IDE Lutheran Laymen's League

2012-01-10T02:02:00.002-06:00

Your Iowa State Fair Booth

2012-01-10T01:52:00.001-06:00

2011-11-04T12:25:00.003-06:00

Kazakhstan Shuts Down Most Religions
Iowa District East Intl. LLL is in partnership with the Kazakhstan Lutheran Hour Office.
On October 13, 2011, Kazakhstan adopted a new religious law titled,
“The Law on Religious Activity and Religious Associations.”
The law de-registers all existing religious organizations and requires them to re-register under new guidelines. Any religious organization that does not re-register could be “liquidated” under the new law. The law also bans all unregistered religious activity, imposes compulsory religious censorship, and requires both local and central government approval for the building or opening of houses of worship. In order to register, each congregation must have 50 adult members, 500 adult members in at least two regions, and 5,000 adult members in all regions. This requirement will eliminate the legal existence of any emerging Christian group (including Lutherans). In effect, Kazakhstan, which is official a secular Muslim country, will have two legal religions: Islam and Russian Orthodox.

A second law signed, titled, “The Law on introducing Amendments and Additions to several legal acts questions of Religious Activity and Religious Associations,” amends the existing law and provides further restrictions particularly on the rights of children and religion. This law forbids religious organizations from attracting children, which makes illegal activities such as Sunday school, VBS, and religious sports camps, et al. With the passage of these two restrictive religious laws, it remains to be seen how they will be enforced ( Matthew 19:14 - Matthew 5:10)

For more on these laws click here.
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1624
I ask that all LCMS members would remember the LHM office in your prayers and remember also we have a few LCMS missionary families in Kazakhstan also. Why should we pray for these people. Because we can - in American, and for Christianity as a whole it would be a useful moment in your life. We have heard of persecuted Christians … do we ignore them and our neighbors within our community?

Ole Timey Religion

2011-11-04T12:25:00.002-06:00

Tain't Easy holding this thingy -up barefoot

This has to be one of the oldest hi-tech cartoons of yesteryear.

Another New Program For Your Children

2011-11-03T00:58:00.003-06:00

The goal of the Men's NetWork "Do Stuff With Your Kids" program is to equip men with tools and resources to be effective disciples of Jesus Christ, who are involved in the lives of their families, their congregations, their communities and their children's schools.

In respect to kids and school, the Men's NetWork "Do Stuff With Your Kids" program will bring men and kids together for two reasons: 1) to grow in the knowledge and application of biblical principles using one of the Bible studies from the Men's NetWork and 2) to get men and children playing and working together around the theme of a Men's NetWork Bible study.

Research

Does it really make a difference for kids if men do stuff with them? Each of us can answer that question based on how much or how little our own dads did stuff with us. There are studies that indicate the more stuff a man does with kids, the better the kids turn out.

The following links take you to some significant research in this area. Additional links will be added as new information on the subject becomes available.

http://www.lhmmen.com/morekids.asp

Rebuilding Our Ambassador And Leader Base

2011-11-03T00:37:00.002-06:00

I asked our IDE International Lutheran Laymen’s Executive Board this question, “What do you think about the League putting in a notice in The IDE TODAY blog, stating that we are asking for someone with needed vocational abilities to fulfill some of our needs on a volunteer basis?” Such as a young adult coordinator, media person, League historian etc. In other words any other computer keyboard job that would make information flow better, and create one more willing person who understands the workings of the League.

As of October 19, 20, 21, 22, and at a meeting in St. Louis with the governance people (The folks who try to make it work well according to governmental and spiritual/doctrine laws) They now talk like they would like to see the District Boards turn into corporate 503cs. Is this what you would like to see as member/donors to the Lords work in Iowa?

Please understand that each congregational Ambassador is your servant to inform you what this great Media arm of the LCMS is …… doing for your congregations and the funding you entrust to keep the Lutheran Hour on our National radio airwaves. The five Zones of our district is where ambassadors receive training to become Zone leaders who eventually aspire to work with us at the District level.

Serve tables - This expression properly denotes "to take care of, or provide for the table, or for the daily needs of a family." It is an expression that properly applies to a steward or a servant. The word "tables" is, however, sometimes used with reference to "money," as being the place where money was kept for the purpose of "exchange, etc.," Matthew 21:12; Matthew 25:27. Here the expression means, therefore, to attend to the pecuniary transactions of the church, and to make the proper distribution for the needs of the poor. We of the LCMS are all asked to serve with the daily vocational skills we use with ease to serve those who need our skills.

We did set some tables at Trinity in Hampton, where we asked this same question. Yes folks t’was the Word and food. This is the rebuilding we need within our Intl. L L L and our congregations. Please consider being part of our LCMS/LHM future, rather than a watcher of…

More info: Terrajohn1@msn.com IDE Intl. LLL President John T. Moeller.

On The Road Again - A Reality

2011-08-12T15:50:00.005-06:00

Sometimes The Idea Of Change Hurts Like Pulling Teeth

~Wait, wait - lets get this in focus~

But we are ready - The executive Board of Iowa East Lutheran Laymen’s League met Saturday August 6 and the main topic was the - rebuilding of our Zone leadership. IDE Intl. LLL has five Zones which encompasses 2 or 3 LCMS circuits. It is through these Zone leaders, that each member /donor has representation within the League structure. The members came prepared to announce a new program titled: “On The Road Again” And they would like to visit your congregation in the near future. The main focus of the League is helping congregations in their evangelism efforts and supporting the Lutheran Hour. The new focus is to bring some Workshops to a central zone church, and explain the benefits of having a LHM Ambassador in your congregation.

The board would also like to remind you of the new family Regional Outreach Conferences started this year. The next ROC will be in St. Charles, Illinois (Chicago) . Everyone is invited, say’s our information, and your family may use free time to enjoy the evening at the resort. RESORT - FAMILY - Do you see a picture coming together here? That’s September 9- 10. Registration at 4:00 PM Friday till 7:30 PM Saturday. The family is then free to go home, or spend Sunday in the Chicago area. Here is a new melding of LCMS and LHM speakers who’s main focus is to encourage or explain to LCMS members how to reach those neighbors looking for a church home and why you are LCMS Lutheran.

Zone Three President Alan Schmid receives a congratulatory handshake as they have had their first On The Road Again Workshop on July 31.

If you are computer savvy go here:

http://www.lhm.org/roc/roc.asp?id=17291

Or come to one of the meetings to find new tools to rebuild the memberships of our LCMS congregations and the member/donor base of the Lutheran Hour Ministries.

John T. Moeller - Pres. IDE Intl. LLL

THE ZONE THREE JULY WORKSHOP NOW HISTORY

2011-07-31T22:26:00.002-06:00

On Sunday July 31 the IDE International Lutheran Laymen’s Iowa District East Executive board members participated in a Zone Three Workshop at Grace Lutheran Church in Dewitt, Iowa.

Many thanks to Rev. Rafferty for providing a meeting space, and also to Rev. Rickman from Immanuel Grand Mound, Iowa for sharing his pastoral thoughts as we seek to strengthen the member/donor grassroots leadership in a Zone that encompasses congregations from Keokuk to Stanwood, and then East to Clinton, Iowa. A very large and long area bordered by the Mississippi River.

Leaders attended from congregations in Lowden, Grand Mound, Dewitt, Charlotte, Park View, and two Davenport churches.

It takes concerned member / donors with a concerned anticipation about the future missions of our League to join in the leadership process and add validity to the calling, appointing and electoral process of our District’s five Zones.

Our calling as a League is to serve our local LCMS pastors and their congregations as we all grow spiritually in our service to our Lord. Consider if you will, spending perhaps two days per year on very small projects that might not get done without your vocational skills you use daily. Some skills needed only require reasonable computer and typing skills and a few hours of concentration. We desperately need a few volunteers that can gather facts that need to be presented in electronic computer files that can be updated quarterly and shared by all volunteers.

Serving in the leadership of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League is as important as serving your congregation, we all have skills we use daily and we serve the same Master/ Lord - only in differing ways as we reach out to those seeking a Lutheran church within our communities.

John T. Moeller

Former LHM Executive Director Hebermehl Dies

2011-05-24T21:43:00.002-06:00

St. Louis, Mo., May 24, 2011 - Rodger Hebermehl, 67, former executive director at Lutheran Hour Ministries, was called home to be with his Lord on Sunday, May 22 after a long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Hebermehl died at his home in Mt. Carmel, Ill."Rodger was a gentleman and a man of God," said LHM executive director Bruce Wurdeman. "He will be missed by many."Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25 at Short Funeral Home in Mt. Carmel. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 26 at Hope Lutheran Church, Mt. Carmel. There will be visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31 at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Fort Wayne, Ind., with entombment following the service.Memorial contributions may be made to TIP Hospice in Mt. Carmel, or the ALS Association of Indiana.Condolences may be made online at www.short-cunninghamfh.com.

2011-04-12T00:58:00.003-06:00

Our new Lutheran Hour Speaker will step up to the famous microphone on April 24th. If you have time please listen to him on your radio or computer. Many thanks to the International Lutheran Laymen’s League member/donors who have helped to fund the Lutheran Hour in the past and who wait for Rev Gregory Seltz to soon be another household name.

Special Secret Sins April 17

Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour: Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus

Jesus knew about that secret sin you try so hard to keep hidden. He carried it to the cross and left it there.

Easter Makes Life Worth Living April 24

Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz

The Rev. Gregory Seltz says Easter is not about sinners being motivated to do better. Rather, the Holy Spirit transforms lives as He moves people to trust in the risen Christ.

"Accept No Substitutes!" May 1

Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz

We live in a world of substitutes, fakes, and facades. However, the risen Christ offers us a living hope that sees through suffering, prevails through persecution, and lives through death itself.(1 Peter 1:3-9)

http://www.lutheranhour.org/programguide.asp

MORE GATHERING INFORMATION

2011-03-16T11:35:00.006-06:00

See the pole hear the message

Why does the Lord allow those funny little nursery rhymes into your adult thinking process. I confess I can sit in front of a keyboard with nothing to type .... I guess until the Lord provides? Do you remember the church thingy with the knuckles knitted together?

Here's the church, and here's the steeple

Open the door and see all the people.

Now that you have seen the church and the steeple here is a picture of the Mission U speaker Schawn Starfeldt. We hope on April 2 we will see you among the people listening to this young woman who will talk "with the people ."

We have just received some more information from our Mission U speaker Schwan Starfeldt if you would like to know more about her presentation style These are her words, “John, if it is helpful, you can direct people to my website. www.schawnstarfeldt.com.”

My advice is come to our gathering with expectations of change in your heart. A change for you, change within your congregation, and change within your community or sphere of influence, when you allow the Lord to fine tune our thoughts for His purposes.

Like a Iowa telephone pole along life’s highways be one of the millions who share the purpose.

VISIT THE HOW CAN I SERVE PAGE

2011-03-15T14:42:00.004-06:00

This page is just a click away and with our 2011 68th Convention/ Gathering it is a good time to to take a peek and see how and where your everday vocational skills might just help us better serve the lord in IDE.

Could you afford to spend just an hour every month or two working on a project such as typing or helping to install some new Lutheran Hour Signs? Spring is here and so could be a nice sunny drive through the country to help install a sign...properly?

