Have you ever recorded a sporting event for your favorite team only to sit down to watch it after knowing your team won? How is your anxiousness different than when you watch the event live and don’t know the outcome? As Christians, we know what happens don’t we?!  Jesus Wins! Satan is Defeated! The Victory is Ours! Why then are we so anxious?  “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth! He does not grow weary!” (Isaiah 40:28)

Confidence in our Savior, Jesus Christ, is knowing that He is always working for His glory and our good!

A Special Announcement

Dear Friends and Partners in Christ’s Mission,

Forty-four years ago, God called me to serve a third/fourth grade combination class of 36 students in a Lutheran school in the Pacific Southwest District. I was young, impressionable, eager to serve, and excited about engaging children in the learning process while, most importantly, sharing Jesus’ love with them and with their parents each day.

In 1998, God called me, via the Pacific Southwest District’s Board of Directors, into a different role – a leadership role within the district to “effectively resource congregations and schools for transforming lives and making the Great Commission REAL!” To serve in this role of Executive Director of School Ministries in the Pacific Southwest District has been the honor of a lifetime!

After much prayer, seeking the Lord’s wisdom and guidance, I have reached the decision to retire effective July 31, 2025. My husband and family are wholeheartedly supportive of my decision and have also been in prayer for me in the last few months.

My mere words cannot express how grateful I am to have worked alongside you these past many years. To get to know you all, to learn about your ministry contexts, and to count you as my friends is one of the greatest blessings of my life! God has been so faithful in covering my shortcomings and giving me courage each time I was faced with difficult situations. He will continue to bless this amazing district and its exceptional leaders. As always, I will continue to be in prayer for the vision, mission and ministry of the PSD and its leaders, as I will be in prayer for you, my friends!

God grant you His peace and joy in Christ Jesus, our Master Teacher!

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:3

Connected in Christ, in His service,

Rachel Klitzing, Executive Director of School Ministries

Please join us in praying and thanking God for the following schools this week:

iRemnant Preschool, Fullerton, CA

North Valley Christian Academy and Preschool (PS-12), Phoenix, AZ

Below are photos from North Valley Christian Academy and Preschool, Phoenix, AZ:

Each year at our annual educators’ conference, we receive a Thankoffering that is 100% used to fund scholarship requests for students of full-time church workers enrolled as undergraduates in one of the Concordia Universities who have declared a full-time church work major. This year we will continue this practice, but it won’t be taken as an offering at the All Workers Conference. Instead, we are asking you to mail a check to the PSD with your Thankoffering. This offering is a suggested donation of $1 for every year of service you have been blessed to serve in Lutheran education. We will be collecting these donations throughout November through December 15. You are still encouraged to collect this offering as a staff and submit it together! 

Please use this invoice to send your check or checks. Also, please be sure that THANKOFFERING is in the memo line. It might interest you to know that over just the last 10 years, $44,034.44 has been gifted to this scholarship fund and it has supported 91 scholarships for students to pursue their Calling as full-time church workers. (The total amount is greater than this, as this offering has been taken for decades, but this is a picture of the past 10 years.)

When: November 24-26, 2024 

Where: Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, Phoenix, AZ

Theme: All One – Ephesians 4:1-7

Conference website

Access the Breakout Sessions section on the conference website for a listing of presenter information and listing of breakout sessions being offered.

You are invited to join the Mass Choirs for the 2024 PSD All Workers Conference!

We have two exciting opportunities for you to join in worship through song at this year’s ALL WORKERS CONFERENCE! There will be a Mass Choir Praise Team for adults, performing at the Mass Event on Sunday night, November 24, where you'll join the band in singing some wonderful songs and hymn arrangements. Additionally, we’re inviting a Kids' Choir (grades 3-8) to sing one song during the Divine Service on Monday morning, November 25, and we would love to have you join us!

Resources for learning the songs and rehearsal times will be provided after you sign up, and we promise it will be a fun and fulfilling experience for everyone involved. Don’t miss the chance to be a part of something special—sign up through the form below!

Please contact Matt Preston (mpreston@cglchurch.org) with questions.

