Dear Fellow Workers:
Done any traveling lately? We Americans still do a considerable amount of it, even though we chafe under the exorbitant fuel prices. About 680 million people booked US flights this past year, up from 661 million in the year previous. One of the last extensive surveys showed that Americans took about 505 million long-distance personal use vehicle trips, resulting in over 280 billion vehicle miles of travel on the nation’s highways. As we celebrate July 4 and consider the freedoms we enjoy, thank God also for the huge blessing of freedom to travel. So many people in the world do not have such privileges. In biblical times, around 920 BC in the land of Israel, people could not travel freely as they wanted. 2 Chronicles 15 states: “In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil.” Besides benefits of enjoyment, education and relaxation that come from our country’s free-access to travel, there is an important blessing for the church as reflected in this remark in the book of Acts: “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (Acts 8:4). If early Christians were forced to move about and yet proclaimed the gospel of Christ wherever they went, how much more should not we who have free access to travel be interested in proclaiming Christ wherever our journeys take us. May God bless our travel, and may we have a truly thankful celebration of our nation’s Day of Independence.

Thoughts of Faith, Inc.

Our 2008 synod convention adopted the recommendation that the church-related organization, Thoughts of Faith (TOF), “be brought into the organizational structure, direction, and control of the synod through its Board for Foreign Missions.” For the 2009 convention a proposed structure will be presented. The date for the full implementation of the acquisition is January 1, 2010. Mr. Kermit Traska currently serves as the Executive Director for TOF.

Strategic Planning Session
On Thursday of our convention week, the synod adopted the following resolution: BE IT RESOLVED, That the synod urge the president to initiate a strategic planning process, led by the Planning & Coordinating Committee along with a sanctified individual(s) familiar with our circumstances, to develop a strategic mission and vision for the future at a cost not to exceed $10,000.

In light of the above, the synod’s 15-member Planning and Coordinating Committee has scheduled a two-day special session this fall, September 16-17. This meeting will serve as the initial step in the planning process.

Groundbreaking Day at Heritage
Pastor Karl Anderson of Heritage Lutheran in Apple Valley, MN, officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for the congregation’s new major addition. The ceremony followed the morning service Sunday, June 1, with about 200 in attendance. The site depicted in the photo is to the back, or north, of the present facility (between the present building and the pond). Also depicted in the photos is an antique shovel which in its day would have been pulled by a horse or tractor. Symbolic of teamwork and unity of purpose, congregation members took turns pulling and working the old shovel. The children in yellow hard-hats are present and former students of the Heritage Lutheran School. The other hard-hats are members of the building committee, church council, and school faculty. The planned 11,000 sq ft expansion will more than double the floor space presently available. It will include a gymnasium, new entryway, restrooms, kitchen, coatroom, storage, and classrooms.

Pray for our military personnel
Please pray especially for ELS men and women faithfully serving the call of military duty from our country in various places around the world. Also, let them know how much we appreciate the work they are doing.

More prayers to ascend to our Lord’s heavenly throne
David Skogen (Princeton, MN), who served years ago in our Peru mission and who also was able to be on hand for the 40th anniversary celebration at our June convention, was recently involved in a serious car accident near Foley, MN. David presently is hospitalized and, by God’s grace, is in recovery.

Pastor Harvey Abrahamson (Mankato, MN) is undergoing some tests and requests your prayers.

Pastor Erwin Ekhoff of Golden Valley, MN, is recovering from eye surgery. He had experienced a detached retina. May the Lord grant healing following his operation.

Birth announcements
A son was born to Pastor Matthew Brooks and his wife Rebecca. Edmund Adrian Brooks entered the world at 1:02 pm on May 27th at Immanuel/St Joseph’s Hospital in Mankato, MN. His birth weight was 7 lbs., 11 oz. We praise God for this wonderful gift of life!

A son, Caleb Andrew, also was born to Rev. Timothy Hartwig and his wife, Katie, of Lake Havasu City, AZ. Caleb was born on May 26, 2008.

Follow-up from Parkersburg, IA

Dear members of the ELS,

Since the tornado hit Parkersburg three weeks ago, many other disasters have arisen around Iowa and throughout the Midwest that have rightly turned people's attention to others who need aid and assistance. But I do not wish to let this moment pass without extending thanks on behalf of the members Faith to all those who offered prayers, donations and helping hands to the members of Faith Congregation. Carol Timmer, one of the members who lost her home, said it best this past Tuesday to those who came down for a scheduled workday, "you are all truly God's angels." All the help that people gave was a great source of comfort, and means more than you can know. We thank God for this help, and we praise Him that He has shown His compassion through you.

In the shadow of the cross,
Pastor Dan Finn
Faith, Parkersburg and Pilgrim, Waterloo

Synod Sunday at Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN
The day of June 15, 2008, marked the undertaking of a significant building project at our synod’s Bethany Lutheran College. The groundbreaking for the newly proposed academic center occurred at the close of the Synod Sunday Service. President Dan Bruss of the college explained that the 66,000 sq. ft. structure is scheduled to provide 50% more teaching space than the current Luther Hall and Communication Center combined. A special capital campaign is underway to cover the anticipated expenditures of the center.

Chile Webpage
Pastor Erickson reports that there is now a webpage for our mission in Chile: www.cristianaluterana.cl.

Note from our Business Administrator
Mr. Keith Wiederhoeft reports that through the month of May $266,000 has been received from synod churches toward our $750,000 congregational contribution budget for 2008. May we continue encouraging our synod members to support the mission endeavors we do collectively as a church body.

ELS connections at meeting in Kiev
The 15th annual CELC (Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference) was held in Kiev, Ukraine, June 3-5, 2008. Fifteen of the 21 countries in the CELC were represented. Those present from the ELS contingent, as pictured above, were (back row, from left): Rev. S. Petersen (newly reelected president of the CELC), Rev. J. Moldstad, Dr. Dan Bruss, Mr. K. Traska, Rev. G. Obenberger and his wife, Lisa, Rev. Solomon Mamidi, Rev. D. Haeuser; (front row, from left): Mr. Gong Sup Byun, Rev. Young Ha Kim, Rev. Segundo Gutierrez, and Rev. G. Schmeling. The conference accepted the Lutheran Church of Portugal as an associate member of the CELC. ELS member, Dr. William Kessel, was elected to the CELC Planning Committee. 

Rev. Artur Villares
The pastor from the Lutheran church of Portugal presented CELC Pres. Steven Petersen with a Portuguese flag as his church was accepted into associate membership. It is interesting to note that Pastor Villares is assisting in the Portuguese language training of two WELS men for future work in Mozambique.

Members from Resurrection Lutheran Church in Kiev, Ukraine, provided special choral music for the CELC gathering.

New members received into the synod: (pictured in the middle, from left) Teacher Lee Stroschine (Princeton, MN), Rev. Timothy Schmeling (Sebastian, FL), Rev. Dale Jaech (Hillman, MI). Rev. Michael Muehlenhardt (Klamath Falls, OR). Rev. Andrew Schmidt (Lakeland, FL), Rev. Dan Oberer (Farmington, MN), Rev. Thomas Heyn (W. Koshkonong, Stoughton,WI).

Rev. Craig Ferkenstad was reelected as synod secretary.

ELS youth serving as floor pages during our convention sessions.

May God bless each of you with the sure knowledge of Christ’s saving grace,


John A. Moldstad
ELS President