Join other LCMC youth and leaders for a week of service, learning, fellowship, fun and devotion on mission for Christ. July 14-19, 2019 a group will be serving the Lakota people of Pine Ridge, South Dakota. This trip includes construction, relational, and community opportunities for ministry. For details email sstrachan@faithabq.org. [...]
Just a few weeks ago we completed the second “Called 2:” youth event. It was once again held at the campus of Grand View University and was led by pastors, leaders and teachers from our association. This is unlike any other youth event with which people may be familiar. We are not trying to gather thousands, entertain them, wow them, or make them question everything they may have learned in Sunday ... [...]
We are getting ready for our 18th get together in Des Moines, Iowa! I like to think of our gathering as more of a family reunion than anything else. It is a time for us to connect, network, renew old friendships and make new ones. But why would you bother to go? Why would you make the commitment of time and money to attend? There are some very good reasons, I want to share a few of them with [...]
If you haven't already begun to do so, it's time to start planning for our next annual Three Days of Prayer event, which takes place January 1-3 2019! Following the trend of past years, the theme for each day is as follows: January 1 is a day focused on confession January 2 is a day for petition January 3 is a day for vision There's no right or wrong way to structure this event, so do what works best for ... [...]
At their last meeting, the LCMC Board of Trustees decided to cancel the meal packaging event scheduled for the Tuesday night of our upcoming Annual Gathering and Convention in Des Moines. To date, we have only received just over $11,000 of our $80,000 fundraising goal for this project. We are grateful for everyone who has already contributed. All of the funds donated, as well as any future contributions, will be given ... [...]
It's already the middle of July, and we have a great lineup of events planned for the next few months. As you're making your travel plans this summer (if you haven't done so already), please don't forget to register for any events you may be planning to attend. Not only will registering in advance help to ensure our staff can provide the best possible experience for everyone, it can also help you save some cash! We ... [...]
LCMC church planters and missional types are invited to The 2:47 Network Church Planting Retreat immediately following the LCMC Annual Gathering at nearby Lutheran Church of the Cross in Altoona, Iowa. “The Next Generation” discussion starts at 2:00 pm on October 10th, and wraps-up by noon on the 11th. There is no charge to attend, but lodging and meals are on your own. For greater details and to ... [...]
LCMC churches and their youth have partnered on several mission trips in the past, including 2014 and 2015 in Oklahoma, and most recently 2017 in Colorado Springs. Plans are starting to shape for another great LCMC mission trip for the Summer of 2019. For details and information, please contact Scott Strachan from Faith Lutheran Church of Albuquerque NM via email at sstrachan@faithabq.org or call 505-296-0762. [...]
There are still a few more weeks to submit photos for our 2018 Annual Gathering Photo Contest. The theme of our 2018 Annual Gathering is "Growing Up", and to help illustrate this concept throughout our book, we would love to see photos of service projects, outreach events/activities/programs, mission trips, creative/artistic projects, disaster relief, or church planting efforts from any and all age groups within your ... [...]
If you are a pastor who is interested in serving in an interim ministry role during the next year, and have not yet received LCMC training, there are still a few spots open at this year’s LCMC Intentional Interim Ministry Training event. More and more we are discovering the vital role that interim ministry plays in helping a congregation transition from one ministry to another. There are a certain set of skills and ... [...]
To date we have raised $6,534.59 for our Annual Gathering service project with Meals from the Heartland! To learn more or make an online donation towards this project, CLICK HERE. To donate via snail mail, please make all checks payable to LCMC and be sure to indicate that your donation is for the "MFTH Service Project". Checks should be mailed to the LCMC office at: LCMC 7000 North Sheldon Road Canton, MI ... [...]
"Growing Up" is the theme of our 18th Annual Gathering and Convention, and we've invited Dr. Kent Hunter of Church Doctor Ministries to help us consider how congregations of all sizes can be focused on the Great Commission and develop a kingdom mindset. Jo Kinnard will be returning this year to serve as our Bible study leader as we reflect on the text of Ephesians 4. Mark Vander Tuig and Perry Fruhling will ... [...]
Registration is now open for our 2018 Seminarian Retreat. Held the weekend before the Annual Gathering, the event serves as an opportunity for seminary students to get connected with one another, network, learn more about yourself and your calling, and ask any questions you may have about the LCMC call process. The retreat takes place October 5-7, 2018 at Riverside Bible Camp in Story City, IA. Registration is $50 per ... [...]
