I love slowing down and resting in God’s presence, at times alone and at other times in the presence of others. One of the ways I experience this is in moments of worship and prayer with the community of sisters and brothers in Christ. Therefore, I am excited to announce that we will have an opportunity to do just that at our upcoming Annual Gathering & Convention. On Tuesday, October 4, we will gather at 7:00 P.M. at Hosanna ... [...]
The IRS allows credentialed ministers to declare a housing allowance distribution from their 403(b)(9) Retirement Plan account in retirement. This means that the portion of your distribution used for housing expenses is excludable from gross income for income tax purposes. This can provide significant tax savings during retirement. The LCMC Retirement Plan is a 403(b)(9) Plan and specifically designed for LCMC ... [...]
It is the congregation’s––more importantly, lay leadership’s––responsibility to ensure that their pastors and families are cared for properly. Planning proper compensation and benefits for those who serve the church is an important task. Every church should see that the pastors and staff have adequate salary and retirement benefits established. The LCMC 403B Retirement Plan is a great vehicle for ... [...]
Seminary students are invited to join us October 1-2, 2022 at Hosanna Church in Lakeville, MN for our next Seminarian Retreat. The retreat is an opportunity for LCMC seminarians to come together to experience fellowship, learn about issues related to vocational ministry in LCMC, become more aware of our association’s DNA, and ask questions. Registration for the retreat is being handled separately from Annual Gathering ... [...]
Registration is now open online and by mail for our 22nd Annual Gathering & Convention. The event includes speakers, fellowship meet-ups, breakout sessions, worship, and more! For the discounted rate, sign up by August 15. [...]
Hosanna! Lutheran Church will be hosting a new retreat for retired pastors and spouses from August 29-31 at Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp in Milford, IA. This event will give you an opportunity to connect with other retired pastors, be inspired, and hear helpful financial information…all at a cost you can’t refuse, even if you no longer have a church paying your way! [...]
Naming a beneficiary for your retirement account is an important task and should be completed as soon as you enroll. It will mean probate, attorneys’ fees, and other costs associated with settling estates are avoided. If you are married and would like someone other than your spouse as your primary beneficiary, your spouse must sign and witnessed by a notary public. A trust may be named as a beneficiary. You ... [...]
This Friday, April 1 is the last day to register for Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ's upcoming summer 2022 youth event, The Way • The Truth • The Life. The purpose of our national youth event is to serve as a leadership development experience for both students and student leaders. Everything at this youth event is designed to empower youth ministry in the local church and encourage ... [...]
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Small churches have tremendous impacts for the kingdom of God in their local communities and in other countries around the world. Over five hundred of our member churches in LCMC have one hundred members or less. These two facts are why serving, encouraging, and equipping the leaders and members of our small churches is one of the priorities in LCMC 3.0. I served two congregations of one hundred members or less in my years of ... [...]
The LCMC 403(b) Retirement Plan now has a new app for your mobile device that will allow you easy access to your account. To download the app, go to www.oneamerica.com/mobileapp. Participants can register and log into the app using the same username and password as their account. Call OneAmerica at 1-800-858-3829 with questions. Let them know you are with LCMC, plan #963003. [...]
On December 10, 2021, the West Kentucky area was devastated by a category 4 tornado. Several cities were deeply affected by this tragedy. Large portions of Mayfield through Dawson Springs were destroyed. Many families were displaced by the tornado and at this time there are Mayfield families living in surrounding areas, including Paducah. We, as a congregation, along with many who have been visiting the Mayfield ... [...]
One of the first questions people ask me when we begin a conversation about forming or renewing a district or fellowship is, “Why would we do that?” It’s a good question. After all, we have functioned perfectly well for twenty years with only a small portion of our congregations being actively involved in a district or fellowship. Why would we want to change that? The time when everyone in our association knew everyone ... [...]
From January 4-6, every congregation is invited to join together in prayer in celebration of the association's 10th Annual Three Days of Prayer. We realize that every congregation in LCMC is different. Consequently, we invite you to structure this intentional time of prayer in any way that makes sense for your congregation. In past years, some congregations have organized special events such as prayer vigils, services, ... [...]
“To be human is to pray,” says Pete Greig, founder of the global 24/7 prayer movement. He continues, “Prayer is the least weird, most natural, necessary, and wonderful invitation. But no one finds it easy. I guess we all need a little help.” We all need a little help because, knowing that prayer is central to our life with God, we are prone to turn prayer into a mandatory performance. So, we try hard to do it right, ... [...]
LCMC is pleased to announce that the LCMC Health Plan is moving forward effective January 1, 2022. If you have not submitted your health application, we have a one-time extension to December 10, 2021 to be part of our January 1, 2022 start date. If there are any questions please reach out to the Hahn Financial Group at 1-800-516-4246. [...]
Registration is officially open for our next national youth event, a leadership development experience for students and youth leaders designed to help empower the ministry of the local church. Our youth event offers a chance for students and youth leaders to connect with one another, explore God's call on their lives by participating in keynote presentations, breakout sessions, worship, and small groups, and take part in a service ... [...]
Prayer has always been an essential part of the people of God's corporate identity. This truth is evident from Genesis to Revelation. I will admit to you, I’m often challenged, convicted even, that I often treat prayer more as a Christian platitude. Prayer is a gift. It flows from the life we have been freely given by Jesus. It is an invitation to listen, speak, lament, rejoice, and petition the Creator God who has taken up ... [...]
Conflict is a normal part of our everyday lives. We experience conflict in our relationships at home, places of work, community, and yes, even in our churches. As many as 40% of our congregations will experience conflict to the point of disrupting mission! During the past year, Perry Fruhling, Coordinator for Pastoral Ministry for LCMC, has been conducting Conflict Resolution Workshops around the country. The desire ... [...]
Payroll and tax filing services often cost way too much, especially for ministries, like yours, that rely on tithes, offerings, and donations. This was one of the reasons our preferred insurance provider, Brotherhood Mutual, created its own payroll company: MinistryWorks®. “We serve more than 5,000 ministries, so our team has the expertise to help solve complicated payroll problems, especially for clergy,” said Mark ... [...]
445 people attended Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ's 21st Annual Gathering & Convention, held October 3-6, 2021 at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church in Hilliard, OH. The total number of in-person attendees included 280 voting delegates, 76 members, all eight board of trustees members, and five members of the LCMC staff. "Speak It, Live It, Share It" was the theme for the event, which focused on ... [...]
LCMC's 21st Annual Gathering & Convention, a four day event featuring speakers, worship, fellowship, Bible study, vendors, and networking, will kick off this Sunday, October 3. Registration for the event has closed early due to space limitations caused by construction delays at the venue, however a livestream option will still be available on our website beginning with opening worship on Sunday, October 3, 2021 at 7:00 P.M. ... [...]
Due to construction delays, the main sanctuary space at UALC will not be ready for use by the time the Annual Gathering is going to start on Sunday, October 3, 2021. We must move to a much smaller space, hence closing registration for the Annual Gathering this year. All registrations received through Thursday, September 16, 2021, have been confirmed. Unfortunately, we will not be able to accept walk-in registrations. If ... [...]
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 ... [...]