100 Copies of Lutheran Worship are available by calling Hope, Linden at 810.735.4807. - posted 4/23/08

For Sale, Mackie 32.8.8 mixer plus the 24.8.8 expanding console with 56 true channels. System comes with power supplies, cables to connect and manual. Asking $2,500, open to offers. Won't sell just the 32.8.8 but would consider a separate sale of the 24.8.8 expander if you already have the 32. If interested, contact Dave Merte at 586.979.9055 or dahopemusicman@yahoo.com. - posted 4/23/08

St. John’s, Grand Haven has several copies of the (blue) Lutheran Worship Hymnal and are willing to share with new congregations or anyone else interested in them. Free – to anyone willing to pick them up. Contact the church secretary at 616.842.4510 or jbates@sjlcs.org. - posted 4/18/08

Good Shepherd, Middleville is looking for two acolyte candle lighters. Please call Pastor Roemke at 616.916.3929 or e-mail the church at goodshepherdlcms@gmail.com. - posted 4/11/08

St. Michael, Wayne is having a Rummage Sale/Flea Market on Saturday, May 31 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Come and shop or sell your goods (tables are $25 and tax deductible). Tried & True, staffed by eager to work disabled individuals, will pick up unsold merchandise at 4:00 p.m. (another tax deduction on site). For more information, contact Sandy Taylor at 734.330.5712 or c21sandyt@yahoo.com. - posted 4/11/08

St. Paul, Lapeer is hosting a Mom-to-Mom Sale on Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Tables are available for rent now: 8’ table for $20 or 2 for $30. Please contact Kari Ballman at 810.245.1063 or email Marie at mebkenny@msn.com. - posted 4/11/08

The Michigan District Jr. High Youth Gathering is in need of 300 candles for a late night prayer activity for the gathering this summer. If your congregation has candles and holders left over from previous candle light services that can be donated, please contact Terri Kober at 616.899.2167 or dkober4848@sbcglobal.net or kobert@trinitylutheranconklin.org. The gathering committee is also looking for items to use as prizes during the gathering. - posted 4/1/08

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis will be holding an alumni reunion May 27-29 on the Seminary campus. The event is open to graduating classes from years ending in 3 or 8. Events will be scheduled for each day of the reunion. Invitations and registration forms were sent in March. Registration forms are also available at www.csl.edu. Contact Alumni Relations at alumni@csl.edu for more information.

Pastors! Concordia Theological Seminary Continuing Education will offer the class “Pastoral Ministry and the American Legal System” on June 17-19 at Concordia University, Ann Arbor. This course acquaints students with American law, including the U.S legal system, as it impacts the pastoral ministry on a day-to-day basis. (1.5 CEU) For more information contact Deaconess Deborah Rockrohr at 734.995.7586.

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis is hosting two visitation events for high school youth this summer. The first is Exploring Church Careers Event (ECCE) July 19-22. This is an opportunity for high school youth to visit with church workers in various professions. The second event, ECCE Amplified, held July 22-25, is for ECCE participants who feel a particular calling to the pastoral ministry or service as a deaconess. The cost is a $50 registration fee plus travel costs. Lodging and meals are provided at no cost. For more information, contact the Office of Admission at admission@csl.edu or you can register online at www.cls.edu.

Lay Bible Institute is available on iTunes U! Several new audio/video files based on Concordia Seminary’s 2007 Winter Lay Bible Institute are available for download, free of charge, on "Concordia Seminary on iTunes U," which can be accessed at http://itunes.csl.edu. Topics such as "The Lord of Creation" presented by Prof. Thomas Egger, assistant professor of exegetical theology at Concordia Seminary and "Which Jesus?: How Many Gospels Are There?" presented by Prof. Jeffrey Kloha, also an assistant professor of exegetical theology are available. For more information contact Seminary Relations at semrelations@csl.edu.

Concordia Visit Day – May 9 - High school juniors and seniors! RSVP for an upcoming Visit Day at Concordia University Ann Arbor. On Friday, May 9, we will have two visit sessions to help work with your schedule. The morning session begins at 9:00 a.m. and the afternoon session starts at 1:00 p.m. RSVP today by visiting www.cuaa.edu/campusvisit and clicking the “Register for a Campus Event” link. For more information, contact the Office of Admission at 734-995-7322. Concordia is located at 4090 Geddes Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.

