Groundbreaking in Kissimmee, Florida

Peace Lutheran Church in Kissimmee, Florida, broke ground for a classroom addition on February 4, 2007, after the morning church service. The new facility will expand the capacity of the school to fifty students and add to the church a larger entry and an additional storeroom off the current fellowship hall. The building project is scheduled for completion in July of this year. Those participating in the ceremony along with Rev. Huhnerkoch were congregation President Mike Philips, Building Committee chairman Ken Meyer, LSA board member Herb Berg , Ron Schipansky, Ed Heineman and Ken Sell from the church council.

New ELS Giving Counselor Installed

The installation service for the Rev. Daniel Basel, the new ELS Giving Counselor, took place on February 13, 2007 at Trinity Chapel during the chapel services at Bethany Lutheran College. President John Moldstad Jr. performed the rite of installation and Vice President Glenn Obenberger preached the message for the occasion. His text was Mark 10:17-27, the account of the Rich Young Ruler. Rev. Basel's call fills the vacancy left by the Rev. Richard Wiechmann upon his retirement. Rev. Wiechmann served for more than eighteen years in development work for Bethany Lutheran College and for our Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

Two Students from India Attend Bethany Seminary

Two students from the ELS mission in India have enrolled at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary in Mankato. Minnesota. Kalyan Kumar Gollapalli and Pradeep Kumar Lingala began studies in January, 2007. When they graduate at the end of 2009 they plan on returning to India to be ordained and to serve as pastors and teachers in the Lutheran Mission of Salvation—India.

The Asia Committee of the ELS Board for Foreign Missions has identified clergy development as the chief objective for its work in India. Why? Because over 22,000 souls are being served by only two ordained pastors. Over 250 Lutheran congregations in India are served mostly by “elders” who are selected by the membership. These elders attend monthly workshops for theological training and return to their congregations, most in small villages, to teach, witness and conduct worship.

Twenty-five of the elders have attended Seminary-level instruction in India. Three separate two-week sessions have been conducted by ELS instructors including Pres. John Moldstad, Seminary Professors Adolph Harstad and Michael Smith, and Pastors Jay Webber and Steven Sparley. Of these twenty-five, Pradeep and Kalyan were identified as men most capable of studying at Bethany Seminary.

The men will study the full course of seminary curriculum along with their classmates. In preparation for admission, they studied Greek and Hebrew in India. Kalyan’s wife, Naveia, and daughter, Katherine, accompanied him. Our Indian students are housed on the campus of Bethany Lutheran College and both are doing work-study jobs on campus. This education is expensive. Those who desire to help support these students may contact the Rev. Steven Petersen or Pres. John Moldstad.

ELS Missions Counselor, Rev. Steven Petersen