The Missouri District LCMS

WOW! What an amazing blessing to see so many SHINE! across Missouri. More than 5,000 people with over 130 groups came together in service to neighbors to give glory to God. Thank you all for serving with us. And thank you to our sponsors for supporting us Lutheran Church Extension Fund, LCEF, Concordia Plans, Immanuel Lutheran Church-St. Charles, Missouri, and Rods Sports. Keep shining Missouri!

It's June, which for many kicks off VBS season! When is your church having VBS? We'd love to see your pictures! Tag us in your photos or send them directly to [email protected]. Blessings on your adventures!

http://mo.lcms.org/waiting-witnesses/ Whether a disciple in Jesus' time or a Lutheran in 2021, there are many blessings to waiting, praying, and resting in the Lord. Click above or keep scrolling to read President Hagan's weekly devotional, Encourage. ___________ Waiting Witnesses And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will b...Continue reading

https://mo.lcms.org/rev-dr-richard-warneck-obituary/ Rev. Dr. Richard Warneck was called to glory. Dr. Warneck served in many roles including pastor at several congregations including St. John's Ellisville, Village Lutheran-Ladue, and Grace Lutheran Chapel Bellefontaine Neighbors and as a professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Click for a full obituary and funeral arrangements for 6/12/21. (Clergy not processing.) ____________ Rev. Dr. Richard H.... Warneck 1935 - 2021 Rev. Dr. Warneck entered into eternal rest June 8, 2021. Son of the late Rev. Walter and Selma Warneck, brother of Doris (Rev. Ronald) Dommer and Dr. Walter (Janet) Warneck; dear uncle and cousin. Born in Kansas City, MO, Dr. Warneck attended Concordia Jr and Senior College in Fort Wayne, before graduating with a Bachelor of Divinity (1960) and Master of Divinity (1967) from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis where he would later receive his S.T.M and Ph.D. (1968, 2000). He married his beloved wife of 58 years, Marlene Warneck (née Kussman) in 1962 and were blessed with two sons, Richard and Stephen. Dr. Warneck served in many roles throughout his ministry. After being ordained in 1961, he served as pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Ellisville, Village Lutheran Church in Ladue, and Grace Lutheran Chapel in Bellefontaine Neighbors. Dr. Warneck also taught as a professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis for 19 years, retiring and becoming professor emeritus in 2008. He is a prolific writer and served and contributed to numerous boards including the LCMS-ALC Fellowship Commission, the LCMS Board of Doctrinal Review, the Lutheran Association of Higher Education in St. Louis’ board of trustees, and as the Synod’s representative to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Visitation: Friday, June 11 4-8p.m. Kutis Affton Chapel 10151 Gravois Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123 Visitation & Funeral: Saturday, June 12 10a.m. Church of the Reformation 7910 MacKenzie Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123 Clergy will not be processing. Interment: Concordia Cemetery, 4209 Bates, St. Louis, MO 63116 Memorials may be made to Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105.

This week's Encourage starts a series focusing Paul's ministry to the Thessalonians and how those messages still apply to congregations today. Click to read how Paul responded when he was physically torn away from his flock. http://mo.lcms.org/separated-by-distance-not-by-heart/ __________________ Separated by Distance, not by Heart...Continue reading

Here is a great opportunity for many from Lutheran Church Extension Fund, LCEF!

We are blessed in the Missouri District to have a number of pastors being installed. This past weekend in DeSoto, Rev. Charles Henrickson was installed at Grace Lutheran Church. Those pictured L to R are pastors Brian Thieme, Kyle Castens, Steven Flo, Charles Henrickson, Wayne Lawrence, Warren Woerth, and Fred Baue. Rev Henrickson also serves as pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Bonne Terre, MO. Blessings on your ministry!

https://mo.lcms.org//may-2021-family-minis/mega-gathering/ The Missouri District was blessed to have special, hybrid event for junior and senior youth across the state. Read all about it in this month's VOICE.

Join Rev. Dr. Kent Burreson and Dr. Rhoda Schuler as they host Treasures Old and New: A Conference on Adult Faith Formation. The conference will demonstrate how ancient-future practices for making disciples can transform a congregation into a place of hospitality. And those who participate in the conference will learn from pastors and congregations who use these practices how this kind of formation can create and support a sense of congregational identity that embraces a habitus of hospitality and is mission-focused around the formation of new disciples. The conference is free and held virtually via Zoom on Jan 12-14, 2021. Pastors, church workers, and laity are welcome to attend. For more information visit https://www.forminglutherans.org/eve/treasures-old-and-new/

https://mo.lcms.org/.../nov-2020.../a-place-not-forgotten/ Click above to read about Rev. John Schmidtke's book , "A Place Not Forgotten" which not only has great insight into urban ministry, but also offers practical advice for any wanting to share Christ.

District Convention Update: Nomination Forms for Secretary, Board of Directors, Council on Mission and Ministry, the Missouri District Committee on Nominations and the LCMS Committee on Nominations have been mailed. Delegate forms for District Convention have been mailed. ... Both are due on January 4, 2021. Forms are available online. https://mo.lcms.org/district-convention/

The final Meet the Missionaries of 2020 was an evening full of laughter and hope. We thank God for all that He is doing through Light of Christ Chinese Mission in Olivette. If you missed the gathering and would like to know more about this group, check out the video at https://mo.lcms.org/missionaries. Take a look at the other features from this year, too. We’ve had so much fun sharing these mission stories that we’ll be back with more in 2021. See you then!

https://mo.lcms.org/pastorswiferetreat2020/ The annual Missouri District Pastor's Wife Retreat is gathering together online this year! Click the link above to read more about the online retreat and to register (to get the Zoom link.) See you there for fun and fellowship! November 7 | 10-11am

https://mo.lcms.org/pray-for-our-leaders/ A reminder for election day from President Hagan to "Pray for our Leaders". Click above or keep scrolling to read this week's Encourage. _______________________________________ Pray for our Leaders...Continue reading

https://mo.lcms.org/pcwc2020/ Did you attend the 2020 Professional Church Workers' Conference? If you registered with LCEF, you could be a gift card winner! Click to above to watch the video announcing the winners!

Meet the Missionaries continues tonight! The feature is outreach to the Oromo in Platte Woods. Come and listen about how Pastor Brandon Froiland and Pastor Abdi Megersa minister to this special group. You’ll also see how you can be a part of this ministry through your prayers and gifts. The ZOOM link will be live at https://mo.lcms.org/missionaries starting at 6:30pm with the gathering officially beginning at 7:00pm. See you soon!

https://mo.lcms.org/voice/oct-2020-vocations/pcwc2020/ Have you read about our first ever virtual Professional Church Workers' Conference? Click to read about its success in the October edition of The VOICE.