The nominations processes for the offices of President, First Vice-President and regional vice-presidents of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) to be elected at or in conjunction with the 2026 Synod convention have been completed. Of those receiving the highest number of nominating votes for the office of President, the five candidates who received the highest number of votes have also given their consent to serve if elected: President of the Synod Minister of Religion

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

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

Originally from Chicago, Cassie Rivkin has spent the past two decades serving alongside her husband Rev. Dr. Dominic Rivkin in a wide range of ministry contexts—from church planting in Southern California to leadership development across the Pacific Southwest District of the LCMS. Her experience in building teams, supporting leaders, and nurturing mission-focused communities brings both depth and energy to this role.   A lifelong member of the LCMS, her understanding of missi

Pastor James Pevy was installed as the pastor at Benecia Lutheran (Benecia, CA) and Trinity Lutheran (Fairfield, CA) on Sunday February 15, 2026

Congrats to Julia Newkirk of St. Matthew, Rocklin on her recognition as New Outstanding DCE by the National Association of Directors of Christian Education (NADCE)! Julia graduated from Concordia University Irvine (CUI) with a Bachelor’s in Christian Education & Development. She obtained her Director of Christian Education (DCE) Certification for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in 2024. She has worked in ministry for a little over three years in a variety of roles. This aw

David Singer was ordained and installed as an SMP associate pastor at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Clovis. Singer and Jake Eisinger of St. Mark Lutheran Church in Elko completed the same SMP cohort at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and both continue to serve in law enforcement. Eisinger and his father, Alan—a retired pastor—traveled from Elko, Nevada, to take part in the service.

Requesting a Seminary Candidate To request a candidate from a seminary, first contact your District President. The District President must approve your congregation’s participation in the seminary candidate interview process before the seminaries can work with you. Once approval is given, please complete the form at the following link: Click here . After you submit the form: • It will automatically be emailed to the seminary you select, or to both seminaries if you choose no

Imagine turning the key to your very first home—and finding it empty. No bed to sink into after a long day. No towel after a shower. No dishes to cook a first meal. For many people moving out of chronic homelessness, this is what a “fresh start” can look like without the support of a caring community. Over the next few months, Lutheran Social Services of Northern California (LSS)  will welcome more than 220 of our Sacramento-area neighbors into brand-new, permanent homes—noth

About 50 friends and family of the Rev. Ted Mueller joined together on January 12 to celebrate the posthumous presentation of the CNH President’s Servus Christi award presented to the Rev. Ted Mueller, long term pastor and facilitator of leaders, and the  planting and re-planting of churches in the CNH District.  Ted also served as an Interim Pastor and, until he was no longer physically able, vacant churches within the CNH District for pulpit supply. Pictured are Ted’s wife

CNH District Educator of the Year – Bethany Bogle The 2025 Educator of the Year for the CNH District is Mrs. Bethany Bogle. Bethany is the only Called teacher on her faculty, and she carries the sacred responsibility of ensuring the youngest students build a strong faith foundation rooted in the truth that we are saved by grace through Jesus Christ. In her 11 years at St. Paul Lutheran School in Merced, California teaching kindergarten, she has combined academic excellence wi

First Lutheran Church in Willows, CA celebrated its 75th anniversary on November 16 with a special afternoon Celebration Service, followed by a dinner reception prepared by the “chefs of First Lutheran.” Rev. Sylvan Finger presided and delivered the homily. Greetings were shared by President Michael Lange and Rev. Brandon Merrick on behalf of the CNH District and Circuit 12. Several pastors from the circuit attended with their wives, offering support and fellowship on this mi

By: Dianne Flynn My disability ministry journey began with an ultrasound. I waited with excited anticipation while my daughter, Joanne, was at an o.b. appointment.  She came through my front door crying and holding the ultrasound photo in her hand.  The baby she was carrying and loving would be born in six months with Down syndrome and would require open heart surgery shortly after his birth.  Immediately, I became sick to my stomach and filled with fear, sadness, and grief f

The 4th Annual Honua Scholars Proposal Competition fosters new ideas that could positively impact the Hawaiian community through STEM. This year, they invited proposals exploring “Ke Ola Pono: The Science of Wellbeing,” integrating Pacific Island wisdom with STEM to advance health, sustainability, and innovation in areas like farming, healthcare, and education. Six students in 5th-8th grade from Cross Academy placed in the top 3 with their written, science or technology propo

Congratulations to Micah Glenn, Executive Director at Sierra Lutheran High School in Carson City, Nevada! Micah just completed certification in Principal 360 , an intensive 11-month leadership development program, operated by the Chicagoland Lutheran Education Foundation (CLEF). This program develops and equips Lutheran school administrators in specific skills that help them develop school leadership skills and extensive training to craft and implement a customized, compreh

Pictured (from left to right):  Mitch Gowen, Lisa Mancini, Marsha Egbert, Bill Swift, Dan Truesdell, Don Busse, Deanna Sako, Bill Abbott, Mike Lange, Rob Weller, Eric Van Scharrel, Christy Wood, Jared Eggebraaten. Not pictured:  Gabriel Molina, John Standley Pastor Mitch Gowen  serves as pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Aiea, Hawaii, and as the First Vice-President of the District. Now in his second term, he brings steady leadership and a heart for ministry across the

President Mike Lange recently visited Addis Kidan Lutheran Church in San Francisco and preached during worship. His visit was followed by a rich and encouraging time of conversation with congregational leaders, focusing on the training and development of new pastoral leaders. One of the highlights of the visit was meeting Ms. Bazawit “Bezzy” Muluneh , the congregation’s 27-year-old children’s and youth minister. Bezzy brings exceptional organizational skills and a remarkable

Silas Perez, who serves as the Administrative Assistant for Education, was installed on Sunday as a Vicar at Good Shepherd in Hayward. We pray for Silas and Good Shepherd in their ministry journey.

Mercy Holistic Ministry's Annual Dinner and Auction was a time of fellowship and telling the story of this vital ministry in the CNH District. Mercy Holistic Ministry (MHM) is a Sacramento-based non-profit organization, established in 2010 with a mission to provide dignified holistic services to restore and transform the lives of the homeless community. MHM provides mobile hot showers, personal hygiene kits, haircuts, clean clothing, and food to people experiencing homelessn

What a great couple of days together! This year’s Pastors Conference brought ministry leaders from all across the district for a time to reconnect, recharge, and be Rooted in the Word.  We laughed, worshiped, learned, and shared stories of God at work in our congregations. Dr. Matthew Borrasso—pastor, professor, and theologian—challenged us with deep insights into God’s grace and the life of the church today. Sarah Salzberg, an energetic Old Testament teacher and speaker, hel