Examples of how a successful mission “alliance” is formed — and explanations of why such alliances are necessary today — were shared at this year’s conference of the Association of Lutheran Mission Agencies (ALMA), Jan. 9-11 in St. Louis. The…

Officials of President George W. Bush’s administration commended Synod human-care work in remarks at the Jan. 19 inauguration of the new deaconess program at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. “The President is interested in results as they help poor people,”…

By Joe Isenhower Jr. “Nancy,” the Missouri Synod Lutheran in Montreal who for the last three years has faced the threat of being deported from Canada to Iran, where she could be persecuted or killed for her beliefs, is now…

By Joe Isenhower Jr. Although a New Year’s Eve van crash in North Carolina took the life of a basketball player at a Centereach, N.Y., Lutheran school and injured others, its aftermath has “brought out the best in people,” says…

A training event to prepare workers for Harvesters for Christ is set for May 13-16 in St. Louis. Rev. Al Tormoehlen, director of the outreach program, said that Harvesters for Christ volunteers “have a passion for the lost and are…

Rev. Eugene L. Reddel, chief of chaplain service and clinical pastoral education supervisor for the Department of Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, has received the VA’s “Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Chaplaincy.” The award, the highest given to a VA…

Four more “outreach centers for the blind” — in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Daytona Beach, Fla.; Detroit, Mich.; and Maplewood, Mo. — have opened in recent months, bringing to 28 the number of centers opened Synodwide since 1999. The outreach centers,…

The temperature was warmer than usual and the mood upbeat, according to an organizer for 40 Missouri Synod Lutherans who joined 100,000-plus pro-life supporters for the Jan. 22 “March for Life” in Washington, D.C. This year’s march observed the 31st…

LCMS World Mission has filled two of its four new regional director positions.Dr. Jorge Groh and Rev. John Mehl began work in January as regional directors for Latin America and Eurasia, respectively.  Their responsibilities include working with LCMS mission partners…

The 10th annual Arizona Lutherhostel, sponsored by the Association of Lutheran Older Adults (ALOA), will be held March 15-19 at “Picture Rocks” near Tucson, Ariz. Lutherhostel events are designed to provide opportunities for older adults to experience intellectual, social and…

In their quest to make western Europe Ablaze! with the Gospel, missionaries from Lutheran church bodies in Germany and Slovakia are planning to attend the Missouri Synod’s Mission Planters Institute this month in Orlando, Fla. The institute, sponsored by the…

The India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC) today has more than 50 new and re-established congregations and preaching stations, thanks to a challenge issued three years ago asking seminary graduates to start their own churches. Graduates of Concordia Seminary in Nagercoil,…

LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick says that continuing questions related to participation of Atlantic District President David Benke in the post-Sept. 11, 2001, “A Prayer for America” at Yankee Stadium led him to send a recent memo to all Missouri Synod…

In two new installments of “Board Briefs,” the Synod’s Board of Directors continues to address questions related to the outside legal opinions regarding the Board’s authority that it obtained last year.  It also discusses “executive sessions” of the Board and…

Alan D. Gunderman, executive director of educational services for the LCMS Kansas District since 1990, died of a heart attack Dec. 25 at his home in Topeka. The funeral service for Gunderman, 59, was Dec. 30 at Grace Episcopal Cathedral,…

Twelve Lutheran college fairs are planned this winter and spring at locations around the country.  A fair in Phoenix took place too late for this issue of Reporter. Representatives of the schools — the Synod’s 10 colleges and universities and those…