No, we are not going to pound posts into the snow in the winter time. But we do want to work with each church board of trustees, to making sure they are displayed with a view according to what they are designed for, yet not a hazard for lawn grooming crews, or just not in the right place at all?

We could also use another qualified person to edit these very pages.

THIS YEARS CONVENTION WILL BE LEARNING TO USE YOUR WORDS WISELY

2011-03-01T00:02:00.005-06:00

This years convention will be about understanding different ways to tell your friends or community what you believe about: Jesus, Heaven, God, Our Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit and your thoughts on the validity of Scripture.

Daily we are tested by the secular media to "Prove that God is not a myth." It is a generational game of put up or shut up ... ........Yet even though we know the truth of it all there are days when we are at a lose of those words that sound so sweet or strong when spoken by another person.

The folks from Mission U have 24 speakers of various ages and life vocations, and we have invited them to tell us how to use our words, and say it in a style that suits our personalities. Their presentation is titled:

Witnessing Methods:
Seven Styles of Faith-sharing

Join us at Zion Lutheran Church in Hiawatha, Iowa on Saturday April 2 at 10:00 AM. More information on this convention presentation will be posted in a few days time as it all comes together.

You know in your heart what you believe, and now is a good time to learn a positive approach of telling those you meet, that you and they are already forgiven through FAITH. - nothing more than repentant faith!

THE MAN PREVIOUSLY IN ACTION

2011-01-22T00:04:00.002-06:00

Do we have something to look forward to? I say yes, follow this link and see Rev. Gregory Seltz deliver a sermon last January.

http://vimeo.com/9121435

Introducing the New Lutheran Hour Speaker

2011-01-21T23:41:00.004-06:00

Rev. Greg Seltz Named the New Speaker of 'The Lutheran Hour'
St. Louis, MO, Jan. 21, 2011 — Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) is pleased to announce that the Rev. Gregory P. Seltz of Orange, California, has accepted the position of Speaker of The Lutheran Hour® radio program. Seltz succeeds to the microphone following the Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus, who retired from full-time duties at the end of the 2010 calendar year after serving in the Speakership since 2002. Seltz will officially begin his ministry with LHM on a part-time basis Feb. 1 and will become full time on or before June 1.

"We are pleased that the Lord has led us to Rev. Seltz with his diverse ministry experience as the next person to carry on our rich history of proclaiming the Gospel," says Lutheran Hour Ministries Executive Director Bruce Wurdeman. "While we will soon have a new Speaker behind the microphone, our focus for the program will remain the same: reaching the lost with the message of hope found in Christ."

"I'm honored to now be included in the long line of Speakers whose goal was to faithfully bring Christ to the nations and the nations to the church," says Seltz. "I'm also very excited about the new opportunities for presenting that same Good News to our increasingly multi-cultural and diverse world."

Seltz is currently the Director of the Cross-Cultural Ministry Center as well as professor of Theology at Concordia University in Irvine, California. He came to Concordia in 2000 to oversee the master's program in Theology and Culture. His present work trains students to launch ministries in a variety of cultural settings, including Vietnamese, Korean, Spanish, Indonesian, Indian, and African-American to name just a few.

Prior to his work at Concordia, Seltz was the Executive Director of Life's Journey Ministries, an urban, not-for-profit evangelism ministry in Manhattan, New York. He was also the founding pastor of Church For All Nations (LCMS) in Manhattan, the first new Lutheran mission start in New York City in more than 40 years, started a mission church in Dallas, served as pastor of a large congregation in Tampa, and started grade schools and pre-schools in a variety of cultural settings. He has led several seminars on urban ministry, entrepreneurial leadership development, team ministry within the city, and evangelism. Seltz has served on the steering committee of the National Urban Evangelism Institute for the LCMS, the Advisory Board for North American Missions—LCMS, and the board of the Center for U.S. Missions.

Klaus will continue to serve Lutheran Hour Ministries as Speaker Emeritus. His projects in this role will include writing and editing LHM's daily devotions, writing and recording a sermon a month for The Lutheran Hour, producing Bible studies for LHM's Men's NetWork, and much more. "Pastor Klaus has been and continues to be a blessing to our ministry," says Wurdeman. "We are pleased it is the Lord's will to allow us to continue using his talents beyond his official retirement date.

For more information about Lutheran Hour Ministries, visit

http://www.lhm.org/.

DOWN THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF HISTORY

2010-11-30T15:11:00.000-06:00

I noticed today and article from Associated Press that says Iowa's famous butter sculptor will be creating a unique butter nativity scene that will be on display in a cooler in downtown Des Moines. What you will read is not scripture word for word, but neither is the reasoning for this blog.

The lady will take one of the most famous families in world history and sculpt them from butter. Now I’m sure you know what butter is as it is on the family table at the best of family gatherings, when mama does her magic culinary masterpiece for all.

Now the Holy Bible describes this family as:

In the sixth month of their calendar, a well known angel by the name of Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph and word is Joe was a carpenter, and was linage wise from the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came to her and said, "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.”

Now some might think we have a nasty little secret here as this story unravels. But read on and you will read words of confidence, honor, and submission to the word of their Heavenly Father. Many times angels have spoken to Biblical people and the words -”Do not be afraid,” have been repeated and recorded many times in scripture.

Next Scripture tells us, because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. And along comes an angel with that repetitive phrase that even many of our school children today understand.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." And when Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until after she gave birth to a son. And he gave the child the name Jesus.

Now you must understand that the trip of this blessed family to the Christ child’s birthplace is what might have happened, because word for word it only says they obeyed the orders to be part of the census taking. The stable scene is seen as a picture in the minds of believers and even that picture is tweaked to the culture wherein the believers reside. Even the word stable has been defined and refined in historical printings.

The Bible presents a scenario of a couple taking a trip because it was the proper thing to do in those days. A couple who had both received a message from an angel, about the child in the womb that they took along on that trip. More than likely they were apprehensive about how this momentous event was to take place but scripture tells us they still traveled in confidence of their Heavenly Father’s purpose. There is not doubt in the words

And now the PUNCH line:

The lady with the butter wants the onlookers to, “feel the family is "desperate and lost" and to think about families today.”

Sorry folks I do not see any one of these three main characters as desperate and lost, and scripture does not imply such in any language. I ask do you see a reason to tweak history using such historic names just to raise a few bucks at Christmas time?

2010-11-10T22:00:00.004-06:00

Alright I confess I did it, Yes, I peeked at the Men’s NetWork new Bible study titled - The Real St. Nick. And I am happy that I did. Like it or not I can truthfully say that just the FREE 25 minute video and Bible study guide is worth the download that you may share with your family and friends as the advent Season progresses and the little children are tempted - to just take a wee little peek? If perhaps you don’t believe in Santa Claus or St. Nick then this might be the time to find a few facts about a saintly man; or so it is said even by little children around the world in differing tongues.

There are six different downloads you can add to a file on your computer and I added my own personal seventh one that lists the six different parts in case you should download them all and then lose one. And Then you can also purchase your own DVD copy and it will also have a printed version of the eight page Bible Study, and it will also offer different places where you can find more information on many different websites on this subject.

These are the words used to describe the study by the Men‘s NetWork - “This single-session Bible study, hosted by the Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus-Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, examines a man who, next to Jesus Christ, is the most visible figure during the holidays-St. Nicholas or Santa Claus as we know him in Western culture. Dating back to the third century, St. Nick is attributed with the doing of many benevolent and charitable acts of kindness and generosity.

You might just listen To Ken Klaus and understand why they picked this mans delivery qualifications to be The Speaker for the Lutheran Hour that can be heard around the world.

http://www.lhmmen.com/downloadfile.asp?id=2055,2056,2058,2060,2061,2062

The Lutheran Hour which began in 1930, is the world's longest-running, Christian outreach radio program. It proclaims the message of Jesus Christ to more than 1.2 million people each week over 1300 radio stations across North America. It is also broadcast on the American Forces Network to reach military personnel and their families around the world, as well as on XM's Family Talk Radio 170 each Sunday at 1 p.m. EST.
　
1881 illustration by Thomas Nast who, with Clement Clarke Moore, helped to create the modern image of Santa Claus
　
　

AS PROMISED THEY CAME THROUGH ON SCHEDULE

2010-09-26T19:45:00.009-06:00

THIS BRINGS

THIS

TO OUR IOWA DISTRICT EAST JUST IN TIME FOR THE ELECTIONS

AS PROMISED JUST IN TIME FOR NOVEMBER 2, 2O10

We the People: Citizens of Two Kingdoms

http://www.lhmmen.com/studydetail.asp?id=15579

Politics and politicians -- there's seemingly no way to escape them. Though government and those who govern are often criticized by press and citizen alike, it is through government that God works His designs in this world. Join host Dr. Dale Meyer as he surveys government in history, the character of the United States as a nation, and the Christian's role as a citizen of any country.

In We the People: Citizens of Two Kingdoms, Concordia Seminary President Meyer surveys the emergence of the United States' governmental system by considering the religious and philosophic thinking that shaped its early development. Along the way concepts like "ceremonial deism," "democracy," "theocracy," "republic," Martin Luther's "Two Kingdoms" and more will be explored.

This three-session video Bible study contains an extensive contribution from Dr. Joel Biermann, associate professor of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary. He examines the oft-made claim that the United States is a Christian nation by examining what that statement means. He also looks at what being a Christian means in society. The DVD contains supplemental video which include extended interviews that add to the discussion.

YES FOLKS - THIS WAS PROMISED BY OCTOBER 1, 2010 AND I JUST SPOTTED IT TODAY.

AND YOU DO HAVE TIME TO SCHEDULE IT IN YOUR CONGREGATION OR STUDY IT FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL VALUES INFORMATION.

THOSE WHO MADE CONVERSATION POSSIBLE

2010-08-01T19:09:00.017-06:00

First a picture of Lucas Baloyi of South Africa in character as he slips into his one man performance.

Two gentlemen translated for our people who visited from Iowa and attempted to challenge an international language barrier. Those two fine gentlemen were Igor Savich and Artis Purins. I will share some pictures of these men first and then add some pictures that compliment these two last posts.

Yes folks the that would be Igor Savich on the right.

Your choice readers .... exercise or dancing I didn’t take the picture.

Well lets go with age over beauty as some would say.

This Would be Artis Purins

From Riga Latvia
The second of the two men who

were there to help us understand a conversation not

in our native tongue.

These two would be of Lucas

The man on the left is Andrew Fitzgerald

Can you imagine finding a table here in a hurry?

These would be all of the International office manager - directors with Alex Starchenko on the top row far right.

THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN !

We were sitting at tables listening

2010-08-01T17:37:00.006-06:00

Lucas Baloyl is s short, stout, bald headed, black man from South Africa. His gift is performances of one man dramas to audiences. He uses his gift in prisons and congregations to explain Christianity in an interesting way. Last week he performed in front of 1,200 convention delegates in Omaha who were sitting at tables listening to different presentations from the leadership of our International Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Suddenly on the far side of the group of tables he started shouting he was blind and couldn’t see, he asked for help while shouting loudly. His loudness and performance style was on the edge of demeaning and uncomfortable to the people he wandered near, crying loudly that he was lost. With his eyes squinted, his shiny bald head looking to the heavens, and his hands feeling for your shoulders and top of your head, one would almost hope that he didn’t visit your table.

