Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, we have had to close registration for the Annual Gathering this year. We will not be able to allow any walk-in registrations. If you had made transportation plans, but did not officially register, we will not be able make an exception for you. So, if you do not already have a confirmed registration, please do not show up. We regret the frustration and disappointment ... [...]
LCMC Congregations, Pastors, and Leaders, The LCMC Board is pleased to announce the start-up of a group health plan for our association, including coverage for pastors and eligible staff members within the congregations! The LCMC Board has explored various plan designs and options available, and to finalize those findings, LCMC has partnered with the Hahn Financial Group, Inc. for implementation. The next step is to gather ... [...]
Registration is now closed for the 2021 Annual Gathering & Convention. Due to space limitations at the venue, we have closed registration and can no longer accept new registrations for the event. We look forward to a great event and will be live streaming, so if you are not able to attend in person, you are welcome to participate online. More information on how to access the livestream will be available on our ... [...]
Mark your calendar now for LCMC’s next national youth event, which takes place July 19-22, 2022 at Grand View University in Des Moines, IA. The event is open to high school students completing grades 8-12, youth ministry leaders, and adult chaperones, and is designed to serve as a leadership development experience for both students and youth leaders. Registration for the event will be online only and opens November ... [...]
LCMC's 21st Annual Gathering & Convention begins October 3 at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church in Hilliard, OH. Each year, the event serves as an opportunity for people across the association to gather together for a time of fellowship, networking, worship, speakers, and more. Registration for the event has closed. If you are unable to attend in person this year, don't worry, we will still be livestreaming the ... [...]
Has your congregation experienced conflict recently? Are you prepared for a conflict that might arise during the upcoming months or years? We invite all LCMC pastors, congregational leaders, and interested congregation members to a new online Zoom “Congregational Conflict Team” training on Saturday, October 9 or Saturday, October 23, from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. CDT. We encourage congregations across the ... [...]
Advanced Intentional Interim Ministry Training has returned. The intentional interim ministers will gather January 17-20, 2022 at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree, AZ. This is an incredible campus and the event is designed for both equipping for ministry and rejuvenation from ministry. We begin Monday night at 6:00 P.M. with dinner, worship, and fellowship. Class begins Tuesday morning at 8:00 A.M. with ... [...]
In June, leaders from ten existing and potential districts and fellowships, along with LCMC staff, had their annual meeting at Hosanna! Lutheran Church in St. Charles, IL. The gathering was an excellent opportunity for the staff to learn more about the priorities and concerns of leaders, for the various districts and fellowships to share their stories, and for those considering forming (or re-forming) a district or fellowship to get some ... [...]
Join us August 26 at 11:00 A.M. Pacific Time for a FREE Zoom webinar led by Thomas Brashears and Michael Boyle and designed to help you manage people who have frustration and anger using empathy, listening, and reframing. Advance registration is required, and the deadline to sign up is August 20. [...]
Hello everyone! I’m writing to you to ask for your help with our upcoming Annual Gathering & Convention. We’ve all been through a lot since early 2020, and we’ve had to go through much of that time without being able to gather together in person, but now it’s time. It’s time to gather again in the same place at the same time with the Lord and one another. It’s time to come together to worship the ... [...]
Join LCMC Pastor and Ministry Board Member Ebassa Berhanu for a FREE webinar July 6-7, 2021 from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. CDT online via Zoom. [...]
We have been given all we need for faithful and effective ministry and mission in today’s world. We have been given the gospel which is God’s power for salvation (Rom 1:16). We have been given the gift of a new life in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). We have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit’s empowering presence (Acts 1:8; 2:38; 4:31). We have been given spiritual gifts through which God impacts people ... [...]
For the past several months, a team of LCMC staff and leaders have been discerning and planning our next national youth event (The Way • The Truth • The Life, July 19-22, 2022 at Grand View University in Des Moines, IA). As we’ve discussed plans for the gathering, a shared heart and desire to attend to the care of youth leaders has become a focus. In our meetings, we’ve had conversation about common topics of ... [...]
