Ministry Moments
Bible Listening Project
Our English District schools were encouraged this fall to participate in the Bible Listening Project sponsored by LCMS School Ministry, LCMS World Missions and Hosanna Ministries. The following was submitted by Jenny Zirbel, a fifth grade teacher at Hales Corners Lutheran Elementary School, Hales Corners, WI and chronicles the experience that she and her students had with this endeavor.
Hales Corners Lutheran School participated in the Bible Listening Project as our Mission of the Month for November. The 5th grade class (47 students) introduced the project to the school during chapel using the helpful ideas and handouts from the website. The students presented a skit, shared Bible readings, and sang songs all related to the mission of the Bible Listening Project. They especially shared the message that everyone in the world deserves the chance to hear about Christ.
Every student in grades 1-5 received an MP3 player with the Bible on it. I must say this was quite a hit with the students! It was awesome to see them listening to the Bible during work time and even coming in to school in the morning to tell me, "I fell asleep listening to the Bible last night," or "I listened to the Bible on the school bus this morning!" The students were truly excited about this new way to learn about the Bible. The teachers were given printouts from the website of suggestions on how to implement the MP3 players into their Religion curriculum, especially since the excitement was so high! After the students enjoyed the Bible on their MP3 players, we talked about the importance of spreading God's Word, and how neat it would be for someone who did not know about Jesus to hear the Bible on the MP3 player. The students were given a goal to give their MP3 players away to someone who might not know about Jesus or to someone who could benefit from hearing the Bible. The Bible Listening Project went over very well with the teachers and the students as they found a way to make the Bible come alive!
All together we raised $314.22 during the month of November, which was donated to the Bible Listening Project so that children and families in other countries could hear about Jesus in their own language.
Thank you for the opportunity to be involved in the Bible Listening Project.
Mrs. Jenny Zirbel
5th Grade Teacher
Hales Corners Lutheran Elementary School
Hales Corners, Wisconsin
A Different Ministry Opportunity
St. Michael Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, IN
DCE Scott Hedtke
DCE Scott Hedtke
Who: This is a program for all Kindergarten through 5th grade children. K.F.C. (Kids for Christ) is just for 3rd - 5th graders and the Nuggets are for Kindergarten through 2nd graders.
What: An evening filled with supper, Bible time, games and activities. We will be going through a DVD series entitled: “Friends and Heroes”
When: Every 3rd Saturday night beginning on September 20 from 6:15-7:45pm
Where: The evening will begin in the Fellowship Hall
Why: Children can have fun and grow closer to Christ – Parents can use the time to go out for dinner or participate in an Adult Bible study that will be offered during the same time.
District Educator Honored
Bill Hodgson, a teacher at Christ Lutheran School in Phoenix, AZ, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Alumni Association of Concordia University-Seward, Nebraska on October 3 at the Concordia campus. Bill has faithfully and effectively served Christ Lutheran School and Christ Church-Lutheran in Phoenix since his graduation from Concordia-Seward in 1972. In 2002, Bill was named the English District Professional Educator of the Year and was presented with the Lumen Christi Award.
Congratulations to one of our district's truly humble and dedicated master teachers who so faithfully and fruitfully serves the Master Teacher, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA)
Parish Services Executive Tim Ewell presented Fairlawn Lutheran Preschool, Akron, OH with their National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA) certificate during the three Sunday morning worship services at Fairlawn Lutheran Church on Sunday, September 14. Fairlawn Lutheran Preschool successfully met the high standards of missional and program excellence during this two year process. Pastor Tom Zucconi and Director Karla McDivitt are pictured receiving this accreditation certificate.
2008 Parish Services Lifetime Ministry Service Award
Parish Services Executive Tim Ewell presented Eva Fronk, Principal of Hales Corners Lutheran Elementary School, Hales Corners, WI, with the Parish Services Lifetime Ministry Service Award along side her husband Loren on Sunday, April 27 at the 2008 English District Principals Conference in Minneapolis. For 28 years, Eva Fronk has effectively served at Hales Corners Lutheran, the past 15 as principal. Eva was presented with this award in recognition of her faithful and fruitful servant leadership, over the course of a lifetime of ministry, on behalf of the schools of our district and Synod. Eva will be retiring as principal this June 30 but will continue to serve as our English District NLSA Commissioner and will be active in serving the schools of our district and Synod in other capacities as well.
