English District of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
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Living Our Baptized Life in Christ
Galatians 2:20
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Call Received and Accepted
The Rev. Aaron D. Sterling has received and accepted a Divine Call to serve as Senior Pastor of Christ the Shepherd, Alpharetta, GA.
Call Returned
The Rev. Sean C. Daenzer (Missouri District) has returned the Divine Call to serve as Sole Pastor of Zion, Detroit, MI.
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Called to Glory – Rev. Paul R. Sutterer, Emeritus
February 1, 1937 to December 3, 2025
Rev. Paul R. Sutterer, Emeritus, was called to glory on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. During his pastoral ministry, he served Our Redeemer, Springfield, IL, Trinity, St. Francis, MN, Redeemer, Robinsdale, MN, Our Saviour, Bronx, NY, and Trinity, Cape Coral, FL. He is survived by his daughter, Michelle, and son, Michael. The family is planning a funeral for early February 2026.
Please keep the Sutterer family in your prayers.
"For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep."
1 Thessalonians 4:14
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Called to Glory – Leslie R. W. Morris Jr., Commissioned Minister Emeritus
September 7, 1942 to October 5, 2025
Mr. Leslie R. W. Morris Jr. was called to glory on Sunday, October 5, 2025. He was a teacher and served Lutheran schools in Culver City, CA, Menlo Park, CA, and West Portal Lutheran School in San Francisco, CA. He is preceded in death by his parents, Leslie and Orva Morris, and brother, Gordon Morris. He is survived by his brothers, Crayton Morris, John Morris, and Joe Martinez. Funeral plans were private.
Please keep the Morris family in your prayers.
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116:15
| | We encourage congregations to reproduce and share the following message with your members. Click here for Lifeline's "Advent 2025" reproducible file in .pdf format. Click here for more information on Lifeline. | | |
We pray for the family of Rev. Paul R. Sutterer, Emeritus, who was called to glory.
We pray for the family of Mr. Leslie R. W. Morris Jr., Commissioned Minister, Emeritus, who was called to be home with our Lord.
We pray for English District volunteer Jeanne, who is experiencing health concerns, that God would continue to provide her comfort and healing.
We pray for all who are considering ministry. We also pray for those who have an opportunity to encourage them, recognizing the importance of raising up future pastors and church workers for His glory.
District daily prayers for January 2026 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 | | | |
Matthew 13:1-23 is one version of Jesus’ telling of the parable of the sower, which represents the “scattering” of the Word. As with all parables, this one gives occasion for us to pause and take time for self-reflection.
To date, 18 of 156 churches have submitted contributions for our 2025-26 campaign, which kicked off on September 1. How might we apply this parable to what is happening with our 1-1-1 Dollar for Missions efforts? As you will recall, the parable describes the "seed" falling upon four distinct types of ground, each yielding different outcomes.
- Have the Mission 1-1-1 campaign and communications never been activated at your congregation?
- Has the Mission 1-1-1 campaign met with an initial burst of energy and enthusiasm, only to falter as time passed?
- Have other priorities and programs choked out the effort, as Mission 1-1-1 gets “lost in the shuffle?”
- Did your Mission 1-1-1 “environment” allow the seed of the Word to take root and flourish?
We know that the Word is effective: it holds the power to do what God has set out for it to do. We pray that we have more congregations that are saturating their Mission 1-1-1 campaigns in the seed of the Word and surrounding Mission 1-1-1 with visibility in placement and communication.
James 1:22 reminds us to “...be doers of the word, and not hearers only ..."
| | If your church is seeking some further encouragement or guidance regarding your 1-1-1 Dollar for Missions efforts, there is a ready source on the English District website. | | English District Endowment Fund | | | |
Your faithful tithes and offerings to the English District Endowment Fund enable us to continue to be a source of hope and opportunity for people who need us. Please prayerfully consider joining us in ministry, so that the English District can continue its work in spreading the message of Christ. The English District Endowment Fund was established to provide support to current and new missions and ministries, church workers and seminary students, and campus ministries in the areas where our congregations live and witness.
Every gift matters. Whatever God leads you to give will be a great blessing as we all work together to plant new missions and schools, and provide resources to existing ministries and church workers across the United States, Canada, and around the world.
Click here to give now.
| | Lutheran Witness Renewals | | | |
The Lutheran Witness renewal forms were mailed to all subscribing churches. They are due back to the district by January 29, 2026. It is not necessary to return forms if there are no changes. Subscriptions will automatically renew.
