being relocated. The congregation, through its Hispanic outreach efforts, has been working with several of the families who are seeking help in recovery. LCMS Human Care has just awarded an $8,000 grant to assist them. Rev. Karl Schuler and Rev. Pedro Lopez are working with school and community leaders.

Deaconess Kati Mulholland of Lutheran Social Services shares this story: Walter and Elena* are immigrants from Mexico, who have lived and worked in Prince William County, Virginia for a number of years. Seeking to achieve the American dream, they and their two children ages 9 and 11, had finally saved enough money to buy their own home. Pastor Pedro Lopez, of Grace Lutheran Church in Woodbridge, got to know this family when the parents enrolled in English classes sponsored by the church. He remembers the joy and pride they expressed when they announced that they had bought a mobile home in the Holly Hills trailer park, located a mile from the church. Class members celebrated with them upon their move "up." Less than six weeks later, Hurricane Irene had made a mud bath of the trailer park, and on its heels came the final indignity: Tropical Storm Lee dumped over 15 inches of rain on the community on September 9. A torrent of flash-flooding destroyed 66 of the 108 trailer homes in Holly Hills. "We have lost it all-our life savings, our possessions," Walter told Pastor Lopez when they came by the church to share their story. Walter, Elena and the children counted themselves lucky. They found friends willing to share a room in their own tiny home. It's a hard-scrabble, barter-and-cash economy among the working-poor: they're paying rent for a space smaller than a motel room and not complaining. Walter and Elena are reporting to their minimum-wage jobs and the children are back to school; so according to the County statistics, they have "recovered" from the disaster.

The gift that we are able to offer in the name of Jesus is that we will walk with our neighbor during the recovery time. Grace Congregation is beginning this walk with their neighbors.

Through it all we give thanks to God in every circumstance knowing that it is a walk no one needs to make on their own. I thank God for your prayers, your responses, and your support during these moments. This becomes our opportunity to respond through compassion and mercy to connect people to Christ.

*names changed to preserve privacy

Blogging = witness?

2011-09-22

Have you ever considered what it means when Joshua stated “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord?” (Joshua 24:15b) These words were presented to my husband and me as a wedding gift in the form of a beautiful plaque. The plaque has hung in our house for 16 years. However, I don’t think I ever really sat and thought about it. In fact, my first thought was “Of course we serve the Lord in my household.” Then I took a moment to think about what exactly it is we do to serve the Lord. That was a humbling moment!

Take those thoughts to a bigger picture. I serve as Director of Family Life Ministry at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, VA. As I looked around the congregation I am serving, so many are challenged with the concept of how their household is going to serve the Lord. The default to this verse is Sunday mornings. We are faithful servants of Him because we attend church on Sunday mornings. Yes, the Lord commands us to remember the Sabbath day; but it doesn’t stop there. We are to live His words daily.

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 11:18-20

Now back to the bigger picture. How can I as Director of Family Life Ministry equip those I serve to live a life where Christ is at the center on a daily basis? Blogging is one of the tools I use to equip. Passingonthefaith.blogspot.com is my blog where I can reach out to Redeemer members with ideas, resources, and scripture to use in their daily life. It opens a door for me to be “in” their house with God’s word and showing them how to serve the Lord daily.

What I didn’t see or know is how God would use this beyond my wildest dreams. My goal was to reach out to Redeemer members and maybe some of their friends. God’s goal was bigger! Not only is the blog reaching Redeemer members but it is reaching across the big blue pond. Countries like Russia, China, India, Latvia, Germany, Zimbabwe, Ukraine, and others are discovering little tidbits to what our glorious Savior is about. I am humbled once again! God is using a little idea planted in my brain to reach so many!

Cheryl Durheim

Director of Family Life Ministry

Redeemer Lutheran Church

Fredericksburg VA

Crescent Project

2011-09-12

2012 Convention Information

2011-09-06

The next Southeastern District Convention is scheduled for May 31 – June 2, 2012. Work in preparation for this important gathering is already underway at our office. As you move into the fall season, there are some equally essential preparatory steps that I must ask you to take. Among these are the following:

Nomination of qualified persons for District Offices, Board of Directors, Circuit Counselors.

