Living Our Baptized Life in Christ

Galatians 2:20

October 17, 2025

Call Received

The Rev. Carl A. Brewer III (North Wisconsin District) has received a Divine Call to serve as Senior Pastor of Gethsemane, Windsor, ON, Canada.

Call Returned

The Rev. Paul R. Schallhorn (Lutheran Church—Canada) has returned the Divine Call to serve as Sole Pastor of First, Kingsville, ON, Canada.

The Lifetime Ministry Award recognizes an individual’s commitment to faithful, fruitful, and impactful servant leadership over a lifetime of ministry to the mission and ministry of Lutheran schools.

We give thanks to God for the lifetime of service and dedication Janet Stechholz has demonstrated in over 50 years of teaching in six different states. Janet was presented with the English District Lifetime Ministry Award by Bishop Jeff Miskus and School Ministry Executive Albert Amling.

The Eastern Regional Professional Church Workers Conference recently took place in Ocean City, NJ. The theme was "Resurrection" and the guest speaker was Rev. Dr. Jeffrey A. Gibbs. Rev. Robert Kieselowsky led the Divine Worship service, Bishop Jeff Miskus preached the sermon, and Vicar Zigmas Kisielius assisted. Music was provided by Rev. Christopher Esget.

If your congregation is interested in extending a divine call to a seminary candidate, or plans to make application for a vicar, the call documents and vicarage applications must be received no later than Saturday, January 31, 2026. Please add this topic to your congregational voter’s meeting agenda for discussion in November or December. This will allow for the necessary paperwork to be completed in a timely manner. Calling congregations must access the Call Documents for Ordained Ministers and the Vicarage Application using a web address/URL. Please contact Kathy Stanis, Administrative Assistant, at 248-476-0039 or by email for the login information.

Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is the LCMS’s program to facilitate church worker recruitment through its many free resources. On October 25, we thank God for those who serve in deaconess, DFLM, DCO, and DCM positions. As you celebrate your pastor, deaconess, DCO, DCM, DPM, or others in service to our congregations, please email photos to be considered for future issues of Servant to Servant.

This week, for Church Worker Appreciation month, we recognize our deaconesses. LCMS deaconesses are women who are professional church workers, trained to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through works of mercy, spiritual care, and teaching the Christian faith. “Deaconess,” from the Greek word diakonos, means “servant.” Watch the video below, then click here to learn more.

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) loves her church workers. That’s why the LCMS has made worker wellness a priority, promoting and nurturing the spiritual, emotional and physical wellness of pastors and church workers.

LCMS National Mission has just released Season 10 of the "God's Mission Here" podcast and these episodes are all about Worker Wellness. Listen in and find great insights on how to support and care for our church workers.

We have been quite busy recently with the blessings of travel, fellowship, and a retreat. We thank you for your continued prayers for our ministry and for Suzanne's health. Read our most recent newsletter here.

May God bless and keep you,

Pastor Dale and Suzanne Kaster

We lift in prayer all congregations seeking a pastor, especially Faith Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights, IL.

We ask for the Lord's blessing and comfort on Pastor Jacob Swenson, who serves West Portal Lutheran Church and School, and his family, on the passing of Pastor Swenson's mother.

Please keep in prayer Lutheran parish nurses who are traveling to Seoul, South Korea, for a study tour and short-term mission. 

We pray that God will provide the means for Blessed Sacrament Lutheran Church, Hayden, ID, to build a church home and for continued support to maintain operations. Also, we join in thanking God for sending Rev. Marcus Williams to care for the congregation, for all pastors, and for all that He lovingly provides. 

District daily prayers for November 2025 are located on our website.

Your prayer concerns are important to the English District. If you have a prayer request you would like shared in this newsletter, email the district office.

"But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you..." 1 Chronicles 29:14

Do we see giving as an obligation or a privilege? King David was told that his son, Solomon, would build the temple. We read in 1 Chronicles 22:2-4 how David supported the project and "...set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God...and provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, and cedar timbers without number..." Like David, we may not be the builders of contemporary mission plants, but we have an opportunity to support missions with our 1-1-1 Dollar for Missions weekly giving. If gratitude is the attitude, it becomes a privilege and a joy to give back to God in a consistent manner that builds His Kingdom for His Glory. What our offerings support today can be considered much greater than Solomon’s Temple; it is the Church militant now and the Church triumphant forever. 1 Corinthians 9:7-8 tells us, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."

