In mid-August about 30 people from the Board of Trustees, the Ministry Board, the LCMC staff, and representatives of our districts and fellowships met at Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, IA, with an additional handful of participants joining us online. Along with the regularly scheduled board meetings, the time was spent in training, preliminary planning for the 2027 Annual Gathering, and conversation around the opportunities ... [...]
Our 26th Annual Gathering & Convention will be here before you know it! As we step into the month of September, the LCMC staff is hard at work preparing for this year's event. Here are a few things to keep in mind in the weeks leading up to the gathering. Don't Forget to Register If you're planning on joining us in person October 4-7, 2026 at Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, IA, keep in mind that ... [...]
Where is God’s work being UNLEASHED in your congregation and community? The LCMC Photo Contest offers churches an opportunity to share inspiring images and stories that celebrate faith, ministry, service, and the life of the local church. From worship, fellowship, and celebrations to service projects, education, and everyday moments of faith in action, we want to see how God’s work is being unleashed in your congregation and ... [...]
Building a better tomorrow starts with the work we do today. That’s why at our upcoming Annual Gathering & Convention, the LCMC Board of Trustees is introducing a new feature to help make the event more accessible, practical, and engaging for both current and future church leaders: breakout session tracks tailored to specific ministry interests. This year there are five different breakout tracks to choose from, each one ... [...]
Struggles with mental health are far more common than many of us realize, and help is more accessible than we often think. In our churches and communities, there are people quietly carrying burdens like anxiety, depression, grief, or burnout. Some are unsure what they’re experiencing. Others recognize the struggle but feel stuck, uncertain, or even afraid to take the next step. The good news is th [...]
For the past eight months, Pastor Scott Hawkins and I have been thinking, dreaming, scheming, recording, editing, and releasing a new LCMC podcast called the TableCast. What started as a wild idea on an airplane has now become reality. The TableCast is a conversation designed to explore the people and theology of LCMC. Both Scott and I see the podcast as a way to celebrate the beautiful variety within our association—whether ... [...]
Our FREE 2026 Lenten Devotional is now available. A full color version and a "printer friendly" grayscale version are both included below. Feel free to download and share them with your congregation, family, friends, etc. Click on the images to download the PDF. [...]
As you plan your savings for the year ahead, please review the 2026 contribution limits for the LCMC 403(b) Retirement Plan, and keep in mind these important reminders about upcoming recordkeeping changes. The IRS changes the contribution limits of the retirement plan each year. For 2026, the limits are as follows: Employee contributions: $24,500 Age 50 to 59 and 64+, catch-up contribution: $8,000 Age 60 through 63 catch up ... [...]
Throughout the year, events are held throughout the LCMC community to help connect congregations, train and care for church leaders, and support youth in the local church. From our Annual Gathering & Convention, to in-person retreats and gatherings, to zoom meetings, there are many opportunities for church leaders coming up in 2026. If you haven’t checked it out lately, please visit the Calendar Page on our website. Every day ... [...]
New "year in review" resources are available online to share with your congregation. This year, we're offering a fresh new video and a downloadable year-end report. [...]
Currently, the LCMC Retirement Plan uses OneAmerica as its recordkeeper. This will change in April 2026, when the plan will move to the Voya recordkeeping platform. Voya has acquired OneAmerica’s full-service retirement plan business. The transition will occur over a weekend, so your account assets will not be out of the market during the transfer, and will remain invested in your investment allocation at the time of the ... [...]
To help guide this season of Advent, we’ve created a special Advent devotional for LCMC congregations. Color and printer friendly PDF versions are now available as a free resource for you to download and share with your congregation. [...]
It is our pleasure to welcome Brodie Taphorn to the LCMC staff in the role of associate service coordinator. Brodie brings a wide range of experience to this role. He has served congregations both large and small. He was part of the team that organized the Southern California District. He is currently a chaplain in the Navy Reserve, and has been active in the formation of the Chaplains Fellowship. He also served for six years on the LCMC ... [...]
