The Lutheran Women's Missionary League
is the official women's organization within the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod. We exist to further the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our MO District's 6,405 members (from 261 church units and 297 societies) are encouraged to tour the site for more information about the LWML and its activities.

MISSOURI DISTRICT LWML WEBSITE: http://www.missourilwml.org/

Garage Sale
Friday, June 4th (Noon-5pm) & Saturday, June 5th
(7am- 1pm)
As you start your Spring cleaning and find treasures you no longer want or need you can donate your treasures for our Garage Sale.
You can drop off items on Tuesday, June 1-Thursday, June 3 from 9am-1pm. Please price the items that you donate.

In July we will not be meeting, but we will resume our meeting in September, on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 6 pm.

Greetings in the Name Of Jesus Our Risen Savior!
To God be the glory as we rejoice in the spring time beauty He sets before us which reminds us of the joy of new life!
Missouri’s Largest Diaper Shower continues this month until Father’s day, June 20^th. Churches
are asked to gather as many diapers as possible to be donated to a local pregnancy resource center.
Look for a box marked diapers in the narthex of your church. If your church has not participated in
the past, perhaps YOU could get the tradition started! Once all the diapers are collected, please
send the number of diapers (not packages) to the Missouri Lutherans For Life Board,
lflofmo@yahoo.com and then deliver the diapers to a local pregnancy center. Supporting new moms is a very pro-life thing to do! Dr. James Lamb, executive director of Lutherans For Life has
said, "When you help moms, you’ve gone a long way in promoting the sanctity of human life." Healso asks us to "Join in praying for moms so that more moms will know of the presence of God in Christ no matter what their circumstances."

BRING IN THOSE DIAPERS AND SUPPORT
LIFE!
Are you planning a summer vacation for your family? How about including something
inspirational and educational in your plans? The National Lutherans For Life Conference will
take place at the Tundra Lodge Resort and Water Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin on July 23
and 24^th. The theme is "Bringing Good News to Life!" and will feature Wesley J. Smith, bioethicist as keynote speaker. This is a family affair with "Camp Tundra" (activities for children ages 6-12 including story-telling, movies, cookie decorating and an LFL educational program) and daycare available for children five and under all day on Saturday. There will also be an emphasis on "bringing the good news to life through the younger generation", the true strength of the pro-life movement. Friday’s schedule includes Young People’s Brainstorming, Opening Worship and a
Banquet with Keynote speaker Wesley J. Smith speaking on "The Need For Good News:
The Death Culture and Ways to Fight It." Saturday’s schedule begins with the Lutherans
For Life Prayer Breakfast. It continues with three plenary sessions on the following topics: Bringing
Good News to Life in the Church; Bringing Good News to Life in the Culture; and Talking Human Rights: The Good News Delivered in a Way a Secular World Can Understand.

Calvary Lutheran High School
Calvary Lutheran High School has experienced an exciting year. The Lord has truly blessed Calvary, and as we look to 2010, we know that our Lord will continue to bless His ministry. Items for 2010 include:

• A continuation of the Committing to Succeed Capital Campaign. To date, the Capital Campaign has generated over $500,000 in donations and pledges. As the Family and Friends section winds down, the Congregational and Community phases will begin. We pray that more families will partner with us as we build Calvary Lutheran High School’s permanent facility.
• Calvary’s second graduating class will receive their diplomas on May 29^th. Rev. Kevin Golden will be the speaker. The 12 graduates include 7 young ladies who have attended Calvary all four years.
• Currently, we are identifying and contacting potential students for the 2010-11 school year. Your assistance is greatly needed. Please pray for the eighth graders and their parents that they might better understand the benefit of a Lutheran high school education. Please forward names of potential students to me and encourage families to consider Calvary.
• The initial phase of our permanent school building will be constructed during 2010. Plans for this phase are being developed to most effectively meet Calvary’s current and future needs. It is a very exciting time!
• Calvary’s Gift is open and has been received very positively by the community. Calvary’s Gift is a unique re-sale shopping experience located at 713 Washington Street. Many items
• are available from the unique to the everyday (gently used clothing, house wares, antiques, Christmas items, furniture, dishes, etc.) Proceeds from Calvary’s Gift benefit Calvary Lutheran High School’s financial assistance program.
• Students are continuing to grow in their faith. God’s Word is integrated into all aspects of our students’ school day. The obvious places are Chapel and Religion classes. But it is so much more. Their faith is developed in all academic areas. Our students are encouraged to take on a Christ-like servant mentality toward their fellowman.
• The second annual Music Show is scheduled for Feb. 13^th. The Rowden Revue and Homestead Pickers will entertain us with great music and comedy.
• The Spring Fling is scheduled for April 24^th. Help is needed in the planning and implementation of this great event.
• The sixth annual Calvary Golf Outing will be June 11^th at Tanglewood Golf Course in Fulton. It’s not too early to consider entering a team for this fun day.
• The web site, www.calvarylhs.org, has been updated and expanded to share more information.

As you can see 2010 will be another exciting year for Calvary Lutheran High School.

Your help is needed! Sharing the Calvary Lutheran High School ministry with families will assure that this mission outreach continues to grow. Please pray that the Lord will continue to bless this ministry.

