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

The Mission Table Podcast was launched this year and gave listeners the chance to learn from leaders throughout the CNH District about how they are reaching their communities. This year’s guests included Pastors Steve Roma and Muluneh Taye and the formation of Redeeming Grace, Santa Clara; Pastor Andy Jones of First, Concord and a fruitful conversation about rethinking ministry success; And the stories of Solomon reaching Telugu-speaking and Indian-Hindu neighbors in the Trac

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