English District of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
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Living Our Baptized Life in Christ
Galatians 2:20
| | Rev. David Christensen was ordained and installed at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Toledo, OH. Bishop Jeff Miskus presided over the service, which included clergy from the English and Ohio Districts. Rev. Daniel Grimmer of Zion Lutheran Church in Mitchell, SD, preached. Following the Divine Service, the congregation hosted a wonderful meal and time of fellowship. | | |
Call Received
The Rev. James L. Mayland, Jr. (North Wisconsin District) has received a Divine Call to serve as Sole Pastor of Prince of Peace, Menomonee Falls, WI.
Call Accepted
The Rev. Alexander W. Sabol has accepted the Divine Call to serve as Chaplain of Concordia at SpiriTrust, York, PA (Eastern District).
Call Returned
The Rev. Jonathan S. Lackey has returned the Divine Call to serve as Sole Pastor of Bethlehem, Petersburg, IL (Central Illinois District).
| | 1-1-1 Dollar for Missions | | | |
We read in Matthew 28:18-20, "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"
What better way to demonstrate living our baptized life in Christ is there than to heed what the Lord said before His ascension! This is the full reason behind our Mission 1-1-1 contributions, now and moving forward.
Let's break it down:
- We have Power because all authority has been given to Jesus.
- We have Purpose because Jesus has told us what to do with His Power: to go and make disciples of all nations.
- We have Practice in that He tells us how to make disciples—through baptizing and teaching.
- We have the Promise of His Presence now and always, which then brings us back to His Power to do what he has commanded.
- Living our baptized life in Christ is allowing ourselves to be a part of this plan.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3: 17
The English District website has everything necessary to get started.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24
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Every year on August 10, the Church remembers Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr (225-258). Lawrence served as Archdeacon (chief deacon) of Rome during the reign of the emperor Valerian (c.199-260), who had imposed the death penalty on Christian believers, beginning with the clergy. Following the execution of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Sixtus II, the emperor ordered Lawrence to hand over the treasures of the Church, which he had been managing as a duty of his diaconal office. Upon asking, Lawrence was granted three days to gather these together. During that time, he gave the possessions of the church away to the poor. When the emperor again demanded the treasures of the church, Lawrence presented a group of poor, disabled, and sick individuals to Valerian, saying, “These are the treasures of the Church..."
Read the rest of this account here.
| | Lifeline is the English District's outreach ministry that promotes the dignity and respect of life from fertilization to forever. Click here to learn more about Lifeline and for Life Ministry resources. Click here for bulletin inserts. | | |
We pray for Pastor Dereck Pillay and his family as they mourn the loss of their son, Samuel.
District daily prayers for September 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.
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Eternal Life, Mesa, AZ
Pastor Brian Crane and the congregation of Eternal Life Lutheran Church celebrated “Sundae” Sunday with a make-your-own ice cream sundae event honoring the congregation’s children. Each child had the opportunity to share their name, grade, and school. Afterward, Head Elder Andrew Grant helped the children learn how to put on the “Armor of God.”
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Epiphany, Dorr, MI
Pastor Ryan Beffrey and members of Epiphany Lutheran Church have had a busy summer! The Dorr Township Independence Day fireworks are launched from the park next to Epiphany, and every year the parking lot fills with 100+ families watching the show. This year, Epiphany congregation members treated their guests to free popsicles and popcorn. The popcorn was served in reusable cups with the church's information. The popsicles and Epiphany's large yard were a hit with the kids, while church volunteers had plenty of opportunities to talk with parents and other visitors in the packed parking lot.
| | Pastor Beffrey assisted in the Ordination of James Gramzow, who was Epiphany's seminary scholarship recipient during his studies at Concordia Theological Seminary. Pastor Beffrey and members of Epiphany welcomed five new members to their church family. We give thanks to God for all He is doing through this congregation and their ministries! | | |
Grace, Wyoming, MI
Evreda “Evy” Cepeda, new LCMS missionary to Lima, Peru, presented her work to members of Grace Lutheran Church. Pictured are Evy with two of her children, Pastor Zachary Marklevitz of Grace, and one of his daughters. Learn more about Evy and how she serves the Lord here.
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Crosspoint, Sahuarita, AZ
Pastor Jason Hong and the members of Crosspoint Lutheran Church welcomed Janet into membership through adult baptism. We give thanks to God as we witness His Kingdom growing!
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Redeemer, Oakmont, PA
Pastor Adam Koontz and the congregation of Redeemer Lutheran Church welcomed two new members. Thanks be to God!
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Our Savior, Hartland, MI
The 2026 Body of Christ and the Public Square conference will be held at Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church. The conference serves as an educational resource relative to religious liberty. It labors to equip citizens with an accommodationist understanding of Church and State, resulting in civil engagement aimed at living peaceful and quiet lives according to the tenets of faith (1 Tim. 2:2-6).
Click here to learn more.
| | Lutheran Heritage Foundation | | | |
Do you have immigrants living in your area or attending your church or school who need books about Jesus in their heart languages? Contact the Lutheran Heritage Foundation for FREE books about Jesus available in over 180 languages. LHF just received a huge new shipment with books in languages like Japanese and Haitian Creole (Luther’s Small Catechism), Farsi [Iran] and Korean (A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories), Spanish (prayer books), Arabic and Urdu [Pakistan] (devotion booklets). Request your free books today!
| | Contact John Hoover, LCEF District 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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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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