Unfortunately, only about 20% of our SED congregations participate in this process. The privilege, however, belongs to every SED congregation. Please exercise it! Don't assume that others will take care of placing qualified persons on the ballot. Take the time to inquire and to search out those who will help the SED move forward in its mission and ministry.

Selection of Congregational Delegates.

This usually involves one pastor and one layperson. In most of our congregations, the pastor choice is automatic. But let me invite you to use the months ahead to identify "the best" among our male and female lay servant leaders to represent your congregation. These same delegates, moreover, will be the ones who cast the votes for the Synod President prior to the 2013 LCMS Convention.

Drafting Convention Overtures

This is another privilege that belongs to every SED congregation as well as any circuit or conference. In the past, many overtures have expressed a negative concern. These remain in order. But there is just as much room for overtures that are positive, forward-looking, and missional.

These same steps can be taken at any point over the course of the fall, and the deadline for getting the information to our office is January 17, 2012. You can expect to get a reminder along the way from our office. But September may a good moment to be sure that the SED Convention work gets on your congregation's upcoming meeting agendas.

Our 2012 District Convention theme is ‘Till All Have Heard – Connecting People With Christ. Our SED staff is in fact working with talented volunteers and gifted consultants to make this a gathering at which...

We will come together in celebratory worship and give thanks for the many opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the 30 million people who live within the geographical boundaries of our District.

We will spend time together in Bible study and at prayer so that God’s mission may be at the center of all our decisions.

We will assess the astounding progress being made toward the achievement of our SED mission goals by the Reformation anniversary in 2017, by sharing faith stories and highlighting the outreach efforts that our congregations are making, and by offering praise and thanksgiving to God for all the ways he has blessed our District along the way.

We will hear what our SED Board of Directors has to report to us regarding an SED Mission Endowment and other proposed efforts to fund the 100 new mission we are aiming to start by 2017.

We will elect servant-leaders and adopt resolutions that affirm the values and help define the paths that we will seek to follow until the next Convention.

We will receive the report of our Synod President, or his representative and hear about the structure and governance changes mandated by the 2010 LCMS Convention.

Convention materials will be mailed the week of September 5. Please take the time to read them carefully and to take the actions requested. Note the Pre-Convention Meetings that are being scheduled for the month of January. More information on these and the Convention itself will be on the way in due time.

In the meantime, I am keeping you in my prayers and I ask that you do the same for us here at the SED Office as we work together to prepare for our gathering in 2012!

Back to School

2011-08-19

Greetings in these glorious days of the Lord.Across our District, thoughts are turning to the new school year and new beginnings. As I read the various church newsletters, I note that many congregations have adopted local schools and are preparing materials, cards, and school supplies for them. Other congregations are gathering materials to fill school bags for local school needs. Our Lutheran schools are welcoming new workers, new students, and returning students. While they are preparing to teach academic subjects, they are giving thanks for the opportunity to freely share Jesus throughout the day in every area of school life.Many of our schools are faced with the challenge of low enrollment and higher needs for scholarships for students. This impact is difficult to address. As we pray for the work of mission within our District these next two weeks. I especially invite you to join with me in praying for our schools, for those who serve in our schools, for the students and their families, for an increase in enrollment for all of our schools. Let us pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in growing and nurturing young disciples who will make a Gospel difference in the life of their family and communities - today and tomorrow.

9/11 Worship Resources

2011-08-12

The following is from the LCMS website. They have a page set up to assist congregations with 9/11 resources.

Worship Resources for Tenth Anniversary of September 11

The following resources are provided to assist congregations interested in observing in some way the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our nation that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001. Since congregations observing this anniversary will do so in a variety of ways, a complete service has not been prepared. Rather, the following resources are offered with encouragement to use whatever will best serve the faithful in a particular context.

LCMS Sept 11 Resource page

Join Our Mailing Lists

2011-08-02

The Southeastern District sends out a number of different email newsletters each week, if you would like to sign up to recieve these newsletters please click the link below. Once on the page the newsletters will be listed so that you can sign up for all of them or choose to receive just the ones you are interested in.

