Note:  Reporter cannot accept notices about items offered for sale or that people wish to purchase.  Items described as “Wanted” or “Available” are sought or may be obtained for shipping costs only. Available Joyful Sounds — The New Children’s Hymnal (CPH,…

Synod President Gerald B. Kieschnick issued a statement June 24 expressing disagreement with the California Supreme Court’s May 15 ruling that overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. “The 4-3 ruling declared that the state Constitution protects a fundamental ‘right…

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, has a current opening for a communications specialist.  This staff member will assist the director of Communications in the production of print and Web resources that communicate the mission and vision of Concordia Seminary to the…

By Paula Schlueter Ross DITTMER, Mo. — Born and raised in China, Weiqin Gu always thought of Christianity as “a foreign people’s religion.” Even when she moved to the United States in 2004 with her husband, a graduate student, and the…

By Roland Lovstad In a statement titled “Steps Toward Reconciliation,” issued in early June, LCMS President Gerald B. Kieschnick and representatives of a group called Northern Illinois Confessional Lutherans (NICL) list two points of agreement and encourage that doctrine and…

By Paula Schlueter Ross Christ Lutheran Church, Chalmette, La., member Kathy Wendling has helped out at more than a dozen vacation Bible school programs at the church, which took on 10 feet of water as a result of Hurricane Katrina…

After considering the praise and worship songs most frequently used by LCMS congregations, the Synod’s Commission on Worship submitted 87 songs that were subsequently approved over the past six months through the church body’s doctrinal review process. Another 13 previously…

By Allen Helms I just filled my car’s gas tank at the price of $3.82 per gallon.  By the time you read this, that price may seem like one from the “good old days” for where you may be. Who…

By Linda C. Hoops With 83 of 99 counties in Iowa having been declared state disaster areas and estimates of damages surpassing $1.5 billion, some are calling 10 days of flooding in the state “the Katrina of the Midwest.” In…

Wheat Ridge Ministries is inviting congregations to submit applications from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31 for its “Congregation Health and Hope Grant” program. The grants are intended to help congregations develop health and wellness ministries.  All Lutheran congregations — individually or…

LCMS World Relief and Human Care is offering a number of items handmade by members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK). Sales of the necklaces, bookmarks, and cards — which are produced mostly by women — benefit artisans in…

“Woman to Woman,” Lutheran Hour Ministries’ (LHM) 30-minute radio program hosted by Phyllis Wallace, began airing new episodes May 4. Reruns of the program — which addresses topics of interest to women — had been airing on radio stations nationwide since 2003,…

“Reaching Rural America for Christ,” a conference for lay leaders and professional church workers in rural and small-town Synod congregations, is planned for Nov. 6-8 at Mahoney State Park in Ashland, Neb. The conference will gather leaders to share common…

By Linda C. Hoops While storms continued to sweep over much of the Upper Midwest Thursday (June 12), LCMS congregations and members began assessing damage, but still managed to find some rays of hope amidst the devastation. As coordinator of…

Thomas W. Kuchta, vice president finance/treasurer of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, was named a finalist in the St. Louis Business Journal’s first-ever “CFO [Chief Financial Officer] of the Year” awards competition held June 5 in St. Louis. The St. Louis…