His choice of words then switched to Jesus and now his sight was returning, while still crying loudly he staggered and wandered, as he came our way. Louder and louder he became and then in joy he starts to clap his hands as he feels the thankfulness envelope his soul. We the audience by the end of his performance were clapping in unison and compassion for this seemingly former blind person. It was a teaching event unannounced to the group, and many of us will not forget soon how his story unraveled, ........ from repulsive to compassion. Yes the Lord does give us learning moments to share.....the very reason we are the body of Christ.

Sometimes you just have to be there!

Two International Ministries Partners

Lucas (South Africa) Melissa (Mexico)

This picture below is of our Iowa East Lutheran Laymen's board, Aghanistan Lutheran Hour ministry partner, in his native robe.

Goggle says, "The Kazakh national dress varies by regions. Men wear chapans, a kind of dressing gown with a belt, made of velvet and richly embroidered. They cover their heads with a soft skullcap (tobetai), a tall felt cap (kalpak) or a fox-fur hat with earflaps (malakai). So I present to Iowa a recent picture Of Alex Starchenko as seen by some Iowans who traveled to the 93rd International convention in Omaha.

I kept asking Alex what was the name of his robe (chapan) in Russian and We never quite connected with a word we could take home with us. So when I returned home I assume the Holy Spirit led me to this new word found in Google.

So now our Iowa District East congregations know what our office manager/director in Kazakhstan looks like. Many thanks to Igor Savich and Artis Purins for helping translate during our four day stay. We sat with Alex during our visit to the Air Museum and also the Saturday night Banquet.

http://lhmkazakhstan.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/11/#respond

JUST DAYS AWAY ARE YOU GOING?

2010-07-07T15:47:00.005-06:00

It’s Almost Convention Time Again

Come and join the supporters of the Lutheran Hour Ministries at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska, July 22-25 for the 93rd International convention of Lutheran Laymen’s League. This will be Speaker Ken Klaus’s final convention before his retirement and it promises to be a League changing event in many ways.

If you are planning on going to the convention please contact John T. Moeller by E-mail to Terrajohn1@msn.com.

You may also contact Keith Schmidt at k0mst@netins.net

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION YOU CAN CALL 1-800-876-9880 OR GO TO www.lhm.org/convention ON YOUR COMPUTER.

FEED MY FISH!

2010-05-16T14:08:00.002-06:00

Do you know the Men's NetWork has eight different Men's Bible Studies ? Do you know you can download all parts of these two Bible Studies? I have and there is a world of information available, including some quotes from Martin luther himself.....in his time...of course!

Challenge of Islam (Part One): What is Islam?

By: Sam Shamoun

To the Western mind, the faith and practice of Islam are often a profound mystery. In recent years, this religion has emerged as a prominent -- yet misunderstood -- belief system. Listen as Sam Shamoun, an Arab-Christian, unveils some of the mystique surrounding this religion first preached by Muhammad and today practiced by more than one billion people worldwide.

Watch the promo ...this is just a taste of quality of the Bible studies. Are you interested yet? How do we respond? ........ How do we invite? ......... How do we Compare what we know with what we would like to know?

Challenge of Islam (Part Two): Defending the Christian Faith

By: Sam Shamoun

In Part Two of this Men's NetWork Bible study, Sam Shamoun, an Arab-Christian, examines key texts from the Qur'an and the Bible. Among the items he sheds light on are Islamic presuppositions concerning the priority of the Qur'an, Bible texts considered corrupt by Muslims, the sonship of believers, and Islam's position on the Trinity.

This is just one learning tool you will find along the way.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/10/us/20090310-immigration-explorer.html?emc=eta3

ORPHAN GRAIN TRAIN COMES TO OUR REDEEMER

2010-03-16T18:49:00.003-06:00

On March 9, an Orphan Grain Train truck was able to stop in Iowa City to pick up items the congregation had originally planned to deliver to them in Norfolk, Nebraska.

The items included hospital beds, l mattresses, wheelchairs, and walkers. Also, there were 98 quilts and a blanket from Our Redeemer's Comfort-tiers.

The money that had been collected from the congregation for shipping was instead sent along with the driver as a donation.

The equipment donors were Guttenberg Care Center and Iowa City Rehab and Health Care.
A previous pickup load of wheelchairs and beds was taken by volunteers to Ida Grove’s Orphan Grain Train warehouse. This equipment was donated by a Care Center in Washington, Iowa, and consisted of hospital beds, mattresses, and wheelchairs.

2010-03-12T20:48:00.004-06:00

Message from Lutheran Hour Ministries

Network Partnership St. Louis, MO, Mar. 12, 2010 - Lutheran Hour Ministries has entered into a one-year agreement to air The Lutheran Hour® radio program through Christian Satellite Network (CSN) International, expanding by more than 30 percent the number of stations over which the program can be heard.The Lutheran Hour will air simultaneously nationwide on CSN affiliates every Sunday morning at 9 a.m. Central. A list of CSN stations is available at

www.csnradio.com/stations.htm.

"I rejoice that the Holy Spirit has blessed us with the opportunity presented by these open doors," said Rev. Ken Klaus, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour. "While we cannot say what blessing the Holy Spirit will impart to those who hear our broadcasts, we can say what The Lutheran Hour message will be. It has not changed from what Dr. Walter A. Maier, the first Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, said it would be almost 80 years ago: 'Nothing save Jesus Christ and Him crucified in every message, every prayer, every hymn.'"

The Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, LHM's Director of United States Ministries, added, "We are really excited about the addition of more than 350 new broadcast outlets. The location of these provides a robust coverage both along the West Coast and throughout the Southeast. The addition also provides more listening options nationwide, since The Lutheran Hour will now be airing over a total of more than 1,300 stations. We couldn't have asked for a better coverage fit. God is good!"

2010-03-12T16:15:00.006-06:00

Cut and paste this RSVP

Send the following information by U S Postal Service to:
John T Moeller
2542 Maryview Ln.
Davenport, Iowa 2807

Or e-mail to Terrajohn1@msn.com

It is not necessary to send in your registration funds at this time however your
RSVP will give us a more accurate number of attendees in advance.

Please send your RSVP if possible before April 24th. 2010.

CUT AND PASTE

Yes we will be attending the Saturday May 1, 2010 Convention.

There will be _________ attending in our party. We understand that registration will start at 9:00 A M and the convention will conclude with the evening banquet at 5:00 P M. All meals will be provided as in the past, and the cost will be $25.00 per person for the entire event.

NAME _______________________________________________

ADDRESS ________________________________________________

CITY ________________________ STATE_________________

Make checks Payable to:

IDE INTL. LLL Treasurer, Ron Stahlberg

OUR 67TH. CONVENTION CONTINUES TO GROW IN VISION

2010-02-18T15:06:00.006-06:00

MEET ONE OF OUR GUEST SPEAKERS

MR. RICHARD COHRS

WILL PRESENT

Man as Spiritual Leader – in his family and his church

"Men today are losing the battle of leader, in the church and in the family. This presentation will offer some research and insight on how men can once again be the men that God would have them be – leaders in their church – leaders in their family. Some practical tips and tools will be shared to help men in this battle for leadership."

The Men’s NetWork-Helping to win the battle.

Information will be shared on what the Men’s NetWork is and how it can provide tools for local congregations and men’s ministry groups to capture their leadership place. The Men’s NetWork also gives the congregation tools that can reach out to the men on the fringes of the congregation and helps the congregation develop a winsome invitation.

　
IDE International Lutheran Laymen’s League invites ALL to attend our 67th Convention on May 1, 2010 at Zion Lutheran Church, 201 First Avenue, Hiawatha, Iowa. Doors open at 9 AM and the program begins at 10:00. Our speaker this year complements the message we heard from Rev. Terry Dittmer in 2008 when he presented information on the values of different generations our League serves. Now we will turn our attention to young men and fathers whom God entrusted with the role of godly leadership and responsibility.

Richard P. Cohrs, cofounder of The Men’s NetWork and U.S. Ministries’ manager, will be our speaker this year. Rich will speak on “Man as Spiritual Leader – in his family and his church.” This presentation will offer research and insight on how men can once again be the men that God would have them be in both of these historic roles. He will also provide practical tips and tools to help men in this battle for leadership Satan would have us lose.

Rich will share what the Men’s NetWork is, and how it can provide tools for men’s ministry groups to capture their leadership place. The Men’s NetWork also offers the congregation tools to reach out to men on the fringes of the congregation and help the congregation develop a conversation within the community.

Lutheran Hour Ministries not only addresses the needs of men, but also produces Woman to Woman. Host Phyllis Wallace draws on the experiences of known experts in addressing special needs of women in these busy times.

Please join us as we learn about some exciting new ways to share the story of Jesus with family, friends, and neighbors.

2010 Region 7 Meeting

2010-02-11T16:13:00.004-06:00

THE REGION 7 MEETING OF

THE
INTERNATIONAL LUTHERAN LAYMEN’S LEAGUE

This will be a joint meeting between Minnesota North and South, and Iowa District East and West. It is normally an annual winter meeting switching sites between each state every year.

This will be an opportunity to join in discussions of what our League will be doing in 2009 and beyond. Bring a friend who might be interested in a Christian media / outreach group that has been around since 1918.

This year the Region 7 Meeting will be at

First English Lutheran Church

1311 E 18 Th Street

Spencer, IA

51301-4730

MARCH 20, 2010

The agenda is being worked on, but a presentation will be given by the Orphan Grain Train Sudan Team, who recently returned from that country.

Morning coffee available from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m.

Region 7 meeting starts at 9:00 a.m. with a Bible study by Pastor Kaldahl.

Lunch and an early evening meal will also be served.

Registration will be $25 per person

There will be district reports, including a report of catalyst events from each district, and any other projects that have been completed this year.

Region 7 Governor's report.

2009-12-18T03:09:00.006-06:00

ARE YE TIRED OF THE SAME OLD THING

Do you know what a blog is?

It's not about the Fourth Of July or Halloween

It’s real simple one person posts a subject. And then many people comment on the subject and try to stay on subject.

If you folks get the hang of it we’ll just turn this spot of internet into a Christian Christmas hangout for folks who have a soft spot in their
　

for their brothers and sisters in Christ, and those less fortunate than we during this season.

Ok, Here we go. I would like to read about some of your amazing Christmas stories. I find it hard to believe that Iowa District East has no BRAGGIN RIGHTS when it is time to worship the Christ Child.

.

Ok We already know about The Polzin family in Cedar Rapids and how the Lord has been building up a great story for their family this Christmas. If you haven't read their story click on this ....

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/polzin

Have you ever sent A Christmas card to a missionary with a similiar sounding name thinking you had nothing in common? Would you believe that Rev. John E. Miller had previously went to school at St. John's with your Pastors son? That same pastor had previously worshiped in your congregation....before you did? That same pastor worked at the Catapillar plant north of where I lived? And that same pastor said to tell a friend of his, a fellow pastor in Taylor Ridge, Illinois ............................ Hello?

Ok now folks below this post is the word comment.........click on it...lets communicate that is what a blog is for.

