Dear Fellow Workers:
The festival of Thanksgiving each year gives us a wonderful opportunity to reflect on all the “First Article blessings God has given us.” Only because of the “Second and Third Article blessings,” of course, can we truly enjoy the wonders of God’s creation and his marvelous work of preservation. Remember how Luther put it: “And all this purely out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I am in duty bound to thank and to praise, to serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.” We pray that your special day of gratitude on November 22 will be marked with awe for the magnitude of gifts and the detail of mastery our Maker has put into our day-by-day existence. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

The Creation Mural located in the Meyer Hall at our Bethany College depicts the account from Genesis of God’s creating the world in six days through the use of his almighty word. Resident artist, Prof. Bill Bukowski, constructed the entryway fresco.

Students at our Bethany Lutheran College
We are happy to report that enrollment at Bethany is at an all-time high. The administration of our college reported in September that 578 students are enrolled full-time, while a total of 617 are being served academically this semester. The number of students on the BLC campus from our Evangelical Lutheran Synod is 120.

Church Anniversary
We join the members of Christ the King Lutheran in Green Bay, WI, in giving thanks to God as their congregation celebrates the 15th anniversary of its organization and the 10th anniversary of the dedication of its church building. Pastor Leonard Buelow informs us that on Sunday, November 4 at 10 a.m., a special anniversary service will be held.

General Pastoral Conference 2007
On October 2-4 the pastors of our synod gathered at the Days Inn in Bloomington, MN, for the annual conference. The Wednesday evening Communion Service was held at Heritage Lutheran in Apple Valley, MN. Rev. Glenn Obenberger preached the sermon, Rev. James Krikava conducted the liturgy and served as chaplain for the conference, while Rev. Karl Anderson, the pastor at Heritage, served as lector.

Final Graduate Placed
Candidate of Theology Dale Jaech, who completed his vicarage at Bethany Lutheran in Port Orchard, WA, recently received his call assignment. On Sunday, November 4, he will be ordained and installed as the pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Hillman, MI.

Installation of the Rev. Glenn Smith
On Sunday, September 2, the Rev. Glenn Smith was installed as Pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in New Hampton, IA and Trinity Lutheran Church in Calmar, IA. The installation took place in New Hampton. The Rev. Thomas Rank served as the preacher, with the Rev. Daniel Finn as the lector. The Rev. Wayne Halvorson performed the rite of installation in his role as Circuit Visitor.
Back row (L to R): Rev. Wayne Halvorson, Vicar H. Boyd Longshore, Rev. J. Kincaid Smith, and Rev. Thomas Rank. Front Row: Rev. Samuel Schmeling, Rev. Daniel Finn, Rev. Glenn Smith, and Rev. Daniel Larson.

News from Hope
Rev. Dan Oberer serves our synod’s newest exploratory home mission, Hope Lutheran Church in Farmington, MN. There are between 35-40 souls currently under his pastoral care. Pastor Oberer announces a grand opening worship service is scheduled for Sunday, November 18. To get more information, or to be added to the prospect mailing list, please contact him at 952-898-9695 (home), 651-463-1055 (office), or by email (jdsoberer(at)yahoo.com). Please pray for our mission efforts at Farmington.

Rogers, Minnesota
Construction is underway on the building project for Redeeming Grace Lutheran Church in Rogers, Minnesota. The congregation is hoping to be in its new building by February 1, 2008. 

Pastor William Mack serves at Faith Lutheran Church in Oregon, WI. In the month of August, Rev. Bill and Patti Mack and the Faith congregation were overwhelmed by the show of support in the Oregon community when a benefit fund-raiser was held at the farm of one of the members. Over $25,000 (including a $5,000 match by Thrivent Financial) was raised to assist with medical costs connected with efforts to save the life of their grandchild, Declan. The Lord took little Declan home to heaven on August 8 of this year.

We Believe, Teach and Confess
The booklet “We Believe, Teach and Confess” has been reprinted in a smaller, 8.5- x 5.5-inch version. If any pastors would like copies of this booklet, please contact the synod office.

Need a gift idea for the Christmas season?
The Board for Publications is working hard to ensure that we have a spiritually edifying and uplifting monthly periodical, our synod’s Lutheran Sentinel. We are especially grateful for the dedicated work put into our synod magazine by the editor, Rev. Theodore Gullixson, and also to his helpers: Wayne Halvorson (Managing Editor), Lois Halverson (Business Manager) and Susan Lepak (proofreader). If you would like to send a gift subscription to a friend, please address your correspondence to: Lois Halvorson, Box 185, Albert Lea, MN 56007. A one-year subscription to the Sentinel is $12. For 90 years our synod has maintained this monthly periodical. In the November edition, we invite you to read the article by Rev. Craig Ferkenstad on the history of the Sentinel.

For You and Your Children Offering
In 2006 the Evangelical Lutheran Synod began a two-year offering called “For You and Your Children.” The offering supports the vital work of Lutheran Schools of America. A gift already has been identified for covering administrative costs. This enables the special offering money to assist congregations in the establishment of LSA schools. If you would like to donate or would like more information on LSA, please address correspondence to:

Prayer Requests
Teacher Curt Mantey, Port Orchard, WA, recently has had eye surgery. We pray that God grants him a healthy and full recovery.

Our prayers go with Brian and Deb Seager from our Oregon, WI, congregation, where Deb had served as preschool teacher. Their 19-year old son, Kenan, recently was killed in a car accident.

Pray also for the many people in the state of California who recently experienced devastation from the wildfires.

Mr. Paul Tweit, a member of our synod’s Doctrine Committee, has been recovering from surgery he underwent at the beginning of October. We also pray for his full recovery.

President’s Activities
November 1 – Board for Foreign Missions teleconference
November 5 – Iowa winkel conference at Thornton, IA
November 10 – ELS Historical Society
November 11 – preach at Good Shepherd in Bloomer, WI
November 12-13 – Board of Regents
November 13-14 – Board of Trustees
November 15 – Synod Review Committee
November 16 – TOF Exploration Committee
November 17 – Board for Publications at Ideal Printers, St. Paul, MN
November 18 – preach at Calvary, Ulen, MN and Our Savior’s, Hawley, MN
November 19 – Circuit 8 pastoral conference at Audubon, MN
November 30 – CELC Planning Committee teleconference
December 2, 9 – Bible class at Peace in North Mankato, MN
December 6 -7 – Thoughts of Faith (Madison, WI)
December 10-11 – Doctrine Committee

In the saving grace of our dear Redeemer,

John A. Moldstad