The following is a current list of the SED e-newsletters

Congregtion News and Events

Official Acts and Notices

Praying for Missions

Youth and Family Update

Financial Matters

School Admin Memo

Mission Update

Faith - Sharing Stories

Congregation Outreach

Deaf Ministry in the SED

2011-05-06

Deaf ExperienceA story has often been told about Helen Keller in which she was asked to compare her two disabilities -- blindness and deafness. Which was worse? She is alleged to have answered, "Blindness cuts you off from things, but deafness cuts you off from people." There are many among us who have grown up all their lives unable to hear enough to communicate aurally. Their only mode of communication is visual. For most of these folks, their first and primary language is Sign Language. Because they share a common language and unique cultural experiences, they view deafness not as physiological malady but as a cultural identity. Thus, they refer to themselves as Deaf -- not deaf, and not "hearing impaired." Deaf people routinely face the frustration of dealing with hearing people who either cannot or will not attempt to communicate visually. Thus they experience the barrier in interpersonal relationships which Helen Keller described. We strive, however, to prevent this from happening in the church. Being Deaf does not prevent one from having a vibrant faith relationship with God through Jesus Christ and fellowshipping with fellow members of the Body of Christ.The "Good Old Days"For over 100 years of our nation's history, Deaf education occurred in residential schools -- both state-run and privately operated institutions, such as the Lutheran School for the Deaf in Detroit and Mill Neck Manor in New York. This educational model fostered a fairly cohesive Deaf community. This cohesion expressed itself in the church as Deaf Christians met for fellowship in their own congregations served by pastors who could communicate in their own language of Sign. Many of the essential social services in the Deaf community were provided by those same Deaf churches.A New Deaf AgeBut times have changed. Most Deaf children now live in their own homes and attend public schools in their communities. Most residential schools are a fraction of their former size; many have closed. Government agencies and businesses provide social services that once were found only in the Deaf church. Advances in technology are breaking down barriers to communication. Today many Deaf Christians are finding their fellowship in hearing congregations.These changes present both challenges and opportunities for the Church. If you or your congregation has such an opportunity for ministry with someone who communicates visually, we offer here resources to better equip you in that ministry. ============================Human resourcesSED Northern Region Rev. Ron Friedrich Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf, Silver Spring MD SED Southern Region Rev. Mike MacDonald Chapel for the Deaf, Charlotte, NC Printed resources for Deaf ministryhttp://www.deafleaders.org/html/resources.htmlHere you will find: Models of Deaf ministry Guidelines for hearing churches working with Deaf people Worship resources (hymns, liturgies, lectionary) Bible study resources Luther's Small Catechism for Deaf ChristiansOnline video resources Sign Language resources Deaf Ablaze! Faith sharing Signed Bible studies & worship resources Lay leadership training for Deaf Christians Directory of LCMS congregations in Deaf ministry ================================Myths about DeafnessMyth #1 -- "Hearing aids and cochlear implants cure deafness."Fact:Hearing aids simply amplify sound without discriminating its source. Environmental noise comes through as loudly as speech sounds. Increasing amplitude often does not sufficiently compensate for damaged receptor cells at specific frequencies in order to clearly decode speech. Hearing aids help users to discern the presence of sound as an adjunct to lip reading. A cochlear implant (CI) is simply a high-tech hearing aid which is wired directly to auditory nerve fibers. CI and hearing aids most benefit adults who once were able to hear well and then experienced severe hearing loss. At the time of their loss, the auditory and language processing centers of their brains have already developed skills for speech recognition. A CI can effectively restore hearing adequately to enable such a person to once again decode speech. But when an individual who has grown up without enough hearing to comfortably understand speech, neither a hearing aid nor a cochlear implant will help in communication. An aid or CI will simply give the user a sensation of sound, but the brain's circuits are not configured to decode speech. Many adult Deaf people who may have a small degree of hearing prefer not wear a hearing aid because they find the amplified sounds irritating.Myth #2 -- "Most deaf people can read lips"Fact:In order to accurately lip read any language, the lip reader must already know the language and be able to speak it fluently. If you have a Deaf friend who never speaks an intelligible sentence in English, yet you believe that he or she can lip read you well enough to know what your are saying, you are fooling yourself. (We can illustrate the point with many humorous true-life stories of deaf and non-signing hearing folk who thought they were communicating clearly with each other on two totally unrelated topics.)Imagine yourself in a room that has a soundproof window with a view into the next room. On the other side of the glass sits a person from another part of the world -- e.g. Asia, Africa, the Middle East (pick one). That person does not know your language and you don't know his language. You can only see each other; you cannot hear each other. Your task is to learn to read, write, speak, and lip read that person's native language. How long would it take you to acquire those skills? For most of us, a realistic answer would be "Never!"Through vigorous training, hard work, and determination, some Deaf people have done exactly that. But most are like the rest of us and they have more interesting things to do with their lives.Myth #3 -- "Sign Language is a visual form of English."Fact:American Sign Language is a unique language that is very different than English. ASL and English have different rules of grammar and different vocabularies. For many Deaf people, written English is a foreign language. This often becomes evident when they write a note in English. Grammatical errors do not indicate any impediment of intelligence. Rather, this is simply in indication of the challenge of writing in a complex language which they have never heard. Some educational programs attempt to expose students a visual form of English in daily converstation through artificial sign systems generically named "Signed English." These systems create signs to represent grammatical features found in English which are absent in ASL (such as verb tenses and suffixes), and it omits grammatical features found in ASL which are absent in English (such as noun location, verb direction-intensity-duration, adjectival classifiers, etc.). Nowadays Signed English is used, if at all, in a very limited way in the adult Deaf community. Most folks who have been trained in Signed English in school resort to ASL in real person-to-person conversation. ASL is more efficient and far more expressive than Signed English.Myth #4 -- "Sign Language is universal/international."Fact:Deaf people in every nation and culture have their own unique Sign Language systems, each with its own unique vocabulary and grammar which is not intuitively understood in another country. Just as hearing people in the United States, China, and Russia have different words to express such as simple concepts as MAN and WOMAN, so also Deaf people in those countries have developed different signs for adult males and adult females. Often uninformed hearing folk suggest that "someone ought to come up with a universal Sign Language." That has been done, just as there have been attempts to create a universal spoke language. But no artificially created "universal" language -- signed or spoken -- has changed the way we communicate among our friends and family. Whom do you know speaks fluent Esperanto?