The annual subscription rate for 2026-27 will remain at $20.65 U.S. and $29.65 (U.S. funds) for Canadian addresses.
Email or call the district office at 800.755.9335 if you have any questions.
| | Congregational Treasurer's Manual | | | |
The LCMS Congregational Treasurer’s Manual that is available here is written for every treasurer, no matter what the level of expertise, and is organized into two volumes containing six major sections: “Employment Issues”; “Federal and State Tax Matters”; “Establishing and Administering the Organization”; “Supporting Organizations”; “Accounting and Finance”; and “Insurance.”
Highlights include:
- Payroll and bookkeeping chapters that address tax, accounting, and finance issues for the organization and its employees.
- Examples and filled-in forms of a sample congregation’s bookkeeping system, including payroll forms and related federal tax reports.
- Recommended practices by the tax and legal counsel of the Synod for all LCMS congregations and schools.
| | 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. | | |
St. John's, Bridgeport, WV
Pastor Christopher Harrison and members of St. John's Lutheran Church welcomed Brian and Robert through confirmation, baby Avalyn through baptism, Jonathon by baptism and confirmation, and the Fattig family through transfer.
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St. John's newly-formed Outreach Committee staffed a church booth for Bridgeport’s LightUp Night, handing out candy canes, Advent devotionals, and a schedule of services for Advent and Christmas. Committee members chatted with the many visitors who stopped at their tent.
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Holy Cross, Pittsburgh, PA
Pastor Benjamin Janssen and members of Holy Cross Evangelical-Lutheran Chapel recently welcomed four new members through adult confirmation and baptism. Thanks be to God!
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West Portal, San Francisco, CA
Pastor Curtis Binz and the members of West Portal Lutheran Church welcomed Nerriah and Naleya, daughters of Franklin and Christina, through the waters of baptism.
| | Amy Kao, West Portal’s Music Director, led the congregation’s Joy to the World: Christmas Carols and Children’s Service. The choir included adults and children from the congregation, resulting in a wonderful evening of music and fellowship. | | |
Tree of Life, Inverness, FL
Pastor Eric Linthicum and members of Tree of Life Lutheran Church provide support to children in foster care throughout the year. During the Christmas season, the congregation holds an event for the children and their foster families. This year, the celebration included gifts, food, and a fun rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
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We are excited to announce that the LCMS Youth Ministry will be hosting an impactful YouthLead 2026 training event in St. Louis from March 19-22, 2026. This is an incredible opportunity for our high school youth to develop their spiritual leadership skills and connect with Lutheran peers from around the region. Registration for this event is $425.00 per person and includes food, lodging, and materials (transportation to St. Louis is not included). The conference sells out each year. Do not wait; inquire or sign up today.
To reinforce the English District's commitment to fostering the next generation of Christian leaders, the District is proud to offer $250 per youth participant. Moreover, we understand the importance of safety and support, which is why we will provide two dedicated DCEs to serve as chaperones throughout the event. For any questions, to learn more, or to register, please reach out to DCE Rod Lane via email or by calling (402-499-0807) or to Pastor Derek Mathers at the district office. We encourage you to take advantage of this enriching experience.
| | Lutheran Heritage Foundation | | | |
Free Lutheran Resources: Do you have a friend, neighbor or family member who doesn’t speak English as a first language? This Christmas, give them a book that explains the real “reason for the season” that’s written in their own language. The Lutheran Heritage Foundation, a recognized service organization of the LCMS, has translated and published books like Luther’s Small Catechism, A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories, God’s Word For You, and more into nearly 190 languages like Spanish, Hmong, Swahili, and Chinese. Best of all, these books are FREE to any church or individual who needs them. Simply visit the LHF Publications library to search by language and submit a request.
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Experience the fifth annual Musical Advent Calendar from Lutheran Summer Music, November 30–December 24—daily musical meditations to inspire reflection throughout the Advent season. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, with all videos archived.
Sign up to receive each day’s video directly to your inbox here.
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Redeeming Life Outreach Ministries is a Registered Service Organization of the LCMS that provides a home, help, and hope for women in crisis pregnancy situations. We are currently searching for two Lutherans with a passion for life-affirming ministry to join our team, based out of Sanford, FL. Please check out the job listings for Program Manager and Director of Development and contact us if you have interest in discussing these opportunities further.
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Please share the information from Servant to Servant with members of your congregation.
- All are invited to subscribe to this weekly publication.
- Forward the newsletter to members of your church.
- They can subscribe by clicking on the "Sign up for our emails" link at the bottom.
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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