Groundbreaking, Sunday, May 4, 2008
for the new school facility at
Christ Lutheran School, Phoenix, AZ.
2008 Lumen Christi Award:
Professional Educator of the Year Named
Mary Gehring, a kindergarten teacher at Christ Lutheran School in Phoenix, AZ, has been awarded the 2008 Lumen Christi Award as the English District Professional Educator of the Year. Parish Services Executive Tim Ewell presented Mary with the Lumen Christi Award during the four worship services on Sunday, May 4 at Christ Church – Lutheran, Phoenix.
Mary was nominated by her principal, Cheryl Ehlers. In her nomination letter, Ehlers described Mary as an effective, passionate, caring and outreach minded teacher who possesses a strong sense of ministry inside and outside of the classroom. Ewell added during the presentation, “Mary, I have had the privilege of observing you in ministry action on several occasions.
I have seen first hand your strong love of the Lord, His little lambs that you teach in kindergarten and your strong heart for missions. By God’s grace, you are indeed a master teacher who so faithfully and fruitfully serves the Master Teacher, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
2008 Lumen Christi Award:
Volunteer Educator of the Year Named
Lois Ladage, a volunteer Sunday school teacher, VBS director, tutor and musician at Jefferson Park Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois, has been selected as the 2008 English District Volunteer Educator of the Year. Parish Services Executive Tim Ewell presented Lois with the 2008 Lumen Christi (Light of Christ) Award: District Volunteer Educator of the Year on Sunday, April 6 during the 10:30 a.m. worship service at Jefferson Park Lutheran. 
Lois was nominated by her Pastor, the Rev. Mark Zuehsow. In his nomination letter, Pastor Zuehsow shared, “Lois dedicates much of her life to ministry in various roles. Lois is a Sunday school teacher who is willing to make telephone calls to families with children who are good prospects for Sunday school. She prepares our VBS program and is ready to take on the challenge to lead year after year. She is also willing to take a servant role to assist others who desire to lead efforts to educate children. Lois is not a person who seeks recognition, but humbly and joyfully seeks way to serve the Lord.” Tim Ewell comments, “It was truly a humble joy and privilege to present this recognition to Lois. She is a faithful and fruitful servant who is so respected and loved by the children and adults of this congregation. This congregation is a great example of a smaller church making children’s ministry a top priority. To God be the glory!”
Each year, the English District recognizes one of its volunteer educators (children’s, youth, family life or adult education ministry) and one of its professional educators via the Lumen Christi nomination process. Nominations are sought from the congregations and schools of the English District and decisions are made by a nominating task force. The 2008 Lumen Christi Award: Professional Educator of the Year will be presented later in the spring.
Youth of St. Mark Lutheran Church, Janesville, WI, Maundy Thursday Passion Play
2008 Parish Services Lifetime Ministry Service Award
Parish Services Executive Tim Ewell presented Margaret Finley, Principal of West Portal Lutheran School, San Francisco, CA, with a Parish Services Lifetime Ministry Service Award at a special celebration of her years in ministry at West Portal Lutheran on Friday, February 29.
Margaret will be retiring at the end of this school year after 30 years of faithful and fruitful educational ministry at West Portal Lutheran Church and School and in the English District. Over 600 people were in attendance for this special opportunity to recognize Margaret and thank God for all that He has done through her labors of love.
The 5th grade classes of Hales Corners Lutheran Elementary School boarded busses on Monday of Lutheran Schools Week to visit the students of Faith Lutheran School in Watertown, Wisconsin.
Principals Eva Fronk and Judi Hoeppner planned the trip as a LSW event for both schools. The students of Hales Corners took backpacks filled with art supplies for the students at Faith and were treated to a delicious hot lunch by volunteers from Faith.
Later in the week the Primary School Director Mary Beth Terhaar and teacher Jeraldine Dobbs took backpacks to the students of Sherman Park Lutheran School in Milwaukee.
The members of Faith Lutheran Church and students and parents of Lambs of Faith Preschool, Naples, Florida recently collected over 1,000 Beanie Babies to participate in the Naples area "Beanies for Baghdad" project. Over 100,000 Beanie Babies were collected area wide by the community and will be sent to U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Faith Lutheran Church member, Cody Anderson, spearheaded this Naples area drive.
These small stuffed animals fit easily into the uniform pockets of soldiers. When U.S. soldiers encounter hurting and scared children, they can pull out a beanie baby and comfort the child in presenting them with this cuddly toy.