The 2026 LCMS National Convention wrapped up July 23 after a full week in Phoenix, and if you missed any of it (or just want to relive the highlights), there's plenty to dig into. You can still watch the whole thing through the livestream archives! Want a quick daily recap of the Convention? We got you covered too July 19 I July 20 I July 21 I July 22 I July 23 ‘Christ Is Risen! Tell the Next Generation’ The theme for 2026–2029 National Offering reflects the church’s call to

On June 27, nearly 30 young adults from across California gathered at Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Cupertino, CA for the Young Lutheran Singles Gathering, hosted by Bay Area Lutheran Young Adults (BALYA), an endeavor of Lutheran Church of Our Savior dedicated to fostering fellowship among young Lutheran adults. The day began with the Order of Matins from the Lutheran Service Book, centering the gathering in God's Word and prayer before participants enjoyed a full schedule

Join Holy Cross in Rocklin on September 19 & 20 with special guest speaker Chad Bird. Saturday, Sept 19th: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Chad Bird presents his bestseller, Limping with God in Meyer Hall. Lunch will be provided. Sunday, Sept 20th: 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Bible Study with Chad Bird in Meyer Hall RSVP at staff@holycrossrocklin.org More Event Information: https://www.1517.org/events/bird-rocklinca Chad Bird is a Scholar in Residence with 1517. He has served as a pastor, professor

There’s something special about gathering together on the California coast—sharing a meal, reconnecting with friends, meeting new people, worshiping together, and watching the sun set over the ocean. The CNH Beach Hangout was full of wonderful connection worship, food and a cold bath for Pastor Joel Rockemann!

Enroll in one of two opportunities to learn the difference between “interim” ministry and “regular” ministry and to discern your gifts for intentional interim ministry! The workshop is designed for pastors and judicatory leaders who are discerning a call to intentional interim ministry. Each workshop is a two-hour online learning event.  What: Discernment Events - Transitional Ministry When: Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. PST / Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 10:00 a

Calling all men for the CNH District Men’s Retreat! Reconnect with old friends, build new friendships, and enjoy a weekend filled with praise, Bible study, recreation, and fellowship in the beautiful Santa Cruz hills. Bring a friend, brother, son, or neighbor and be part of this encouraging time together. What: CNH Men's Retreat When: September 18-20, 2026 Where: Redwood Christian Park, 15000 Two Bar Rd, Boulder Creek, CA 95006 Questions: Rod Thompson – 209-914-5702 |...

California laws and employment regulations continue to change, creating new challenges and responsibilities for churches and schools. To help Lutheran leaders stay informed, the CNH District is hosting a free Legal Update Webinar on August 7 at 1:00 p.m. (PDT) featuring Adam Treiger of True Course Law. Adam specializes in employment law and has worked with Lutheran churches and schools throughout California. During this one-hour webinar, he will provide an overview of recent

CTS Music Summer Organ Workshops: On the Road For over 30 years, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), has hosted a series of summer workshops for church organists to hone their skills and improve their playing. In summer 2026, construction in Kramer Chapel to replace windows in the chancel and skylight will make the building unavailable for our typical weeklong workshops. Instead, CTSFW is taking workshops on the road to churches around the country in a series

It was an encouraging day at the CNH Missions Conference in Livermore this past Saturday. Pastors, church workers, and lay leaders from across the district gathered for worship, conversation, and learning together. Karl Vaters reminded attendees why small church ministry matters and why faithfulness is never measured only by size. Andy Becker challenged the group to think carefully about mission drift and the importance of staying grounded in the "why" behind what we do. It w

Join us for a weekend of fellowship, worship, and the Word, beginning with a fellowship event on Sunday and wrapping up with a BBQ dinner on Tuesday! Throughout the conference, there will be breakout sessions for all attendees, including a dedicated session for wives. What: 2026 Pastors' Conference When: October 11–13, 2026 Where: St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Rocklin, CA, Housing available at nearby hotels — details coming! Main Speaker: Leo Sanchez For more information, co

The 2026 Missions Conference is happening on May 16 at Our Savior Lutheran Ministries in Livermore, CA. If you haven’t registered yet (deadline is May 1), here are 10 reasons to join us! 10. It's been years and the conference is back. After several years away, the CNH Missions Conference is returning, making this a significant gathering for the district. 9. It's affordable and all-inclusive. At just $25 — covering snacks and lunch — it's an exceptional value for a full day

One hundred and eighty educators from a dozen Lutheran schools in the CNH District gathered on Friday, March 27 at St. Paul Lutheran Church and Bella Vista Academy in Tracy, California for the annual CNH District Spring In-Service. This is a one-day in-service designed to bring teachers in preschool through 8th grade together for a time of professional development, fellowship, connection, and collaboration. The keynote speaker this year was Andrew McPeak from Maxwell Leader

"Welcoming the Unchurched" Tuesday, May 19, 2026–Thursday, May 21, 2026 Location: Holy Cross Lutheran Church (4701 Grove St. Rocklin, CA 95677) As our culture continues the slide towards secularization and we see the growth of the "nones" (those who have no faith at all), how does the church's voice welcome and teach those with no theological background? How do we practice hospitality? How do we catechize from ground zero? How do we set the arc of the Bible's story of redemp

The Bay Area CNH FiveTwo Summit was a reminder of 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 teams were not just asking, "H

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

Pastors’ wives had a wonderful weekend together at the annual retreat. It was a lovely time of rest, renewal, and friendship. Save the date for next year: February 5-7, 2027.

Forming Christ-Like Character Colossians 3:12-14 All CNH District educators are invited to gather for our annual Spring In-Service on Friday, March 27 at Bella Vista Academy in Tracy from 8:30am to 2:30pm . This day is an opportunity to step away from the usual routine, spend time with fellow educators, and be encouraged in the work God has given us. This year’s keynote speaker is Andrew McPeak from Growing Leaders and the Maxwell Leadership Foundation. He will lead a conv

SAVE THE DATE Reimagine Your Future Summit Led by Bill Woolsey from FiveTwo Network February 28, 2026, 9am - 3pm St. Paul's Lutheran Church 1635 Chester Dr. Tracy, CA 95376 Join us for a free 6-hour gathering that equips church teams to discover their current reality and thrive for generations to come. The Registration Deadline is February 23 . The Summit is designed for you to work with your staff and lay leaders to Reimagine the Future of your congregation, especially in

On February 5-6, the CNH District had its annual CNH District ECE Directors Conference here at the CNH Ministry Center. Directors from around the district participated in two days of spiritual growth, learning, and fellowship. Our primary speaker and presenter was Dr. Drew Gerdes, who is from Concordia University Nebraska. Dr. Gerdes leads the early childhood education department at Concordia. He led keynotes on “Children of Today and Tomorrow”, “Effective Parent Communic

On February 3-5, the CNH District held a School Administrators Conference. School leaders from around the CNH District came to the CNH Ministry Center for three days of spiritual growth, learning, and fellowship. There were great speakers on various topics. Dr. Eugene Kim from Concordia Irvine came and spoke on “Faithfulness in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” Dr. Tara Rolle from CAPSO (California Association of Private School Organizations) spoke on the challenges we