"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High." Psalm 92:1

Psalm 92 begins with a simple truth: giving thanks to God is good. Gratitude redirects our attention from what we don't have to the One who faithfully provides. When life goes smoothly, thanksgiving keeps us humble. When life is difficult, thanksgiving reminds us that God's character remains unchanged even when our circumstances stink.

Gratitude gets linked with praise because thankfulness naturally flows into worship. As we remember God's goodness, our hearts are drawn to honor Him. Giving thanks is an act of faith that acknowledges God's presence and provision, whether we can see how He's working or not.

Consider your personal blessings and the ones you have because of the role you play in your Lutheran school. May our gratitude renew our perspective and bring us joy. Jesus be with you!

LEC 2026

November 22-24, 2026

Town & Country Resort, San Diego, CA

REGISTER HERE!

Hotel Update

We have surpassed 600 registrations, and the Town & Country Resort is close to being sold out. If you still need to register, please do so ASAP. Overflow hotel information will be shared once we know we have an official sell out at the Town & Country. If you have booked rooms you will not be using, please release them back to the hotel as soon as possible. Thank you!

New This Year - Three Pre-Conference Sessions!

Come early and jump into the conference experience on Sunday beginning at 11:30 a.m. with focused opportunities including AI Wisdom, Foundations of Lutheran Teaching (FLT), and New Teachers. These pre-conference sessions offer additional time to learn, connect, and engage before the full conference gets underway. Be sure to choose a pre-conference option when you select your Breakout Sessions and Interactive Workshop session!

We look forward to welcoming you to the Town & Country Resort in San Diego on November 22!

We are pleased to offer NLSA Accreditation Training for educators and school leaders who are preparing to serve on an accreditation visiting team or would like to become eligible to serve on future teams.

Date: Thursday, November 12

Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location: Pacific Southwest District Office, Irvine

Format: In person

What to bring: Your laptop

This training is required for assigned visiting team members who have not yet completed NLSA training. We also welcome educators and leaders who would like to learn more about the accreditation process and help support Lutheran schools in their continuous improvement efforts. Participants will gain an understanding of the accreditation process and the responsibilities of a visiting team member.

Please click here to register to attend.

Thank you to the 45 schools who have submitted their LCMS statistics already! If you have not yet submitted, you should have received an email yesterday from Xavria Schwarz as a friendly reminder.

To submit your 2026-2027 School Statistics, log into the LCMS Information Support Network (LISN) for Schools website at lisn.lcms.org. The deadline for statistics reporting is November 1. 

Our first Resource Roundtable Network meeting will be held THIS Friday, October 23. 

Courtney Burns will join us and engage us in a presentation on Working with School Avoidant Kids and Families. Courtney will outline reasons why school avoidance is on the rise and ways that the family system can contribute to the issue. Attendees will learn practical skills for communicating, setting expectations, creating any necessary accommodations, and how to uphold boundaries and accountability with Christian love.

The meeting will be held from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the Durbin Family Conference Center on the campus of Concordia University Irvine. A virtual attendance option is also available. Please click here to RSVP by the end of the day TODAY.

Principals and Admissions Directors are invited to attend as well!

CAPSO has a new process for accessing information and resources on the website. If you are a California administrator and are signed up for the CAPSO E-Mailer, you should have received this message on CAPSO website changes. Here is the link to the announcement by CAPSO Executive Director Dr. Tara Rolle.

New Called Worker Workshop -

January 28, 2027 - Irvine, CA

Designed for any rostered church worker in the first two years of their initial call* or in the first two years of their first call to the PSD**, this event introduces the worker to the resources and staff of the Pacific Southwest District. This is a "working event" where workers are encouraged to come with their laptop/tablet and spend time applying in real time the resources available to them as rostered workers of the PSD. A highlight of this event is the "Taxes as a Church Worker" FAQ session.

*Initial call: Worker recently completed colloquy, is recently ordained, or is recently commissioned as a DCE, teacher, deaconess, etc.

**New to the PSD: Worker has served in called ministry outside of the District, but now is serving in the PSD

Registration information will be available soon - save the date and plan to attend!

Episode 3: Loneliness

This new podcast episode discusses the themes of mental and spiritual wellness, focusing on loneliness and its impact on church workers and the community. The conversation highlights the importance of vulnerability, authentic connections, and the role of technology in shaping relationships. The conversation explores the themes of loneliness, vulnerability, and the importance of community connections, particularly in the context of faith and personal relationships.

Jim Henkell and Xavria Schwarz co-host this episode, along with guests Courtney Burns and Nate Brewer, both licensed counselors. Together they share insights on managing loneliness, recognizing indicators of loneliness in others, and the significance of reaching out to build and maintain relationships.

New episodes will be released every other Tuesday. We encourage you to subscribe, share with your networks, and engage with us by leaving comments and questions. Your feedback will help shape future episodes and make this podcast a true reflection of our community’s interests and needs.

Also available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

Ramona Lutheran has an inventory of items available for purchase:

 - Curriculum: A comprehensive list for preschool through 8th grade (primarily Memoria Press and Saxon Math). Most items are new or very gently used.

 - Furniture & Equipment: Numerous student desks, chairs, tables, and a mobile science lab.

 - Technology: 44 student Chromebooks, several staff computers, and a large new Canon ImageRUNNER copier/fax machine/scanner.

Click HERE for the list and pricing. They are open to reasonable offers. Contact Julie Conkel at office@ramonalutheran.org with questions.

Please join us in praying and thanking God for the following schools this week:

Good Shepherd Lutheran Preschool, Goleta, CA

Concordia Christian School and Preschool, Granada Hills, CA

Ascension Lutheran Preschool, Torrance, CA

Below are photos from Good Shepherd Lutheran Preschool,

Goleta, CA:

Below are photos from Concordia Christian School and Preschool, Granada Hills, CA:

Below are photos from Ascension Lutheran Preschool, Torrance, CA:

Making Rainbows to Remind us of God's Promise

Looking at Our Growing Garden

Flying a Kite

Key dates on the PSD School Ministries Calendar:

• Resource Roundtable Network Meeting: October 23, 2026
• LEC 2026 - November 22-24, 2026
• National Lutheran Schools Week - January 24-30, 2027
• New Called Worker Workshop - January 28, 2027
• AZ Early Childhood Equipping Conference - March 5, 2027
• CA Early Childhood Equipping Conference - March 12, 2027
• PSD Administrators Leadership Conference - July 14-16, 2027

• This Pastor Appreciation Month and every month, we are thankful for pastors. Please join us in thanking God for our pastors! Take time this month to thank the pastors in your life for the work they do as servants of God within the Church, our schools, and the communities they serve.

Schools we are praying for the week of October 25:

Mt. Calvary Lutheran School and Preschool, Diamond Bar, CA

Orange Lutheran High School, Orange, CA

Desert Foothills Lutheran School and Kindergarten, Scottsdale, AZ