Share Your Story

2011-02-23

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4: 6

A member of King of Glory, Williamsburg shares this conversation of grace:

I stopped by the local 7-11 one night around 6:30 to pickup a cup of coffee prior to a meeting at church. Normally, the store would have many customers in and out during that time of night. However, on this particular night the store was deserted with only one clerk on duty. I had seen this particular clerk in the store a few times, but really had no prior contact and didn't even know her name. This evening though, out of the blue, she blurted out that she had lost her daughter the week before and that the daughter had committed suicide. I was able during the next few minutes, uninterrupted by any store traffic, to talk to her about our Lord, the fact that we don't understand His plans, yet through prayer and faith He provides peace. I know full well that God gave me that window of time to speak with this hurting person.

We pray the power of the Holy Spirit will continue to comfort this grieving mother and lead her into a strong faith in Christ Jesus.

This faith-sharing story is one of thousands taking place throughout the Southeastern District as individuals share who Jesus is and what he is doing in their lives. Through these faithful and faith-filled expressions, more than 769,377 events have been recorded.

Take a few moments to share your story or register your faith-sharing experience here. Click here to record your faith-sharing experience.

Designate your Choice Dollars

2010-08-18

Thrivent Choice is the new charitable grant program through which Thrivent Financial for Lutherans members are able to direct Thrivent charitable funds. Eligible members are designated Choice Dollars, based on insurance premiums, contract values, and Thrivent Financial volunteer leadership which are directed by the member to Lutheran organizations. Thrivent members should have received program details from Thrivent to assist in designating Choice Dollars either online or by using a toll-free phone service.

A direct gift from Thrivent Choice is the replacement for Thrivent's past matching gift programs. Over the years the Southeastern District has benefited from Thrivent's matching gifts and relied on them for:

August Leadership Conference,

Mission Development Academy,

new mission development,

ministry scholarships,

and Disaster Response work.

So, when choosing a recipient for your Choice Dollars, please remember the Southeastern District as a beneficiary. You can donate your choice dollars to the Southeastern District in two ways, by going to www.thrivent.com and then go to Thrivent Choice Dollars and following the directions to give on line or by calling 1-800-847-4836. Thank you for supporting the Southeastern District through your Thrivent Choice Dollars. If you run into any problems contact your local Thrivent representative.

