This comes from a monthly newsletter sharing events in the Southeastern District. The events listed here are sponsored or hosted by district congregations. If you have an event that you would like to post in the September newsletter please email sed@se.lcms.org.

Events will be listed regionally – Central Region, Northern Region, Southern Region.

Don’t forget to register for Mission U (niversity)
The first of four classes in outreach and evangelism will be held on Saturday, August 29. Working in partnership with Lutheran Hour Ministries, Sarah Guldalian will lead this exciting webconference. Contact Cathy at clong@se.lcms.org or 703.971.9371 to register. Check the website (www.se.lcms.org) for additional information.
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Northern Region Events

17th Annual Hunger Walk Run – September 19 at Rockford Park (Wilmington DE)
The Hunger Walk Run events are the largest single source of funding for LCS Food Pantries. In addition to the traditional Walk Run, folks who want to take it easy can go for the new shaded 1 Mile Hunger Walk & Talk, while high and middle school age youth can participate in the 3rd Annual High School Hunger Classic. Last year, the Walk Run raised over $40,000 to support LCS Food Programs. Sign up now – while it’s only $15. Forms are available on line at www.lscde.org, or from info@lcsde.org. Help us raise enough to keep LCS pantries open. And remember: It’s a Food Drive, too. Gene Zaiser, from Tree of Life, and Marty Budd, from St. Philips, will be collecting all the cans and nonperishables you can bring. Contact Steve Tindall (stindall@lcsde.org). 302 654 8886.

Congratulations Students at St. John’s, Dover DE
for your work on House Bill #99, which makes Peach Pie the official desert of the State of Delaware. The Governor signed the bill at this summer’s state fair. Dina Vendetti’s fifth- and sixth-grade class at St. John’s Lutheran School in Dover researched the history of peach farming in Delaware and helped state Rep. Darryl Scott draft a bill naming peach pie as the official state dessert. (see picture above right)

LWML Christian Life Retreat
will be November 6-8, 2009 at The Grand Hotel, Ocean City MD. Carol Stano addresses the theme “The Blessing Cup” and music director is Principal Dina Vendetti. For information, contact Joan Kelly at jgkelly36@hotmail.com

Circuit Mission Advocate Tony Hansen (St. Paul, Glen Burnie MD) is organizing a group to assist with Katrina rebuild
the week of October 18-14. If you are interested in joining him in this mission of compassion, contact Tony at: TONYHANSEN1@COMCAST.NET

Central Region Events

Capital District International Lutheran Laymen’s League Retreat
is scheduled for September 26 at 9:30 at Grace Lutheran Church in Woodbridge VA. The theme “Share His Story” is based on Psalm 66:16. There is a children’s program – so bring your children. You may register electronically at www.lhm.org/capitalretreat.

Bible Study Materials
Nazareth in Hopewell, Virginia, has a large amount of used Adult Bible Study Material (several boxes full). Many of the studies have not been written in. If your interested contact Jean Joyner of Nazareth Lutheran Church – 804-458-7994.

Bethlehem Lutheran, Richmond VA starts new mission to Blind in Richmond community.
Lisa Watts, Director of Outreach Centers, Lutheran Blind Mission, will be in Richmond for the National Christian Conference for the Blind. Her arrival is
scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12. With her encouragement and support, Bethlehem will hold its first dinner for the blind community at the church (1100 W. Grace St) on Monday evening, Sept. 14 at 6:00 pm.

Local congregations are invited to come and participate in this venture. Volunteers are welcomed to help assist with transportation for blind attendees, as well as serve dinner and post-dinner cleanup. If you a know blind person in your congregation or community, bring them to this event.

if you would like to know more about this Outreach effort, contact Pastor Olson (804.353.4413).

Good Shepherd, Midlothian VA receives first members
The first eight people to complete the Discovery Class will be received as members of this mission congregation on August 30 in the first weekly worship service in our new building.

Southern Region Events

Mission Team Dedicated
St. John’s Lutheran Church of Conover on May 31st dedicated a new mission team to go to Russia to teach English as a second language and to lead a Vacation Bible School there. The team traveled to the St. Petersburg area of Russia and to work with some local Lutheran congregations. Some one hundred children are expected to be involved. Team members were Deb Bradtmueller, Coy Hester, Barbara Young, Douglas Travis, Wendy Travis, David Johnson, Joanna Johnson and Pastor Anton Lagoutine.

