From The President's Desk

                     Can you believe that Easter is already over?

Can you believe that Easter is already over? It came so early this year. In fact, it came about as early as it can come. Do you realize that most people in the world missed it! Perhaps they were aware of Easter bonnets, Easter eggs and Easter sales, but they had no idea what Easter is all about.

Even Christians, in the “busy”ness of life and the routines of our worship life, can miss the true significance and importance of Easter.

Intellectually, we know that Easter is the celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the grave three days after He died on Good Friday. We can probably tell someone from memory about the women, on Easter morning, discovering that Christ’s body was no longer in the tomb.

We can remember that it was Peter and “the disciple who Jesus loved,” probably John, that raced to the tomb to discover that Christ’s body was no longer there.

Easter is about Mary, dumbfounded and confused, not knowing she was talking with her beloved Jesus.

Easter is not just about the details. Easter focuses our hearts and minds upon why Christ came into the world as true God and true man.

Easter is God’s message to believers and to all people that His Son, who came into the world at Christmas to save them, are saved.

God put His Son to death to pay for our sins. God raised Him from death on Easter, proclaiming Him victorious over Satan, sin, death and the grave.

Easter is God’s exclamation point upon our salvation.

Through Christ’s resurrection, you and I have the assurance of our victory over the grave. Jesus died on Good Friday and came back to life on Easter to give us a life that will never end.

Because of Easter, you and I can now look death in the eye and say, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:55, 57).

Easter is all about the comfort that God gives us at the death of a loved one who died believing in Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

Easter is all about the comfort and eternal confidence you and I have as we are constantly confronted with our personal mortality.

Easter is God’s life-giving message through Christ, the one who died, rose from the grave and is alive! “Because He lives, we shall live also.”

• Pray that the Holy Spirit works mightily through the proclamation of the Gospel.
• Pray that the Holy Spirit will work through your witness and invitation that at least one person will attend a worship service with you.
• Pray that God will bless the many young men and women who will be confirmed this spring.
• Ask God to give insight, wisdom, discernment and a pastoral heart to President Gerald Kieschnick.
• Pray that God will assign His angels to protect the men and women of the United States military.
• Praise and thank God for the congregations in the Missouri District that are in the process of starting new worshipping communities.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to be with the placement officers of our two seminaries and the COP placement committee as spring placement candidates are being considered for their first pastoral assignments April 22 at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and April 23 at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.
• Pray God to bless all the students, instructors and administrators in all public, private and Lutheran preschools, elementary schools and high schools in the state of Missouri.
• Pray God to bless Missouri District congregations currently involved in the calling of Ordained and Commissioned Ministers of Religion.
• Pray God to bless the ministry of the congregations, lay leaders, pastors and commissioned ministers of religion in the Missouri District.
• Pray God to bring about reconciliation and healing to congregations currently experiencing serious conflict.
• Pray God to guide and direct the work of the district Board of Directors, the four service boards and district committees.

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Important notices from the President’s office

The Role of the District President

Salary Guidelines for fiscal year 2008-09 or calendar year 2009

2009 Salary Guidelines for Professional Church Workers

This document combines the guidelines for all church and school employees:  ordained, commissioned and other staff.

Calling Congregations

For sole pastors

Bourbon, Concordia
Cole Camp, Holy Cross/St. John
Crystal City, Immanuel–called Rev. Jarold Rux of St. Louis, MO (accepted)
Freistatt, Trinity–called Rev. Joel Fritsche of St. Louis, MO
Frohna, Concordia–called Rev. Rod Benkendorf of St. Louis, MO (accepted)
Kimberling City, Shepherd of the Hills–calling a spring seminary candidate
Ladue, Village
Lexington, Grace
New Haven, Bethlehem–calling alternate route, deferred vicar
St. Clair, Holy Trinity–called Rev. Ernest Bernet of Mineral Wells, TX (declined)
Sedalia, Our Savior–called Rev. Christopher Kellogg of Pueblo, CO

For senior pastors

Jefferson City, Trinity
Independence, Messiah

For Associate or Assistant Pastors

Blue Springs, Timothy–calling alternate route, deferred vicar
Concordia, St. Paul–calling a spring seminary candidate
Kirkwood, Concordia–calling alternate route, deferred vicar
Oakville, Faith
Olivette, Immanuel–calling a spring seminary candidate
Platte Woods, Christ–calling a spring seminary candidate
St. Louis County, Abiding Savior–calling alternate route, deferred vicar
Sappington, Resurrection–calling a spring seminary candidate
Springfield, Redeemer–calling a spring seminary candidate
Webster Groves, Webster Gardens–calling alternate route, deferred vicar

Vacant (On hold—but being served.)

