Hello friends! In just 25 days, we will gather at the Town & Country in San Diego for LEC opening worship! If you haven't yet started using the pre-conference devotions... please do so! Connections will highlight and link to the devotions each week leading into LEC. Thank you to Conni Schramm for authoring these devotions. Enjoy!

"Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting." — Psalm 93:1b–2

If we look for stability in predictable schedules, quiet hallways, or perfect compliance from those we serve, we will constantly live in distress. The world around us is flawed and unpredictable. But Psalm 93 anchors us in an objective reality outside our school building: God’s throne is established, and the order He holds cannot be moved. 

Read the rest of Riding the Wave of God's Promises: Resting in Unshakeable Grace here.

The November devotion is now up on our website. It is written by Jennifer Schedler from Faith Community Lutheran Academy in Las Vegas, NV, and titled "Keep Me in the Moment." Click HERE to read it.

LEC 2026

November 22-24, 2026

Town & Country Resort, San Diego, CA

REGISTER HERE!

Pre-Conference Devotions

Please be sure to check out the LEC Pre-Conference Devotions. These were beautifully written by Conni Schramm. Please utilize these five devotions as staff devotions and/or individual devotions in the next few weeks leading up to the conference. 

Gift Vendors

This year we will have 6 vendors who will have gift items for sale! This has been a big request every year, and we are pleased to be able to offer this option this year! Bring your Christmas lists and start shopping early!

Hotel Update

We have surpassed 600 registrations, and the Town & Country Resort is close to being sold out. If you still need to register, please do so ASAP. Overflow hotel information will be shared once we know we have an official sell out at the Town & Country. If you have booked rooms you will not be using, please release them back to the hotel as soon as possible. Thank you!

We look forward to welcoming you to the Town & Country Resort in San Diego on November 22!

Thank you to the 69 schools who have submitted their LCMS statistics! The deadline for statistics reporting is THIS Sunday, November 1. 

To submit your 2026-2027 School Statistics, log into the LCMS Information Support Network (LISN) for Schools website at lisn.lcms.org.

We are pleased to offer NLSA Accreditation Training for educators and school leaders who are preparing to serve on an accreditation visiting team or would like to become eligible to serve on future teams.

Date: Thursday, November 12

Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location: Pacific Southwest District Office, Irvine

Format: In person

What to bring: Your laptop

This training is required for assigned visiting team members who have not yet completed NLSA training. We also welcome educators and leaders who would like to learn more about the accreditation process and help support Lutheran schools in their continuous improvement efforts. Participants will gain an understanding of the accreditation process and the responsibilities of a visiting team member.

Please click here to register to attend.

TEC21 resources you’ll want to share with your teachers!

> SEASON 19 WORKSHOP PROGRAM REGISTRATION, from this exciting September 2027 lineup:

• EC-8 educator (in-person and virtual options)
• EC-8 principal (virtual)
• EC-12 music (virtual)
• MS/HS subject-specific (virtual for ELA, science, social studies and theology) 

> NEW! SUBJECT- AND GRADE-SPECIFIC VIRTUAL MEETUPS for Lutheran school educators! Read more here and encourage your teachers to join to talk shop about resources, tools, lesson ideas and best practices. Open now for 1st Grade, 4th Grade, MS/HS ELA, and 3D Printing.

> TEC21 PODCASTS. Listen to them all here.

> LEARN MORE FROM TEC21’S 2026 annual report and general information flier and share with all your teachers to encourage participation and renewal.

New Called Worker Workshop -

January 28, 2027 - Irvine, CA

Designed for any rostered church worker in the first two years of their initial call* or in the first two years of their first call to the PSD**, this event introduces the worker to the resources and staff of the Pacific Southwest District. This is a "working event" where workers are encouraged to come with their laptop/tablet and spend time applying in real time the resources available to them as rostered workers of the PSD. A highlight of this event is the "Taxes as a Church Worker" FAQ session.