Carolinas LWML
The Joy Event is an annual event for both North and South Carolina. Over 134 people attended not including pastors and speakers and those who prepared the breakfast buffet and lunch. Speakers were Pastor Merker of Jordan Lutheran, Pastor Martin of St. Stephens in Hickory, starting a Spanish mission in our area, Chuck Philbeck, of Kairos Ministry in western North Carolina and our VP of Servant Resources, talking about short term mission projects.

We had hands on projects after lunch.
Water bottles and snack bars were labeled for the Western Wake Mission (Jordan Lutheran)
* Ribbon crosses along with a small note card, 25 in all, were made and signed for each seminary student and the TEE students here at Bethel.
* Baked 93 dozen cookies for Kairos cookie ministry for prisoners.
* Tacking seven quilt tops for quilts that will be given to the Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry for those in need.
* The VP of Mission Advocacy and Grants presented the grant check for the seminary students of $5,000 tand a grant check of $4,000, for Western Wake Mission (Jordan Lutheran) to Pastor Merker.
All in all – a very spirit filled day.

From the National Office

2010 National Youth Gathering
District Coordinators for the 2010 National LCMS Youth Gathering, “We Believe,” are hard at work providing resources and services to congregations. Some of the things they do for congregations and districts include:

· Making transportation arrangements for districts,
· Coordinating special district events at the Gathering,
· Generating district materials t-shirts, buttons, banners, etc.,

The coordinator for the Southeastern District is Krista Young, Hope Lutheran in Wake Forest, North Carolina. She is currently looking at several options for a District Event and will be announcing the date and location in the near future. Here are some other things she is currently working on:

· District t-shirt
· Travel plans options
· District Booth.

If you have questions about the Gathering, or if you have not received Gathering materials such as the poster or pre-Gathering DVD, please contact Krista at kristayoung@ctc.net. Or 919- 554-8109

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Contact Information
Sirpa Quinn
Southeastern District, LCMS
www.se.lcms.org
800-637-5723

Operation Barnabas is pleased to announce that our first district workshop will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Springfield, Virginia on Saturday, 26 September 2009. Prince of Peace is located at 8304 Old Keene Mill Road in Springfield.! We are especially pleased that our first workshop will take place in the shadow of our nation’s capitol. This is the first of many workshops across the nation that will equip our congregations with the knowledge and tools to reach out to our nation’s military and their families.

In this workshop, your congregation will learn how to recruit volunteers from your church, learn how to initiate contact with your local military population, and create a vital and popular outreach that will transform your congregation and your community.

Some topics of the presentation include:

Where do we start?
What is a deployment?
The Military Spouse
The Military Child
How To Make A Difference During Deployment and Afterwards
Recognizing Veterans
Learning About Your Local Military Resources

The workshop will start at 8:30 a.m., end at 4:30 p.m. and the cost is $25. Lunch will be provided. You will receive a workbook, a great learning experience, and have the opportunity to meet others like you who have a heart for our military families. We look forward to seeing you there! For more information, please contact Chaplain Glen Krans 703-367-0842 / 910-381-5563 or Prince of Peace Lutheran Church at 703-451-5855. Ask for information on the Operation Barnabas Workshop.

You may register for the workshop and/or obtain additional information about Operation Barnabas at: http://barnabas.lcmsworldmission.org/

Administrator note Note:

I am happy to post articles submitted by others, or you can join the blog and write them yourself (I have to view them before they appear here though). This comes from Gloria Bose in York Pa where the Vicar is writing regular devotionals.
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Hi My Friends-

I am sharing a devotion that Vicar Jim sent today. Today’s devotion really hit home for me and I wanted to share it with you. You too can get these morning devotions by e-mailing Vicar JIm at bm2driskell@aol.com. It’s another great way to start your day.. down to earth devotions which we all can relate too. Share them with your unchurched friends and family.

Ablaze! for Jesus
Gloria
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Aug 21, 2009 05:24:46 AM, bm2driskell@aol.com wrote:

Devotional for August 21, 2009 Vicar Jim Driskell First Saint John’s Luthern Church, York, Pa.

