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Advent—The Celebration of God Giving Humanity a New Beginning

The Christmas tradition wouldn't be complete without devotions specially designed as reflections on what Advent means. Lutheran Hour Ministries' two Advent Devotions series for 2009 herald a new beginning for human beings—made possible only through the gift of God's Son, Jesus Christ, as Savior of the world.

In LHM's traditional-theme selection for 2009, Pastor Vern Gundermann takes the reader alongside Joseph and Mary as they travel From Nazareth to Bethlehem where Jesus' birth will be only the beginning of His steady fulfillment of Messianic prophecies given about Him in the Hebrew Scriptures.

In Who would have thought? LCMS educator Chuck Strohacker makes it easy for the reader to recall his or her own family Christmas memories even as he offers personal glimpses from his own life. With anecdotes, observations, humor, and insight, Strohacker warmly shares how the yearly celebration of Jesus' birth is reason for the whole world to rejoice. Christmas changes everything—for everyone—for all time. With the advent of Christmas, God gives us a Savior and takes away the sins of the world.

Both versions are customizable as PDF files in English. Audio is available for From Nazareth to Bethlehem, as is a Spanish text version. Promotional features include bulletin shells, a PowerPoint slide template, a Web banner ad, and JPEG images of cover art. The Web site, www.adventdevotions.net, provides up-to-date information regarding which features are available for which versions.

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Thousands in Myanmar Turn Out to Enjoy Music and Fellowship

Lutheran Hour Ministries in Myanmar, in partnership with the Christian Music Fellowship, organized a "Gospel through Music" program in several different towns and villages throughout the month of August. A group of 40 people, including well-known Christian musicians, some audio engineers, and LHM staff and volunteers, traveled by bus and performed for audiences and shared the salvation story of Jesus.

The events drew large crowds—as many as 5,000 people at one particular church in Moegoke. Since some of the musicians are popular on a national level, many who came to enjoy the performances—perhaps even as many as half of the people in the audiences— were non-believers. The LHM coordinator took time at each venue to share the Gospel message, while several of the Christian performers also gave their testimonies.

To see more photos from these events, visit the LHM International Blog.

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Act Now! Thrivent's GivingPlus Program Ends in December

Since 2005, many supporters of Lutheran Hour Ministries have enjoyed the opportunity to supplement their generous gifts to LHM through the Thrivent GivingPlus program. Thrivent matches $1 for every $2 a member gives to LHM, up to a $300 match annually. That means a member's $600 gift becomes $900, a $200 gift becomes $300, and a $50 gift becomes $75! For calendar year 2008, Lutheran Hour Ministries received $343,771 in matching funds from the Thrivent GivingPlus program.

Thrivent has recently announced that the GivingPlus program will be ending with the close of the 2009 calendar year, so Thrivent members who want to add GivingPlus funds to their LHM gifts are encouraged to do so promptly. Once Thrivent's 2009 budget for the program is spent, no more GivingPlus funding will be available. Through the end of August, nearly two thirds of the GivingPlus funds for 2009 had already been distributed to qualifying organizations.

In place of GivingPlus, Thrivent will be launching a program called Thrivent Choice in the spring of 2010 to bring even more value to its members. While details of the program have not yet been finalized, Thrivent Choice will allow members to be active participants in directing millions of charitable dollars to Lutheran nonprofit organizations and the members' own congregations. Look for more details about this new program in upcoming LHM communications.

To take advantage of adding GivingPlus funds to your LHM gift today, download a Thrivent GivingPlus form at www.lhmgift.org/thrivent.htm or call our Response Center at 1-800-876-9880 to request a printed form via mail.

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Last Call for 'Global Care Packages'

We are still accepting Global Care Packages bags through the end of the calendar year for distribution to needy children around the world. If you have any questions regarding the completion of this program, please email us at globalcare@lhmint.org or call Jeanne Lawrence at 1-800-752-9636, ext. 4168.

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Your Opinion Counts: Women's Ministry in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Lutheran Hour Ministries and Lutheran Women in Mission are exploring together whether our church body needs expanded services and resources in the area of women's ministry and, if so, how our two organizations could work together to help meet that need.

To begin this exploration, we have developed two surveys. The "LCMS Congregation Survey" is designed for a pastor or other church leader to take; the "LCMS Women's Survey" is designed for the women in the congregation.

