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.

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

Get to Know Your Community with the Mission Insite Demographics Tools The more we understand those who live in our neighborhoods and communities, the more we increase our likelihood of succeeding with our invitation both personally and collectively as a congregation or school. As we understand who we are serving, we can tailor a ministry plan around their needs. The truth of God’s word and the Gospel message never change, however our packaging or style or approach to sharing

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