It was a time for celebration as 780 people gathered together October 5-8 at Hosanna Church in Lakeville, MN for Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ’s 25th Annual Gathering & Convention and a celebration of the association’s silver anniversary. “Our Help and Hope” was the theme of this year’s program, which was based on the hymn O God, Our Help in Ages Past, as well as 1 Corinthians ... [...]
If you are planning on attending our upcoming Annual Gathering & Convention, this is your reminder to register and book your hotel accommodations. The discounted "early bird" registration rate for the event ends July 31, so if you haven't already done so, there is still time to register online and beat the price increase. As you are making your travel plans, don't forget to book your hotel ... [...]
Fifty-four days ago (but who is counting?) I began my new role as service coordinator of LCMC. It is an honor to be selected for this position by the Board of Trustees and I look forward to the work we will do together in the future. But before we look ahead, we thought we’d take a quick look back on 2025 so far. In January, the Board of Trustees opened up the application process for a new service coordinator. Mike Bradley ... [...]
If you have never been to an Annual Gathering before, I can imagine a couple of ways you might think of it. Perhaps you think of it like other church meetings you’ve been to, with a lot of business and perhaps some controversy. Or maybe you just think of it as a room full of strangers. Neither of those would sound very compelling to me. First off, the business session of the Annual Gathering is t [...]
Registration is officially open for our 25th Annual Gathering & Convention, and this year, we have so much to celebrate! In light of our twenty-fifth anniversary, we will be gathering together under the theme "Our Help and Hope". Taking inspiration from 1 Corinthians 3:10-13 and Psalm 127, we will discuss the theological and historical foundations on which LCMC was built, explore how and why some of our leaders are part of ... [...]
Dear LCMC, I am grateful and pleased to share with you that the Board of Trustees has selected Julie Smith to be LCMC’s new service coordinator. Julie emerged from a field of strong candidates to serve Christ and our association in this capacity. At each stage of the search process, she demonstrated her gifts, insight, and genuine love for LCMC. Julie will officially start her new role on May 1, and she and Mike Bradley are ... [...]
I would like to invite our over 1,000 congregations in 16 countries around the globe to join us for LCMC’s annual Three Days of Prayer on January 7-9, 2025. As we gather together as one association on those days let us pray for our families, our churches, our leaders and members, and for those who do not yet know Jesus. No matter how you structure this time of prayer, let’s come together as an ass [...]
A 2024 advent devotional is available at no cost as a resource for our pastors, leaders, and congregations to use during the holiday season. A full color version and a printer friendly grayscale version are both included below. Feel free to download and share them with your congregation, family, friends, etc. [...]
We heard the Gospel of the crucified and risen Savior at our Annual Gathering this year, and I’m so grateful. My heart was encouraged, and my faith was strengthened by the proclamation and teaching I heard. I hope you had the same experience. And I saw and experienced countless moments of shared conversation, prayer, and friendship that the Holy Spirit uses to build up the Body of Christ. We have [...]
This year’s Annual Gathering & Convention in Marion, Iowa will provide us all an opportunity to practice generosity and stewardship. Our Board of Trustees has designated this year’s offering at the annual gathering to go toward the Lutheran Disaster Assistance Fund and the Church Planting Fund. The Lutheran Disaster Assistance Fund has been of much needed help for congregations in LCMC. We have had two churches ... [...]
There are a lot of exciting developments in the realm of districts and fellowships in LCMC. One new district has been created. Several more are in the works. The possibilities for fellowships are limited only by the imaginations of our members. The regional and interest-based networking that happens through districts and fellowships is vital to the future of LCMC. During the Annual Gathering there will be a few opportunities to learn more ... [...]
This year’s Annual Gathering will once again feature a number of “meet and greets.” These meetings on Tuesday afternoon of the gathering will provide an opportunity to meet other LCMC members who share the same areas of interest and involvement in their congregations. Participants will be able to learn from, encourage, and pray for one another. This year’s “meet and greets” will ... [...]