I’m not sure how you communicate this to a non-believer, but it has always been something that I have been in awe of. In the history of the Christian church there have been 40 million martyrs. “Why have 40 million people been martyred since the death of Christ?” George Barna asks. “These martyrs viewed their relationship with Jesus Christ as one worth dying for. Their faith was more than a simple series of religious truths that enabled them to gain earthly riches, to be seen in the right places at the right times or to gain new insights into human character. Their faith was the defining thread of their lives. Their refusal to renounce their faith, even at the cost of their lives,dramatically illustrates how they defined success and purpose in life.” If I could only have that kind of passion, if only other people saw that “defining thread” in my life.
No I don’t want to leave someone I am witnessing to with the idea that to be a Christian means that we aspire to martyrdom, but if a non-believer somehow saw that passion in me I would feel that I have done my best to witness what my life has been in Christ.
Martyrdom isn’t some ancient occurrence either. There have been more martyrs for Christ in the 20th century then in all previous centuries put together. Christians are dying for their faith particularly in Somalia, Arab countries, southeast Asia, China even India and the rest of southern Asia.Spend some time in prayer over this and take it to God. Build that passion in me Lord. There is very little chance that I would suffer martyrdom, but maybe I can put to death those things in my life that really inhibit me from being an “on fire witness” for my Lord Jesus. What can I ask the Holy Spirit to put to death in me that will help a non-believer really see what life in Christ and not in the world can be?

Matthew 28: 19-20

Prayer: Lord help me to be truly devoted to Jesus Christ. Help me to daily put to death that old Adam in me that keeps me more concerned about worldly things and distracted from my life in Christ. I may never be a martyr, but help me to sacrifice those things that keep me worried about my dignity or my possessions. Truly the only possession that I have that means anything is in Christ. If I can live that, then my light will shine even brighter in a dark world for Jesus Christ.

Please reply to this mess if you do not wish to receive these mailings. Also check out Dr. Dale Meyer’s daily devotional for great Lutheran insights into current issues, the family, the church and Christian life. Send a message to daleameyer@aol.com to subscribe. To see past devotionals go to www.lutheransonline.com/firststjohs go to messages

God invites us to pray without ceasing for the work of the Holy Spirit throughout the lives of all people. Currently we have 2033 people who are committed to this ministry. Our goal is to gather at least 3000 people praying for mission. In the next weeks, Liz DeMik, Angie Evans, or Sally Hiller will be calling your congregation to gather information about congregational prayer ministry. We hope to develop helpful resources and grow the network of prayer teams so that every mission has at least one prayer team connected to them. If you are interested in joining this effort, contact prayers@se.lcms.org.

A Military Ministry Workshop will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Springfield, Virginia on Saturday, 26 September 2009. Prince of Peace is located at 8304 Old Keene Mill Road in Springfield. The phone number is 703-451-5855. The workshop will begin at 8:30 and will end at 4:30 PM. Under the title, OPERATION BARNABAS, this workshop will multiply your congregation’s effectiveness in reaching out to your area military members and their families with the love of Christ. Our nation is still at war and our brave men and women and their families still need our support! The cost for the workshop is $25.00 per person, which covers the cost of lunch and materials. Checks should be made payable to Prince of Peace (Operation Barnabas) and mailed to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church by September 21.

District Operation Barnabas counselor is Chaplain Glen Krans, USN, ret. He is also available to consult with Pastors who are dealing with military issues among their members. Contact Chaplain Krans at 703-367-0842 (home) 910-381-5563 (cell).

Additional information about Operation Barnabas found at: http://barnabas.lcmsworldmission.org/

The whistle is blown! It’s time for a TEAM Huddle! It’s time to gather with other church professionals for a conference centered on development, networking and refocusing! Join us for a relaxing, reflecting two day conference devoted to our ministries and roles as TEAM leaders in our congregations. Enjoy the tranquil retreat setting and reconnect with your district colleagues while you meet new workers as we grow and prepare for the future together as Southeasteran District Church Workers! Get in the GAME!

This year’s series for Training Lutherans for Outreach (TLO) is a special partnership with Lutheran Hour Ministries and it is all about sharing Jesus. Are you ready to share the news that has changed your life with another?

I am looking forward to this opportunity to grow with you in outreach skills. Consider signing up the entire outreach team, greeters ministry, evangelism committee, or elders team for these sessions.

Join us at Mission U (9 A.M. to Noon) on
August 29, 2009, broadcast live from Prince of Peace, Springfield VA
September 12, 2009, broadcast live from St. Stephen’s, Hickory NC
January 9, 2010, broadcast live from St. Andrew, Silver Spring MD
February 13, 2010, broadcast live from Trinity, Richmond VA

If you would like to be a host site for Mission U, please contact Cathy Long at: clong@se.lcms.org

We will be welcoming almost 200 refugees in the next six weeks and our storage facilities are nearly depleted! We are in desperate need of items to create a warm, welcoming first home for the refugees arriving in our community–a home that will help them rebuild their lives. We would really appreciate your congregation’s support and prayers over the next several weeks.