You can help us with this valuable research! Please encourage your pastor to participate or to designate another leader to participate in the Congregation Survey, and please invite all women 18 years of age or older at your congregation to share their opinions through the Women's Survey. The more thoughtful participants involved, the better our understanding will be of the nature and breadth of these ministry needs!

To spread the word to your congregation, please feel free to post the following announcement in your Sunday bulletin or on your Web site:

Share what's important to you about women's ministry—both for now and for the future! Lutheran Hour Ministries and Lutheran Women in Mission together invite all women 18 and older to complete the "LCMS Women's Survey" at www.lhm.org/research/women today! Your help is greatly appreciated as these organizations conduct research in the area of women's ministry!

Both surveys can be accessed here. If you're a pastor or a woman member 18 or older, why wait? Click now to get started!

Please email any questions you have to Faith Spelbring, Manager of United States Ministries Program Research & Development for LHM. If you prefer to contact Faith by phone, call 1-800-944-3450, ext. 4209. Thank you for your help as we continue to explore new avenues for sharing the Gospel!

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Impacting Lives

Living in Fear, Young Muslim Turns to Jesus

Have you ever made a phone call while in fear for your life? This story is about a young Muslim man we'll call "Basel," because the word means "brave." From a hiding place on his family's roof, Basel made a call to the Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) ministry center in Beirut, Lebanon. He was responding to an ad in the local newspaper called Al Waseet. The ad read, "Have you ever been offended by your dear ones, relatives and strangers??? Call us and receive, free of charge, the booklet How Can We Forgive and Forget the Offense?"

Ministry center staff members report that many people called and came to the LHM center seeking guidance for their personal situations. Among them was Basel.

"When he called our office, his voice was trembling," said a staff member. "We knew later that he was talking from the rooftop of a building, frightened that his relatives might hear him talking to us. He wanted to make an appointment, and the next day, he was in front of us."

Basel is a Muslim Shiite man who has suffered hardships in his relationship with his family. Basel's father was especially hard on him physically and had forced him to work since he was a child.

Basel tried to commit suicide three times. Then he joined the militia of Hezbollah thinking that he was doing a good thing, but he became disappointed. He felt something should be done... something was missing. He had tried so many things, but all of them led to disappointment and failure.

Ministry center workers say that when Basel came to the center, he was desperate. His heart was full of anger and resentment towards his parents. "He asked us, 'how can I forgive and forget the offense?'"

"You need the God of forgiveness to enter into your heart," they told him. "You need Jesus Christ."

"We started talking with him about Jesus," said staff members. "He was amazed by the act of forgiveness that Jesus made on the cross and, in tears, he received the booklet on forgiveness."

Basel is eager to know more about forgiveness and the loving nature of Jesus. He is very enthusiastic to learn more about the Christian faith, and the ministry center referred him to a church.

"Now that Jesus has forgiven all my sins, I can forgive, in the grace of God, anyone who offends me," said Basel.

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South Africa Ministry Center Reaches Out to Orphans and Their Special Caregiver

Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM)—South Africa recently had an opportunity to share Christ's love with a woman named Nolwandle Mabaso, who has gained a reputation in her Johannesburg-area community for taking care of dozens of children who have nowhere else to turn.

Lutheran Hour Ministries' staff heard through a church partner about Mabaso and her commitment to feed about 80 AIDS orphans and vulnerable children on a daily basis, and decided to help. The staff, along with a representative from the local partner congregation, traveled to Mofolo North, a very poor section of Johannesburg. They took with them bags of oranges, cabbages, potatoes, and apples for the children.

Mabaso and the children were overjoyed by the gifts, and before the LHM staff left, they invited Mabaso, along with the children and her helpers, to attend church service at the Lutheran church in Mofolo North. They gladly accepted the invitation and participated in the worship service that Sunday.

The congregation welcomed the visitors and on that same day, a volunteer from the church delivered a surprise gift to Mabaso. Members of the Mofolo North Lutheran congregation had gathered together 13 mattresses for the orphans to sleep on.

The staff of LHM—South Africa has planned to provide Mabaso with Gospel materials to share with the orphans she cares for. The hope is that the relationship begun with Mabaso, the children, and the local Lutheran church will grow stronger and yield many more opportunities for service and outreach.

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Equipping

New 'Project Connect' Booklet Considers the Question: 'What is Christmas'?