Your support is so very important for us as we continue to reach congregations and communities with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Tuition Assistance for Future Church Workers

2010-03-25

A priority of the Southeastern District is to raise up servant leaders in the form of LCMS professional church workers. To financially assist those who have pledged their service to become rostered LCMS workers, the District has established a Student Aid Grant program that is administered by the Student Aid Task Force comprised of church workers and laity of the Southeastern District. The program is funded through the allocation of budgeted funds of the Southeastern District as well as donations from generous individuals, congregations, and service organizations.

If you are attending or planning to attend one of the Lutheran Colleges you may apply for a Student Aid Grant. Application deadline is May 31, 2010.

more information....

Disaster Planning for Congregations

2010-03-09

Now Registering for Spring Conferences

2010-02-04

Church Workers Conference will be held on two dates at two different locations.

“Living Lutheran Theology in a Post-Church Culture: Sola Fide (Faith Alone)”The Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer, President, Concordia SeminaryMonday, April 12, 2010 Resurrection Lutheran Church100 W Lochmere Dr., Cary, NC 27518-9129www.rlcary.org - 919.851.7248

Register for Cary LocationTuesday, April 13, 2010The Lutheran Church of St. Andrew15300 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20905www.mystandrew.org - 301.384.4394

Sola Fide (Faith Alone) together with Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) and Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) form the spiritual foundation of the Lutheran Reformation we are preparing to celebrate on October 31, 2017. Church workers throughout our Synod and District know this very well. At the same time, the ground has shifted out from under the Christian church that was so familiar to many of us. The congregation in which I grew up was in a pivotal position in our community. At worship on Sunday is where most everybody was either to be found or else knew that this was where she or he ought to be. Today, great hosts of people in any community live their entire lives quite apart from any church. Some don’t even know what takes place within a Sunday worship service. And what’s more! They are not particularly inclined to come and find out. So, what does Sola Fide mean for us and for our congregations in this post-church culture in which we now find ourselves? How might it apply as we seek to carry out the mission to which our Lord continues to call us? I am looking forward to this year’s Spring PCW Conference because President Dale Meyer of the St. Louis Seminary will be here to help us discover some answers to these questions. This is a low-budget one-day conference offered two times in two separate locations in the SED. Those still needing to travel some distance may want to make overnight motel arrangements. But for the majority of us, not even this will be necessary. When all is said and done, we will request your feedback on this format. But for now, I want to personally invite you to come and join the conversation either in Cary, NC, or Silver Spring, MD.

Agenda - Please note that each location has a different start time

Monday, April 12, 2010 Resurrection Lutheran Church100 W Lochmere Dr., Cary, NC 27518-9129www.rlcary.org - 919.851.7248Agenda: Resurrection, Cary*8:00 Registration opens9:00 Gathering Time9:15 Devotion9:30 Session I - Dale MeyerNoon Lunch and District President’s Report1:00 Session II - Dale Meyer3:30 Closing Worship *4:15 DepartureLODGING OPTION for Cary:If overnight lodging is needed you may wish to contact the La Quinta Inn & Suites-Raleigh Cary, 191 Crescent Commons, Cary, NC 27518, (919.851.2850)Tuesday, April 13, 2010The Lutheran Church of St. Andrew15300 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20905www.mystandrew.org - 301.384.4394Agenda: St. Andrew, Silver Spring *8:30 Registration opens9:30 Gathering Time9:45 Devotion10:00 Session I - Dale Meyer12:30 Lunch and District President’s Report1:30 Session II - Dale Meyer4:00 Closing Worship *4:45 DepartureLODGING OPTION:If overnight lodging is needed you may wish to contact the Holiday Inn, Laurel-West, 15101 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, MD 20707. (301.776.5300)

New Prayer Resources

2009-11-20

In the Southeastern District we “walk together,” encouraged by St. Paul’s words to the Philippian congregation – “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.” (1:3-5) We share this prayer-filled partnership through which God is glorified and His mission is accomplished among us. The New Testament church reminds us that what gives life and energy to our mission and ministry are the Holy Spirit and our connection to God through prayer. In Acts we are told that those who gathered in the upper room following Jesus’ ascension “were devoting themselves to prayer.” (Acts 1:14) In fact, prayer is one of the four foundation blocks of the early church. (Acts. 2:42)

We have established a Southeastern District Spiritual Life Team, which is available to teach, facilitate retreats, and accompany those congregations wishing to expand their prayer life. The SED Spiritual Life Team has compiled resources on this webiste to support individuals and congregations in the knowledge and practice of prayer. We offer these resources as a way of deepening your walk with God and with each other.