2009-12-17T23:05:00.002-06:00

Rev. Dr. Mark Larson of Aurora, Colorado, has been named Director of the United States Ministries division at Lutheran Hour Ministries. He will begin his new position on Jan. 4, 2010 and will oversee the production of The Lutheran Hour, Para el Camino, and Woman to Woman radio programs, the ministry's print outreach materials, ministry fulfillment and referral services, and the LHM Men's NetWork, an online program launched in January 2009 to help congregations reconnect with men and build local men's ministries.

Lutheran Hour Ministries is a Christian outreach ministry supporting churches worldwide in its mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church. LHM produces Christian radio and TV programming for broadcast, as well as Internet and print communications, dramas, music, and outreach materials, to reach the unchurched in more than 30 countries. LHM's flagship program, The Lutheran Hour, is the world's longest-running Christian outreach radio program. It airs weekly on more than 900 stations. For more information about LHM, visit www.lhm.org.

OUR HERITAGE PAST AND OUR IDE FUTURE

2009-10-10T19:09:00.009-06:00

Here is St John's picture from our LCMS website, also here are a few pictures from the German Heritage center collection. With hammers and nails and much sweat they started putting life back into this old German Hotel in 1995. I am having trouble putting the pictures further down in this blog, Perhaps I need to learn more about composing? But the question is, who is Brian Saunders, and why did many Germans migrate to Iowa bringing our Lutheran heritage ?

This frontage is beautiful compared to what was given Davenport prior to the purchase of the hotel and it is much better looking today than this picture shows. The parking however is in the back with a beautiful new parking lot and an elavator to the meeting room on the fourth floor overlooking the river.

The International Lutheran Laymen’s League, which sponsors of the Lutheran Hour Ministries worldwide, would like to invite the people of Iowa District East to…. TWO…different fall Rallies in November.

The first one will be an opportunity to come and meet our new IDE president. Please come and join us on Sunday, November 1st, at St. John Lutheran Church in Newhall, Iowa. Rev. Saunders will share “What it means to be 'The Church of the Lutheran Hour' in the 21st Century.” The Rally will be Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 2:30 P.M. to 5:30 P.M .At St. John Lutheran Church, 310 – 2nd Street E, Newhall, Iowa And a light lunch, dessert, and refreshments will be served.

The second rally planned will be on the entire fourth floor of the German American Heritage Center in Davenport at the foot of the Centennial Bridge on Gaines Street. And yes there is a new elevator waiting for you and your family.

This will be an attempt to understand more about the German American Heritage of many LCMS members in Iowa. Secondly it will be a catalyst event to explain the many services of the Lutheran Laymen’s League in this wide world. And we would particularly like to invite interested young families and current members to understand .....why ......we need the family’s father to bring the entire family to church as a family unit.

The floor has been rented from 12:00 PM Noon until 4:00PM on November 15th, during this time we will have a meeting, some food and or refreshments, and a chance to visit some of Iowa’s German heritage exhibits. However the museum admission is not included in our presentation. My advice is arrive shortly after noon, and spend the next four hours revisiting history, and anticipating our LCMS future. This is the first time we have had an (off-site LCMS entity) Fall Rally and the web site for the German American Heritage Center is: http://gahc.org/

Lets assume you have just been to church and you are still “all dressed up in your Sunday best. Are you going to take the family out and eat? We hope to provide some food described as potluck, cheap, or free. There will be an admission to the Museum displays and a gift shop. Our aspirations are to combine food, German history, Lutheran Confessions, and to explain the need for the family to attend church as a family unit led by the father. All this without it hurting the pocket book any more than any other normal Sunday afternoon, while bringing unity to all three purposes.

We will post more news of these events as soon as we get all the pieces together.

For more information contact Terrajohn1@msn.com

IOWA STATE FAIR 2009

2009-08-25T13:21:00.008-06:00

I will first post four pictures of our opening day at the Iowa State Fair, which has 100,000,000 people walking through the admission gates.

We have voted at Iowa District East Intl. Lutheran Laymen’s League board level, to no longer share the cost of booth rental with Iowa District West. The reason for the vote is justification of spending ($1,000 or more per district and season,) to rent the booth at the Fair. Would the same $1,000 + be better spent on three or four local County fairs, and perhaps using the same booth for all of them?

I ask, are there any Iowa District East congregations who would like to share in the cost of this booth rental, or a LCMS booth in Des Moines, rather than have no Iowa District East presence at the fair? To justify the rent one must work the crowd of people who pass by in front of the booth, and if nothing else, they must know that our LCMS is ABLAZE, and we have some friendly people asking them to join us in worship.

Look at these pictures and you will see little or no activity at the other booths as they were sitting and waiting, for someone to cross that imaginary line in front of their booths. Other booths employees or volunteers near to our booth, were sitting quietly talking to each other or reading a book, out of sheer boredom. We had university booths across from us that drew in very few interested people out of the aisle full of passers-by.

Following are some random thoughts from e-mail messages the day after opening day.

“Some times you just have to be there” Can you imagine people coming by the booth so fast, that there wasn't time to sit down and get comfy? I took the attached pictures opening day August 13th when we first arrived and this would be almost slow at 10:30 AM. The children hit enmasse after mom and dad gave them lunch at home I imagine.”

“If you work a fair booth watch the interaction of all the fish (people) in the stream. You can offer a gift to many differing children's attitudes. Many children in strollers are unseen by their parents as they are constructed to shade the backside. A small gift can change a bored at life hissy-fit into a smile in less than 20 seconds If there are three or four children in a family, and one hurries on by.....they will come back for there bracelet or look at the handout gifts. "

"I think all the J C cards were gone when we left, and we reverted to the bookmark long ones at the front of the table. The large box of bracelets that was in front of the left chair... under the table was almost empty when we left. there was a smaller partial box sitting back in the corner and we started to use those bracelets so that we could slip a plastic bag over it and use it for a waste container. I assume we must have used that complete large box then on the first day, as we also used some from that smaller box. What was left in the big box might have refilled the two on the table once...at most. ...You couldn't walk past our booth and not know it was a FRIENDLY BOOTH...THAT WAS MAKING GREAT USE OF THE RENT PAID, while all the booth help around us... had to be looking on in amazement,.. while reading their books it was evident that they were not working the crowds. "

“I had a lot of fun telling the stand-off-ish fathers that they needed a MAN card, " Every Man needs a Mancard!' And then I explained that it had, just a few little fun thoughts on the back. But it did draw them into conversations with the mom and the kids getting free bracelets. "

“ We should of had the Man Cards at The Mississippi Valley Fair...as it is a friendly conversation opener and I don't think anybody looked or felt offended when told they needed a MANCARD in ......jest. We had the bracelets.....the children would look at Mom for an ok to accept the bracelet more often that Dad....but the offering of the MANCARD drew them into the mini conversations.....and most women were smiling even when they passed a card on to dad like........"Yep he needs a MANCARD.”

"I CHALLENGE YOUR ZONE TO SEE TO IT THAT 50 (FIFTY) PEOPLE SIGN UP EACH DAY FOR THE GIVE AWAY PRIZE. THOSE SIGN UP SLIPS AS FOR FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED TO SEEK A REASON FOR OUR BEING AT THE FAIR. TODAY... THE FIRST DAY, WE HAD AROUND 30 BY 5 PM. WELL HOPE OUR GUYS FINISH THE 50 by 9 PM."

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER, they said!

2009-06-20T11:22:00.003-06:00

Lutheran Hour Ministries Selects New Executive Director

St. Louis, MO, Jun. 17, 2009 — After prayerful consideration, the Board of Governors for the International Lutheran Laymen's League has selected Bruce Wurdeman as the new Executive Director for Lutheran Hour Ministries. Wurdeman, who currently serves as LHM's Director of United States Ministries, will take the reins beginning Aug. 1. He will replace Larry Lumpe, who will be retiring at the end of July following his second stint as Executive Director for the ministry.

"Bruce has a great vision for the ministry and high expectations for excellence," says Mick Onnen, President of the Int'l LLL. "I praise God for Bruce and his willingness to accept the Executive Director position, and I pledge my full support for his work and service among us.""I am both honored and humbled to become the next Executive Director for Lutheran Hour Ministries," says Wurdeman. "God is accomplishing tremendous things through this life-changing ministry, and I look forward to working with our staff to boldly proclaim the salvation story of Jesus Christ to ever-increasing numbers of people."

In his current position, Wurdeman oversees the production of

The Lutheran Hour®, Woman to Woman®, and Para el Camino radio programs, seasonal television specials, and print materials, as well as ministry fulfillment and referral services.

Under his direction, the ministry also launched the LHM Men's NetWork in January 2009, a program geared to help congregations reconnect with men and build local men's ministries."In only its first six months of operation, the program has witnessed unprecedented growth and excitement," says Onnen.

More than 2,000 churches from the The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and other denominations have already signed up. Wurdeman previously worked at Lutheran Hour Ministries from 1994 through 2002 in the Volunteer Opportunities department as an assistant director and manager, positions that allowed him to recruit and train more than 100,000 volunteers throughout North America. He most recently served as a mission and ministry facilitator for the Texas District of the LCMS, where he was a resource person for 100 congregations in West and South Texas.

Prior to his first stint at Lutheran Hour Ministries, Wurdeman filled a variety of roles throughout Lutheran circles, including principal and director of adult education at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Eureka, Missouri, director of campus ministry for the North Dakota District of the LCMS, director of youth ministry at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fargo, North Dakota, and a math/science teacher and youth director at Zion Lutheran Church in Bethalto, Illinois.

Wurdeman has a bachelor's degree in Education and School Administration from Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois, and a master's degree in Exegetical Theology (Old Testament) from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. He is a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Ellisville, Missouri. He and his wife, Marijane, have three grown children and one grandchild.

Lutheran Hour Ministries is a Christian outreach ministry supporting churches worldwide in its mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church. It is also a volunteer movement more than 100,000 people strong. LHM produces Christian radio and TV programming for broadcast, as well as Internet and print communications, dramas, music, and outreach materials, to reach the unchurched in more than 30 countries. LHM's flagship program,

The Lutheran Hour, is the world's longest-running Christian outreach radio program. It airs weekly on more than 900 stations.

Bruce Wurdeman has been a guest speaker in Iowa District East previously. Perhaps you remember visiting with him or appreciated all of the knowledge and experience he shared with us on ocassions.

Best Wishes Bruce!

from Iowa District East

KAZAKHSTAN : WITNESS MAKING 2% INTO 3%

2009-04-28T18:56:00.003-06:00

"Forty something" in America is a catch phrase when most Americans settle down and get real serious about the rest of their life. This woman is forty and is on the right path to Eternity, but it seems someone here would like to throw up a road block between Her family and her Savior In a nation that claims to only have 2% Christians. Read on and try to understand the odds that she is dealing with, and know that United States is blessed.

The Second letter suggests the writer, in her more quiet and thoughtful times, can begin to see God’s GRACE, flowing into her life........................... His promises are not empty!

She is married, has children.

Hello “Voice of Life”!
I am writing to let you know that I have conversation with Father Maksim about you. He told me that your organization is a sect and I shouldn’t give any attention to you. He also mentioned that I cannot go to church until I asked for forgiveness of all my sins.

I would like to ask you if it is true. I am sorry to ask you such kind of question but I really want to know it. And if it is not true could you send me a Bible, please? I am not baptized yet.

