Dear Fellow Workers

The two back-to-back conventions of our country’s major political parties serve to remind us that USA citizenship is not something we should take for granted. We are privileged to have voting rights, and we pray that God moves us to exercise those rights appropriately as we sort through difficult issues and examine the platforms of candidates and parties.

The apostle Peter reminds us believers of a greater citizenship with a greater responsibility: “Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Peter 2:11, 12). Luther comments: “Conduct yourselves as those who are no longer citizens of the world, for your possessions lie not on this earth but in heaven; and although you may have lost all temporal goods, you still have Christ, who is more than all else. . . Therefore since you are not of the world, act as a stranger at an inn, who does not have his possessions with him but merely procures food and spends his money for it. For this world is merely a place of transit, where we cannot stay; we must travel farther. Therefore we should use worldly goods to shelter and sustain ourselves before we depart and go to another land. In heaven we are citizens; on earth we are pilgrims and guests.” Just as travelers may make an impression on others at an inn, so we pray that God would use all of us Christian sojourners to impress on those around us the need for repentance and faith in the Savior who guarantees a life that truly is LIFE!

Calls
Faith Lutheran, Parkersburg, IA, recently extended a pastoral call to neighboring Pastor Dan Finn of Waterloo. Faith is forming a joint parish with Pilgrim Lutheran in Waterloo, IA.

Chile Trip
In the month of August your president, along with members of the Board for Foreign Missions, traveled to our mission in Chile. The purpose of this trip was to assess the work we are doing in the Santiago area and to recommend certain major changes for the future. Pastors Timothy Erickson and Oto Rodriguez serve as our American missionaries in the country, and they are actively training a number of Chilean men to become future leaders of the national church. (We include a number of pictures below.)

Meeting at Las Vertientes, Chile
Pictured here are Rev. Wayne Halvorson, Guillermo Ruz, Missionary Tmothy Erickson, Missionary Oto Rodriguez, Prof. Adie Harstad, Ariel Arrigada, Rev. Steven Petersen and Pres. Moldstad. Ariel, who lives in Linares and works as a welder, told how he first came into contact with our mission through his wife, Janet. She was attending worship services, after Pastor Rodriguez originally visited some of her relatives. In time, through the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Word, Ariel began to think much about the great teaching of how sinners are justified by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Ariel today is a devout and humble leader of the church in Linares.

Cross scene at Las Vertientes
The sign for the church at Las Vertientes has a beautiful backdrop of the Andes Mountains.


Rev. Oto Rodriguez serves as the pastor of the congregation in Las Vertientes, Chile. The crucifix painting behind the altar no doubt is familiar to many. It appears also in the congregations of our Peru mission. Oto’s sister, Ruth Haeuser, served as the artist.

EFL Efforts
Ben and Rachel Khamrang recently experienced the joy of a baby girl. Rachel teaches English in Maestranza, a suburb of Santiago. Through Rachel’s efforts contacts have been made for our Chilean mission, including also her finding a husband! Ben Hur moved to Chile from India and is now an active communicant member at Las Cisterna.

San Bernardo
Three girls from the San Bernardo congregation are shown here enjoying Chilean fry bread with Pastor Erickson. Members of the congregation hosted a social gathering for the American friends.

Church building at La Cisterna

Board for Christian Service Assistance Application
The Guidelines and Application for Assistance from the Board for Christian Service are now available online under Synod – Board for Christian Service <http://www.evangelicallutheransynod.org/synod/bcs/assistance>. The board also has posted useful information regarding health care and health savings accounts.

New structure proposed by BFM
This year’s synod convention resolved to acquire Thoughts of Faith, Inc. (TOF), a church-related organization of the ELS. The synod directed our Board for Foreign Missions (BFM) to propose a structure whereby the current TOF mission fields and projects would be sufficiently supervised. In the month of August the BFM consulted with members of TOF. The BFM is proposing to the 2009 convention an 11-member Board for World Outreach, operating with three subcommittees. Two full-time positions (a World Missions Administrator and a World Missions Field Coordinator) are suggested. Funding for these new positions will be sought from MAP, Inc. The Synod Review Committee is presently working on guidelines that reflect the recommendation.

Wisconsin Ordination
BLTS Candidate of Theology Robert Oberg was ordained and installed as pastor in the WELS parish consisting of Bethany Lutheran (Bruce Crossing, Michigan), First English Lutheran (Ashland, Wisconsin), and St. Paul’s Lutheran (Hurley, Wisconsin) on August 31, 2008. The Rev. Gaylin Schmeling preached the ordination sermon based on 2 Timothy 3:15-17 with the theme “Service in the Public Ministry that is God-Pleasing.” The Rev. Mark Gass of Tomahawk, WI, performed the rites of ordination and installation. The Rev. Joel Otto of Minocqua served as organist.

Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary 2008-09
Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary began the new school year with an opening service on August 25 in Good Shepherd Chapel. Prof. Michael Smith based his message on 1 Peter 1:3–9. The seminary enrollment this year numbers twenty-three. There are four vicars, nine seniors, four middlers, and six juniors. The vicars are Christian Eisenbeis at King of Grace Lutheran Church, Waukon, Iowa; Peter Faugstad at Parkland Lutheran Church, Tacoma, Washington; Kyle Madson at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Frankenmuth, Michigan; and Luke Ulrich at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Albert Lea, Minnesota.


Students at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary – Mankato, MN

ELS Handbook
Posted on our synod’s website (evangelicallutheransynod.org) is a PDF file of the 2006 Synod Handbook. The handbook contains the ELS constitution and by-laws and also the guidelines for our synod’s boards. Please note that the 2007 and 2008 updates to the Handbook are found in separate files below the larger download. To navigate to the location, see the “President’s Office” on the left-hand side of the home page.

Synod Report Corrections
- The zip code for Timothy Schmeling should be 32958. Please make this correction in your new Synod Report.
- New email address: Robert Brown: rwbrown1927(at)att.net

Missions Moment

Our missions are truly being blessed with opportunities to expand. Yet without the continual assistance of individuals and churches joining together to support the building and sustenance of our missions, mission efforts could easily wane. Can you help with a special gift to missions? Would you designate a portion and perhaps a major portion of your estate for missions?

Our synod's Giving Counselor would love to hear from you. He would love to meet with you and discuss the joy we share in our Lord Jesus Christ. He would love to share with you the wonderful opportunities and ways we have available to us to support the ministry of the Gospel through our missions.

Home Missions support is needed. New mission starts are slowing, since the resources that we do have are limited. At this time we are only able to start a new mission every two years. Our goal has always been to have a new mission every year. Please prayerfully consider home missions support.

Foreign missions will continue to need support as we take on mission fields that were formally under Thoughts of Faith and as we expand the fields in which we are already diligently working. Please consider our foreign missions in your gifts.

Please join our mission efforts. Send your request for information on supporting missions to the

Estate Planning Office
6 Browns Ct.
Mankato, MN 56001

or call at 507-344-7311. - Rev. Dan Basel, Giving Counselor

President’s Activities
September 9 – Board for Stewardship
September 14 – Preach at Newport Lutheran near Wisconsin Dells, WI
September 16-17 – Planning and Coordinating Committee (strategic planning)
September 18-19 – Circuit Visitors’ Conference at Hampton Inn in Bloomington, MN
September 23 – Mission Advancement Project (MAP)
September 24 – Synod Review Committee
September 26 – Joint meeting of ELS Doctrine Committee & the WELS CICR
October 1 – Preach for chapel at Bethany Lutheran College
October 7-9 – General Pastoral Conference at Days Inn, Bloomington, MN

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,

John A. Moldstad