Dear Fellow Workers:
The Lenten season already is here. It means for a busy time in our parishes. Yet, the extra moments we spend in worship each week are extremely refreshing for our souls as we ponder the great love of our Savior in treading over Kedron. “Daily I am gladly yearning / E’er to go to Kedron’s stream / And from earthly pleasure turning / In a penitential theme! / Daily in Gethsemane / With my spirit I shall see / Jesus’ bleeding and His sighing / For my soul is all His dying” (ELH 295:8). May the Lord richly bless the moments meditating on his Passion.

Lutheran Schools of America
The Board for LSA recently has identified its first model school to initiate and promote the LSA Lutheran classical educational program. The congregation and school is Parkland Lutheran, Tacoma, WA, served by Rev. Glenn Obenberger, pastor, and by Mr. Larry Rude, principal. Presently there are 24 ELS schools, some of which will pursue LSA certification. LSA is interested in starting new schools, as well as encouraging existing schools to use the LSA curriculum and business model.

Our synod’s Board for LSA is planning a classical curriculum workshop for July of this year at our Bethany Lutheran College. Also, in the month of October a training session for principals will be conducted in Circuit 12.

West Jordan, Utah
Please pray for the congregation of Hope Lutheran as it gives serious consideration to expanding its preschool into a full-fledged Lutheran elementary school (Hope Academy). Pastor Aaron Hamilton indicates that a large challenge faces the congregation as it weighs the feasibility of a new building. We ask the Lord to bless the preaching and teaching of the true Gospel in that Salt Lake area community.

Ordination scheduled
Candidate of Theology Timothy Schmeling, who has been assigned to Trinity in Sebastian, FL, is planning to be ordained and installed at Trinity on Sunday, February 17.

Ano Nuevo school
Our missionaries in Peru report that at the end of 2007 our elementary school at Ano Nuevo, a suburb of Lima, reached an enrollment of 118. In December of 2005 the number was 40 students. We praise God for enabling us to reach more children with his holy Word.

Warm greetings in the cold!
On a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon, January 19, opportunity was taken to extend greetings by both the ELS and the WELS to our sister church in Ukraine. Rev. V’yacheslav Horpynchuk (center), bishop of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church, Rev. Mark Schroeder (right), president of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and President Moldstad of the ELS met in downtown Minneapolis. Bishop Horpynchuk preached at King of Grace Lutheran in Golden Valley on January 20.

Ministry center in Farmington
Soon we hope to have the ministry center ready for use by our home mission, Hope Lutheran, in Farmington, MN. We are thankful for a special grant of $50,000 from the Schwan Foundation to help with the costs of leasing the space for worship. Presently the congregation is holding services at the Farmington Elementary School. Please contact Pastor Dan Oberer for details (651-463-1055).

Gift from WELS
In the month of January our synod’s mission in Peru received a gift of $20,000 from the members of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. We thank our sister church body for its generous donation that will be used for earthquake relief in the Lima area.

2008 Convention
The dates for our convention this year are June 15-19. We will be using the theme “God’s Power for Salvation” based on Romans 1:16-17. Professor Erling Teigen has agreed to serve as the essayist. For our Communion Service on Wednesday evening, June 18, Rev. Dan Larson of the Saude/Jerico, Iowa, parish will be the preacher. Rev. Jeff Londgren, pastor at East Jordan, Michigan, will serve as the convention chaplain.

Financial report
For the year of 2007, a total of $739,577 was received from congregational offerings toward the 2007 synod (congregational giving) budget of $735,000. The 2008 budget has been set at $798,000.

Pictured here at Heritage Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, MN, are Rev. Karl Anderson and his wife, Hannah. Pastor Anderson has served Heritage since 2003. The members of Heritage are preparing to undertake a major building project (fellowship hall/classrooms) in the near future.

Statistical Reports
Please remember that statistical reports from all congregations are due in the synod office by February 15.

Stewardship materials
Our synod’s Board for Stewardship has a program emphasis (sermon, Bible study, PPT, etc.) available for 2008-2009. It is entitled “A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven.” Please contact the secretary of the board, Mr. John Merseth, Jr. (jmerseth1(at)blc.edu), if you would like to have these materials sent to your congregation.

Bible classes & youth
Rev. Tony Pittenger who serves on our synod’s Board for Parish Education and Youth maintains a website (http://homepage.mac.com/tonypittenger) that is filled with Bible study resources for both youth and adults. His site can also be accessed through the synod’s webpage. Please check it out!

Retirement announced
Rev. Richard Fyffe, pastor of New Life in Sebring, FL, has announced his retirement from the pastoral ministry, effective April 1. We thank God for Pastor Fyffe’s many years of faithful service, and we wish God’s blessing on Richard and Martha in their planned move to Lake Havasu City, AZ.

The congregation at Sebring has requested that a candidate be assigned from our Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary.

Pastor Karl Hermanson serves a five-point parish in northern Iowa. His parish includes First Shell Rock (Northwood), Riceville, Somber, Lime Creek and Lake Mills. The sign at the Northwood church was installed during this past year.

Wauseon, Ohio
An ELS member has established an 800 number to see if there may be people in the northwest Ohio area who may be interested in exploring the possibility of an ELS church in the Wauseon, Ohio, vicinity. The number is: 888-ELS-OHIO (888-357-6446).

Address Change
Jeff Londgren: londgren(at)msn.com

Prayer Request
We ask all to keep Lois Halvorson, wife of Rev. Wayne Halvorson, Albert Lea, MN, in your prayers as she is undergoing experimental cancer treatment each week in Rochester, MN.

Pray also for eight young people from WELS congregations in Arizona who were injured in a terrible bus crash in southern Utah while returning from a ski outing. Eight passengers were killed on the bus that was carrying about 50 people.

Early this morning, February 6, we learned that Agnes Solli, the mother-in-law of Rev. Steven Petersen (Kathy), died at the age of 99. At this time funeral arrangements are pending at Mt. Olive Lutheran in Mankato. Please pray that God comforts the family with the assurance of everlasting life through faith in Christ our crucified and risen Redeemer.

President’s Activities
February 11 - Board for Home Missions at Rogers, MN
February 11-12 - Board of Regents
February 12 - Board of Trustees
February 13 - TOF Exploration Committee
February 13 - Synod Review Committee
February 14 - Meeting with CLCL (Latvia) representatives
February 15 - CELC Planning Committee
February 17 - preach at St. Paul’s in Portage, WI
February 21 - preach for chapel at BLC
March 1 - Women’s Mission Rally in Scottsdale, AZ

In the grace of our blessed Redeemer,

John A. Moldstad