You will find prayer resources listed under the Prayer section of this website.

Hispanic Outreach

2009-09-11

“The growth of the Hispanic (Latino) population in the United States is one of the most dramatic demographics in the history of the United States. The number of Latino people is increasing four times as fast as the rest of the population. At the present time it is estimated that 40 million Hispanics live in the United States--making Spanish-speaking people the largest minority in the United States. By 2040, one of every four Americans will be a Hispanic. This presents a great opportunity to the church to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this growing segment of the population.” LCMS World Mission.

The US Census identifies almost 2 million Spanish-speaking people within the Southeastern District. Outreach Mission efforts are gathering communities for worship and Bible study. Congregations and mission societies are offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, or serving meals, or operating Thrift Stores, food banks, clothes closets to meet needs of people. This Mission Update features four Spanish-speaking ministries supported by the prayers and gifts of the people of the Southeastern District. Continue to remember in prayer this important work of sharing the Gospel with all people.

Ascension Lutheran Church, Landover Hills, MD

Ascension Lutheran Church is starting their second year of ESL to the Spanish speaking community. “Typically, we have more students than we can accommodate,” says Pastor Fred. “When we reach the 100 student goal, I have to stand on the church steps and, sadly, turn people away who want to learn English.” Program Highlights• Students range in age from 12 – 75• From Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and El Salvador • Fall classes include a nursery with language activities for the children.. • Sessions begin with devotion, Bible Study, and discussion in SpanishAscension members of all ages – college students, working professionals and retired seniors – serve as greeters and teachers under the direction of Mrs. Mara Jeffries, Ascension’s Pastoral Assistant for Hispanic Outreach. Ascension’s goal is “to build bridges between our congregation and the immediate Spanish speaking community with the ultimate goal of establishing a worshipping community, and to equip Ascension members to be a part of this outreach.”

The ESL students and Ascension volunteers celebrate together by enjoying an awards ceremony for those completing the classes and by taking trips to DC to see the monuments and learn American history. The spokesperson for the students shared their appreciation at an awards’ ceremony:

"I am thankful that I could attend the English classes in a safe place that welcomed me and my family. Speaking for all of us, there were three things we learned most of all." "The caring of the church to open doors for us." "The love for God and the inspiration that we have every time we come in"

Welcome Rev. Pedro Lopez, Northern Virginia Hispanic MissionaryA call for a Hispanic missionary was issued and accepted by the Rev. Pedro Lopez of Racine, Wis. He will be installed on October 4 at 4 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church as an associate pastor with particular focus on Spanish Language Mission in Circuit 9. His wife, Francisca, daughter Jacqueline, sons Edward and Mark will be joining him in December. The Rev. John Meehan will serve as ecclesiastical supervisor. In 2008, Grace, Woodbridge; Prince of Peace, Springfield; and St. John's, Alexandria agreed to a covenant relationship to establish and support mission outreach with Latinos in Northern Virginia. The Spanish Language Mission Development Board is a group of individuals selected by three covenant congregations to be a resource and a tool for combining efforts in reaching 1 million Spanish-speaking people with the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ.

The Bridge Hispanic Mission

“Is that a Bible?” 8-year-old Edwin asked with interest. “Yes, and this semester we get to learn what it says,” replied Karen, his small group leader. “The Bible is God’s message for everyone!” Karen’s small group of second and third grade Hispanic students responded with surprise and interest. Many kids, as Edwin, do not attend church and rarely hear Bible stories. Yet beginning this month, 40 elementary students will gather weekly to hear God’s Word through the Kids Connect program of The Bridge Hispanic Mission. At the same time, their parents attend a basic English conversation class coordinated by The Bridge. 30 adults are currently studying in two levels. The highlight of the classes, every student agrees, are the volunteers who attend the class to offer one-on-one practice. Yes, every student has their own conversation partner! 41 volunteers from eight congregations make this outreach possible – serving the needs of our Hispanic neighbors, building relationships in the process, and sharing the gospel through these friendships.