(on hold–but being served)
Bismarck, St. John
Conway, Immanuel
Elk Prairie (Rolla), Peace
Ernestville (Concordia), St. Matthew
Pagedale, Grace
Isabella, Faith
Knob Noster, Faith
Memphis, St. Paul
Milan, Peace
Potosi, Redeemer
Rockville, Zion–called Rev. Jarold Rux as Intentional Interim Pastor (declined)
St. Louis, Emmaus
St. Louis, Holy Sacrament
St. Louis, St. Paul
Sarcoxie, Trinity
Shelbyville, Mount Hope
Stockton, St. Andrew
Sweet Springs, Christ

Calls Received

Heine, William (Immanuel, Sheridan, WY) to Dean of Chapel and Religion Instructor at St. Paul Lutheran High School–Concordia, MO

Calls Accepted

Rossow, Justin (Salem, Affton) called to be associate pastor for adult discipleship, Peace, Hurst, TX (accepted)

Shaw, James (Grace, Lexington) called to be missionary-at-large to a church of another Lutheran Synod (accepted)

Wolf, Blake (Christ Memorial, St. Louis County) second call to Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, as Director of the Sustaining Fund (accepted)

Declined Calls

Rouland, Mark (Zion, Harvester) called to be senior pastor, Gloria Dei, Hudson, OH (declined)
Seban, Timothy (St. Paul, Des Peres) called to be associate pastor, Grace, DeWitt, IA (declined)
Springer, Martin (St. Paul, Imperial) called to Redeemer, Winona, MN (declined)

Personnel Changes - ordained

Changes within district:

Ordination/installation

Foss, Richard (candidate status) installed Immanuel, Joplin, MO 9/9/07 by D. Johns
Kennell, Andrew (St. Paul, Concordia) installed as associate pastor St. Matthew, Lee’s Summit, MO 2/3/08 by T. Weinhold
Knolhoff, Wayne (Missouri District Office) installed as Ex. Dir. of Stewardship, LCMS Board for District and Congregational Services , St. Louis, MO 2/1/08 by G. Kieschnick

Transferred to our district

Armbrust, Kevin (SE) candidate status 1/2/2008
Benedum, Thomas (AT) emeritus status 1/7/2008
Raj, Victor (India Ev. Lutheran Church) 11/26/2007
Voelker, William (NEB) emeritus status 12/5/2007

Transferred to other districts

Candidate status

Retired

Feddersen, Earl (LCMS, St. Louis) 1/6/2008
Joersz, Jerald (LCMS, St. Louis) 1/3/08

Deceased

Congregation disbands

New congregation in district

Reinstated to clergy roster by the COP

Resigned / Removed from LCMS clergy roster

Staples, Ronald (LMGS, Kansas City) 1/18/2008

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Personnel changes-commissioned minister of religion

Transferred to other districts

Greiner, Sarah (non-candidate) to NI 2/5/08
Hauser, Andrea (non-candidate) to TX 1/15/08
Nolte, Nicole (non-candidate) to PSW 1/10/08
Wangelin, Kristin (non-candidate) to MI 1/15/08

Transferred from other districts

Bates, Andrew (TX) to candidate 1/18/08
Dwyer, Timothy (PSW) to candidate 12/21/07
Lail, Rachel (NOW) to candidate 2/25/08
Leech, Debra (NE) to candidate 1/9/08
Miskimen, Grace (EN) to emeritus 3/1/08
Peuster, Barbara (SI) to non-candidate 2/1/08
Roth, Edgar (SI) to emeritus 3/5/08

