The Bay Area CNH FiveTwo Summit, and it was one of those days that reminds you why collaborative leadership matters. Over 20 congregations and 115 leaders gathered in one room on Saturday with a shared purpose: to think boldly about the future of ministry and to discern how each congregation can faithfully proclaim the Gospel in its own corner of the world.  The conversations were honest. The ideas were creative. The prayers were sincere.  Pastors, lay leaders, and ministry t

What happens when a congregation chooses simple, faithful presence near a university campus? In this episode of the Mission Table Podcast, Paul sits down with Pastor Brennan DeForest of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Chico to talk about intentional campus ministry at California State University, Chico and the joy of walking a student from curiosity to baptism. This is not a story about flashy programming. It is a story about relationships, hospitality, and trusting God to work t

It is time to submit to Synod your congregation’s end-of-year statistics and update your current list of lay leaders at the following website: lc.lcms.org . (If you cannot remember the username and/or password you created previously for your congregation, follow the on-screen helps on the login page to recover your credentials.) The deadline has been extended for congregation statistics and lay leader updates to March 31. You may also review your congregation’s profile and l

With a growing array of digital tools at their disposal, churches can now extend their reach far beyond their physical walls; into surrounding communities and across the globe. “Most people who come into your church have already watched you online,” said Pastor Tom Sharpe, emphasizing the importance of meeting people where they are. At St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Pastor Sharpe has taken an intentional approach to digital ministry, focusing on three practical initiatives desi

Lutheran Church Charities  has deployed a  K-9 Comfort Dog  and LCC staff has brought Hearts of Mercy & Compassion this week to offer care, compassion, and the presence of Christ to the hurting community of Truckee, CA, after an avalanche in the Sierra Nevada mountains last week took the lives of nine people, including six women on a moms' getaway.  At the invitation of President Michael Lange,   K-9 Comfort Dog Rahab (St. Andrews - Stockton, CA) and LCC staff member James Ca

Best Practices in Ministry is a well attended event for many people from the CNH District as a time of growth, renewal and fellowship. Some of the CNH and former CNH people spotted at Best Practices were (left to right): Linda Patel MCN missionary to Hindu people, Livermore,CA; Solomon Dasary CMC vicar at St. Paul’s Tracy; Phil Tesch, TIM pastor at Zion North Highlands; Lonnie Karges, retired School administrator from Carson City; Jeff Mueller, Waikaloa Lutheran, Hawaii; Tesf