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

Reaching students can take many different forms and include partnership with the church, positive reinforcement and making learning fun. Lisa Jackson, principal of Bella Vista Academy, launched a Disney-themed Positive Office Referral Program where students earn “tickets to Disneyland” for positive behavior and personal goal-setting. When nominated, students are celebrated in front of their peers and taken to her “Disneyland” office for a special recognition experience that b

Mike Newton, 5th grade teacher at St. John's in Napa, is celebrating his 50th year of teaching at St. John's Lutheran School. He was recognized at the CNH and PSD Lutheran Elementary Conference in Phoenix, Arizona on November 23. There were seven current Lutheran teachers in the CNH District who were students in his 5th grade class. Mike, who also attended St. John's Lutheran School as a student, will retire at the end of this current school year.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His steadfast love endures forever!" Our Savior Lutheran Ministries, Livermore, CA , held Thanksgiving Eve worship on Wednesday evening, November 26. After worship, a pie social was held, which was a great time for fellowship and eating some yummy pies! Thank You, God, for all our blessings! Zion, Oakland/Piedmont , has gathered food for years and partners with City Team Oakland for many projects with them as well as other organiz

Upward Bound Preschool has been a ministry of Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Santa Maria, California since 2000. The church has been a part of the Orcutt community in Central California since 1960. In 2024, Brendan Harrell accepted the Call to serve as pastor at LCOS. Brendan and his wife, Katie moved to Santa Maria with their two young children. Brendan and Katie come from opposite ends of the US – Brendan grew up in the Washington DC area, and Katie grew up on Oahu in

The Mission Table , where we pull up a chair with everyday leaders doing extraordinary things for the sake of the Gospel. Today’s story is one that spans continents, cultures, and the unmistakable fingerprints of God’s grace. We’re joined by Pastor Uma, the newly installed pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Ewa Beach, Hawai‘i. His journey is nothing short of remarkable—born and raised in Sri Lanka in a Hindu family, shaped by years spent as a refugee in Liberia, and ultimat

Zion Lutheran School is the smallest and most remote school in the CNH District. It has a long history in the rural area of Terra Bella, a few miles outside Porterville, California. The school was founded in 1909 and currently has 10 students in kindergarten through 6th grade and the faculty consists of two teachers and two aides. Six of the students are members of Zion Lutheran Church. Along with the teachers, the current vacancy pastor, Lloyd Willweber, also provides su

On a beautiful Sunday in Honolulu, members and friends of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church gathered to celebrate the installation of Rev. Dallas Dubke as their new Transitional Interim Pastor . The service was filled with joy, gratitude, and a deep sense of God’s guiding hand. Pastors from across the Hawai‘i Circuit , including those serving on O‘ahu and the Big Island , joined together to represent the broader fellowship of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and to pray God’s