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THE GOOD SHEPHERD
I am the good shepherd.
(John 10:14)
These are comforting words. They set before our eyes a gracious picture of our Lord Jesus Christ, and teach us what sort of a person he is, what sort of work he does, and how he is disposed toward us.
If you ask me whether Christ is saintly, I answer without hesitation, "Yes," and I place him like a shield before my own saintliness, and I trust in him with my whole heart. For I was baptized in him and have received in the gospel a letter and seal, that I am his dear lamb, and that he is my good shepherd, who seeks his lost lamb and deals with me in no legalistic way. He demands nothing of me, nor does he drive me on. He does not threaten, nor does he frighten me, but he shows me his sweet grace, and lowers himself to me, even beneath me and takes me upon himself, so that I now lie on his back and am carried by him. Why then should I be afraid at the quaking and thundering of Moses or even of the devil? I am under the protection of the man who has given me his saintliness and all that he has, who supports me and upholds me that I cannot be lost so long as I remain his Lamb and do not doubt him or willfully fall away from him.
Sermons from the year 1532. WA 36:296
The Lord's my shepherd; I'll not want. He makes me down
to lie.
In pastures green he leadeth me, the quiet waters by.
(Edinburgh Psalter, 1650)
Taken from
Martin Luther Day by Day
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NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT
Front Row, L to R: Mr. Stan Weir, Rev. McNair "Tony" Ramsey, Rev. Warren Lattimore, Rev. Thomas Lampella, Rev. Jerome Terry, Rev. Tim Schutt, Ms. Bonita Dupre, Rev. Ulmer Marshall
Middle Row, L to R: Mr.Rob Olmstead, Mr. Woody Keim, Ms. Laurie Ninke, Rev. Louis Boldt, Rev. Keith Ringers
Back Row, L to R: Rev. John Karle, Rev. Allen Hudspith, Rev. Eric Johnson, Rev. John Ninke, Rev. William Vogt, Rev. Randal Ehrichs, Rev. Warren Pellom
Not Pictured: Dr. Margaret Boldt, Rev. David Lofthus, Mr. Robert Heinicke, Rev. Joshua Leigeber, Mr. Jay Lewis, Rev. James Holowach, Rev. James d'Entremont, Rev. William Parsons, Rev. Steven Washington, Rev. James Endrihs, Rev. Gary Weier, Rev. Kevin Wendt,
Rev. Aubrey Watson, Rev. David Buss, Rev. Paul Leigeber, Mr. Eugene Menzel, Rev. David Witt, and Ms. Kay McCreery.
CONVENTION VIDEOS
Three convention videos are posted on the Southern District Website: Live Stream Video (All day Friday), "It's All About Jesus" Video, and Opening Worship Video. To view any or all of these, click
HERE.
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PRESIDENT and MRS. SCHULTZ'S QUILT
GIFT FROM CONGREGATIONS OF THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT
We are so very grateful to the Southern District congregations who contributed a square to be included in this very special gift to President and Mrs. Schultz!
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2019 LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD CONVENTION
The Synod is issuing the first call for nominations for the 2019 convention. For information regarding this process, please go to
lcms.org/convention/2019nomination-forms or click
here to go directly to the website.
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OUR STEWARDSHIP OF HIS RESOURCES
District Mission Support Trends
2016 2017 2018
Total Budget
$900,000 $900,000 $820,000
Budgeted Income $225,000 $225,000
$205,000
through 03/31
Actual Income $178,295 $197,075 $204,052
through 03/31
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NEWLY ELECTED CONGREGATIONAL LEADERS
Congregations who have elected new congregational officers/leaders, please update the Southern District office with their information.
Click here to submit your information online.
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| SPIRIT OF SOUTHERN SUBMISSIONS  Remember that submissions for the May/June issue of SOS are due by June 15. The preferred means for receiving submissions is by email ([email protected]). Please send photos as JPEG files, attached to the email. Congregational news that is received but exceeds space in the printed SOS will be published on the "Around the District" blog of our website. Thank you for sharing your news! (click on image for the current issue) |
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UPCOMING EVENTS
| April 27-29, 2018 |
LA - MS District LWML Convention |
Lafayette, LA |
| April 27-29, 2018 |
Gulf States District LWML Convention |
Birmingham, AL |
| June 24-30, 2018 |
Sr. Youth Mission Trip
See notice in this issue for more info! |
Nashville, TN |
October 1-3, 2018
noon - noon |
Pastors and Professional Church Workers Conference |
Banquet Room
100 Mission Dr., Slidell, LA |
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| IN TRANSITION: CALLING CONGREGATIONS Holy Cross - Mobile, AL Hope - Santa Rosa Beach, FL (Associate)
Grace - Pensacola, FL
Redeemer - Mandeville, LA
Resurrection - Pensacola, FL Trinity - Meridian, MS
If your congregation has extended a call, had a call accepted, or had a call returned, please remember to notify the Southern District office.