These are the items we need most:

200 — beds (mattress, box springs, and frame) full and twin-sized only
70 — pots and pans
80 — kitchen or dinette sets with chairs
200 — blankets and sheet sets
8 — cribs
8 — car seat of varying sizes (newborn-toddler)
8 — strollers

**the above items may be gently loved, but please no stains, tears, bugs, or broken items

100 — cleaning supply kits (bucket, cleaning solutions, broom, sponges, etc.)
100 — toiletry kits (full-sized shampoo, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, brush and comb, feminine hygiene, trash can, etc.)

**we may only accept new items from the above list

Any help you can give is much appreciated. Your donation will be put to good work immediately! Contact or email at KhanN@lssnca.org or by telephone at (301) 562-8633 ext. 219. (If you are in the Washington Metro area, arrangements for pick up can be made.)

North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC
Rev. Kevin Martin and members of Our Savior, Raleigh NC have a campus ministry at North Carolina Sate University, Raleigh NC. If you have students or family members at NC State, please send names and contact information to Rev. Martin so that they may invite them to join the Lutheran Student Fellowship.

Contact: Pr. Kevin Martin Our Savior Lutheran Church 1500 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh NC 27608 919.832.8822 pastor@oslcraleigh.org

Lutheran Outreach at Virginia Tech (LOVT)
The LCMS continues to have a presence on the campus of Virginia Tech this year. If you know of any students attending VT this year please send their names to lovt@gslcp.org or vicar@gslcp.org and we will be happy to contact them. In addition, contact these students yourself and encourage them to get involved with LOVT. College students can always use encouragement from back home. We meet for Divine Service every Sunday at 3:30 in the War Memorial Chapel right on VT campus starting August 23rd. We are also hoping to make some inroads at Radford University this year, so if you know any students attending RU please forward their names to us and encourage them to get involved as well! You can check us out on the web at lovt.gslcp.org for more information. Finally, please keep LOVT along with all campus ministries across the country and all college students in your prayers.

Vicar Matthew Wood is providing leadership for this effort through Good Shepherd, Roanoke VA. Vicar Wood is one of 6 mission track vicars that District congregations help fund through their Mission Partnership Support. (vicar@gslcp.org)

As of July 30, Fan into Flame, the capital campaign to raise $100 million for new Ablaze!-related ministries, was halfway to its goal, having raised more than $50 million in gifts and pledges since it was authorized by the Synod in convention in fan.gif2004.

The total represents nearly 20,000 gifts — including more than $23 million in cash — from some 7,000 individuals and 850 congregations.

“We thank God for the resources He provides, and we thank each and every donor for these generous gifts,” said Dr. William R. Diekelman, LCMS first vice president and Fan into Flame spokesman. “The LCMS is committed to Gospel proclamation around the world and to doing all we can to extend the kingdom of God.”

Fan into Flame funds already are being used by congregations, districts, and LCMS World Mission, says Diekelman, “to reach the lost with the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

As the campaign continues, he added, “we pray that others will be moved to participate, and we look forward in confidence that the Lord will see us through to the successful achievement of the campaign’s goals.”

Since 2005, the campaign has unfolded, district by district.

Campaign gifts are distributed quarterly to fund new outreach ministries:

* in local communities, by participating congregations.
* in U.S. regions, by participating districts.
* nationally, including church planting and “revitalization” of existing congregations.
* worldwide, through missionaries and partner churches.

Each congregation and district that contributes to Fan into Flame receives back a net 15 percent portion of the funds they collect to start new outreach ministries. So far, $1.2 million has been disbursed to congregations, and $4.17 million to districts.

Even if the campaign’s total falls short of its $100 million goal, it still will have raised awareness about mission-centered stewardship and raised an “unprecedented” amount of money for God’s mission worldwide, according to Jeffrey A. Craig-Meyer, who oversees the fundraising as associate executive director of Development Services with LCMS World Mission.

Craig-Meyer said he’s amazed that, even in the midst of a recession, contributions this year have surpassed those of 2008. And, about a third of the Synod’s 35 districts are just starting their Fan into Flame campaigns, he noted, so the total amount likely will grow.

Funds received so far are “a tremendous blessing,” he said, and have enabled the Synod to place 26 new missionaries, among many other mission-related efforts.

Dr. Thomas R. Zehnder, executive director of LCMS World Mission, said the campaign is “making great impact at the local level, where congregations apply their Fan into Flame funds to immediate community outreach.”

It is in these local neighborhoods, he said, “that many people are being connected to the love of Christ.”

For information about participating in the campaign, contact your congregation’s district office or call the Fan into Flame office at 800-977-2017.