LCMS Armed Forces Sunday - May 18
This year, LCMS Armed Forces Sunday is May
18. Armed Forces Sunday is celebrated
annually the week before Memorial Day
weekend. It provides congregations and
individuals with an opportunity to honor
those who serve or who have served in the
Armed Forces, learn about how they can
support LCMS World Mission's Ministry to the
Armed Forces (MAF), and celebrate what the
Lord is already doing through LCMS chaplains
to provide spiritual support to those
serving in the military.
The LCMS has provided ministry to military
personnel since the days of the Civil War.
Today, MAF recruits, trains, and endorses
LCMS chaplains serving the men and women of
the armed forces. The LCMS has 75 active
duty military chaplains. Another 63
chaplains serve Reserve and National Guard
units. Currently, 19 chaplains are in Iraq
or Afghanistan, including nine Reserve
chaplains mobilized from their parishes.
To access resources for celebrating Armed
Forces Sunday, visit
www.lcmsworldmission.org/armedforces.
If you have questions regarding MAF, you can
call 1-800-433-3954 or send an e-mail to
lcmschaps@lcms.org.
Early Childhood Conference
– June 18, 2008 at Concordia
University, Seward, NE For more
information, contact Prof. Judy Ripke at
800-535-5494 ext. 7474 or email
ECE@cune.edu.
Light In Thy Light Youth Retreat
at Valparaiso University June 22-24, 2008. The
25th annual retreat for 8th-12th
graders includes featured speaker Jay Gamelin
and music by The Restoration Project. Check out
the retreat information at
www.valpo.edu/churchrelations/retreat/litl/2008/
Finding the
Right College
Looking for a Lutheran college?
Lutherancolleges.org will help you in your
search. Lutherancolleges.org is the website for
the Lutheran Educational Conference of North
America (LECNA). Formed in 1910, it is the
oldest existing inter-Lutheran organization in
the United States and Canada. LECNA's purpose
is to encourage, assist, and promote cooperation
among Lutheran colleges and universities in the
United States and Canada.
http://lutherancolleges.org/
Lutheran Educational Conference of North America
The Campus
Missionary Institute,
June 12-17 at Concordia University Wisconsin,
Mequon, which is designed to help
campus-ministry workers develop and implement a
strategic plan for outreach on college campuses.
The six-day,
in-depth training conference provides “how-to”
ministry ideas and seeks to recharge campus
workers for renewed service. It is co-sponsored
by LCMS World Mission.
For more
information or to apply, visit the LCMA website
at
www.lcma.info or contact Rev. Tom Ogilvie at
(515) 225-1623 or
tom@sotv-wdm.org.
New DCS online 'store' offers resources
A new "DCS Online
Store" at the LCMS District and Congregational
Services Web site features an inventory of
resources for congregational ministry -- most
available for the first time in downloadable
format.
For the store, visit
www.lcms.org/dcsstore or go to the DCS Web
site at
www.lcms.org/dcs and click on "DCS Online
Store." Then, locate a needed resource in one
of two ways -- by selecting a ministry area
category and browsing the product listings under
that category or by using the "Search" feature
where you can locate products by key word,
price, or stock number.
The new DCS Online
Store offers shoppers the convenience of paying
for items in their shopping carts via credit
card (Visa or MasterCard). Once the transaction
is completed, they are able to download the
resources right away, whether they print the
material immediately or store electronic
downloads for later use. For items that are
only available in hard copy, there are currently
no shipping costs.
In addition to
downloads and printed material, the store offers
kits, DVDs, specialty items, and some free items
for ministry offered by four DCS ministry areas
-- Children's Ministry, Family Ministry, School
Ministry, and Youth Ministry.
The store also
provides a limited number of downloadable
resources for its fifth ministry area --
Stewardship Ministry -- which still offers its
manuals and other items only in hard copy
through Concordia Publishing House.
Harold Rau, DCS
manager of electronic resources, said he
anticipates that the inventory of downloadable
resources for Stewardship Ministry "will grow
over the next several months.
"The plan is that all
our printed resources will eventually be in
electronic downloadable format, as a cost-saving
convenience and time-saver for shoppers," Rau
said.
2008 ORGANIST
WORKSHOPS at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort
Wayne, IN
Who should attend?
Over the years hundreds of organists have come to
Concordia Theological Seminary to study and learn at
the Organist Workshops. These workshops are designed
for parish organists of varying ability levels to
help increase their knowledge and skills on this
important instrument of the church. These workshops
are for organists who are already playing, whether
they are experienced veterans or new organists
recently “drafted” into helping at their parish.
Formal organ lessons are not a prerequisite, but
some familiarity with the instrument is important.
At a minimum, participants should have proficient
keyboard skills. They should be able to read and
play both treble and bass clefs simultaneously, such
as playing a hymn on manuals alone.
How are the
workshops organized?
Each workshop begins with registration on Sunday
evening (late registration takes place on Monday
morning), and concludes on Friday at noon. Lodging
is available in our campus guest dorms, and meals
are in Katherine Luther Dining Hall. Daily classes
in organ playing technique and theology are part of
the curriculum, as well as practice time on the
beautiful Schlicker organ in Kramer Chapel.
Participants are encouraged to attend the daily
campus chapel service(s).
Organist Primer -
June 16-20, 2008
Organ instructor – Kevin Hildebrand
Theology instructor – Richard Resch
This beginning workshop is designed for organists
who do not use pedals, who use only one foot, or who
wish to lean more of the basics of service playing.
It will include instruction about fundamental music
understanding and organ vocabulary. Kantor
Hildebrand will demonstrate appropriate and easy
service music for the Lutheran organist. A daily
study of Lutheran theology will be taught by Kantor
Resch.
Level I - July
14-18, 2008
Organ instructor – Richard Resch
Theology instructor – John Pless
Each day participants will have a one-hour session
with Professor Pless teaching the Theology of
Worship. Kantor Resch will teach service playing,
hymnody, church year, music for weddings, funerals
and talk about the pastor/musician relationship. He
will work with the individual organist at his or her
current skill level. This workshop is designed for
organists who have taken the Primer Level or are
using both feet in their playing.
For more registration information, please go to the
seminary website:
http://www.ctsfw.edu/events/organist/
