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Beach Hangout at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Join us for an unforgettable evening of fun, fellowship, and faith at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk!
This free event is open to youth groups in the CNH District. Come spend the day enjoying the Boardwalk, then meet us on the beach at 5:00 p.m. for BBQ, games, and worship.
What: Beach Hangout
When: Saturday, June 27, 2026, 5:00–9:00 p.m.
Where: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Cost: Free — registration is required to reserve your spot
Click here for more details!
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2026 Organist Workshop
This year, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), is taking organist workshops on the road! Instead of the regular weeklong summer workshops, they will host a series of workshops. While the structure will be more condensed and the format a bit different, the education and focus remains the same. These workshops are designed for church organists and pianists at every level to improve their playing in order to help lead the song of the church in liturgy and hymns.
What: Organist Workshop
When: Saturday, June 13, 2026
Where: Lutheran Church of Our Savior
5825 Bollinger Rd., Cupertino, CA 95014
Cost: $75 per participant (includes materials and lunch)
More Details: Click here
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Continued Education Opportunity:
"Pastoral Care in Cases of Divorce and Remarriage"
Issues of divorce and remarriage often beset pastors who try to remain faithful to God’s Word and yet are not always sure how to apply Scriptural principles to the messy situations of people's lives. This class will examine divorce and remarriage, bringing the insights of Biblical exegetes, the Reformers, and Lutheran Orthodoxy into conversation with contemporary situations.
What: Continuing Education Credit Opportunity
When: June 16 - June 18, 2026
Where: Lutheran Church of Our Savior
5825 Bollinger Road, Cupertino, CA 95014
To Register: Email Pastor John Bestul
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Save the Date: CNH Men's Retreat
Calling all men for the CNH District Men’s Retreat! Reconnect with old friends, build new friendships, and enjoy a weekend filled with praise, Bible study, recreation, and fellowship in the beautiful Santa Cruz hills.
Registration opens soon, so mark your calendar and check back here for more information on how to register. Bring a friend, brother, son, or neighbor and be part of this encouraging time together.
What: CNH Men's Retreat
When: September 18, 2026
Where: Redwood Christian Park, 15000 Two Bar Rd, Boulder Creek, CA 95006
Questions: Rod Thompson – 209-914-5702 | rodthompson1225@gmail.com or
Steve Carpenter – 209-602-5707 | CarpentersX4@gmail.com
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Celebrating 50 Years of
Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary
Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Founded by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in 1976 to train future pastors from Canada and the nearby northeastern states in the US, it continues to serve that purpose now under the aegis of Lutheran Church-Canada, a sister church body of the LCMS.
What: 50 Year Anniversary of Concordia Theological Seminary, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
When: October 19-21, 2026
Where: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
For more information and an online registration form can be found here.
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69th Regular Convention of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod This July
The 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is scheduled for July 18–23, 2026, in downtown Phoenix. The theme will be “Christ Is Risen Indeed,” based on 1 Corinthians 15:20–22.
HOW ARE WE PARTICIPATING?
Understand the process. Visit the LCMS National Convention Website by clicking HERE. You'll find the Convention Workbook and other useful resources.
Convention delegates were selected at circuit forums last fall. If you would like to get in touch with your national convention voting delegate, reach out to your circuit visitor or the district office.
Each congregation/parish participates in the election of the synod president in June. Registered voters will cast votes online. To learn more about the candidates, click HERE.
What: LCMS Convention
When: July 18-23, 2026
Where: Phoenix, AZ
| | Important Dates & Deadlines for CNH Congregations | |
Celebrating 50 Years in the Teaching Ministry: Honoring Mike Newton
After five decades of shaping young minds and sharing the love of Christ, longtime teacher and mentor Mike Newton is retiring. Over the course of his 50-year ministry in education, Mike taught multiple grade levels and subjects. He began with fifth and sixth grades before moving into junior high, where he taught seventh grade and math for grades five through eight. Eventually, he returned to fifth grade, where he would spend much of his career — nearly 40 years.
While retirement marks the end of an extraordinary chapter, Mike's influence will continue through the thousands of students, families, and colleagues whose lives he touched. His legacy is one of faithful service, joyful learning, and unwavering commitment to sharing the love of Jesus. Congratulations, Mike, and thank you for 50 incredible years.
Click here to learn more about Mike's 50 years of service.
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Celebrating 50 Years in the Teaching Ministry: Honoring Cheryl Rawlins
For 50 years, Cheryl Rawlins has faithfully dedicated her life to Lutheran education, nurturing children academically, spiritually, and personally through a ministry rooted in love, compassion, and faith in Christ. Even as she celebrates this incredible milestone, Cheryl says she still feels she has much to offer and plans to continue teaching “as long as I keep enjoying what I do and feel that I am doing a good job.”
As Cheryl Rawlins celebrates 50 years in Lutheran education, her legacy is evident in the countless students, families, and fellow educators whose lives have been touched by her kindness, faith, encouragement, and unwavering devotion to Christ-centered teaching.
Click here to learn more about Cheryl's 50 years of service.
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Healthy Living Healthy Serving Challenge Open and Retroactive
All CNH church workers! Our challenge for the 2nd Quarter is to walk or be active for at least 5000 steps a day or 150 minutes each week for six weeks. The challenge will run from May 10 to June 27 and is retroactive! As long as you have something tracking your steps (phone app, Fitbit, etc.) everything recorded dating back to May 10 can be included if you join the challenge prior to the end date.
To learn more about the program, click here.
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For You from Concordia Center for the Family
Concordia Center for the Family (CCF), a Recognized Service Organization of the LCMS, wants you as a Family Discipleship Facilitator! This training opportunity is for called and commissioned leaders of LCMS congregations and schools, along with lay family ministry leaders. Click here for their 2026 trainings.
Also consider CCF's Faith & Life Survey tool to assess how well you're serving families and receive support as you seek to better serve them. Click here.
To learn more about CCF and all of the ways they unite homes and congregations, click here.
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Mission Table Podcast - The Official Podcast of the CNH District
Pull up a chair and join the conversation. The Mission Table is the official podcast of the California-Nevada-Hawaii (CNH) District of the LCMS, where leaders, pastors, and everyday disciples gather to share stories, explore ministry challenges, and celebrate how God is at work across our communities. From church planting to leadership development, outreach to innovation, each episode is a fresh invitation to be part of Christ’s mission—right where you are.
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As pillars of the faith get called back to their heavenly home, we want to honor and acknowledge the legacy they leave behind and the impact they had within our congregations. If you would like to include any upcoming memorials, please click here to send the name, date of death, and date of service so that we may include them in an upcoming issue of the InTouch.
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