CTS Class for area pastors - Pastors! Concordia Theological Seminary Continuing Education will offer the class “Pastoral Ministry and the American Legal System” on June 17-19 at Concordia University Ann Arbor. This course acquaints students with American law, including the U.S legal system, as it impacts the pastoral ministry on a day-to-day basis. (1.5 CEU) For more information contact: Dcs. Deborah Rockrohr at 734-995-7586.

Sign up for the Relay For Life! - The American Cancer Society is teaming up with Concordia University Ann Arbor to host a Relay For Life walk on Saturday, June 28, beginning at 10:00 a.m. During the 24-hour event, teams will walk around the track at Concordia’s Rummel Field, north of Geddes and the main campus. Sign up your team by visiting http://events.cancer.org/rflannarbormi. Interested groups must have a team captain contact Jessica Harrison at 734-971-4300. In order to receive t-shirts for the event, teams must sign up before May 19. Please contact Jessica Harrison if you would like to volunteer to help set up before the event or to assist as a parking attendant.

Concordia University Ann Arbor announces that its 17th Annual Cardinal Classic Tournament will be held at the scenic Polo Fields Golf Club in Ann Arbor on Monday, September 8. Join in for a fun day of golf, fellowship and good food. A lower entry fee is being offered this year with an early bird rate of $140 per person, if payment is received prior to July 31, 2008. After July 31, the rate changes to $160 per person. Entry entitles you to 18 Holes of golf including a golf cart, giveaways, lunch and dinner. Because CUAA is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, a portion of your registration will be tax deductible. For more information or to register, please contact Debbie Torbet at torbed@cuaa.edu or 734.995.7327.

If you are an alumni of Concordia University, Ann Arbor and have not updated your records in a while, please take a moment to reconnect. Please send your full name as well as current address, daytime and evening phone numbers, email address, the year you graduated and whether or not you have received any university correspondence or publications to: alumni@cuaa.edu.

Plans are underway for the 2008 Michigan District Senior High Gathering of 9th-12th graders at Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island. The dates for the gathering have been set for June 29 - July 2, 2008. There is room for 1200 at this inspirational gathering. Speakers, musicians, breakouts sessions, and servant events are all highlights of the gathering. Registration is now open. Watch for more information or contact Keith Minda at kminda@peacesaginaw.org or 989.793.9025.

Sr. High Registration Booklet

Youth Group leaders - looking for a unique one-day servant event for your group this summer? Plan to bring as many youth as you can (and their family members) to a one-day packing of 100,000 nutritious meals for Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) servant event at the Lansing Center in Lansing, Friday, July 18 at the Michigan District LWML Convention. We need your help. There will be no cost to your group for the servant event. To find out more about FMSC check them out on the Web at www.fmsc.org. Contact Michigan District LWML President Anita Beyersdorf at anitalbey@aol.com to find out more or register your group to help with this event.

"thESource" is an excellent resource for your ministry. It's free and intended to be downloaded and used. Check it out at www.youthESource.com.

Regional Meetings
Saginaw/Bay City/Flint/Thumb area are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. Contact Eric Steinke at ericdce@yahoo.com for location.

Grand Rapids area meets bi-monthly. Please contact Rick Krueger at rick.krueger@messiahgr.org for date, time, and location.

Next Meeting to be announced soon!

The Common Cup Coffee Shop (University Lutheran Church, Ann Arbor) provides live entertainment every Friday at 8:00 p.m. These Friday night events are free and open to the public. The Common Cup Coffee Shop is located at 1511 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor. More information can be found at www.commoncupcoffee.com or by calling 734.327.6914.

A new 16-week Bible class will begin at Cross of Christ, Bloomfield Hills on Sunday, May 4 at 11:15 a.m. Topic is: "What Christians Should Know about Jewish Beliefs." The class will cover Old Testament Laws, Jewish holidays and branches of Judaism as understood through the eyes of the New Testament. Come and learn what your Jewish friends and neighbors believe. For more information, call 248.626.4076.