Goodbye!
Sincerely yours, (We have the her name but will not post it).

She is 56 years old, lives in North Kazakhstan. We correspond with her since March 2008. She heard about us from TV program and then finished BCC. Petrovna does to church now.

Hello, dear “Voice of Life”!
I want you to know that I got a lot from BCC. I always believed God but never read any book about Him. I wasn’t searching Him actively in my life. I am glad that now I finished BCC. It has opened my eyes for many solutions for life. I think my attitude is different now and it seems to me life is getting better even it is not easy often. I am thankful to God for His mercy and Hope.

I appreciate your help and support, and your books. I will do all my best to become better person in everyday life.

May God bless you!
Lubov

Kespe (Noodles) a la Kazakh ............ Beef And Noodles

Ingredients: 130 g beef or mutton (brisket), 64 g vegetable oil, 120 g onion, 3 g garlic, 1 g ground red pepper, 240 g wheat flour, 6 eggs, 50 g water and 1 g salt.
Prepare thick dough and let it sit for 30 to 40 minutes. Roll out the dough into small sheets 1.5 mm thick, dry them a little, roll them up and slice them into thin strips (noodles). Cut meat into 23 mm cubes, fry in vegetable oil, add salt, pepper and bouillon and cook until done. Boil noodles, then serve them with meat, and sprinkle the mixture with greens. Serves four.

If your congregation would consider hosting a
Spring INTL L L L Rally
To Help The ...2% ....of Christians In Kazakhstan
Contact us

REMEMBER COMMENTS ARE WELCOME

2009-04-25T21:45:00.003-06:00

Why do people create a blog-site? Well it is for the purpose of sharing ideas and, dispensing reports like the one about our conventions and rallies. Come into our IDE LHM WORLD and share with us what is happening in your congregation.

When is comes to groups of our Heavenly Father's children, big is not always better. What is inportant is the mission that the group has towards the community around them, and how sincerely they respond to the Words given them by each called pastor sent by our Heavenly Father.

"Through the Holy Spirit we receive the very words that are found in Jesus' heart. They are spoken perhaps for one person whom we do not know, listen to them and like our League send them on to others who are in desperate need of God's gift of Peace Of Mind and His grace."

Much like this story or post you will find at the bottom of each post, a word called comments.....click on it and share our LHM World with those you know in Iowa District East....and the world.

THE 66 TH LLL CONVENTION IN REVIEW

2009-04-24T21:58:00.005-06:00

By John T Moeller

The 66TH Annual Convention of the Iowa District East’s Intl. Lutheran Laymen’s League is now history. Many thanks to all the folks who planned this event and did a superb job of presenting our goals, our Christian values, and our League’s hopes for the future.

Our Speaker this year, Mark W. Eischer, who is the Senior Producer Of The Lutheran Hour and others from our LHM Ministries team, gave us new insights as to which directions our League is heading and what are the values we cherish, and how we must define them to those who listen to our Media presentations. They shared with those present how to find a LHM program called "Woman To woman" and a presentation called "Boys Should Be Boys!" Much of our LHM downloads can be listened to when time in your home is available, instead of a certian hour that they are broadcast on your local radio stations. Gone are the days, when if you missed the broadcast, its gone forever..

The Reverends. Randolph Mc Hone, and Daniel Krueger led us in some interesting Biblical studies, and in their selection of words set before us, they helped us to define our purpose for our district, and insights into how we might help our IDE congregations. Many thanks to Dick Hoelz, President of ZONE FOUR, who did a great job of keeping all the cogs of the convention wheel workings in a smooth and well-organized order. We moved from one presentation to another in an effortless manner. And the kitchen crew at Zion had their part down to a culinary presentation that matched the beauty of their work surroundings and the fellowship that is so evident at that congregation.

Last spring we had Rev. Terry Dittmer lead us in a discussion about the characteristics of each generation that can be found within a thriving congregation. This year we touched on all the Lutheran Hour Media Ministries that are used to reach out to our members and the un-churched who live among us. We were given more information on the Men’s Network (MAN STUFF), which is a motivational plan to bring the fathers of families into new leadership roles for their families, as they bond with other men of like Christian LCMS values.

And lastly we were presented with more encouragement to make better use of computer technology. We pray some will to learn more communication skills that would help our volunteers to grow our League into the future. The last two years we have been given ideas on how to improve the effectiveness of our League efforts. Let us agree that next year we will also take another step forward in Iowa District East to serve our 119 congregations and the un-churched in The Eastern Side Of IOWA.

The Layman

A letter To Our Kazakhstan Lutheran Hour Office

2009-03-17T10:57:00.002-06:00

WITH THE NAMES OMITED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT. FROM A WOMAN BETWEEN 30-50 YEARS OF AGE, NO CHILDREN AND A TROUBLED MARRIAGE.

Hello, “Voice of Life”.

I received your books but I really waiting for Bible. I appreciate your attention to me and greetings. I face with different circumstances every day, some days are good, some days are bad, but God is helping me to stay strong. I am really glad that I met “Voice of Life”. I did not know where to go and what to do but your ministry saved my life. Lord loves me and helps me every day and He will never leave me along.
Thank you for support and encouragement.
Looking forward hearing from you!
Bye!

It facinates me to read the words transcribed from one language or culture, but yet you can read the intent, recognize the hope, and know the Holy Spirit is working internationally for the LHM.

MY CHURCH Is A New Service Here

2009-02-27T14:26:00.006-06:00

Every congregation has some special thing that stands out in their hallways and fellowship centers. Many projects will change through the years as time offers new purposes.

If you see something special as you visit other congregations send us a couple digital file photos, with a brief description.

If you see a project that should have braggin’ rights. ….SHARE IT

I will start off this new service and name it MY CHURCH, as the following pictures are from Holy Cross Lutheran Church, in Davenport, Iowa. In our main hallway you will see old hymnals finding a new purpose, and Sons, Daughters, Friends and Grandchildren serving our Nation someplace in this big wide world. This area I will call Warriors N’ Angels.

OUR CONVENTION IS APRIL 18, 2009

2009-02-24T22:04:00.005-06:00

Mark Eischer, of The Lutheran Hour accepted our invitation to speak at our Lutheran Laymen’s League 2009 Iowa District East Convention. Mark’s presentation is entitled “Behind the Scenes at the Lutheran Hour.” He will explain how the program is put together each week and recount some of the experiences they have had. If you have been a supporter of the Lutheran Hour through the years, here is an opportunity to speak to a man who understands the very ‘heartbeat’ of the Lutheran Hour.

WE WILL ALSO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO HAVE A CATALYST PRESENTATION.

What is a catalyst you might ask....well then it is a noun. Does that answer help?

Well actually it is...Someone or something that helps or encourages progress or change....without being changed in the process.....Think.....God's word is a catalyst, never changing, but always changing lives.

Come and see, or come and learn, how a catalyst has effected your life more than you understand.

This year the convention will be at Zion Lutheran Church, in Hiawatha, rather than at the IO-DIS-E-Ca camp. We are experimenting with using a church site this year. We will evaluate the effect this has on attendance.

The convention date will be Saturday, April 18, 2009. Activities begin with registration at 9:00 A.M. and conclude with the evening banquet at 5:00 P.M.

We will have meals as in the past and the cost will be $20 per person for the entire event.
The address for Zion Lutheran Church is:
201 First Avenue
Hiawatha, IA 52233.
First Avenue is just a few blocks east of the intersection of Blairs Ferry Road and I-380.

You are encouraged to pre-register by sending a check to Kay Lenaburg.
Mr. Kay Lenaburg
5101 Rich Mar Lane NW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Make checks payable to IDE LLL Zone 4

Put this address into your favorites now.

http://idelutheranlaymensleague.blogspot.com/

You may also e-mail rahoelz@imonmail.com or Terrajohn1@msn.com

Blogger: kpsmarsham - Manage Posts

2009-02-19T19:31:00.000-06:00

Blogger: kpsmarsham - Manage Posts: "REGION 7 LLL CONFERENCE

Trinity Lutheran Church in Hampton, IA was an excellent facility for the LLL Region 7 Conference this past Satrurday, February 14th. Close to 50 LLL Members were able to attend. Some needed to travel through snow but others made the trip trouble free weatherwise. Karen Trueblood and Lowell Schorer were our excellent presenters. Karen gave a very helpful set of guidelines on how to conduct a 'catalyst' meeting and a number of the crowd were able to receive some excellent 'hands on' training. A CATALYST meeting is a needed even for many of our congregations in Iowa and Minnesota. The event very graphically presents the various LLL/LHM ministries that are available. We need to get this information to more or all of our congregations to more effectively demonstrate how Christ can be brought to the nations and the nations to the church. The meetings will give our LLL Donors a most concise way in which their financial support is used throughout our states."

111th Congress Includes Four LCMS Lutherans

2009-01-30T11:12:00.014-06:00

PREVIOUSLY ELECETED AND SERVING US ARE

David "Dave" Reichert

A member of the Lutheran Church of the Cross, Kent, Wash., is now serving his third term in the U.S. House, representing the state's Third Congressional District from 1972 until 2004, Reichert was with the King County, Wash., Sheriff's Department, most recently as Sheriff. He was instrumental in bringing national recognition to the department as head of the Green River Task Force that solved the largest serial murder case in U.S. history.

And closer to our homes of the four LCMS representatives is:

John Shimkus

Who has served on Capitol Hill the longest, since 1997. He is a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Collinsville, Ill., and represents the state's 19th Congressional District. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Shimkus was previously treasurer of Madison County, Ill. Earlier, he taught at Metro East Lutheran High School in Edwardsville, Ill.,

THE NEWCOMERS

And one would be from our Region 7 area. We will pray for their wisdom that they will need in this new year of economic woes and a new president. In difficult times mankind seems to TURN BACK to the comfort of their Heavenly Father's words. Lets all hope that our LCMS leaders will be there with the right answers in the years to come. All four will serve in the United States House of Representitives. Lets strart with the man from the Region 7 area.

ErikPaulsen

Representing Minnesota's Third Congressional District, is a member of Victory Lutheran Church, Eden Prairie. From 1995 until last year, he served in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and was the House Majority Leader (2003-07). He began his career in public service as a legislative assistant in Washington for his predecessor, Congressman Jim Ramstad.

Cynthia Lummis

Who is Wyoming's member-at-large to the U.S. House of Representatives, is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Cheyenne. A ranch owner and attorney, she was the state's treasurer from 1998 to 2006. Previously, she served three different times in the Wyoming legislature - twice in the House of Representatives and once in the Senate.

AND NOW YOU HAVE THE NAMES OF

FOUR LCMS LEGISLATORS

WHO ARE SERVING OUR NATION

WE WANT YOUR NATIONAL CONVENTION THOUGHTS

2009-01-24T16:14:00.003-06:00

I have received this letter and I wish to share it with all League members. We also would like to read your comments on this letter. After reading this letter please attempt to comment on it. We will in time make this blog a communication link that goes two ways. But with all things new, sometimes progress moves slowly but surely.

