It is the second week of December and Advent, yet the calendar is quickly filling up with many meetings and social events. As we all await the Christ Child of Christmas may we always keep the true meaning of Christmas alive!

Likewise, as we give gifts to ministry, family, and friends, it is important to remember other ministries for which we support, such as the South Wisconsin District, Missions, Synod, Lutheran Church Extension Fund, and others that are near and dear to our hearts.

May this Advent and Christmas season bring you even closer to your Lord and Savior.

Yours in Christ,

Diana S. Raasch, M.B.A, CGP

Vice President

414-464-8100, ext. 25

diana.raasch@lcef.org

Merry Christmas From LCEF!

A Special Gift That Keeps on Giving

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, there is anticipation and hope. God gave us the greatest gift: His only Son.

Often we struggle to find the most appropriate gift to show our love to family and friends. What about giving a gift that continues to give? Consider beginning a Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) investment for your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews. The investment will grow along with them, while providing funds for Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod churches, schools, universities, child-care centers and other ministries to expand the Kingdom.

Y.I. Club December Interest rate 3.5%

Join with the tens of thousands of LCEF investors helping LCMS Lutherans in their vital witness and mercy work among people around the world. Invest with ConnectPLUS today!

3% fixed rate (on first $5,000) and the opportunity to empower LCMS ministries.

Saturday, January 31, 2015 - 8am to 3pm

Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church & School, Hartland

The 8th annual Passionate Believers Conference is where church workers and members enjoy coming together to learn what's new in our District and gain a better understanding of our District's ministry. A registration mailing will soon be coming to your church address, or your own address if you have attended in the past, and it is posted at swd.lcms.org.

The keynote speaker will be Mike Zimmer who serves the Northern Illinois District as a Mission Facilitator and will talk about Revelation 22:2, "For the healing of the nations."

Below are a few of the many breakout topics that will be offered.

Social Media in the Church-For Beginners: Maria Hendrickson, MBA, LCEF Director of Communication & Marketing
A New Approach to Building Bridges in the Community and Inviting Youth and Families Into the Body of Christ: Sonya Parson, Director, Rebecca's Garden of Hope
Concordia Plan Services: Maureen Schneider, Benefit Consultant
First Amendment, Congregational Marriage Policy, and Confessional Lutheranism: Rev. Dr. John Wille, SWD President
Intergenerational Women's Ministry: Not a Program, but a Mindset: Darcy Paape, DCE, WLI Director and CUW Campus Ministry Assistant
Parent as Primary Faith Influence: Chad Jacobsen, Director of Youth Ministry, Shepherd of the Hills, Pewaukee
The WHY of Church Multiplication: Rev. Dr. Peter Meier, Executive Director, Center for United States Missions
And many MORE...download the brochure for the complete listing of breakout sessions.

Please encourage a group from your congregation to attend this beneficial--and fun--event!

Did You Know?
Did you know Gifts to Ministry can be given in various forms: Cash/Check Appreciated Stock IRA Minimum Distribution Charitable Gift Annuities End of Life Gifts Others,... To learn more, contact Diana at 414-464-8100, ext. 25 or raasch@swd.lcms.org.

Hispanic Ministry End-of-Year Gifts

Savior of the Nations Come!

By the wonder of His grace our God has brought those nations to our own South Wisconsin District: Africans, Asians, Hispanics. Immigrants, refugees, and students. This is our community to embrace. Look at the gifts that our Lord has brought to us: brothers and sisters in Christ from all over the world.

This year the South Wisconsin District is lifting up our Hispanic ministry. What an incredible opportunity to reach the hundreds of thousands of Spanish-speaking friends in our District.

We have been blessed by the ministry of Alphonso Prada, a Lutheran pastor from Venezuela who has been serving at St. Martini Lutheran Church and School on the south side of Milwaukee. He has tirelessly worked to reach the families that God has brought to that neighborhood.
Vicar German Novelli, Jr., another young Venezuelan, who will be ordained on December 14, 2014 as pastor of Grace Lutheran, also on the south side of Milwaukee. Thanks be to God this congregation saw the need for a bilingual man to serve the community.
We also praise God for Pastor Tim Sims and Oklahoma Avenue Lutheran Church as they have recently added a Spanish-language service.
And Santa Cruz, our long-standing ministry in Racine, has raised up Edmundo Rosales, who is now studying at the Center for Hispanic Studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

These and future Hispanic ministries could use your support. Please prayerfully consider a gift to support God's mission work to Hispanic families in South Wisconsin. You are invited to make an end-of-year gift to Hispanic outreach ministry

online, by mail to: South Wisconsin District-LCMS, Attn: Barb Slak, 8100 W. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53222, or by phone to Barb Slak, 414-464-8100, ext. 13

LCEF Scholarships Available NOW!
High School seniors check out this new LCEF scholarship! . . . . . . . Our LCEF South Wisconsin District also has a scholarship that High School Seniors and College students in the South Wisconsin District are eligible to apply for this $1,000 scholarship. Check it out today!

Upcoming Events

2014

December 24 - 26: "Merry Christmas" - SWD office closed
December 31: "New Year's Eve" - SWD office closed

2015

January 1: "Happy New Year!" - SWD office closed
January 31: "Passionate Believers Conference"
Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church and School, Hartland
February 18: "Ash Wednesday"
April 5: "Easter Sunday"
April 20-22: "Spring Pastors' Conference" - Holiday Inn, Manitowoc
June 7-9: "District Convention" - Concordia University Wisconsin
October 12-14: "Fall Pastors' Conference" - Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center, Onalaska

"And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'"

Luke 2:9-10

LCEF is a nonprofit religious organization; therefore, LCEF investments are not FDIC-insured bank deposit accounts. This is not an offer to sell investments, nor a solicitation to buy. LCEF will offer and sell its securities only in states where authorized. The offer is made solely by LCEF's Offering Circular. Investors should carefully read the Offering Circular, which more fully describes associated risks. LCEF StewardAccount access features provided through UMB Bank n.a. The StewardAccount is not available to investors living in South Carolina.