Contact me if I can be of service, 681-5491. Sharing information regarding CLHS is always a pleasure. Thank you for your support. John M. Engelbrecht

Meaningful Conversation Starters

The key to any meaningful conversation is listening. This statement seems cliché’; however, I am not talking about hearing, but rather listening to what clues a person gives you about him or herself – whether intentional or unintentional – during everyday chitchat.
Religion, philosophy or spirituality plays a major role in each person’s worldview, whether they have experienced Christ, Christianity, or another religion or say to have no religious beliefs at all. Where a person stands on the topic of religion seems to – when you are listening – elevate to the surface in everyday conversation. And, when it does, you have an opportunity. You can either be prepared – with the Word and by being obedient to the Spirit’s calling – or you can choose to ignore the moment presented, tossing it aside and attributing it to mundane chitchat.
For example, when I was speaking with Mary, the woman from my local Farmer’s Market, I recognized the importance of talking about God’s goodness through her illness at that time. However, I made a mental note of the other information she provided me about herself only briefly in passing.
Even though the conversation was no more than three or four minutes in length, I learned about the significant chapters of Mary’s life by listening: She recently struggled with cancer; She prayed through her illness; She has a daughter named Sarah; She was once part of the Jewish religion; She is divorced; She belongs to the Catholic Church; She knows that God is with her. This is a lot of personal information that she entrusted to me. Next time I see her, I will have plenty of information to – gently and respectfully – start a conversation about in order to further develop this friendship.

When you remember the information people provide you that are very close to their heart, they recognize that you care about them. This is a great opportunity. I may just start out by asking Mary how old her daughter, Sarah, is. I imagine that, since she proudly told me her name in the first place, she will proudly tell me her age, where she lives, what she does, if she’s married, if Mary has grandchildren, etcetera. Do you see how simple everyday chitchat – about the fall weather, in my case – can turn into meaningful conversations if you are willing and if you listen? (There are tips below to further encourage you in having a demeanor that attracts everyday conversation.) Forming relationships and building this trust overtime, fosters approachability and respect. What better place to have a Gospel-sharing conversation with someone?
Do not underestimate the power of having meaningful answers to general questions as well. When someone asks you a question, use your answer as an opportunity to talk about God working in your life. Do not provide yes or no answers. If someone asks what you are up to this weekend, personalize your answer. If you have a church event or regular Sunday worship, take the opportunity to incorporate this into your answer. This just may spur a series of other questions leading up to the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Meaningful conversations are only a step away. Willingness, listening and genuine concern for others will assist you in engaging meaningful everyday conversations.

Thought of the Day

"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52


Tips for Sharing

- The best way to welcome a conversation is to acknowledge someone with eye contact and a smile. Add a "hello," while you're at it.

- Discuss a light-hearted, relatable topic.

If you live in the same area, discuss a topic of common knowledge: weather, a sports game or an upcoming community event. If you are on an airplane, ask the person next to you if they are heading out of town or back home. It may seem superficial, but every relationship has to start somewhere. And, this is a start.

- Stop and offer your help to someone who seems to have his/her hands full.

- Hold the door open for the person behind you, even if they are a few yards behind.

- If you recognize someone - even if you don't! - extend your arm and introduce yourself.

================================================================

Am I Hitting My Head Against a Wall? Witnessing to a Family Member

God has called every Christian to share the Gospel:
As Christians we are privileged that God would choose us to disseminate the message of forgiveness, redemption, and salvation to the lost world. Unfortunately fear often causes us to keep the Gospel message to ourselves. Lutheran Hour Ministries has produced a workshop called Equipping to Share to provide every Lutheran with the skills and resources needed for evangelism. On April, 14 2007 an Equipping to Share workshop was held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbia. Rev. Mueller, Charlie Schmidt, Fred and Kathy Litten, Mike Stahlman, and Mitch Hubbard attended. Below are a few of the lessons learned:

Teach Christ First: We should not get caught up in explaining denominational differences, but should instead focus on the cross of Christ.

Tell the Truth with Gentleness and Respect: We cannot argue someone into the Kingdom of God.

Be Vulnerable: When we share the Gospel we should share stories about our sinfulness and explain how God has forgiven us. Unbelievers won’t want to listen to the message if we come across as self-righteousness.

Know the Unbelievers Worldview: A worldview is a set of assumptions through which people view the world. Unbelievers will disclose their ultimate allegiance (what’s most important to them) because that is what they will talk about frequently. If it’s their family we can speak about God the Father.

Breaking the ice: Use non-confrontational questions that allow the unbeliever to tell about themselves without us telling them anything about the Gospel first. For instance we could ask a co-worker, "What do you think or know about Jesus?"

Keep the Conversation Going: Our goal is not to win the argument, but instead to keep the lines of communication open with the unbeliever.

Listen First: If we listen to somebody first they will listen to us. After listening be sure to ask permission to share the Gospel.

Provide Services to those in Need: Helping the unbeliever with their physical needs will open the door to sharing the Gospel.

Walk the Walk: How we live our lives will either give us credibility or make us hypocrites in the eyes of unbelievers.

Understand Forgiveness: No sin is too big for God to forgive. We should freely forgive those who offend us. Holding grudges creates a foothold and a foothold leads to a stronghold for the Devil.

Make Jesus Your Passion: We speak freely about the things we are passionate about. We should speak just as freely about Jesus.

Pray: We should pray for discernment and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We should also pray for those we are witnessing to.

Do Not Uses Church-ese: We should speak to unbelievers in terms they can understand.

Watch out for Smoke Screens: Unbelievers will try to distract us from the central message, Jesus crucified. We should quickly address their question and re-focus on Jesus.

Study the Word: We should have passages marked in our Bible in preparation for evangelism opportunities. We can effectively share the Gospel by having unbelievers read scripture to us. For instance Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God."

Find out More: Attend a future Equipping to Share Workshop and visit www.lhm.org.

May we each share the Gospel as if someone’s life depended on it; because it does.

Mitch Hubbard