*Initial call: Worker recently completed colloquy, is recently ordained, or is recently commissioned as a DCE, teacher, deaconess, etc.

**New to the PSD: Worker has served in called ministry outside of the District, but now is serving in the PSD

Registration information will be available soon - save the date and plan to attend!

Leading a private school in California means navigating a complex landscape of programs, policies, and legislation. CAPSO’s professional development sessions offer practical guidance on key aspects of school administration, including accessing state and federal programs and understanding legislative requirements. Designed for CAPSO member private school leaders, these sessions provide timely information and resources to support informed decisions and effective school leadership.

View CAPSO Member Resources

Episode 3: Loneliness

This new podcast episode discusses the themes of mental and spiritual wellness, focusing on loneliness and its impact on church workers and the community. The conversation highlights the importance of vulnerability, authentic connections, and the role of technology in shaping relationships. The conversation explores the themes of loneliness, vulnerability, and the importance of community connections, particularly in the context of faith and personal relationships.

Jim Henkell and Xavria Schwarz co-host this episode, along with guests Courtney Burns and Nate Brewer, both licensed counselors. Together they share insights on managing loneliness, recognizing indicators of loneliness in others, and the significance of reaching out to build and maintain relationships.

Also available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

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

Mt. Calvary Lutheran School and Preschool, Diamond Bar, CA

Orange Lutheran High School, Orange, CA

Desert Foothills Lutheran Preschool & Kindergarten,

Scottsdale, AZ

Below are photos from Mt. Calvary Lutheran School and Preschool, Diamond Bar, CA:

Second Grade on our first Spirit Day

Mt. Calvary faculty

Fifth Grade Praise Band leading songs at chapel

Infants and toddlers enjoying some playtime with chalk on the playground!

Three-year-olds enjoying some tasty popsicles after a successful

FUN RUN!

Preschoolers practicing some songs to perform for our church on Sunday!

Below are photos from Orange Lutheran High School, Orange, CA:

In Honors Molecular Genetics, students explore the science of life through hands-on learning and discovery. 

Daily Gathering brings the Orange Lutheran community together in worship, prayer, and God’s Word. 

The friendships among Lancers extend well beyond the classroom and the years spent on campus.

Below are photos from Desert Foothills Lutheran Preschool and Kindergarten, Scottsdale, AZ:

Making applesauce

The boys from kindergarten saying the Lord’s Prayer with Pastor Jeremy

Ladies who lunch

Key dates on the PSD School Ministries Calendar:

• LEC 2026 - November 22-24, 2026
• National Lutheran Schools Week - January 24-30, 2027
• New Called Worker Workshop - January 28, 2027
• AZ Early Childhood Equipping Conference - March 5, 2027
• CA Early Childhood Equipping Conference - March 12, 2027
• PSD Administrators Leadership Conference - July 14-16, 2027

• Prayers from Orange Lutheran High School:

Please pray that our Orange Lutheran students are grounded in God’s Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to help them internalize the Gospel so they truly know they are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone. Pray that their confidence in Christ leads them to share His love, grace, and mercy with others.

Please lift up our students’ mental, emotional, and physical well-being amidst the pressures of high school. Pray that God grants them peace, wisdom, and discerning hearts to make healthy life choices. Ask Him to surround them with a supportive community and reveal the unique gifts and callings He has given them to serve others.

Pray for our staff and faculty as we model integrity, innovation, excellence, and Christ-like relationships. Ask God to equip our students to be thoughtful, discerning leaders in a digital world. May they use their gifts not for self-gain, but to serve those in need, care for creation, and shine Christ’s light everywhere they go.


• This Pastor Appreciation Month and every month, we are thankful for pastors. Please join us in thanking God for our pastors! Take time this month to thank the pastors in your life for the work they do as servants of God within the Church, our schools, and the communities they serve.

Schools we are praying for the week of November 1:

iRemnant Preschool, Fullerton, CA

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