What’s the hardest part about getting healthier? Not the workout. Not the diet. Not the gym membership. It’s taking the first step. In this episode, we sit down with Lucas Garrett, PE teacher at St. Peter Lutheran School in Lodi, who believes physical health isn’t just for athletes or students—it’s for people of every age and every stage of life. Lucas shares simple, practical insights about movement, habits, and why the biggest barrier to better health is often the moment r

Trinity Lutheran Church (https://www.trinitylutherankids.com) is the oldest Lutheran church in Nevada dating back to it establishment in 1895. The preschool was added in 1983 and currently has an enrollment of 105 children. This includes 18 staff who are teaching toddlers (18 months) up to Transitional Kindergarten students. The center also includes a before and after school care program that currently has 18 enrolled. Trinity’s pastor, Jonathan Zoch has been at Trinity s

Just a few years ago, when the congregations that have since come together under one Zion banner, took an honest look at their reality, they knew something had to change. With pastors retiring, fewer pastors coming through the seminaries and financial concerns in bringing in a full time pastor, there is a growing necessity to think outside the box about ministry. Under the leadership of then-Pastor Matt Duerr, they chose a new course — one that would bring multiple congregati

Messiah, Ewa Beach is growing under Pastor Uma with the recent addition of new members, baptisms, adult bible studies and children's (keike) messages. We thank God for the continued work at Messiah!

Our Savior Lutheran School is a vital ministry of Our Savior Lutheran Ministries. The church has been serving the Livermore community since 1954. Our Savior Lutheran School started over 60 years ago as a preschool, then an elementary school and has grown to a Preschool through 8th grade ministry with over 425 students in elementary, 101 in preschool, and a staff of over 51. Pastor Joe Robb has been at Our Savior since 2024. The principal, Julie Knight has served at Our Sa

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

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

In 1962, Concordia University Portland started to host a Lutheran Elementary School Tournament (LEST). At the beginning, it was basically a boys basketball tournament for just a few schools. Over the years it grew into a much bigger event with over 20 schools from around the Northwest and Northern California participating in a wider variety of events. When Concordia Portland closed in 2020, the schools in the northwest continued the tournament in Tacoma at various venues.

Behind every pastor is a woman carrying joys, pressures, expectations, and often unseen weight. In this episode of The Mission Table, we talk about the heart behind the Pastors’ Wives Retreat—why it matters, what it offers, and why investing in the spiritual and emotional health of pastors’ wives strengthens the whole Church. You’ll hear why this retreat isn’t just another event on the calendar. It’s space to breathe. Space to be known—not as “the pastor’s wife,” but as a be

Littlest Angels Preschool is a ministry of Bethany Lutheran Church in Menlo Park, California. Bethany has been a congregation in the Menlo Park community since 1950, and the preschool began in 1996. The school currently serves 33 students, ages 2-5. Katie O’Malley has been teaching at Littlest Angels since 2009 and has been the director since 2018. The preschool has a total of 8 staff members that serve and minister to students and families in the surrounding community.

Trinity Lutheran Preschool is a ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church in Burlingame, CA. The original church was established in 1922, and the preschool was started in 2012. The preschool has an enrollment of 54 students, ages 2-5, and this year, they began an after school program, with a current enrollment of 12 students. Jam Eyvazov, who has been at Trinity since 2017, became the Director in 2020. The school is served by 12 staff members and has developed a Mandarin and Spanis

Schools throughout the CNH District recently celebrated the 2026 National Lutheran Schools Week from January 25-31. The LCMS has nearly 1800 Lutheran schools in the U.S. and Asia served by 22,000 educators. Over 160,000 students and their families hear the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ on a daily basis. In the CNH District, we have 67 schools: preschools, elementary schools, and a high school.  We thank God for the blessing of our Lutheran schools and the

In this episode of the Mission Table Podcast Paul sits down with Rev. Peter Alexander who has served as an Interim Pastor in the LCMS since 1999, serving 10 congregations in California, Nevada, Arizona, Virginia, and New Jersey. He previously served on the LCMS TIM Board and now supports the work of the Board as an advisor. Peter’s experience, passion, and leadership make him a great resource for LCMS TIM. Read More about Transitional Interim Ministry here: www.lcmstim.org

Over MLK Weekend, nearly 90 youth gathered at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hayward for IMPACT Conference 2026—and it was one of those weekends that sticks with you. Students came from Tennessee, St. Louis, Sacramento, Germany, and all around the Bay Area, and by the end of the weekend, it felt less like a group of strangers and more like one big community. Youth were mixed into groups, shared meals, worshiped together, laughed a lot, and spent meaningful time building fri

In this episode of the Mission Table Podcast we join Pastor Nathan Linehan onsite at First Lutheran Church, Yuba City, CA to experience first hand their Friday morning food giveaway. Food for the Soul Friday has served thousands over the years through a simple partnership with their local food bank and a church who desires to feed people both physically and spiritually. First Lutheran Church - Yuba City, CA - https://flcyc.org/

Across the CNH District, the year was shaped by a shared theme of connection—between congregations, schools, leaders, and communities—as God’s people gathered, were sent, and served together. Mission was lived out through presence, compassion, and creativity, as ministries sought to meet real needs, build trust, and form authentic relationships that reflect Christ’s love across cultures and generations. Leadership and calling were central throughout the year. Ordinations, ins

Bay Area Lutheran Young Adults, known as BALYA, began several years ago with a simple but meaningful vision: to help young adult Lutherans in the Bay Area find one another and grow together in faith and community. What started as a joint effort between First Immanuel Lutheran Church in San Jose and Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Cupertino was shaped by the leadership and collaboration of Pastor John Bestul, Pastor Isaac Schuller ( now a pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Bren

Installations of new pastors are a time of great hope for congregations as they begin a new chapter of ministry. We thank God for all of the pastors who have accepted calls in the CNH District. Here is a snapshot of some of the installations in 2025:  David Ficken was installed January 12th at St. Philip Lutheran Church in Dublin, CA. He and his wife Kristen have three adult children: Rebekah, Tigist, and Abush. Pastor Dann Ettner, following Pastor John Whaley, served a long

Pastor Uma’s journey continues. In this second chapter of his story, we follow the remarkable path from the island of Sri Lanka to the island of O‘ahu — and into God’s unfolding call. Pastor Uma shares how faith, perseverance, and the global Church shaped his journey, and how God called him to serve as pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Ewa Beach. It’s a powerful story of migration, mission, and what it looks like when the Gospel takes root across cultures, oceans, and comm

2025 marked our 73rd District Convention, held this year in Sacramento.  The Convention included the re-elections of District President Michael Lange and Rev. Mitchell Gowen (Our Savior, Aiea, HI) as First Vice President, along with the rest of the board and resolutions. Cindy Steinbeck also shared thoughtful video reflections, offering encouragement and insight into our collective journey of faith and service. Prior to the Convention, a welcome dinner and worship service was