Christmas isn't always the brightly lit, cheery affair portrayed on television or in the movies—or even replayed in our own minds from Christmases past. As we approach the holiday season for 2009, Lutheran Hour Ministries' Project Connect program is introducing a new booklet titled What is Christmas? Written by LCMS Pastor Wayne Palmer, What Is Christmas? addresses challenges and struggles that are all too familiar to many during this time of the year.

The simple fact is Christmas can be just plain rough. For families working through bruised emotions, stressed relationships—even the oncoming death of a loved one—Christmas can be a time of fatigue and mixed feelings. When long-held grievances and bitter disputes estrange family members—souring their attitudes and driving a wedge between them—it's easy to begin wondering what Christmas is really all about.

Palmer emphasizes how God's reconciliation of the world to Himself through His Son gives new hope for sorting out life's thorny relationship issues. In an attempt to get the reader thinking about the season from a different angle, he pointedly asks this question: "Where do you find yourself this Christmas?" Wherever that place might be, the reader is reminded that God's gift of love in Jesus Christ can heal every wound and repair every broken relationship.

Project Connect's What is Christmas? will be released in October. Visit www.projectconnectinfo.org to learn more.

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Time Well Spent—'Equipping to Share' Attendees Prove Program's Value

Recently, Mount Olive Lutheran Church of Greenwood, Indiana, revealed again how Equipping to Share makes a big connection with participants. On Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, 26 members and friends of the church participated in an EtS workshop to better prepare themselves for sharing their faith. The workshop was funded in part by a $250 resource grant from the Indianapolis Center for Congregations.

"I just want to thank LHM for this program. I'm absolutely wowed by the presentation made by [presenters] E.K. and Carolyn [Kranawetter]," said EtS host Rob Wibbeler. "God is doing powerful things in this ministry, and I felt it this past Sunday. Here's what some of our participants had to say about the workshop: 'It was wonderful to hear of their ministry and it encouraged me'; 'It really helped me see when there are ministry moments'; 'I was reminded that every moment is a ministry moment. God called us out to share the Gospel and we can do that through kindness, actions, or words and the Holy Spirit will take it from there.'"

"This workshop was offered to further our mission of bringing people into a living relationship with Jesus Christ," Wibbeler said. "EtS focused on our core value that all people matter to God, and therefore they matter to Mount Olive as we make it our aim to equip every Christian to be a missionary to all people in their world," he added.

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Coming up on The Lutheran Hour

Oct 11
Jesus Loved Him, But...
Speaker: Pastor Ken Klaus
Is the love of God conditional? Does wealth get in the way of God?

Oct 18
Not Very Likely
Speaker: Pastor Ken Klaus
It's not so easy to enter heaven. Ever think about it? Everyone should ponder the subject before it is too late.

Oct 25
Reformation Prepositions: In, Over, and Out
Speaker: Rev. Willam P. Yonker
In, over, out. By God's grace, we are in God's family. Christ has carried us over sin and death, and the idea of somehow earning our salvation is out of the question. Our guest speaker today is the Rev. William Yonker, senior pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, East Dundee, Illinois.

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Pastor Ken Klaus Will Be Speaking ...

Oct 18
150th Anniversary Services
Trinity Lutheran Church
Tinley Park, IL
8, 9:30 and 11 a.m.

Oct 25
Reformation Service for Kentuckiana Federation of Lutheran Churches
Grace Lutheran Church
New Albany, IN
3 p.m.

Oct 25
Bible Study
Grace Lutheran Church
New Albany, IN
9:20 a.m.

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Coming Up on Woman to Woman

Oct 10
Grandparents Parenting...Again!
Many people thought they were through with parenting and then find themselves raising their grandchildren. Hear one such grandmother's success story of how she found the strength to be a parenting grandparent, as well as a pastor and therapist's advice based on years of professional experience.

Oct 17
The Smart Stepmom
Parent-child relationships can be difficult, even more so if you're a stepparent. Hear from Laura Petherbridge, co-author of The Smart Stepmom, how you can work to form healthy relationships with stepchildren of any age, as well as how you can avoid some of the most common mistakes that stepparents make.

Oct 24
Children of Divorce
Divorce rates in the United States are staggering, leaving a significant mark on the children involved, regardless of their age. Learn about the difficulties that these children face as adults, including feelings of inadequacy and insecurity, as well as difficulties forming healthy relationships.

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