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~ CALLED TO SERVE ~
Mr. Joshua Swartz, Principal, Grace Lutheran School, Huntsville, AL to St. Lorenz Lutheran School, Frankenmuth, MI -- Accepted
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| ~MILESTONE ANNIVERSARIES~ Celebrating the Ministry of Pastor and People 140th Anniversary ~ Mt. Zion, New Orleans, LA April 15, 2018 Rev. Nimakatso Nare, Pastor 85th Anniversary ~ Redeemer, DeRidder, LA May 6, 2018 Deacon Steven Biegel, Interim 20th Anniversary ~ Hope on the Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, FL April 22, 2018 Rev. Jason Scheler, Pastor ~ April ~ Anniversary of Ordination |
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CELEBRATING 85TH ANNIVERSARY
REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH
DERIDDER, LOUISIANA
MAY 6, 2018
CHURCH SERVICE AT 10:45AM
WITH GUEST SPEAKER SOUTHERN DISTRICT PRESIDENT KURTIS SCHULTZ.
LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED AFTER SERVICE.
THERE WILL BE MUSIC BY LOCAL ARTISTS.
JAMES BURNETT WILL BE THERE TO DISCUSS THE STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS THAT HE MADE FOR THE CHURCH.
MR. BURNETT IS A RETIRED ART TEACHER AT DERIDDER HIGH SCHOOL.
ALL ARE WELCOME TO COME AND ENJOY
FELLOWSHIP, FOOD AND MUSIC.
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ST. JOHN LUTHERAN SCHOOL -- NEW ORLEANS
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You are invited to a Celebration of Ministry
Held at the Hilton Perimeter Park
8 Perimeter Park South in Birmingham, Alabama.
Registration information at lwmlgulfstates.org
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2018 Summer Mission Trip
We are joining Southern District High School Youth in
Nashville, TN
June 24-30 ~ Cost: $299/person
We will have a wide variety of opportunities to serve the Nashville community. Our group may serve the elderly, sort donations, work in community gardens, serve alongside food programs or hang out with children at local summer programs. We will partner with local organizations to meet ongoing needs in the community.
In the evenings, we will have the chance to explore downtown Nashville or spend time at Centennial Park, (Nashville's Centennial Park is home to the only exact replica of the Greek Parthenon) taking pictures at the Parthenon, playing ultimate Frisbee or relaxing on the lawn. YouthWorks has partnered with Nashville since 2010.
COST PER PARTICIPANT INCLUDES: Pre and Post Trip Tools,
Lodging, 14 Meals, Attentive Staff, Service Project Materials, Evening Activities.
WE ♥ TEENAGERS + WE ♥ COMMUNITIES
Teenagers need to encounter Jesus outside their normal context to deepen their faith and broaden their perspectives. Plus, communities need to be valued-not as mere recipients but as partners who have stories worth sharing in.
When we bring the two together, incredible things happen.