We have extended the deadline to register for the youth event this summer until Sunday, April 15, but this is the LAST CALL. We need to have all registrations and deposit money in by the 15th. Called 2 Follow takes place July 17-20 at Grand View University in Des Moines, IA and all information including speakers, breakouts, service projects, the agenda, and more can be found under "Events" our website. Click Here ... [...]
Has your congregation been "in Mission for Christ" over the past year? Enter our 2018 Annual Gathering Photo Contest! All eligible photos received by Monday, July 16th will be considered for publication in the 2018 Annual Gathering Book. Photos will be selected based on subject matter, photo quality, and the story accompanying the photo. To help illustrate the theme throughout our book, we wou [...]
LCMC is hosting our second training class for those who feel called into intentional interim ministry. Those of us serving on the LCMC staff believe those serving in this capacity need training. Some of the best training is through the Interim Ministry Network (IMN) or the National Association of Lutheran Interim Pastors (NALIP). These courses require significant time and money, so we are providing a lower cost alternative, ... [...]
The deadline to register for our upcoming high school youth event, Called 2 Follow, is next Saturday, March 31st! Participants will gain practical life advice through interactive keynote presentations and breakout sessions, make a real difference in the local community by taking part in service projects, and connect with other people in LCMC while enjoying games, music, inflatables, and ice cream. For groups wishing to stay an ... [...]
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ will once again be teaming up with Meals from the Heartland to help feed the hungry at both our Called 2 Follow youth event and our 18th Annual Gathering. When we hosted our 2014 Annual Gathering in Des Moines, we raised over $90,000 and packaged almost 300,000 meals with Meals from The Heartland. (Watch a video of the experience here!) In 2016, we worked with Meals from the ... [...]
I have just returned from South East Asia and want to give a brief update. We traveled first to Cambodia, where we discovered that our mission developer there, Pastor Samuel Chim (an LCMC pastor) is doing great work for us. We have received another 15 congregations and pastors as a result of the church planting efforts of the congregations there. We now have 35 pastors and churches in Cambodia and Pastor Chim is ... [...]
Six years ago, Service Coordinator Mark Vander Tuig invited every congregation in LCMC to join in prayer for three days at the beginning of the new year. In the time since, our association has turned Three Days of Prayer into an annual tradition with many congregations choosing to organize prayer walks, host special services and vigils, or distribute resources to congregation members for each of the three days. Mark your calendars now ... [...]
Did you know that the LCMC App lets you sign up to receive news updates on your mobile device based entirely on your interests? Here's a breakdown of what's available: General Notifications: Select this option if you’d like to be notified of only the basics, such as major announcements that aren’t related to attending a specific event. (Examples: New videos/podcasts, service projects, contests, and any ... [...]
Seminary students: discover what tools your head, heart, and hands will need in order to become a pastor in LCMC at our next Seminarian Retreat October 5-7, 2018 at Riverside Bible Camp in Story City, IA. This is affordable weekend retreat for seminary students is held every other year on the Friday evening through Sunday morning immediately preceding the Annual Gathering. Spouses are also welcome to attend. This ... [...]
Our Sixth Annual Three Days of Prayer kicks off Tuesday, January 2! The themes for each day are as follows: Tuesday, January 2: This is a day focused on confession. We have made our lives, our relationships, and even the church in our own image. We confess that the church belongs to Jesus and not to us. We gather to lay down our pride, our sin and our agenda and ask the Lord of the church for forgiveness, which ... [...]
Videos of the speakers from our 17th Annual Gathering are now available for streaming online as well as in our mobile app! Available videos include keynote panels, Bible study, the opening and closing worship services, the Service Coordinator's report, and a dramatic portrayal of Martin Luther and his wife, Katy. Mobile App: The LCMC Mobile App allows users to stream video content from a mobile device. It is also ... [...]
If your congregation hasn't already begun to do so, it's time to start planning for our 6th Annual Three Days of Prayer, which will take place January 2-4, 2018. The theme for each of the three days is as follows: Day One: A day focused on confession Day Two: A day of petition Day Three: A day for vision In anticipation of the event, we're polling readers to find out how congregations plan ... [...]