When you think of college students in Mexico on spring break what images come to mind? You probably picture students having fun and soaking up the sun on the beach. Well a group of eight college students, two recent graduates and two staff people from Madison’s Calvary Chapel campus ministry went to Mexico for spring break. It was anything but a typical vacation. We went on a mission trip to Saltillo, Mexico. The purpose of the trip was to help one of the local churches with some painting and VBS. (Click the read more link for a photo gallery.)

The Evangelgram is a monthly publication of LCMS World Mission. It contains useful information, resources, and news regarding outreach efforts in congregations throughout Synod.

The March 2008 edition (PDF) highlights a story about an Ablaze! outreach of First Immanuel, Cedarburg, that first appeared in the January/February 2008 South Wisconsin News. Mention is also made of the new SWD logo that represents the mission statement to make "bold witness" of the Gospel.

The South Wisconsin District in an effort to generate endowment and charitable gift planning recently received a $100,000 grant designed to generate thousands more in financial gifts to urban based congregations and inner city missions and ministries. Focusing on the great commission, these gifts will continue to build and uplift these congregations and support them in the work that they are doing to reach out to the lost in their neighborhoods.

By Gretchen Ficken, RN (St. Paul, West Allis)
Reprinted with permission from Nursingmatters

Aly Urbanski, student, does her "Cleopas Walk" with Louvenia Potzner.

A parish nurse is not just a nurse in a parish (congregation, synagogue, etc.), but a nurse who shows a concern for each member in a variety of ways. The parish nurse is a health educator, a resource to community services, a coordinator of volunteers, a health counselor, and a spiritual support sharing the Lord’s Word and praying with members....

One of my more exciting functions is in coordinating volunteer services among members. During this school year the pastors and I have developed “The Cleopas Walk” for eighth graders as part of their religion classes. As Cleopas walked on the road to Emmaus with Jesus after His resurrection, we have asked each eighth-grader to “walk” with a senior member of the congregation.

Gift Mudzingwa (right) and his family hope to come to Madison so he can study computer systems.

“My name is Gift Mudzingwa,” the letter begins. “I am 36 years old. I am a father of two small children—Nigel, 7 years old and Vimbai, 6 years old. My wife Miriam is 28 years old. I am writing this letter on suggestion of Chido Muzorewa, who you all know as Charles. He suggested that I write to all of you for assistance and help.”

Last fall, Rev. Dr. Karl Barth decided it was time to fine tune the many short commentaries he had written over the years and put them together for publication. With the contemporary title “Just a Chip Off the Old Blog,” the book contains short essays on people, places and events written from 1998-2006.

“I know it isn’t a blog in the true sense of the word,” Barth said, “but I wanted the Christian community and other readers to gain a nugget or two that would be helpful for their spiritual journey.”

The Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee (LHSAGM) has selected Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to provide $20.5 million in financing for a new facility for Lake Country Lutheran High School. The loan officially closed in January, marking an important milestone for the $30 million building project already underway in Hartland. The loan is also the largest ever provided under Thrivent Financial’s 105-year-old lending program focused on Lutheran churches and institutions.

James R. Van Dellen, eighth-grade teacher and vice principal at Our Redeemer Lutheran School in Wauwatosa, is the 2008 Lutheran Education Association (LEA) distinguished Lutheran elementary teacher.

By Susan Klagmann
Immanuel, Brookfield

A tap on the shoulder and my life changed. It was a June day when Rev. Dan Schneider tapped my shoulder and asked if refugee sponsorship might be something that would interest me. At Immanuel, Brookfield, I had just completed his Bible class on spiritual gifts and passions where I identified travel, language, culture, and children as my passions. I really didn’t believe I had a gift. That was five years and three sponsorships ago.

Photo: See Nay (back left) and Eh Ree spend a daunting day at the doctor's office with their children Eh Ku Soe, Pawei Nei Sur and Ehnay Blur Soe.

In a history-making move, two LCMS members sitting on opposite sides of the political spectrum are campaigning together but running on two separate tickets for the Fifth Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

We are at a time when 70 million Americans access the internet every day. It is more important than ever that your congregation or organization provide an interactive and vibrant internet presence. To assist member congregations and organizations in that effort, the South Wisconsin District is launching the "Active Internet Ministry" project. The project is designed to offer participating congregations and organizations the ability to operate a state-of-the-art internet presence with a limited budget across a broad range of technical abilities.