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May 2013 Pastoral Placements
District Welcomes New Faces
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MAY 2013 PLACEMENTS
Rev. Dwayne Lueck
Every spring The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has the annual placement of pastoral candidates and vicars. Prior to placement there were a total of 440 vacancies throughout the Synod.
On Monday and Tuesday (April 29 & 30, 2013) the following candidates and vicarages were assigned to the North Wisconsin District:
Candidates
*Amherst/St. Paul - Don Johnson (Corinne)
*Glidden/Trinity - Jacob Stuenkel
*Hayward/Trinity - Mark Triplett (Amy)
*Laona/St. John & Crandon/Good Shepherd - Kyle Verage (Grace)
Vicarage (Alternate Route)
*Hermansfort/St John - Steven Conradt (Bernadette)
*Munising/Good Shepherd - Mark Werner (Cynthia)
On Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at Concordia Seminary - St Louis, Missouri, the following vicars were assigned:
Vicarage:
*Green Bay/Pilgrim - Joshua Reifsteck
*Weston/Mt Olive - Ethan Luhman (Sherry)
Please keep them in your prayers as they continue to minister to the people of the North Wisconsin District. See additional photos
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Main Article
141 Pastors in Attendance
The North Wisconsin District Pastoral Conference has been deemed a success. One hundred and forty-one retired and active pastors along with some spouses from around the District attended the annual event. The conference, held at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Weston, was on Monday and Tuesday, April 22 and 23. Vendors included CPH, LLL, Concordia University Milwaukee and Lutheran Heritage Foundation.
Dr. Peter J. Scaer, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology and Supervisor of the M.S. Program at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana was the guest speaker. His topic, 'The Sacramental Ministry of Jesus' reinforced our knowledge that the Lord, through His earthly ministry prepares for us for the still greater miracles which take place every day among us.
Next year, make sure to mark your calendar and plan to attend, set aside time and have your ministry strengthened through fellowship with your peers.
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Save the Date
Annual Church Workers' Golf Outing
Monday, July 29 - 8 a.m.
Mark your calendar and save the date. Take your clubs out of storage and plan to attend the NWD-LCMS Annual Church Workers' Golf Outing.
The place is the Trapp River Golf Course and details and registration form will be on the District website. Deadline for registration is Monday, July 22 - Absolutely no registrations will be accepted after that date so watch this newsletter and our website for further details.
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Save the Date - NWD Early Childhood Conference
August 9, 2013
The District Early Childhood conference date has been set. Notices are in the mail and details are available on the District website. This year's theme, "Through the Eyes of a Child" will be the centerpiece for the conference. Keynote speaker, Dr. Candyce K. Seider from Concordia University Wisconsin will address the theme, 'The Power of Play: A Special Gift From Our Creator'. For information and registration materials, go here
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 Draw Your Pastor Contest:
Sponsored by LCEF - Results in Local Winner
LCEF hosted a "Draw Your Pastor Contest" for children up to age 10. Children were encouraged to draw a photo of their pastor to thank them for their hard work. Submissions were accepted through Feb. 28. Participants were eligible to win $25 in a new or existing LCEF investment. Judging was on line and ran from March 1-15.
Four out of the five recent contest winners came from our districts (the fifth one is from CNH). Winners are:
Living Word Lutheran, Jackson, WI (South Wisconsin) - Hailey L.
Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Pleasant Dale, NE (Nebraska) - Olivia W.
St. Martin Lutheran Church, Clintonville, WI (North Wisconsin) - Joe K.
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Bismarck, ND (North Dakota) - Micaiah W.
The winners received a $25 LCEF deposit and the congregations of winning entries received $100.
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NWD Financial Box Score
April offering $ 218,603.19
April budget $ 209,410.00
Year-to-date total offerings: $ 575,132.11
Year-to-date budget: $ 556,850.00
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News from CHP
Small Business Health Care Tax Credit Employers who are eligible to claim the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, but were unaware of the credit and therefore missed filing in past years, can still file starting with the 2010 tax year.