Graduates installed

Funke, Eric (Colloquy RF ’07) to Lutheran High School North, St. Louis 11/30/07 by A. Spallek
Stubbs, Rachel (S ’07) to Martin Luther Academy, Kansas City 2/20/08 by G. Reiser
Zickfield, James (SP ’07) to Lutheran Mission of the Good Shepherd, Kansas City 3/9/08 by L. Hovel
Zielke, Trixy (RF ’06) to LCMS World Mission–St. Louis to serve as Missionary/Teacher at Concordia International School–Shanghai 12/5/07 by D. Birner

Changes within district

Bockelman, Rebecca (non-candidate) to candidate 1/15/08
Breite, Christine (candidate) to Trinity, Cape Girardeau 1/9/08 by D. Breite
Dueck, Erin (non-candidate) to candidate 1/15/08
Jauss, Lanett (non-candidate) to candidate 1/7/08
Lehenbauer, Katie (non-candidate) to candidate 1/9/08
Mueller, Kirk (Lutheran High School North, St. Louis) to LCMS Foundation, St. Louis 3/14/08 by T. Ries
Schulz, Marlo (St. Peter’s, St. Joseph) to Lutheran Mission of the Good Shepherd, Kansas City 3/9/08 by L. Hovel
Wilke, Jane (Lutheran Hour Ministries, St. Louis) to Lutheran Senior Services, St. Louis 4/9/07 by D. Anderson

Candidate status

Non-Candidate status

Chase, Amanda (Christ the Vine, Herculaneum) 3/10/08
Greiner, Sarah (candidate) 1/20/08
Jackson, Jill (St. Mark’s, Eureka) 3/11/08
Wachter, Jerome (candidate) 1/12/08

Retired

Bennett, Robert (candidate) 1/8/08
Telschow, Anne (Trinity, Freistatt) 12/31/04

Deceased

Luebke, Martin (emeritus) 1/26/08
Luepke, Eldor (emeritus) 2/28/08

Resigned/Removed from Roster

Chapman, Lisa (non-candidate) 1/16/08
Francisco, Rachel (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Fruend, Elizabeth (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Galchutt, Keri (Lutheran High School North, St. Louis) 2/28/08
Hemphill, Korrina (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Hendricks, Janelle (Zion, St. Charles) 2/28/08
Kohls, Jeffrey (non-candidate) 1/4/08
Limback, Kelley (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Martz, Rosanna (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Osbourn, Laura (St. John’s, Arnold) 2/28/08
Ostrom, Julie (St. Paul’s, Des Peres) 1/13/08
Pesselato, Rebecca (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Pitsch, Marta (candidate) 2/28/08
Rodewald, Benjamin (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Seban, Wendy (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Telle, LaDonna (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Terrass, Barry (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Tewes, Tamara (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Viets, Catherine (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Vonderfecht, Kelli (non-candidate) 2/28/08
Walkmaster, Velma (emeritus) 1/9/08
Zeigler, Timothy (candidate) 2/28/08

Reinstated

Rivers, Lisa (reinstated by COP 2/08) to candidate

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The Missouri District Board of Directors

DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President
Rev. Dr. Ray G. Mirly

First Vice President

Rev. Terry Weinhold

Second Vice President
Rev. Andrew Spallek

Third Vice President
Rev. Dr. Ken Schurb

Fourth Vice President
Rev. Gary Clayton

Secretary
Rev. Dr. Charles Spomer

Treasurer
Mr. August (Bud) Jaudes, Jr.

Chairman - Board For Congregational Services
Rev. R. Lee Hagan

Chairman - Board For Family Life and Youth Ministry
Rev. David Benson

Chairman - Board For Educational Services
Mr. David Schlesselman

Chairman - Board For Mission Services
Rev. Alan Wollenburg

Other Members of the Board Of Directors
Mr. John Bobzin-Teacher/Commissioned Minister of Religion

Mr. Paul Snyder- Layman
Dr. David Thomas - Layman

Mr. James Weber- Layman
Mr. Ron Wheeler- Layman