May 4-9, 2008 is the 2nd Annual Bach Week at St. Lorenz, Frankenmuth. Concerts are scheduled for Sunday, May 4, 4:00 p.m. with J.S. Bach Calvier Übung Part 3. Organ Students from the studios of Dr. Marilyn Mason & Dr. James Kibbie from the University of Michigan will perform this monumental work; Friday, May 9 at 8:00 p.m. – Festival Concert – Dr. Christopher Cock, Conductor. Festival Orchestra and soloists will perform: J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto #1; Cantata # 82 “Ich habe genung” for Bass Solo, Dan Eifrig, Bass; Cantata #51 “Jauchzet Gott in alle Landen” for Soprano Solo, Maura Janton-Cock, Soprano. Each weekday the concert will begin at 12:00 noon and last no longer than 30 – 40 minutes in length. These concerts are as follows: Monday, May 5 (Organ Recital – Dr. Quincy Dobbs, Minister of Music and Fine Arts at the Woodside Church in Flint); Tuesday, May 6, (TBA); Wednesday, May 7 (Music for Piano and Horn- Jacob Poulos, high school student at Frankenmuth High School); Thursday, May 8, (Organ Recital - Brenda Portman, Organist at First Presbyterian Church in Flint); Friday, May 9, (Organ Recital – Dr. Wm. Jean Randall, Minister of Music at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Rochester Hills) All Concerts are free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be received at each concert as a benefit for the family of Emily and Dan Long.

Lutheran High School Northwest drama platform will perform “The Wizard of Oz” May 8-10. Tickets are $10 Elite Seating or $8.50, $6.50 and seniors are $5.00. Contact Connie Keller or the school office for ticket information 248.852.6677.

Good Shepherd, Lake Orion is holding its annual Safety Night on May 9 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. This FREE event will include a Fire House – Interactive Walk Through (Ortonville Fire Dept.); ID Photo Cards/Finger Prints/DNA – (MiChip); Glow Germ – (Oakland County Health Dept.); Backpack Safety & Chair Massages - (Dolecki Chiropractic); Fire Truck (children to spray hose) - (LO Fire Dept.); Police Car – (OC Sheriff Dept.); Tooth Print – (Clarkston Family Dental); Bike & Helmet Safety – (OC Sheriff Dept.) bring your bikes and helmets; 911 Demos/Good Nay Bear – (State Farm Ins.); Pet Safety – (Oxford Veterinarian Hosp.); Child/Infant Choking Demos – (Red Cross Instruct). There will also be FREE HOTDOGS, CHIPS, POP, and H2O while they last. For more information, contact the church office at 248.391.1170.

St. Thomas, Eastpointe is holding a Bone Marrow Donor Drive on Sunday, May 11 from Noon to 3:00 p.m. Due to the Thanks Mom Campaign, the usual $59 charge to be put on the National Bone Marrow Registry is waived on this day. To be put on the list you must be between the ages of 18 and 60. There are no pokes involved; all that will be done is a simple swab of the inside of the cheek. Please come and you could possibly save a life! What a great way to celebrate Mother’s Day! For more information, please contact Jodi Johnstone at 586.909.1033.

Please join Cross of Christ, Bloomfield Hills as they commemorate the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel on Tuesday, May 13 at 7:00 p.m. The evening includes a viewing of the classic movie "Cast a Giant Shadow" with Kirk Douglas. A dessert and discussion time will follow. All are welcome; invite your Jewish friends. For more information, contact Mary at 248.626.4076.

Valley Lutheran High School, Saginaw is hosting "Down Syndrome Day: A Festival of Fun" on Thursday, May 15. The festival is part of the school's Service Day and will be hosted by 35 Valley Lutheran students. Activities are planned from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. and will include games, contests, face-painting, and music. All families of Down Syndrome children are encouraged to attend. The event is free. For more information, contact Randy Rogers at rrogers@vlhs.com or 989.790.1676 to register.

Trinity, Gaylord is hosting a Youth Leader’s Training on Saturday, May 17 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Training will be facilitated by 316Octane (www.octaneministry.com) and will include topics like “Youth leader’s spiritual health? “What is our Purpose?” and planning events and leading Bible studies. The cost is $15/person (maximum $45 per church) and includes lunch. Contact Carla Elenz at 989.732.1601 or 989.344.1679 (day number) for more information.

Feeling tongue-tied or unprepared when it comes to sharing your faith? We all have missed opportunities. Imagine having tools to help you for the next time God sends the unbeliever in your direction! Come to the Equipping to Share Workshop on Saturday, May 17 at St. Mark, Battle Creek. The workshop will run from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch included. This interactive training from Lutheran Hour Ministries helps believers with the privilege of sharing the truth and love of Christ in everyday situations. Call 269.964.0401 to register by May 15. It's

The Parish Nurse Conference at Concordia Mequon, Wisconsin will be May 28-30. If you have not received a mailing you can request it through Carol Lueders-Bolwerk at carol.lueders.bolwerk@cuw.edu.

