English District of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
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Living Our Baptized Life in Christ
Galatians 2:20
| | Rev. Benjamin Janssen was installed as Senior Pastor at First Trinity Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh, PA. English District Vice President Rev. Rob Kieselowsky officiated the service, and Rev. Justin Schmidt preached. | | |
Call Returned
The Rev. Carl A. Brewer III (North Wisconsin District) has returned the Divine Call to serve as Senior Pastor of Gethsemane, Windsor, ON, Canada.
| | Lake Erie Regional Professional Church Workers Conference | | | The Lake Erie Regional Professional Church Workers Conference was recently held at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, IN. For the opening service, Bishop Miskus preached and Rev. Dr. David Petersen, who serves Redeemer, was the officiant. During two days of the conference, participants joined with students and teachers of Redeemer Classical School for morning worship. | | Calling a Seminary Candidate/Requesting a Vicar | | | |
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.
| | Church Worker Appreciation | | | This week, for Church Worker Appreciation month, we thank God for those who serve in DFLM, DCO, and DCM positions. For some ways to show your gratitude and support for church workers, click here. | | Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is the LCMS’s program to facilitate church worker recruitment through its many free resources. 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. | | |
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 encourage congregations to reproduce and share the following message with your members. Click here for Lifeline's "Reformation Day -- Proclaiming the Sanctity of Life" reproducible file in .pdf format. Click here for more information on Lifeline. | | |
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.
We pray for all church workers, that God continue to bless them and provide them guidance. We also pray for congregation members, that they recognize and support those who serve His Kingdom in a church worker capacity.
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.
| | 1-1-1 Dollar for Missions | | | |
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6
Is 1-1-1 Dollar for Missions a family experience in your home? At your church? If we are to train up our children in the way they should go, their participation in such a mission project can be a part of that training.
All children can learn about the Mission 1-1-1 box and its purpose: when each baptized member gives a dollar per week, it yields a substantial offering for growing God’s Kingdom. Older children who earn money can be encouraged to give regularly right alongside their parents, while younger children can participate by simply observing their parents or helping put a dollar in the box at church.
All families can gather around the Scripture and the messages that support Mission 1-1-1, either at the church or at home. Any of these efforts could contribute to a child’s lifelong training in stewardship and evangelism, regardless of age.
We read in Philippians 2:4, “each of you should not look to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” 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.
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Many congregations decorate special containers for their “1-1-1 Dollar for Missions” donations...we would love to see yours. Don't have one yet? Now is your chance to be creative! Email an image of your 1-1-1 donation container to be included in upcoming issues of Servant to Servant.
| | Contact John Hoover, LCEF Vice President, by email or phone 314-276-3370 for more information. | | Lutheran Federal Credit Union | | | For more information, please contact our Operations Department at 314-394-2790. | | |
Faith, Overgaard, AZ
The congregation of Faith Lutheran Church, served by Pastor Rodney Schmeltz, recently hosted Jay Seegert from The Starting Point Project. The mission of The Starting Point Project is "to help Christians better understand and defend the Christian worldview, also offering a very gracious challenge to the sincere skeptic."
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Members of Faith recently attended an Open House hosted by Pastor Schmeltz and his wife. Everyone enjoyed a time of good food and great fellowship.
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In a spirit of thanksgiving and community care, members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, served by Pastor Michael Taylor, made a generous donation to the Northwestern Food Pantry to help local families in need as the season of gratitude unfolds.
The gift, collected through the church’s annual “Heavenly Fries” fundraiser at the Albion Area Community Fair in September of this year, totaled $2,124.83! This is the third year in a row that Holy Trinity has been able to give in such a way to the Northwestern Food Pantry. Through the donation of their tips, they also raised money for their LWML to support seminarian Zachary Tews and his family. Zachary is in his second year of pastoral training at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN.
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Pictured here, from left to right, is Holy Trinity's Heavenly Fries coordinator David Lindenmuth, Pastor Taylor, and Allene McNally and Sonja Fuller, co-directors of the Northwestern Food Pantry. “Our faith calls us to recognize that every good thing we have is a gift from God,” said Pastor Taylor. “In response, we give thanks by sharing those blessings with others. The Northwestern Food Pantry is doing vital work right here in our own backyard, and we’re grateful to partner with them.”
The Northwestern Food Pantry serves families throughout the local area of the church, providing groceries and essential items to those who need a helping hand, living out the Psalmist’s reminder:
"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" - Psalm 34:8
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Shepherd of the Coast, Palm Coast, FL
Members of Shepherd of the Coast Lutheran Church, served by Pastor Greg Michel, recently dedicated a new outdoor play structure. Pastor Michel included the youngest members of the congregation and their families in the dedication event and the prayer. The congregation is excited to develop its children’s ministry opportunities with the addition of a new playground. Praise God for His blessings!
| | 2025 English District Convention Proceedings | | | |
The 2025 English District Convention Proceedings are available on the English District website.
| | Good Shepherd Institute Conference | | | |
The annual Good Shepherd Institute Conference will take place on November 9-11 at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN. This year’s theme, “Skillful and Discerning: Cultivating Our Callings,” encourages people of all vocations to consider how they can serve God skillfully, beautifully, and with care and concern. Each night of GSI features a music event, and the hymn festival is always a highlight. For more information or to register, click here.
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Please share the information from Servant to Servant with members of your congregation.
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Thanks for spreading the word!
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Please share the unique ministries of your school or congregation with the rest of the English District. Send pictures and stories for consideration to llinthicum@englishdistrict.org by Wednesday at 12:00 noon ET.
We want to see how YOUR congregation or school is showing the love of God to those in your community and around the world.
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