____________________________________________________________________

To: Members of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League

A proposal to consider moving to biennial International conventions was offered to the Int’l LLL Board of Governors and District Presidents at the opening session of their January joint meeting. The proposal examined our aging membership base and dwindling convention participation, a need to make our conventions more accessible to younger and/or working folks, and opportunities to bring conventions closer to the grassroots and reach more people with the excitement of Lutheran Hour Ministries, offer greater exposure to the ministries, and provide outstanding training and motivation to all. Although significant cost savings could be expected to Lutheran Hour Ministries, the value of greater exposure, accessibility, and engagement with participants are the key benefits. If approved, International conventions would be held in the even numbered years, therefore running in opposite years of the national LWML conventions.

In the odd numbered years (beginning in 2011), the proposal calls for conducting approximately 15 regional conventions of a day and a half in length. The staff of Lutheran Hour Ministries would work with Int’l LLL districts within each of these regions to make sure these conventions expand upon the business activities of “regional” events now being held by some districts and offer many of the same opportunities of the International convention in a condensed format. Content could include Bible studies and worship services, ministry updates, motivational speakers, breakout sessions offering training and education, and a servant event to promote community involvement and bring in new supporters. Participants could choose to attend the location most convenient for them without regard to established League regional boundaries.

After evaluating the possibilities for conducting biennial conventions, the District Presidents recommended that the Board of Governors place the concept of biennial conventions on the 2009 International convention ballot this summer in Greensboro, North Carolina. If the measure passes at that time, the Board will develop the actions needed for adoption at the 2010 International convention facilitating changes to several corporate by-laws and policies for such things as the convention timing and the election of officers.

This proposal does not imply that the International convention no longer serves a purpose. We believe it remains an important way to energize the laity and stay in contact with our most involved supporters. But we also recognize that we must find ways to reach new people and we believe regional conventions, with an expanded publicity effort in the areas where these conventions will be held, will help us connect with more people.

I encourage you to pass along this letter within your district so everyone is aware of why we are considering this change. This proposal will also be publicized in LHM’s upcoming print and electronic communications, on LHM’s convention Web site, and in a letter sent to everyone who has attended the International convention the past few years.

Thanks for all you do for the Int’l LLL and Lutheran Hour Ministries. Please let me know if you have any questions.

In His Service,
Mick Onnen, President

MORE FROM THE LUTHERAN HOUR PEOPLE

2009-01-07T11:43:00.002-06:00

Yes folks it's up and running and available to all who would care to get a better understanding of the world around them. Check out the Baloney Shop video.

The butcher is a great speaker.

Check out the following websites and slip them into your FAVORITES. Your family will thank you for it...maybe not today, or tomorrow, but they will perhaps ...when you least expect it.

http://mnmanstuff.blogspot.com/

http://www.lhmmen.com/

The Layman

2008-12-23T14:18:00.003-06:00

From all of the board members of our Intl. Lutheran Laymen's League in Iowa District East we wish for you and your families, a warm and blessed Christmas week as we again tell the story of Our Savior's birth.

Along with the traditional story we can find in Luke, I would share with you there is another great reading opportunity in this month's Lutheran Witness.

It is called " the Best Christmas Pageant Ever" It tells of the purpose of Matthew's Genealogy. It has some interesting people that we don't really think about during the advent season.

Our 66th Convention Speaker

2008-12-23T14:04:00.003-06:00

MARK W. EISCHER
SENIOR PRODUCER
LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES

Mark W. Eischer is the Senior Producer for Lutheran Hour Ministries and also serves as the announcer for “The Lutheran Hour.”
Eischer joined the LHM staff in 1982. He was cohost and producer of “Crosswalk” during that program’s eight-year run. Later, he helped to bring “Woman to Woman with Phyllis Wallace” into national syndication through Lutheran Hour Ministries. He established radio production facilities for LHM in Russia and China and has produced special Lutheran Hour broadcasts on location in St. Petersburg, Berlin, Jerusalem, and Athens.
Eischer serves on the board of elders for Church of the Reformation in Affton, MO. His wife, Debbie, teaches Family and Consumer Sciences at Lutheran High School South. They have three adult children. Lutheran Hour Ministries is the media outreach ministry of the International Lutheran Laymen's League, an auxiliary of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and Lutheran Church – Canada. The ministry airs TV, radio and Internet programming in 44 countries and has ministry centers in 41 countries. It is based in St. Louis, MO. Its flagship radio program in North America is "The Lutheran Hour," the world's oldest continually broadcast Gospel radio program, airing since 1930.

2008-12-23T13:59:00.002-06:00

Mark Eischer, announcer and producer of The Lutheran Hour program, has accepted our invitation to speak at our 66th International Lutheran Laymen’s League 2009 Iowa District East Convention this spring. Mark’s presentation is entitled “Behind the Scenes at the Lutheran Hour.” He will explain how the program is put together each week and recount some of the experiences they have had.

If you have been a supporter of the Lutheran Hour through the years, here is an opportunity to speak to a man who understands the very ‘heartbeat’ of the Lutheran Hour as he has been associated with the behind the scenes activities for many years.

This year the convention will be at Zion Lutheran Church, in Hiawatha, rather than at the IO-DIS-E-Ca camp. We are experimenting with using a church site this year. We will evaluate the effect this has on attendance.

The convention date will be Saturday, April 18, 2009. Activities begin with registration at 9:00 A.M. and conclude with the evening banquet at 5:00 P.M.

We will have meals as in the past and the cost will be $20 per person for the entire event.
The address for Zion Lutheran Church is:
201 First Avenue
Hiawatha, IA 52233.
First Avenue is just a few blocks east of the intersection of Blairs Ferry Road and I-380.

You are encouraged to pre-register by sending a check to Kay Lenaburg. His address is:
Mr. Kay Lenaburg
5101 Rich Mar Lane NW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52405-4115
Make checks payable to IDE LLL Zone 4

We will share more information when we receive it and in the meantime you may also try this blog site to find more information on the convention and some facts about many other League programs. http://idelutheranlaymensleague.blogspot.com/

You may e-mail

rahoelz@imonmail.com
or Terrajohn1@msn.com

THE LUTHERAN LAYMEN'S LEAGUE REGION 7 MEETING

2008-12-19T13:38:00.007-06:00

REGION 7 MEETING of
THE

INTERNATIONAL LUTHERAN LAYMEN’S LEAGUE

This will be a joint meeting between Minnesota North and South, and Iowa District East and West. It is normally an annual winter meeting switching sites between each state every year.

This will be an opportunity to join in discussions of what our League will be doing in 2009 and beyond. Bring a friend who might be interested in a Christian media / outreach group that has been around since 1918.

Our members are supporters of The Lutheran Hour, they help build parade floats for the Rose Bowl Parade. and they sponsor many Christian outreach activities in foreign lands. Join us as we attempt to find new ways to help our Lutheran Church Missouri Synod define the word ABLAZE in Iowa and Minnesota.

FEBRUARY 14, 2009

As you may have noticed this is Valentines Day....it might be advisable to include your Sweetheart in the days activities. this is a men's group,..... couple's group,....family group!

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH

16 - 12Th. Avenue NE

HAMPTON, IOWA

Phone 641- 456- 4816

REGISTRATION WILL INCLUDE ALL MEALS
Morning Coffees, Lunch, Afternoon Coffee
and Evening Banquet - $20.

AGENDA:

8:30 - 9:00 Coffee/Rolls
9:00 - 9:45 Greetings from Pastor Bollhagen
Bible study
9:45 - 10:00 Coffee
10:00 - 11:00 Orphan Grain Train Reports by districts
11:00 - 12:00 Karen Trueblood..........LHM representative
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:00 - 2:00 District Meetings
2:00 - 3:00 District Reports
Region 7 Governor
3:00 - 4:15 Lowell Schorr.......... LLL Foundation Board

4:30 - Hymn Sing, Devotion by Iowa East Pastoral Counselor

5:30 - Dinner

All meetings, meals will be held on one floor -- no steps.
Trinity Lutheran Church is located in the Northwest corner of Hampton, Iowa

Motel Information:

AmericInn - Hampton, Iowa

702 Central Avenue

Highway 3 West
641-456-5559

AmericInn will reserve a block of rooms until February 7 with a discounted rate of $79.90. Please ask for the LLL discount when making your reservations. Non-smoking rooms available.

Hampton Motel

(this is not a part of the Hampton Inn chain).

Central Avenue

Highway 3 West

Hampton
641-456-3680.

Non-smoking rooms available. $48.50 to $65.00.

SAVE THIS WEB SITE TO YOUR FAVORITES

MORE LUTHERAN HOUR OUTREACH

2008-12-19T12:51:00.002-06:00

Sorry this is a little late but we don't have meetings and information sharing as good as it could be yet. I will share this with you it is from :

Virgil Mauer.......League Services - Outreach for our District International Lutheran Laymen's League baord.

The Lutheran Laymen's League did share a booth with Lutheran's For Life at the National Dairy Cattle Congress Grounds in Waterloo, Iowa on September 18, 19, 20, and 21, 2008.

We had a nice group of people stop and pick up our materials. Enough booklets were selected that an order for replacement materials has been secured.

Thanks to Richard and Marge Armbrecht and President Keith Schmidt for helping on the booth.

Lutheran's for Life paid for the candy that was handed out, and the Waterloo Circuit forum paid for the booth rental costs. This was the best action, that I have ever had at this project.

League Services-Outreach hopes to be invited to attend and display materials at all of our Zone Ralls in 2009. If you know of any opportunity for us to set up a display, or share one, in the future be sure to conttact the League or leave a comment on this article.

In Christ,

Virgil Mauer Cha

CHRISTIANITY IS ALIVE AND WELL IN KAZAKHSTAN

2008-10-14T12:22:00.007-06:00

Here are some folks from the younger generation in Kazakhstan in Christian fellowship. Now if I were forty years younger this looks like it could be fun.

Now if we didn't know better we could also assume this is might be the American Rockies somewhere out west on a sunny October day.

The Petal Pushers Could Use Your Help

2008-10-01T12:22:00.000-06:00

Last Year more than 4,500 people volunteered their decorating talents to help decorate six floats the float committee were contracted to decorate for the TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE. Then they also helped to complete other floats. This will be the 59th year that The Lutheran Hour has been in the parade. The Lutheran Hour float stands as the only Christian float participating in the world’s most famous media event.

Individual or groups interested in volunteering, please refer to the Petal Pushers website. www.petalpushers.org

The Lutheran Hour Float is a project of the Southern California district of the Lutheran Laymen’s League. This would be a chance in a lifetime to be there and be part of witnessing God’s love to millions of people through-out the world.

LHM Receives " BEST IN AMERICA" Seal of Approval

2008-09-27T16:55:00.003-06:00

For Givers

To assemble, screen, certify, and present high quality charities for giver consideration.

To help givers find specific charities that are doing the work they wish to support.

To provide systems that allow for charities to ask potential contributors for gifts, and for contributors to make gifts, without high fund raising overhead costs.

I do not want to beat our own drum....you be the judge! ------- THE LAYMAN

LUTHERAN HOUR SUNDAY IS FEBRUARY 22, 2009

2008-09-27T16:36:00.002-06:00

Please talk to your pastor about getting this on the church calendar early! LHM Sunday materials will be sent in January and placed on the LHM SUNDAY website.

www.lhm.org/LHMSUNDAY.

