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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2025 Convention – Deadline Reminder | | |
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Official nomination ballots for president and vice presidents were mailed last week. (Due to the postal strike, Canadian congregations ONLY will receive their ballots by email.) Enclosed with the mailed ballots is an envelope addressed to Rev. Luke Zimmerman, secretary of the district, for returning your completed nomination ballots.
The deadline for returning nominations, overtures, congregation delegate forms, and circuit visitor election results is February 26, 2025. Please make a note of this deadline and plan your congregational voters meetings accordingly. These convention forms were emailed to all congregations in September. If you are unable to locate these forms, they are available on our website.
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Calling a Seminary Candidate/Requesting a Vicar | | |
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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 Friday, January 31, 2025. Please add this topic to your congregational voters meeting agenda for discussion in 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 at kstanis@englishdistrict.org for the login information.
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District Evangelism Leadership | | |
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"As You Go"
By Rev. Brian Pratt, Chair
District Evangelism Team
As we approach the celebration of our Lord’s birth, we naturally focus on what God has done FOR US. Our Father in heaven LOVES US so much that He sent His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life! News this good should NOT be kept to ourselves but proclaimed to any and all people within earshot! The Good News of our salvation is meant to be told boldly to all who would hear it. We are called as pastors and church leaders to encourage and equip our members to extend this Good News to their circles of family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. This Christmas, let us ALL respond to this Gospel as the shepherds (early evangelists) did:
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for ALL the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” … And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth PEACE among those with whom He is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. … And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:8-20
Wishing you God’s blessings this Christmas season as you go and proclaim the Good News!
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We encourage congregations to reproduce and share the following message with your members. Click here for Lifeline's "Christmas 2024" reproducible file in .pdf format. Click here for more information on Lifeline. | |
English District Endowment Fund | | |
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Our sincere thanks for your service to our Lord and your continued, generous giving. We are grateful for your partnership with the English District in bringing the Word to those who need to hear it, alongside the hope and opportunity only found in the Gospel.
Please prayerfully consider partnering with us in ministry so that the English District can continue supporting those on the front lines of ministry. Through your ongoing generosity, we continue to share God’s message of love in sending Jesus, not to condemn but to save those who need to hear His message. We minister to those in need by clothing them, fitting them for His presence, and filling them with His Spirit in baptism. Every day, we witness the blessings of planting new missions, supporting church workers, and providing resources to existing ministries across the United States, Canada, and worldwide.
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 to provide resources to existing ministries and church workers across the United States, Canada, and around the world.
GIVE NOW
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
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Please keep in prayer a 9-month-old infant and a newborn who are suffering from severe health issues. We ask that God have mercy upon these children, their parents, and their families. We also ask that He provide the medical care team members with the knowledge, wisdom, and skills to help these precious little ones.
We pray for church workers, laity, and all who experience difficulty during this season that God will make clear the hope we have in Him. We ask that He remind us of the joy we have in the gift of His Son, and that He continue to strengthen us as we hold fast to this knowledge.
District daily prayers for January 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.
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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 | |
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Ascension of Christ,
Beverly Hills, MI
The congregation of Ascension of Christ Lutheran Church continues its heartwarming tradition of partnering with Gifts For All God’s Children, an organization dedicated to supporting underserved children and sharing the message of Jesus. This year, congregation members generously contributed 165 gifts for 33 local children and additional winter essentials like hats, gloves, and scarves for distribution to those in need. Their efforts are part of a larger impact: last year, Gifts For All God’s Children, working alongside 48 partner churches and organizations, brought joy to 3,029 area children by distributing an impressive 18,000 gifts.
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Ministry Focus Debt Reduction Grants | | |
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Click here for more information and to apply. Applications must be submitted online no later than 11:59 p.m. Central Time on December 31, 2024.
Current rostered church workers of Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are eligible for MinistryFOCUS loan repayment assistance program (LRAP) grants.
MinistryFOCUS recognizes that individuals often assume educational loans in order to serve the Lord and that, for some, such loans often distract from or even undermine their very purpose. The LRAP was established so that these servants of the Lord can focus more on ministry and less on money. Through the partnership of LCEF, Lilly Foundation, and the English District, three grants are available to English District church workers.
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International Lutheran Council | | |
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Employment Opportunity
The International Lutheran Council (ILC) is seeking a Mission Advocate to help advance the strategic goals of the ILC. While not a requirement, this position is open to rostered individuals—ordained or commissioned—depending on the candidate's qualifications. To view the position description, click here.
For more information, email Rev. Dr. K. Detlev Schulz, ILC General Secretary.
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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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using your email's forwarding option.
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