“You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit…” John 15:16a

Now we weren’t sitting at the table for the last supper when Jesus spoke these words over His disciples, but we have been chosen by Him and have a purpose given to us by Him. The fruit referenced in Scripture is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Notice that it is fruit singular – all these facets are one fruit, given by the Spirit. Our purpose as disciples of Jesus is to be love, joy, peace, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and controlled in a world that is out of control so that someone might stop and ask us why, which opens the door to share Jesus to a world that doesn’t understand.

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

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

Christ the King Lutheran Preschool and Kindergarten, Newbury Park, CA Desert Foothills Lutheran Preschool, Scottsdale, AZ

Below are photos from Mt. Calvary Lutheran School and Preschool,

Diamond Bar, CA:

Firefighters Visit

PreK Classroom

Beep Beep at ECC Racetrack

Doxology at Chapel

Music Class with Mr. McCombs

Preschool Bubble Day

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

We have weekly chapel hosted by Pastor Jeremy and our kindergarteners recite The Lord's Prayer.

Our students go out and explore our desert grounds

We have a comfort dog named Gracie.

A big congratulations to Word of Life Preschool in Surprise, AZ, who was awarded "Best Preschool 2024" for the city of Surprise, AZ. This is the second year in a row Word of Life has won this award! Pictured above are Pastor Dave Martin and Preschool Director Ericca Stoetzel with their preschool banner.

On that note, please share with us any honors or recognitions your school receives - we love to highlight our schools!

THERE IS STILL TIME TO REGISTER! Hotel reservations have been extended beyond November 1! The hotel has graciously extended our deadline to mid-November. We know that some of you are still waiting for the approval from your local school districts for title funding. If you have not reserved your hotel rooms yet, please do so as soon as you confirm you will be attending the conference. Booking your hotel rooms as soon as you can is helpful to our planning committee and to the hotel as details do need to be confirmed based on registrations. Here is a direct link to book your hotel rooms. 

We also highly encourage you to bring your family and stay additional nights on the front or back end of the conference at the same GREAT hotel rate we have negotiated for the conference! There are many wonderful things to do downtown, including an excellent Children’s Museum not far from the hotel. It is a very safe area with plenty of eating options within blocks of the hotel, including a Chick-fil-A across the walkway from the hotel! The mint chocolate chip milkshakes should be available by then!

Thank you for your attention to this request.

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

When: November 24-26, 2024 

Where: Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, Phoenix, AZ

Theme: All One – Ephesians 4:1-7

This year’s registration cost is $190 per person. Hotel rooms are $129 per night.

Conference website

Click here to register - please register by November 1.

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

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!

The November devotion is written by Steve Barillier, Assistant Principal at Orange Lutheran High School, and titled Labeling with Love: Embracing Grace in Challenging Moments. Click HERE to read it. Thank you, Steve, for reminding us "that with the Lord, even when we might feel we have nothing left to give (or when we might feel we don’t have the desire to give anymore of ourselves), by prayer and supplication He will provide!"

Join us for a meaningful and transformative session to explore ways to elevate your enrollment sales approach from transactional to transformational by becoming trusted advisors rooted in Christian principles of service and stewardship. We’ll define key organizational expectations for your admissions department, dispel common misconceptions about the sales process, and focus on developing soft skills that reflect Christ’s love in our interactions. This is a unique opportunity to strengthen your team’s approach to enrollment, build deeper relationships with families, and respond to God’s calling in Lutheran education. Included in this will be an interactive session on building a sales team through culture transformation.

Session Title: Transformational Enrollment

Speaker: Steve Jin, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services, Concordia University, Irvine

Audience: School Leaders, Admissions Directors, Marketing Directors, and Community Outreach Coordinators

Date: Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Location: Pacific Southwest District (16355 Laguna Canyon Rd, #300, Irvine, CA 92618). Please check in at the front desk when you enter the building before heading up to the Pacific Southwest District Office located on the third floor.

Please RSVP here.

Lunch is provided! Please email eunchu.kim@psd-lcms.org with any questions.

LCMS School statistics are due THIS FRIDAY, November 1. 

Here is the website to login: https://lisn.lcms.org. Here is the email address to Rosters & Statistics if you need further assistance accessing the webpage: rosters.stats@lcms.org. Once you have access and are logged in, your School Ministries team is happy to help with any further questions. Thank you for your attention to this important task!

All schools that have submitted their statistics by November 1 will be entered in a drawing for a gift card of choice!

Year-after-year participation in the TEC21 Workshop Program is like a compounding investment.

Registration for Season 17 (for a September start date in the 2025-2026 school year) opened Tuesday, Oct. 1, and registrations are already coming in! Does it matter whether you register this early, even with just your principal name, to save spots? Yes. To delay registration is to risk the possibility of not getting a seat in your desired cohort!

Register Here!

Is it important to continue sending your teachers back through the TEC21 Workshop Program year after year? Yes, it is a best-practice decision affirmed by LCMS school principals for these reasons:

1. TEC21 participants are built up in the body of Christ through relationship, friendship and meaningful connection with like-minded peers. This is a powerful link in church worker wellness as they return to invigorate and encourage their peers. 
2. Technology changes by the minute. Advanced learning in the field of technology accentuates your reputation as an exemplary school and builds teacher acuity in one of the most important disciplines in the world today.
3. The speed of technology advancements is blistering, and it can feel overwhelming if an educator falls behind. Master TEC21 facilitators creating a warm, supportive, engaging and uplifting environment in which our Lutheran school teachers learn valuable teaching concepts and techniques—and learn to pass them on to their peers!—is a critical distinctive from other professional development opportunities.

For help registering a teacher(s) for Season 17 of the TEC21 Workshop Program that begins next fall, reach out soon to Brent Dieckhoff here to schedule a video chat or call him at 316.641.8356. 

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. Beginning November 1, groups can begin mailing 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 Rev. Dr. Jim and Dr. Susan Bachman, who were both called to glory last week. Rev. Dr. James V. Bachman was called to glory on October 25 following complications from recent surgery, and his beloved wife Dr. Susan (Ortmeyer) Bachman, who had not been well for quite a while, passed away on October 26 - less than 24 hours later. The family is gathered at their home. The Drs. Bachman faithfully served at Concordia University Irvine from 1999-2019, when they retired. Service arrangements are pending but we will keep you updated. Please keep the Bachman family in prayer.
• We pray for our country as we are less than a week away from Election Day. We hold fast to the assurance that Jesus is Lord over all.

Schools we are praying for the week of November 3:

iRemnant Preschool, Fullerton, CA

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

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.