IOWA FLOOD FUNDS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED

2008-09-22T12:03:00.003-06:00

By the International Lutheran Laymen’s League district board in our Iowa District East. A gift was given to the League from an anonymous couple that gave over $54,000 who wanted it to go to Iowa churches and their families. The League worked with Rev. Rothschild from our district LCMS office in identifying families and congregations who had the greatest amount of dollar loss and suffering.A few weeks ago Adam Eggemayer from Lutheran Hour Ministries, Keith Schmidt, president of the Iowa Intl. L L L district board, and Ron Stahlberg the President of Zone # 2 personally handed out checks to St Johns in Waverly, Iowa and Trinity and Bethany in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They identified that St John was the only church really affected by flood waters as their whole basement was filled with water and they lost most items one would find in most church basements such as heating and cooling systems, kitchens and extra storage for a multitude of items saved through history.As many as 40 plus families were affected by the flooding in a couple of the churches. Working with Rev. Rothchild, our Assistant to the President of IDE,158 families were found in IDE as suffering from flood loss and they came from 24 churches. No families were identified personally, and they were given quantities of funds, as decided by their churches, not the League. Remaining checks were mailed to various churches with affected families. There also is a photo of St. John’s looking like it desperately needed an island built on the rock. However the good news is, it still stands as a witness to Iowa of our LCMS faith. Also the IDE website has a section called St John Church, Waverly Iowa - Flood Recovery Needs you might also visit this link. http://idetoday.blogspot.com/John T Moeller For the Intl L L L Iowa East District board

ZONE FOUR FALL RALLY INFO

2008-09-22T11:43:00.002-06:00

LHM – Helping In So Many Ways

Did you know that through Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) over $50,000 was given to the IDE flood relief effort? You will have a chance to learn so much more about the helping work of LHM on Sunday, October 26, at 3 PM at King of Kings Lutheran Church, 6621 “C” Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids. The Fall Rally will begin with a Reformation Theme devotion. You will learn how LHM helps women through its “Woman To Woman” radio programs. Hear about the vital work being done through the LHM office in Myanmar to help thousands ravaged by a typhoon. Be informed about the forthcoming nationwide mobilization of Christian men to help build stronger families. All are invited and welcome.

ZoneThree Needs Your Help

2008-09-22T11:37:00.002-06:00

Yes folks, one day soon the Zone that stretches from Keokuk to Charlotte and Clinton and East along highway 30 will soon have another election cycle. And a few names will be needed to add to the voting process for leaders within the Zone.

Being a zone leader is not an earth-shaking involvement. A perfect person who knows all about everything needed would be nice however…. most of the time zones are led by people whom the Holy Spirit provides.

Some of the differing job descriptions would be President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Pastoral Advisor, Young Adult coordinator, a media person, and members at-large who have expertise in a certain field of vocation who can be called upon once in a while to advise and bring consensus to a project.

Please talk this problem over with your family members and see if they might agree you might be a good person to be on our Zone team. Some people are elected to three-year terms and others are appointed. And above all remember who our Heavenly Father had chosen to be leaders in the Old Testament days.

He made Adam out of “The dust of the ground.” When he asked Moses to lead a would be nation, he refused God seven times. King Saul’s replacement was a leader and guardian of sheep. The person chosen to be a Savior of mankind was a little baby in a stable manger. Who did this manger born man choose to help him save mankind, nothing but fishermen and tax collectors? Humble pie aside folks, we are all qualified to step up and say, “Yes I will.”

Please come and attend one of our Fall Rallies or discuss your qualifications with the Pastor you trust. You will soon be seeing a notice at your congregation in the coming months

A SERIES OF KAZAKHSTAN INFORMATION POSTS

2008-09-17T14:03:00.002-06:00

Many of the KAZAKHSTAN stories would read better if you started with the last one and read them from the bottom of the list to the top as I posted them when I found them in my files. But our commitment remains the same. We of the Intl. Lutheran Laymen’s League board would like to find some people in Iowa District East who understand very well the culture of this nation so that we might be more helpful to our commitment in their nation. Share with us what you do know.

These are some websites you may visit to find our more about KAZAKHSTAN

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html USA

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5487.htm USA

http://www.kazakhembus.com/ Embassy of Kazakhstan to the USA & Canada

http://ionglobaltrends.blogspot.com/2007/12/famine-nearly-forgotten-page-in-kazakh.html

http://www.kazakhembus.com/Food_and_Traditions.html

If we are going to continue our commitment with this Ministry Center then we need to understand better the problems and the cultures involved.

SAY NEIGH TO THAT

2008-09-17T13:14:00.002-06:00

Whoa Nellie !

OUR FOOD AND TRADITIONS THROUGH AMERICAN EYES

This is a story That will bring a little humor into the word hospitality.

By NADIA WHITE

The Casper Star-Tribune, Wyoming, January 1, 2003

Let me confess right up front: My vegetarian habits are on hold.

Take that one more step: I spent most of November eating horse meat, drinking mare's milk and marveling at the social niceties involved in serving baked sheep's head.

I am just back from Kazakhstan, where machismo is measured by how much meat one can eat and hospitality in how much a guest is fed. Suffice it to say, the Kazakhs are extraordinary hosts and I am eating more macho than I used to.

During a month in the Central Asian nation, numerous table-filling feasts were spread before me. A spyglass across time, they recall the days when a guest who arrived at a nomad's yurt would have traveled very, very far, across the steppe, with little in the way of clothing or fine food.

Often, I was given a velvety tunic or overcoat decorated with traditional swirled ram's horn designs in gold braid and beads and seated near the head of a long dining table.

Salads took the form of grated beets and carrots blended with light sour cream, walnuts and shaved horse meat

There were many other side dishes served, but the centerpiece of the meal was a huge platter or two of the national dish, besparmak.

Besparmak is huge chunks of horse meat, boiled on the bone and served with a broth on top of wide doughy noodles. The word means "five fingers" and it is still OK to just reach out and grab a chunk of meat and noodle and pop it into your mouth. Horse meat tastes, well, like meat. I liked it. It was a little sweeter than lamb or beef, and had a very nice texture. It wasn't gristly or tough or stringing. But it was horse. I really don't know why we don't eat horses, but it is a little like eating dog. It's got a name and sometimes comes when you call it.

It made a big difference to me that some horses are raised to be eaten and some are raised to be ridden. I went to a feedlot and met some future dinner. I hate to say this: They were soooo cute. A little cowlike, the eating horses were fat and fluffy from living outside and not running around much and they followed me around their corral as though I might be delivering them some food. They let me hug them…………………..Let's move on.

Occasionally, a feast was crowned with the arrival of a baked sheep's head, which was laid at my place, staring up at me. Fortunately, this item was not so much for eating as it was for serving. I learned to cut a symbolic little piece off, then pass the whole thing on to an honored person more familiar with tradition than I.

Here is how to serve a sheep's head:

Cut off an ear and give it to the youngest person so they listen to their elders and learn well.

Cut a piece from near the eye and give it to a person who is important to you so they will be attentive.

Cut a piece from the forehead and give it to someone with a challenge to help them be smart about it.

Gastronomically, I thought the shift from eating mostly vegetables to eating mostly meat would be tough on the gut. It wasn't. I attribute this to the addition of a great deal of cognac to my diet.

That, and the leisurely pace, aided digestion. Many a feast was topped off with a truly wonderful round of songs.

So I hope your New Year's celebration was tempered with song, honored with tradition and celebrated with new and old friends. Sally Ann will be back next week with more tales of the real food editor.

Nadia White is the state editor for the Star-Tribune

KAZAKHSTAN: THE FORGOTTEN FAMINE

2008-09-17T12:49:00.002-06:00

Bruce Pannier 12/29/07

THIS STORY WAS EDITED TO QUICKLY FIND FACTS

Samsy is an unremarkable place. About 70 kilometers west of Kazakhstan's commercial capital, Almaty, Farmers work in the fields growing mainly melons and wheat. But what lies underground in Samsy is a nearly forgotten page in Kazakh history. Dotting the fields there are scores of mounds, a little more than a meter high. Buried beneath these mounds are the unnamed dead from a horrific man-made famine in the early 1930s, which killed at least one million Kazakhs.

As many as fourteen million people in the Soviet Union died of starvation during Josef Stalin's forced collectivization drive. Samsy is just one of hundreds of villages and towns in Kazakhstan where tales of the famine are still remembered. In the village of Oyil in Kazakhstan's Aqtobe Province, Kural Tokmurzin, now in his 70s, remembers the stories his mother and other relatives told him about those times. Tokmurzin told that it started when Communist Party officials arrived in Oyil, in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, as the collectivization of agriculture began.

"They" were looking for "kulaks," he said, the term given to anyone who appeared to be better off financially than other people. In the case of Oyil, that meant those fortunate few who owned livestock -- perhaps a dozen sheep or a few horses. "Many of the people whose sheep and horses were confiscated had to move to inner Russia, to Karakalpakistan, and on to Iran or to Uzbekistan," Tokmurzin said. "There were rumors that life was easier there, that it was easier to survive.

Those who stayed suffered but survived the winter of 1929-1930. But the worst season came in 1930-31 when the famine started." The collectivization process hit the traditionally nomadic Kazakhs hard. They were suddenly forced to settle in one spot and, as Tokmurzin said, those who had more than just a few farm animals were treated as kulaks. Added to that were the requisitions from Moscow that demanded huge shares of the crops so that the Soviet government could obtain hard currency and purchase machinery for the numerous factories being built.
'Gangs Of Cannibals'

Thousands of Kazakhs fled the famine. Tokmurzin's Uncle Shitan went to the Russian city of Orenburg and then Stalingrad (now Volgograd) to look for work and food. But he returned when the Soviet government began distributing food aid to Kazakhstan in 1933.
By then Kazakhstan was in chaos. "People told him the roads were lined with corpses and that wild animals, particularly wolves, were eating the corpses," Tokmurzin said. "The people said these animals might attack my uncle. More shocking were the tales of gangs of cannibals roaming the countryside." Preparing to complete his journey back to Oyil, he was again warned that there were starving people cannibalizing others in Kolda.

Shitan decided to leave but told his nephew years later that after he departed Kolda he sensed he was being followed. He went to a nearby river and saw that several men were pursuing him. Shitan jumped in the icy river and swam across to escape his pursuers.
The devastation was monumental, but was often only discovered later. In 1967, authorities decided to build a House of Culture in Oyil. As excavation began, workers found the skulls and other bones of young children. It emerged that Tokmurzin had an older brother and sister, born before the famine started. They, like thousands of other children, were given to the authorities who promised to give them the care their parents could not provide during those hard times. Neither survived. Estimates of the total number of people who died due to the famine vary. But all sources agree that more than 1 million ethnic Kazakhs alone died during the famine, although many say the number of dead Kazakhs was twice as high. In the 1980s, Professor Talas Omarbekov of Kazakhstan State University was allowed to view the Soviet archives about the country's famine. "What I saw was the figure that 2.3 million people died. This is only the figure for ethnic Kazakhs. If you add the hundreds of thousands from other ethnic groups who died, we can say that during collectivization we lost half our population," Omarbekov said. The figures Omarbekov cites do not include the tens of thousands who fled to other areas of the Soviet Union or beyond its borders to Iran, China, and Mongolia. Even as late as 1959, ethnic Kazakhs accounted for less than 30 percent of the population in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. According to some figures, up to 90% of the animal herds of the nomadic Kazakhs had died.