The Partners for Bethany, Detroit will host the Maroon and Silver Spring Ball on Friday, May 30. The Maroon and Silver Spring Ball is the first annual fundraiser formal event. It will be held at The Barrister House at 21801 Harper Avenue in St. Clair Shores. Cocktail Hour will begin at 7:00 p.m. with dinner following at 8:00 p.m. The Ball will feature Columbo’s Customized Sounds for your dancing and entertainment pleasure. Tickets are $75 per person, ($45 tax deductible). Proceeds from the Maroon and Silver Spring Ball will be used to cover the operating expenses of Bethany Lutheran School. Bethany has a long track record of academic excellence where students grow and learn in a loving and secure environment. In order to keep tuition costs at an accessible level, significant fund raising is essential. For more information and/or tickets, contact Kisha Jackson at 313.885.0180. Black tie optional.

St John, Fraser is hosting a Mexican Fiesta Night with LATINO on May 31 at 6:00 p.m. The evening is sponsored by the Parent Teacher League. For more information, contact the church office at 586.293.0333.

St. Peter, Macomb will be hosting a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico, June 8-14. The cost is $550/person, which includes airfare, lodging, and most meals. For more information or to sign up, contact Rev. Davies at 586.781.3434 or visit www.splcs.com.

It's time to "Tee It Up' at Lutheran Homes of Michigan's 10th Annual Golf Outing on Monday, June 9. Plan to join them for a special day of fun, food, great golf, and auction to be held at the fabulous Majestic at Lake Walden in Hartland. Register online at www.LHMINC.org or call Cheryl at 989.652.3470.

The 2008 Lutheran Summer Music Academy will be held June 22 to July 20 on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. The residential music training program features three major ensembles: band, orchestra, and choir. For more information, visit www.lutheransummermusic.org or contact the organization’s national offices at 888.635.6583 or lsm@lutheransummermusic.org.

Many hands are needed to help package 100,000 meals for Feed My Starving Children on Friday, July 18 at the Lansing Center in Lansing for the servant event at the Michigan District LWML Convention. Boys and girls, men and women, youth groups and families are encouraged to come make a difference in the lives of starving children worldwide. Please contact President Anita Beyersdorf at anitalbey@aol.com for information on how you can register to help.

Save the date! The former Lutheran Young Adults are uniting with the Michigan District Walther League for the annual reunion at the Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth on September 27. The featured speaker will be Dr. Thomas Ahlersmeyer. A special tribute to Wally Bronner is planned. Registration information will be forthcoming.

Loon Lake Lutheran Retreat Center (LLLRC) in Hale. Two National Youth Servant Events will take place at LLLRC this summer. Youth, ages 16 & up, are encouraged to work hard, grow in Christ and with one another. Painting, new construction, repair, games, outreach, offsite exploration, great food and bible study are on the docket. Week #1 (June 27-July 2, 2008) costs $175 per person and includes fourteen meals, five nights lodging, and a t-shirt. Week #2 (July 12-16, 2008) costs $125 per person and includes eleven meals, four nights lodging, and a t-shirt. For further information, contact Sarah Asaila at 989.728.2495 or LLLRC@centurytel.net.

The Association of Lutheran Older Adults (ALOA) will be sponsoring two Lutherhostel events this summer. The first is a retreat entitled “Holy, Wholly, Healthy in Spirit, Mind, and Body” and will be held June 7-11 on the campus of Concordia University, Wisconsin. The second is held in conjunction with the Lutheran Summer Music Academy and is July 16-20 and will be held on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN. More information is available on their website: www.aloaserves.org.

The Association of Lutheran Older Adults (ALOA) will be sponsoring a Lutherhostel event at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia June 16-20. The topic is “William Penn’s Holy Experiment: Religious Freedom Then and Now.” More information is available on the ALOA website: www.aloaserves.org or by contacting Mark Staples, mstaples@ltsp.edu or 215.248.7352.

Its that time of year again! Excited about Spring? Looking for something to do? It does not matter if you are Single or a Couple, a Family or a Youth Group we would like you to come and join us. Whether you ride a bike, push a stroller or walk behind a child using training wheels, come join your Brothers and Sisters in Christ in one or more of the following bike rides.