The Bridge Hispanic Mission is an outreach of circuits 16 and 17 in Catawba County, North Carolina and is coordinated by Rev. Brandon Martin.

Cristo Senor de la Vida, Rockville MDCelebrating 15 years of ministry, this mission is reaching into the Rockville-Silver Spring communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rev. Aurelio Magarino, Executive Director of the Hispanic Lutheran Mission Society of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., was called to the Metro area to assist in the development of a mission to the Spanish speaking community in 1994. Today, members represent more than 15 nationalities including people from Uruguay, Guatemala, Venezuela, Mexico, Columbia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador and the United States. The cultural and political backgrounds represented must be considered as the congregation comes together as a group. As Pastor Margarino says, “Everyone has a story to tell”

Asian Ministry in the District

2009-08-04

Outreach in the Asian communities of our District. Read about three of our ministries serving the Asian population. They join Charlotte Hmong, First Light Korean, and Zion Korean missions. The Asian population within the Southeastern District represents nearly 20% of that in our nation Dr. Jotham Johann Jahn, Executive Director for the Center for Asian Mission and Evangelism serves the LCMS National Office in resourcing ministries in Asian outreach. Chinese Ministry at St. Paul’s Falls Church VATo God be the Glory. Candidate Xinhong (“Chris”) Yang has been placed at St Paul’s, Falls Church VA to continue the work begun in his vicarage. He will be ordained at St. Paul’s and serve the Assistant Pastor and mission leader for the Chinese ministry. His wife, Shaw-Hwa (Jenny), and two sons (Jonathon and David) will move to the area. Currently, the Deacons of the Chinese mission are providing ministry assistance within the congregation and Pastor Shaltanis is leading worship (with the help of a translator). Your partnership with Ablaze! for God’s Mission has designated funds for this ministry, which is an integral part of the congregation with about 35 to 40 in Mandarin language Sunday services, Bible classes, cultural activities and ESL instruction. Many of the group’s children go to English Sunday School classes. Chinese Mission, Church of the Cross, RockvilleThe Chinese Outreach Ministry at Lutheran Church of the Cross (LCC) in Rockville, Maryland was started in April 2005. Currently the Chinese-speaking congregation has about 30 families with 12 children between the ages of 1-18 years. Three families of 7 Chinese from mainland China (1 teenager, 2 children, and 4 adults) were baptized into the Christian faith at LCC in 2006 and 2008. 80% of the Chinese-speaking congregation come from mainland China and speak Mandarin Chinese which is the official language. The other 20% come from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Some of the Chinese also speak Cantonese Chinese, which is one of the common Chinese dialects. The Chinese worship service is conducted in Mandarin Chinese by Pastor Luu on Sunday from 11:30 am to 12:45 pm. Pastor Luu’s wife, Michelle Luu teaches the children Bible stories hour after the Children’s Message. An average attendance of 40 Chinese has been reached on Sundays in May 2009. Praise God for the 600 people who have participated in the English as a Second Language classes that have been continuously offered since 2005.Through financial partnerships with District congregations, LWML, and Ablaze! for God’s Mission, this ministry is supported. Greater Hickory Hmong, Hickory NCRev. David Vang is the mission leader of this outreach to the Hmong community. His journey has led him to speak the precious message of the Gospel in Mt. Airy, NC; Atlanta, GA, and in Newton NC where the largest of the Hmong missions gather. Rev. Vang sees an important part of his mission in providing support for the Hmong families those who are going through a trying time. The non-Christians, those who lost their job and are in need of physical and Spiritual help are those to whom he is able to minister to their needs, providing constant home visitations, and showing them about God’s love. Just recently an entire family who was not Christian, came into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and was welcomed through Baptism into the family of God. What joy there is in the celebration of those who once were in darkness but are now in the light of Christ. Your ongoing partnership in prayer and in Mission Partnership Support have resourced Pastor Vang for this work.

School Marketing Handbook

2009-06-02

In connection with their introduction of direct-marketing materils for schools, Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) has produced a marketing handbook to assist LCMS schools with development of their marketing communication plan. The handbook will not be printed but instead is available for download by clicking the link below.

School Marketing Handbook

Lutheran Church Extension Fund provides a large array of services to support your pursuit of the Great Commission. For additional information, please visit www.lcef.org.