Ties With Russia

Contemporary politics plays a large role in the government's failure to mark this tragedy. Blame for the famine is an unsavory issue for Russia, which absolutely rejects any notion that the tragic event in Ukraine was a genocide.
A Putin spokesman recently called such talk an "attempt to rewrite history." The Kazakh government seems to have learned that bringing up this painful chapter in its people's past would sour relations with Russia -- its biggest trading partner and the main destination for Kazakh oil. Remembering the famine also risks aggravating ethnic tensions in multicultural Kazakhstan, where roughly 30 percent of the population is ethnic Russian.

This has been shortened only to bring important facts to light so that we might better understand the cultures of Kazakhstan past and present. The original story can be found by googling Kazakhstan Famine.

The Year 1918 And Two Choices For Two Nations

2008-09-17T12:37:00.002-06:00

The Year
1918
Famine or the Lutheran Laymen’s League

A key to understanding the geography and motive of the famine is to recall events that took place immediately after the Bolshevik seizure of power. During the 1918 German occupation of Ukraine, even Menonite German communities welcomed their co-nationals and provided volunteers to fight the Bolsheviks, despite old pacifist traditions. (Later, in 1941, the….Volga Germans as well as those in Ukraine were deported en masse as a possible security threat).Volga Germans were the subject of the Lutheran Hour Ministries…A Light In The Darkness”

Lenin realized that a period of respite, a domestic equivalent to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, was necessary for the survival of his government. In 1921 he proclaimed the New Economic Policy, designed to appease the peasantry by replacing forced requisitions of food-stuffs with a tax in kind and allowing the peasants to sell their surplus produce on a free market. Peasants were assured that they had secure tenure on their individual farms. Intellectuals were allowed to express themselves quite freely, as long as they were not openly disloyal. With regard to the nationalities, a policy more attuned to their national aspirations was introduced

In 1928-29, Stalin began his "socialist offensive," consisting in the abandonment of Lenin's New Economic Policy in favor of a crash program of rapid industrialization, forced collectivization of agriculture, and the subordination of all societal resources to this "socialist transformation." In many hastily collectivized villages, the kolkhoz meant only that implements and livestock were brought to the center of the village and dubbed "socialized property," while the peasants were told to plant and harvest as a group. This did nothing to raise output or benefit the rural population, but bringing the entire harvest to common threshing room made it much easier for the state to "procure" a larger portion of the harvest. Collectivization was thus extractive, recognized by the peasants to be such, and could only be carried out as a program to subjugate the rural population in its entirety.

Portraits of village life during succeeding months emerge from the files of the Harvard University Refugee Interview Project, which was conducted during the early 1950s. It should be stressed that the interviewers were not particularly interested on the famine and that the information was therefore given without any prompting while the respondents were relating their life experiences. One rather typical account (Case 128) is the following: "...there was the famine in the Ukraine in 1933. We saw people die in the streets; it was terrible to see a dead man, when I close my eyes I can still see him. We had in our village a small church which was closed for services and in which we played. And I remember a man who came in there; he lay down with his eyes wide open at the ceiling and he died there! He was an innocent victim of the Soviet regime; he was a simple worker and not even a kulak. This hunger was the result of Soviet policy."
Other accounts are more graphic, as this one by a Russian woman (Case 373): "Well, in 1933-34 I was a member of a commission sent out to inspect wells. We had to go to the country to see that the shafts of the wells were correctly installed, and there I saw such things as I had never seen before in my life. I saw villages that not only had no people, but not even any dogs and cats, and I remember one particular incident: we came to one village, and I don't think I will ever forget this. I will always see this picture before me. We opened the door of this miserable hut and there...the man was lying. The mother and child already lay dead, and the father had taken the piece of meat from between the legs of his son and had died just like that. The stench was terrific, we couldn't stand it, and this was not the only time that I remember such incidents, there were other such incidents on our trip..."
Nor were such horrors confined to the countryside. Cannibalism occurred even in the cities, as a worker (Case 513) described: "I remember a case in 1933. I was in Kiev. I was at that time at a bazaar - the bazaar was called the Besarabian market. I saw a woman with a valise. She opened the valise and put her goods out for sale. Her goods consisted of jellied meat, frozen jellied meat, which she sold at 50 rubles a portion. I saw a man come over to her - a man who bore all the marks of starvation - he bought himself a portion and began eating. As he ate of his portion, he noticed that a human finger was imbedded in the jelly. He began shouting at the woman and began yelling at the top of his voice. People came running, gathered around her and then seeing what her food consisted of, took here to the militsia (police). At the militsia, two members of the NKVD went over to her and, instead of taking action against her, they burst out laughing. "What, what, you killed a kulak? Good for you!" And then they let her go."The main victims, however, were not "kulaks," who had long since been exiled, or even the individual farmers, who were by then a minority. Figures cited at the Third All-Ukrainian Party Conference in July 1932 indicate that at that time 81 percent of all tilled land was either in collective farms or state farms and that over 70 percent of all farm families were in collectives. This means that the majority of the victims were collective farmers.

Facts About The Kazakhstan Nation

2008-09-17T12:23:00.002-06:00

Land area: 1,030,809.78 sq miles (2,669800 sq km)

Ninth largest in the world, equivalent to the size of Western Europe and four times the size of Texas. The Republic of Kazakhstan shares its longest borders with Russia, 4,251 miles (6,846 km) and China, as well as with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. It also borders 1,183 miles (1,894 km) of the Caspian Sea. Or in Iowa terms we could fit 18.31 States of Iowa inside there borders

Independence: December 16, 1991

National Holiday: Independence Day, December 16

Population: 15,2 million
Ethnic Diversity: Kazakh 51.8%, Russian 31.4%, Ukrainian 4.4%, Tatar 1.7%, German 1.6%. There are over 100 other nationalities.

Religions: 46 religious confessions, including Muslims 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, others, such as Roman Catholics, Protestants, Judaists at 9%

Kazakhstan and Our IDE International Lutheran Layman's League Commitment

2008-09-17T11:45:00.002-06:00

Our IDE League board has made a commitment to help the Kazakhstan Lutheran Hour Ministry Center. Some funds have been sent to help in the best possible way we can. Established in 1996, the Kazakhstan Lutheran Hour ministry center brings the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Kazakhstan. When the office was opened it was not officially registered as its own entity due to governmental restrictions but registered under the Evangelical Lutheran Mission, Missouri Synod, located in Almaty. Radio programs were produced in the Moscow office and were broadcast in Kazakhstan on the Kazak National Radio Channel.

Bible correspondence courses (BCC) became available in 1997. Local outreach efforts continued to generate letters from listeners and engage the unchurched in BCC studies. For many of the listeners Bibles were the typical request of Christian materials. Beginning in 1998, the office was registered as its own entity and leadership was established within the country. Today, over eleven staff members, full and part-time, work within the country to provide TV and radio broadcasts, video spots, printed materials, music productions, and lay leader evangelism training.

With a population that is 47% Muslim and 44% Eastern Orthodox it is critical that Lutheran Hour Ministries gain a strong presence in this growing Muslim country. Most Kazakhstan’s consider themselves Muslim by custom so it is imperative that the Christian message is shared and connections be made with local Lutheran churches.

One initiative for the Kazakhstan ministry is to reach out to the lay leaders in congregations and provide them with evangelism skills to reach out to the lost.

In the coming days we will attempt to bring to you some facts and some stories that can be found on the web about this region's history and culture. This nation which was once a part of the vast Soviet empire that stretched across, if I remember right eleven time zones is now a sovereign nation that must seek it's own identity or collapse back under the Russian influence.

MANSTUFF LOOK FOR THIS HEADING COMING SOON

2008-09-17T10:56:00.005-06:00

This new header can soon be part of your Lutheran heritage as the Luther Hour Ministries prepares to bring there new blogspot designed for men into a computer near you. You might show them that you are interested in this new concept and are willing to give it a try. The only thing you may have to lose is a little of your time while you wait for Eternity. Again here is your cut and paste to find out what other Lutheran Men are saying about many different subjects that affect our daily lives

http://mnmanstuff.blogspot.com/

The new Men's NetWork will keep you posted as to when a new series of video Bible studies are available ... visit www.lhmmen.com to sign up to receive further updates about the program. Men's NetWork is LHM's Christ-centered, Web-based ministry launching in January 2009 to equip and motivate men to greater levels of commitment, leadership and service as they become stronger disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our LCMS Military in harms way

2008-09-10T13:33:00.002-06:00

I subscribe to a website that is from our LCMS. It has a section called The Evangelgram and it comes to us only as a reminder that new information can be read to bring comfort and new ideas into our lives.

The September 2008 edition of The Evangelgram is now online. And this site has a section that is designed for members of our Armed Forces.

The “Quarterly Armed Forces” is a news supplement to The Lutheran Witness. The Lutheran Witness has been around our congregations as long as I can remember There are a couple good stories that you can read at this site. Below is the place where I was reading the stories. One was about Laus Deo about the Christian statements that can be seen on the top of the Washington Monument and within the monument. The other story is called “Kneeling In The mud.” Granted where our friends and family are going it might be short on mud but the purpose would be the same.

If you have a family member or dear friend deployed in our Armed Forces at this time send us their names or just let us know you do know someone. It would do well to remember them in our prayers if they are a name or number. At my church we pray for our warriors every Sunday by name. It would be interesting to know how many people we have in harms way in the Iowa District East who are family members and friends.

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=9651

http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/World%20Mission/2008-02-MAF-Jul-Aug-Sep.pdf

The Challange

2008-09-05T18:10:00.000-06:00

A CHALLENGE FOR THE MEN IN OUR CONGREGATIONS

Here is a real easy way for you to become more involved in your congregation's goals. It will not require hard work, but it might require a semi –agile mind as you communicate your thoughts to other family men and college students who have been raised with the same religious background as you. I have left a comment and this is a brand new blogspot from Lutheran Hour Ministries. Here is where you will find it, If nothing else put it into your FAVORITES so you can find it when times get tough and you need an answer.

http://mnmanstuff.blogspot.com/

For the International Lutheran Laymen’s League John T Moeller

Welcome to "Man Stuff"-a discussion forum of the Men's NetWork from Lutheran Hour Ministries.Every week or so, we will throw out a topic where regular guys can dispense opinions, kick around ideas, or just read the commentary for the heck of it. Agreement is fine, but a "spirited conversation" is a whole lot more fun. Join the dialogue; speak your mind; stir it up. "Man Stuff" will give you an idea how other guys view their world and their role as leaders at work, in the community, at church, and at home.What will we talk about? There will be all kinds of stuff-serious, not so serious, sports, politics, current events, religion, leadership-just about anything is fair game. What's on your mind? If you're thinking about it, chances are you're not alone. Shoot us a topic idea, and we will send it up the proverbial flagpole.

IDE LUTHERAN LAYMEN'S LEAGUE

2008-09-05T10:43:00.001-06:00

All right Mr President of Our Iowa District East League Board what do you think about having a blogspot to pass information around even when we are sleeping or gone for the day?