10 May - Hines Drive
24 May - Willow, Belleville

For more information go to www.laous.com/biking.htm

The Lutheran Activities Organization (LAO) has recently been granted permission to participate in the Catholic Youth Organization Football League for the 2008 Fall season. Participation is open to all boys who are baptized and whose families are members of an LCMS congregation or student of one of the LCMS day schools and actively participate in confirmation classes or equivalent. At this time, participation is limited to Circuits 15-29 of the Michigan District. For more information, visit www.LAOFootball.com and complete a preliminary interest form.

Does your congregation host a campout each summer? Would you be open to allowing other LCMS Christians to participate? We would like to post your camping outing on the Lutheran Activities Organizations website www.LAOus.com. Please forward the following information to info@laous.com if interested: Phone & e-mail of outing contact, host congregation w/ website if applicable, date(s) of event(s), required date for reservations, location of camping outing (address with zip) w/ website if applicable, any planned worship services with name of the officiant, and any other extra information. Contact loren.kinne@laous.com for more information.

LLL Southeast District is continuing to coordinate efforts for sponsoring 10:00am Sunday Lutheran Hour Broadcasts (created by Lutheran Hour Ministries in St. Louis) on 560AM in the Metro-Detroit area. Since the Michigan Southeast District of the Lutheran Laymen's League is covering a large portion of the cost, your church can be announced as co-sponsor at the beginning of each broadcast for $125.00 per week. This is a valuable ministry reaching the "not-yet-Christians" and "shut-ins". Please contact Marv Schaible 586.573.7370 for more information. Or send checks to Art Miller; 447 Fern Court; Monroe, MI 48161.

The Michigan District is looking for individuals to write feature articles as well as local interest articles for Michigan In Touch. As well as those photographers, both professional and amateur. If you are interested in having articles or photographa submitted for consideration please send samples of your writing (published and unpublished) and or photographs along with a short biographical sketch to Debby Fall, 3773 Geddes Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.

Wheat Ridge Grants

Wheat Ridge Ministries is offering financial assistance to Lutheran congregations that are supporting and encouraging the health and wellness of church leaders by providing sabbatical experiences for pastors and other full-time professional church workers in the congregation. Any Lutheran congregation developing a sabbatical plan for a pastor or other church worker within the grant guidelines may apply. The maximum amount per grant is $7,500 per congregation and the congregation must match the grant amount provided. During the pilot phase of this grant, up to ten grants will be available annually and no more than one grant will be provided to a congregation. The grant is to be used specifically for sabbatical experiences for professional church workers. Congregations interested in applying for a Wheat Ridge Sabbatical Resource Grant can visit www.wheatridge.org (Grants) to review the requirements and determine whether the grant is appropriate for their needs and to download a grant application. Any questions may be referred to the Wheat Ridge office at 800.762.6748.

CALL Immigration Service offers pro bono immigration service for those recent immigrants who cannot afford legal fees. CALL Urban Ministries(Christ’s Compassion for All) a registered non-profit 5013c was given certification by the US Board of Appeals of the BCIS(Board for Citizenship and Immigration Service) last year. About one half of clients from west Michigan are given free service while others pay approximately $25 per hour. The office is staffed by two certified volunteers. Genene MacDonald, director, may be reached at call@gate.net or 616.452.2433. Much of the work can be done via e-mail. Pastor Rod Otto, director of CALL Urban Ministries at Redeemer in Grand Rapids is running the 5th/3rd Riverbank Run to raise $2000 for the workers’ training in Miami next week to update their certification.


CALL Ministries finds, supports, and trains ethnic workers for ministry in West Michigan. Florencio Lopez serves two worshiping communities while studying at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis through EIIT (Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology) under his adjunct mentor in Michigan. The worshiping communities are called Rey de Reyes and meet at Christ Our Savior in Holland (Sunday 1:00 p.m.) and at Redeemer in Grand Rapids (Saturday 3:00 p.m.). Zion, Holland has added support for this ministry, which began as a self-supporting church plant. CALL has also mentored Hong Li, a mandarin Chinese worker enrolled for the next year in EIIT, and has worked with other workers from Sudan, Ethiopia, Samali, and Korea. If you would like Florencio to speak about this growing ministry or are interested in planting Hispanic work in West Michigan or supporting his seminary training, email Dr. Rod Otto or call him at 616.738.0100.