Join us online May 18-19, 2021 for "Safe Place", a FREE webinar hosted by LCMC Service Coordinator Mike Bradley. In a culture which is often judgmental, condemning, arrogant, angry, and polarizing, becoming a safe place is an essential key for increasing our effective witness in the world. Being a safe place creates an atmosphere to build authentic relationships, struggle without judgment, and ask real questions; a place ... [...]
The Lutheran Disaster Assistance Fund was established in 2013 to assist churches during times of natural disasters. The goal of the Fund is to reach out to those impacted by disaster who otherwise would not have resources. Grant decisions are made by a committee made up of representatives from five contributing churches... [...]
It’s great to be aboard the LCMC national staff as Coordinator for Districts and Fellowships. While this is a brand new position, LCMC’s commitment to districts and fellowships goes back to our earliest days. Our founding documents highlight local, grassroots partnerships as crucial for congregational support in carrying out their missions. Districts can be places for shared mission endeavors, collegiality and ... [...]
“Speak It, Live It, Share It” is the theme of our 21st Annual Gathering & Convention, which will take place October 3-6, 2021 at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church in Hilliard, OH, and registration is officially open! Keynote speakers Jeremey King, Nathan Hoff, Jenn Alexander, Julie Smith, Andrea Taphorn, and Mike Bradley will take the stage to help us uncover some practical ways in which we can speak, live, and share ... [...]
Connecting, equipping, and caring for leaders. This has been a passion of mine throughout my forty-two years of vocational ministry as a youth minister, associate pastor, lead pastor, seminary president, and now as Service Coordinator for LCMC. With that in mind, I am looking forward with much anticipation to attending and helping lead the annual meeting for LCMC District and Fellowship Group leaders, along with our newest staff ... [...]
If you have never gone on an overseas mission trip, you do not realize all that you have missed out on. A short-term focus, typically 10-14 days, and being part of Christ’s outreach abroad, is life changing. It was for me, decades ago. In choosing to go on a mission trip, a variety of reasons have been shared over the years, including these three: To help people, especially those living in incredibly impoverished areas of the ... [...]
As LCMC’s Service Coordinator, I am delighted to announce a new addition to our national staff. I have asked Pastor Julie Smith to join our team as the Coordinator for Districts and Fellowship Groups. Adding this position to our team will enable us to be more effective in connecting, equipping, and caring for all congregations and leaders throughout the association. We believe that developing a healthy and robust district and ... [...]
We heard the word “essential” a lot this past year. The word was used in regards for necessary items and personnel; but if we’re honest, the definition fell pretty broadly as to who was categorized in this way. However, we still needed the essentials for day-to-day life. Even in our congregations, we had to get down to the “essentials” for ministry to move forward. As things progressed, innovation took place. ... [...]
Calling All Interim Pastors! The impact an interim pastor has on a congregation is substantial, as it can be the time a congregation moves from unhealthy patterns and behaviors to a more positive healthy environment. Interim pastors are in a unique position to move a congregation forward during uncertain times. The need for intentional interim pastors is critical. Many congregations need some intentional healing before ... [...]
The purpose of LCMC-Lutheran Men is to worship God by helping congregations through the money we collect from the men of our congregations plus grants provided by congregations. After much discussion, our board has decided to reorganize our funding program. Currently, we have two funds, the Loan Fund and the Gift Fund. The Loan Fund is designed to provide a no interest loan to small/mission congregations that can be used for building ... [...]
January 5-7 marked Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ’s ninth annual Three Days of Prayer event, bringing pastors and congregation members of the association together to kick off 2021 with an intentional time of prayer. In light of the circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is no surprise that fewer congregations than usual opted to host in person events. According to the results of our ... [...]
In the gospel text for January 24th from Mark 1:14-20, Jesus comes proclaiming good news. Great news. The long-awaited kingdom of God is near. Jesus comes declaring and demonstrating that a new life, a better way of living life is breaking in on the world here and now. It is a way of living life that is made possible by what God is doing in and through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus; a way of living life that we can never create ... [...]