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STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE VISITS HOPE ON THE BEACH
Following a suggestion that Hope in Santa Rosa Beach was doing innovative stewardship things, we visited and had an enjoyable and enlightening, if somewhat lengthy conversation that I am certain cut rather deeply into Rev Jason Scheler's day. To be brief, they are indeed doing very interesting, innovative things that involve not only talking about and identifying all of God's gifts, but also providing specific opportunities for using them. Their approach begins with a somewhat formal establishment of an outward focused, forward looking Vision/Mission statement that the congregation can deliberately identify with and simple enough to take to heart to guide daily use of God's gifts for both their members and those who have yet to receive the Holy Spirit's work. Attitudinally, the emphasis is on striving to do your best and desiring to actively improve while using His gifts. Their committees and board structure are like most congregations, but they operate and manage their activities as a connected system of systems. Hence, avoiding the stove pipe or silo effects that frequently result in the situation where workers feel that they are responsible for this area and it is doing well, while having little awareness, or even involvement with the performance of the total team. This view of operations as both specific ministry efforts and overall team performance allows Hope to rather easily evaluate and adjust both specific and overall effectiveness. They begin stewardship efforts with a contribution system they designed that provides an envelope and a pen when one enters, creating a feeling that this is the individual's envelope and encourages a thoughtful decision on their commitments. The envelope is Hope's own design sized for both cash or checks, but also has instructions for digital contributions while collecting names, addresses, etc. It is deliberately designed to be filled out there or taken home and mailed or returned later, enabling the recipient to authorize credit card charges or an address for other forms of digital giving. All while obtaining name, address, phone number and email account. These envelopes are usually placed in the traditional plate following a few words on financial stewardship from Pastor Scheler during the service, along with words on ministries being supported and those that could be supported. This tie to not just dollars but a theme of expansion of current ministries, or the creation of new ministries, provides a direction in terms of changing lives and coming to a deeper understanding of a personal relationship with God by using His gifts. First time attendees receive a tri-fold addressing these things. First time givers then receive an auto email from the Pastor and a thankyou card from the Financial Secretary-203 of these in 2018. Large gifts over $500 receive a card and a thank you gift, currently one of Pastor Scheler's own water color paintings. For evaluation of ministries the emphasis is on frequent reporting and evaluation of the supporting systems, as well as a more traditional overall evaluation. For financial reporting this includes emphasis on a generosity ladder deliberately divided into first time givers, consistent givers, tithers and generosity givers. Non-dollar centric evaluations of specific system performance also are done frequently to adjust for overall performance. Overall, Hope has a system of evaluating tangible successes while emphasizing the intangibles of congregational momentum and attitude that both require and provide for confidence in the pastor, lay leadership and ministry. We left Santa Rosa Beach with the feeling that Hope has indeed come up with an effective system for ministry management well worthy of being shared throughout the District.
Don Panzenhagen, Interim Chairperson of the Stewardship Committee
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WE LIFT UP IN PRAYER. . .
New Grandparents!!
Rev. Daniel and Deedee Koyn (Holy Trinity-Covington, LA)
Rev. Craig and Jennifer Boehlke (Lamb of God-Slidell, LA)
Congratulations to all!!
Jesus said to her"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;..."
John 11:25 (NIV)
These brothers and sisters in Christ coping with cancer:
Rev. Jerry Conley (Emeritus - Marianna, FL)
Mrs. Gloria Moritz, widow of Rev. Victor Moritz (Emeritus - Metairie, LA)
Rev. Sidney Ponseti (Emeritus - Baton Rouge, LA)
Mrs. Doris Taglauer, wife of Rev. Jim Taglauer (Emeritus - Folsom, LA)
Rev. Robert Rupp (Emeritus - Pensacola, FL)
These brothers and sisters in Christ coping with various health issues:
- Mrs. Melodie Rupp, wife of Rev. Bob Rupp (Emeritus - Pensacola, FL)
- Rev. Rory Hermann (Emeritus - St. Augustine, FL)
- Dr. J. B. Marshall (Concordia College Alabama Board of Regents member)
- Rev. Perry McCulllam (Unity - Birmingham, AL)
- Rev. David Robatzen (Luth Church of the Resurrection - Pensacola, FL)
- Rev. Anthony Robinson (Christ - Tuscaloosa, AL and Epiphany - Arlington, AL)
- Mrs. Nancy Kaul (SD Board of Directors Member) Hattiesburg, MS
- Rev. Sanford Stanton (Eternal Trinity - Cantonment, FL)
- Rev. Charles Schaum (Christ the King - Muscle Shoals, AL) and family in a car accident
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed. Thessalonians 2: 16-17
(NIV)
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THE GIFT OF GENEROSITY-Electronic Giving
A definition of generous includes this phrase:
Freely sharing valuable things.
Freely sharing
. . .no strings attached. . .no tit for tat. . .nothing expected in return.
Valuable things: your child. What is more valuable than a life of someone you love beyond measure? As we reflect on this message, remember
Those Who Don't Yet Know Jesus. Your continued support for the mission and ministry of the Southern District is requested.
If you need a convenient way to make regular offerings, we encourage you to look into our electronic online giving options.
Visit
here or contact Ronnie Giaise
at the Southern District office for more information --- [email protected].
Illustration by Patti Miller, Member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fairhope, Alabama.
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