The IRS has been accepting late returns for 2010 and 2011 when an explanation of late filing is attached to the return. The IRS has not stated when they will stop accepting returns; however, the sooner you file the return, the more likely it is to be accepted. For calendar-year employers (January 1-December 31), the filing due date is May 15. For an employer with a fiscal year-end of June 30, the due date is November 15. On December 2, 2010, the Internal Revenue Service issued Notice 2010-82. This guidance allows small employers enrolled in denominational health plans, like the Concordia Health Plan, to be eligible to claim the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. This credit was made available under the 2010 Affordable Care Act (health care reform). To review the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit FAQs and the Information and Sample Credit Calculation flyer, visit www.ConcordiaPlans.org and click on Resources/Employer Resource Materials. Both flyers are under "Health Care Reform." Detailed instructions for determining if a credit is available can be found by reviewing IRS Form 8941. IRS Notice 2010-82 also provides information about the credit. Both of these items are available at www.irs.gov.. One eligible LCMS church has received $50,000 just for claiming this tax credit for the past three years! What a blessing for this church's ministry. For additional information, contact Concordia Plan Services at 888-927-7526 or info@ConcordiaPlans.org. Cigna's Wellness Seminars Now Available Via Webcast Now Concordia Health Plan members* have the choice of participating in Cigna's EAP Wellness Seminars via telephone or website! The EAP Wellness Seminars are now available as live interactive webcasts, and are accessible via computer and mobile device (e.g., smartphones and tablets, such as the iPad). Seminars will continue to be accessible by telephone through the end of 2013. The registration process is the same for webcast and telephone. To register for an upcoming EAP Wellness Seminar, visit www.cignabehavioral.com and click on "Login to access your benefits" using the Employer ID "lcms." Click on "Visit Our Education & Resource Center" and then "EAP National Wellness Seminars." *The EAP is not available to CHP for Medicare members. Health Care Reform's Summary of Benefits and Coverage Concordia Plan Services is here to help employers and workers better understand the many facets of the Affordable Care Act, or health care reform law. Therefore, we have created an education series titled, "Explaining Health Care Reform," consisting of e-learning modules and flyers focusing on some of the key health care reform topics. The Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) is a requirement of the health care reform law. The law requires health insurers and self-insured group health plans, like the Concordia Health Plan (CHP), to fill in a government-provided template to illustrate the general medical benefits and coverage provided by the health plan so that consumers can more easily understand their benefits and compare coverage. Both Concordia Plans and employers in the CHP share the responsibility of distributing SBCs to workers, and must adhere to specific distribution time-frames to avoid incurring penalties. To better understand the purpose and distribution requirements of the SBC, visit www.ConcordiaPlans.org and click on Healthcare > Health Care Reform News and Information > E-Learning Presentations and Videos > Explaining Health Care Reform: The Summary of Benefits and Coverage. Concordia Plans will do all it can to help employers and workers navigate the changing landscape of health care. Be watching for more communication in the "Explaining Health Care Reform" series.!
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The Lutheran Fathers Conference
The Lutheran Fathers Conference is meeting on Tuesday, May 21, 9:30AM to about 3PM, at Zion Lutheran Church in Chippewa Falls. We are beginning a new study, Martin Luther's The Bondage of the Will, as translated by J.I. Packer & O.R. Johnston. Please read in advance pages 1-78, most of which is a historical introduction. There is no cost and prior attendance is not required. These meetings are open to all pastors, laymen, and laywomen. If you have questions or need directions, please contact the church office at: #715-723-6380 or zionlutherancf@charterinternet.com. Please come and join us! |
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Free for the Asking
 Trinity Lutheran Church Merrill has available, free of charge, 44 adult choir robes in various sizes. These robes are in excellent shape and come with a Packer Green Robe and Gold Stole. Any church interested in acquiring them may contact Pastor Scott Gustafson on his cell phone at #952-201-2292.
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The Counseling Connection:
The Work of a Sinister Strategist
By Pastor Dan Kohn - District Counselor
Let us consider the work of a sinister strategist. As a part of his effort to bring about destruction, there would be a concerted effort to undermine leadership. Such a strategy, with its main goal--to destroy what is good and Godly, would also seek to dismantle truth and harmony.
What has just been defined in the spiritual battle waged by Satan against the church? His primary targets are pastors and other church workers. When such positions can be undermined, cracks are formed in the institution within which these men and women minister. Herein is the greater plot of the evil one--to take out workers and, subsequently, destroy the church.
Now let us consider the strategy of Satan revealed in Genesis 3. Great was the temptation--"you will be like God" (vs.5). Consider the implication--that with such, presumed positioning--there would be invincibility. This illusion, applied to church workers, would include the lie that now such a worker would never need outside help (even as the church crumbles around such a "god.")
Pastors at great risk are those who buy this sinister lie from the "father of lies" (John 8:44b). Every pastor and church worker is a servant to the one and only God. He, or she, is vulnerable subject to the attacks of Satan, the world and the flesh. God makes this clear in Scripture, directly, and through stories of fallen leaders who believed the lie.
And so some would muse - what pastor would ever be so audacious to presume himself to be god? Satan works in more subtle ways including such strategies as -
+The church worker presumes to be "all things to all people."
+The pastor who refuses to delegate in those areas where he
is not spiritually gifted.
+This worker neglects his/her family while putting in excessive
hours at the church.
None of these examples have a biblical foundation. These are all open to Satan's influence, aimed at destruction of what is God-centered. The potential outcome is burn-out in ministry...with an unhealthy "ripple effect" on the congregation. And Satan would claim another victory.
Seeking counsel could make a difference toward healthy, renewed ministry. This would certainly be a wise move; and one pleasing to God.
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The District office strives to keep you informed and provide easy access to information for your congregation, school, or for you personally. If there is something we can do to improve this publication, please feel free to drop us a note or give us a call and let us know. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Dwayne Lueck, President
North Wisconsin District LCMS
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