PSD All Workers Conference Adult or Kids Mass Choir Signup

Read about the China Innovation Trip in the most recent God @ Work story!

We are excited to share with you this month’s praise report from Unknown Nations, our 2024-2025 Hearts for Jesus recipient. Please take a minute to read how Abshir has been changed by the power of the Gospel shared with him through the Treasure in his country of Somalia, the largest unreached people group in the Horn of Africa. We hope that reading these stories each month is an encouragement for you to promote this year’s Hearts for Jesus project in your schools. Can you think of anything more critical and crucial than supporting the sharing of the Gospel to all who have never heard? If you haven’t yet made your commitment as a school to this year’s Hearts for Jesus mission project, you can find more information to use in all classrooms, preschool through high school, on the Hearts for Jesus page on our website. Please join us on this mission critical project!

The 2025 National Administrators Conference hosted by LEA is in the PSD this year! It will take place at the Irvine Marriott March 16-18, 2025. Here is the conference website - more details and registration information will be added soon!

From The Herzog Foundation:

We are accepting Bill of Rights Essay Contest submissions from middle school (6th-8th grade) and high school students currently enrolled in a Christian school or homeschool.

A winner will be selected from each category and will receive a $300 award from the Foundation. A select number of runners-up will also be recognized and will receive an award of $150. Winners will be announced on December 15, coinciding with Bill of Rights Day. 

Only essays from full-time students in Christian schools or homeschools will be considered. 

Essays will be accepted no later than November 27, 2024, and should not exceed three pages in length.

Submit Your Essay

Registration

Here you will find registration materials to register your group for the Gathering. Primary Adult Leaders are encouraged to read through the provided materials thoroughly before beginning the registration process. Online Data Entry is now open for Primary Adult Leaders. Groups can now mail their registration to the Gathering Office (LCMS Youth Ministry - 1333 South Kirkwood Rd., St. Louis, MO 63122).

Pre-Gathering Bible Studies Now Available

Each study dives into the Old Testament, offering insights that connect directly with this Gathering’s theme, ENDURE. 

YAV Application Open Until December 31

Young Adult Volunteers (YAVs) are adults ages 19–25 who serve as role models and servant leaders throughout all corners of the Gathering. The YAV application is open until December 31, 2024. 

Gathering Questions?

Check out lcmsgathering.com or email the PSD District Coordinators at lcmsgathering@psd-lcms.org.

The theme for the 2025 Rose Parade Lutheran Hour Ministries Float Committee (LHMFC) float entry is Behold! Jesus the Savior is Born. 

To millions on New Year’s Day and beyond, this float will be proclaiming THE STORY from Behold! Jesus the Savior is Born all the way through to RETURNING! 

And there’s a way for children (preschool - 8th grade) to be involved via LHMFC’s 14th annual float coloring contest!  

Entries now need to be postmarked by the new and extended date: Friday, November 15, 2024.  

Click here to download Coloring Sheet

Click here to download Contest Rules

• Prayers for the family of Sandi Riley, wife of Rev. Nathan Riley. Sandi passed away on Saturday, October 26. A memorial service will be held on Monday, November 11, at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, Orange, CA, followed by a reception. Daughter Shannon Morgensen is a teacher at Bethany, Long Beach. We pray for comfort and peace for the whole family.
• We pray for unity in our great country of America, and we praise God that He is the King of kings and Lord of lords over everything.
• We pray for our veterans. We are thankful for their service and the sacrifices they made for our country.
• We pray for the planning and preparation of the upcoming All Workers Conference. We are looking forward to a wonderful conference!

Schools we are praying for the week of November 10:

TLC Lutheran Preschool, Casa Grande, AZ

Shield of Faith Christian School, El Monte, CA

St. Paul’s Lutheran School and Preschool, San Diego, CA 

Each week, prayers of thanksgiving and prayers for teachers, administrators, support staff, pastors, students, and families of the Lutheran schools, early childhood centers, and churches of the Pacific Southwest District are listed. To include names on the list, please send information to anna.preus@psd-lcms.org by noon on Tuesdays.