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Mission Update
Rev. Peter Kelm, Missions Executive 
South Wisconsin District
 
414-464-8101 [email protected]
Passionate believers... confessing Christ for the next generation
May God bless you during the season of Lenten reflection.

"I have other sheep that are not of this
sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice..."
(John 10:16)
  • March 21, 
    8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
    Brookfield Lutheran Church
Ordination and Installation service for Ben Adetiba
  • March 22, 3:00 p.m.
    Bethany Lutheran Church, Milwaukee
LWML Heart to Heart Sisters
  • April 11, 9 a.m. at Gospel, Milwaukee
Men's NetWork Work Day
  • April 25-- in your neighborhood
March 2015
Every Christian a ... missionary?

I suppose it's ironic that in 2015, with all the cultural changes, all the technological changes, all the changes happening in our churches, that the best exposition on personal witnessing that I've seen from anyone lately comes from a sermon from 1842. And it comes from no less a Missouri Synod icon than CFW Walther himself.

 

I was so struck as I read these words anew how clear, simple, direct and beautiful they are. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

 

"No one should say, 'I am not a pastor, a teacher, or a preacher.  Let them teach, instruct, comfort, and lead souls to Christ.  I wish to remain in my own vocation.'  No, Christian, you are baptized, and through Holy Baptism you have already been anointed and called to be a priest of God. Through Holy Baptism each Christian has been consecrated, ordained and installed into the ministry to teach, admonish and comfort his neighbour. Through Holy Baptism each Christian has received not only the authority, power and right, but also the high and holy obligation to do his part that others may be brought to Christ. ...  

 

And yet, at the same time, all Christians are to shine as lights among the world. The Christian Church is a great mission-house. Each Christian is a missionary sent out by God into his own circle of activity to convert others to Christ and to call them to the kingdom of God.  God does not give His spiritual gifts only to pastors and teachers. Lay people, too, often have very glorious gifts - for example, a splendid knowledge of Christian doctrine, the gift of understanding and explaining Scriptures, the gift of administration, the God-given ability to encourage, to admonish, and the like. ...      

 

Each of us has a brother or sister, an acquaintance, a relative, a friend. When we are with them, let us take to heart that we through Holy Baptism have been made spiritual priests, that we have entered into a covenant with God for His service. Every Christian should avail himself or herself of the opportunity to speak something good, to tell what God has done for us, to win back the erring, to admonish the frivolous and lazy, to comfort and encourage those who are sad and disheartened.

Read more 

Ordination of Ben Adetiba, EIIT graduate   
 

On Sunday, March 22, at 3:00 p.m., Vicar Ben Adetiba will be ordained and installed as Associate Pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church, 2031 N. 38th St., Milwaukee 53208. You are welcome to come and share in the congregation's joy at this occasion! Ben and his wife, Sarah, will love to see you there! 

 

LCMS pastors are invited to come with their albs and red stoles.  

Cross-cultural training workshop

Connecting with Our Immigrant Neighbors, a cross-cultural training workshop, will be held at Brookfield Lutheran Church, 18500 W. Burleigh Rd., Brookfield, 53045, on Saturday, March 21, 2015. Rev. Dr. Gary Rohwer of POBLO International (People of the Book Lutheran Outreach) will lead the workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Registration is FREE of charge. Simply call Brookfield Lutheran Church to register 262-783-4270.

For more information, contact Duane Tweeten, [email protected], or go to our District website

 

Please use the following for publicity in your congregation:

Men's NetWork WORK DAY 2015 ... get involved locally!

On April 25, 2015, the Men's NetWork will host its third WORK DAY. This event is a nationwide opportunity for guys to do something positive for their neighborhoods and communities. Registration is now open at www.lhm.org/men/workday.aspEvery guy who participates will receive a Men's NetWork cap to wear the day of the event.

 

When it comes to projects, be imaginative. Is a local public park's playground equipment in disrepair? Have you and your group got the skills and tools to make it good again? There's a job. Is there winter brush and debris strewn along public walking and biking trails that can be hauled away? Does anybody in your group have a pickup truck? There's a job. Is there graffiti scrawled along the side of a public school in your area? Are there guys with the know-how to get it removed? There, certainly, is a job. Please share this information with your Men's groups, Bible classes, and outreach team.  

LWML Heart to Heart Sisters

 

Sharing Christ with all Cultures 

Theme: "Let's Fix Our Eyes on Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

Saturday, April 11, 2015, at 9 a.m.

Gospel Lutheran Church
1535 W. Capitol Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53206

A luncheon to follow--Freewill Donation  
Please contact their office, 414-562-1890, to register for lunch.
LCMS Missionary of the Month 
Daniel Fickenscher
 
Daniel Fickenscher serves the Lord through The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as a GEO (globally engaged in outreach) missionary in the Dominican Republic. Daniel is the communications specialist for the Latin America and the Caribbean region. In this role, he helps to share with people in the United States the story of what God is doing in this region through missionaries, partner church bodies and all believers, using print media, video, social media and the Internet. Through the media he creates and develops, he is able to inform the worldwide church how God is working in Latin America, garnering prayers and support for the missionaries serving there. In addition, Daniel serves in a congregation in Santiago locally in the Dominican Republic. Please keep Daniel in your prayers!

 More information about Daniel Fickenscher
Congregational Outreach and Personal Witness 

I have had the opportunity to share a brief presentation on some basics of congregational outreach and personal witness at several SWD congregations. This particular presentation can be anywhere from one hour to several hours and is suitable for a weekday evening or weekend day. It's not a "program," but rather a conversation starter for ways to share Jesus in our current culture. Please let me know if you'd like to schedule such a presentation for your congregation, or for an LWML or circuit meeting.
Need a guest preacher? My calendar opens up for summer. I'd be happy to preach for a mission festival or District Mission Sunday...or just to give your preacher a break.