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

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

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

Best Practices in Ministry is a well attended event for many people from the CNH District as a time of growth, renewal and fellowship. Some of the CNH and former CNH people spotted at Best Practices were (left to right): Linda Patel MCN missionary to Hindu people, Livermore,CA; Solomon Dasary CMC vicar at St. Paul’s Tracy; Phil Tesch, TIM pastor at Zion North Highlands; Lonnie Karges, retired School administrator from Carson City; Jeff Mueller, Waikaloa Lutheran, Hawaii; Tesf

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

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.