More Scripture and messages for Mission 1-1-1 are available on the district website. Please consider using this resource as a way to build up the visibility and awareness in your congregation.

Contact John Hoover, LCEF Vice President, by email or phone 314-276-3370 for more information.

Contact Ron Grimm, English District Gift Planning Counselor, 412-584-7039 or visit www.LCMSFoundation.org.

For more information, please contact our Operations Department at 314-394-2790.

Mount Olive, Tucson, AZ

Pastor Isaac Wirtz and members of Mount Olive Lutheran Church recently installed their newest LWML officers: Kristine Grey, Lorri Baker, Liz Albright, and Bonnie Geivett. In addition, the congregation welcomed Edward through the waters of Baptism and Confirmation of his faith.

Redeemer, Sarnia, ON

For over 30 years, members of Redeemer Lutheran Church have collected fresh fruit and vegetables for a display in the sanctuary on Thanksgiving Sunday. The food items are donated to a local women’s shelter following Sunday worship. Pastor Colton LaMay and members of Redeemer are very thankful to be able to share God’s blessings with those less fortunate in their community.

Faith, Overgaard, AZ

The congregation of Faith Lutheran Church, served by Pastor Rodney Schmeltz, welcomed Arnie and Ruth into membership on LWML Sunday.

Faith Lutheran Church, Tucson, AZ

Misión Luterana Santa Trinidad, Tucson, AZ

Pastor Nicholas Wirtz and the congregation of Faith Lutheran Church were blessed to receive Tongyang Song and Diego Carranco into membership when they celebrated confirmation. Tongyang was also baptized that Sunday.

Pastor Nicholas Wirtz and members of the Misión Luterana Santa Trinidad (a satellite worship site for Faith Lutheran Church) welcomed a new family (Rocio, Pedro, Monserrat, & Brian) into membership when they recently confirmed their faith.

There are currently three more adult and youth catechism classes scheduled throughout the week at Faith Lutheran Church/Santa Trinidad in both English and Spanish. We give thanks to God for continuing to bring new people into this congregation and school and into His family.

Redeemer, Verona, PA

We share the excitement surrounding Redeemer Lutheran School as digging has begun for its new athletic facility. We pray for the safety of workers, staff, students, and families through the building process. To God be ALL the Glory!

Click on the photo to watch the video of initial progress.

Also at Redeemer Lutheran School, Rev. Dr. Adam Koontz recently led a discussion about the book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt. The event was free and open to the public, with a wonderful discussion among parents, teachers, and members of local churches. 

The Free to be Faithful® newsletter highlights important and relevant details on religious liberty issues that impact the rights of Christians to live faithfully. Click here to read the Fall 2025 newsletter.

When is the last time you evaluated your church or school’s online information? Are worship times current? Is your calendar of events up-to-date? Is your physical address and phone number easily available? Is your information welcoming to visitors as well as those who may be seeking a church family? Information that is unclear, hard-to-find, inaccurate, or outdated can be misinterpreted as "we don't care."

Servant to Servant includes a link to your church or school’s website for any information you submit directly or information that is shared for the English District community and those who follow us.  Take a peek at your website, Facebook page, Instagram, YouTube channel, and anywhere else your organization appears to make sure the information is accurate, timely, and as appealing as possible. Better yet, ask a non-member to help you out by providing an objective perspective! Check your entries on the LCMS Locators for your church, school, and workers to make sure info is up-to-date there too. Lastly, lost passwords are a reality. Implement preventative measures and develop a "backup plan" for when--not if--that happens.

Music lovers of all ages are invited to campus for the 2025-26 Concordia Seminary Music Series, which will feature talented musicians during events scheduled through summer 2026. The annual series includes Hymn Festivals, Services of Sacred Music, and Summer Carillon Concerts.

The Concordia Seminary Music Series is free and open to the public, and is made possible in part through a Vital Worship Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, MI, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment Inc.

ENGLISH DISTRICT LCMS

248-476-0039

info@englishdistrict.org

www.englishdistrict.org

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