Like most district presidents, I am knee deep in convention planning. ThebMissouri District convention will convene in June under the theme “Rooted” basedbon Colossians 2:7, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just asbyou were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

How appropriate that our theme is “Rooted.” Saxon Germans who immigrated to the United States in 1839 planted their roots in Perry County, Missouri. They established a new church body in America seeking the freedom to practice Lutheranism. They built a school, the Log Cabin College, to provide a Christian education for their children, which later became the first college and seminary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. They left a lasting legacy, rooted in Christ.

As the Saxon Germans before us, Lutheran Women in Mission Missouri District will join in fellowship in June standing firmly rooted in our relationship with Christ. We will boldly acknowledge Jesus Christ as the source of life for eternity and we will grow and bloom to the Glory of God rooted in Christ. I can hardly wait!
 

Marian Hoehner
Lutheran Women in Mission Missouri District President

If ladies are coming, God’s Word is shared, and the mission is expanded – Hallelujah!

What are things you do to bring new ladies to your group?

Ponder (and then implement) the following:

• Use all forms of contact to encourage all capabilities – paper, email, text,
• FaceBook, Instagram, phone call.
• Pick up those who need a ride.
• Plan to find the time/day frame that fits most people and continue to try out
  new times.
• Offer babysitting by approved caregivers.
• Schedule your business meeting separate from your fellowship or mission
  times.
• Purposefully, in your business meeting, have each woman pick a person to
  invite personally, follow up, and take meaningful time to get to know them.

PRAY about growth!

Look at the following passage and see that Jesus went to where the disciples
were. While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is
called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were
fishermen (Matthew 4:18).

Growing a group takes time, intention, flexibility, prayer, and love.

God’s blessings!
Cherie Endrihs
LWML Gulf States District President

Fall provides opportunities for moments that matter. In those moments, presence
becomes the gift and Christ’s love is spoken aloud.

Show up with intention. Encourage one another, serve your communities, and create
space for the Gospel to be shared in word and action. Whether a prayer shawl, a meal,
or a service event, each builds relationships, strengthens faith, and extends Christ’s
love. Small acts, rooted in Christ’s love, bear fruit in ways we may never see.

Host a “Thanks & Treats” table at a local event. Offer cookies and prayers, and take
time to listen. Create a gratitude wall at church. Encourage all ages to post notes of
thanks. Gather to pray over them together. Write thank‑you cards for teachers, first
responders, or caregivers, and deliver them with pie and conversation.

Keep showing up. Serve with purpose. Share Jesus, our true and lasting hope. Be
steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the
Lord your labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Sally Krueger
LWML Texas District President

I absolutely love the fall with its cool breezes, changing colors, and expectations of things to come.

It is also the season of thanksgiving. For what are you thankful? Our Lord and Savior wants us to be thankful and praise him for all He has given us, and for the people He has put into our lives.

God encourages us to share what we have been given with our family, friends, our pastor and other church workers, and those we may not even know — including the marginalized. We are blessed to be blessings to others. There are several resources available on the LWML website, lwml.org, to help you prepare simple gifts of Thanksgiving for those God has placed in your life.

Cards of Encouragement for Church Workers
https://www.lwml.org/coloring-resources
https://www.lwml.org/posts/free-resources/we-care-packages

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Nancy Heredia
LWML Pacific Southwest District President

During 2020, COVID-19 spread and ravaged our lives as we lost family and friends.
The world came to a standstill, isolation overtook us. We prayed for God to be with us.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2,3
NIV).

After COVID, our thirst and hunger for His Word was great. Jesus told us when we
invite a stranger who delivers to us the Word of God, we invite Him (Matthew 25:35).
Knowing this, extending an invitation to others should be easier, but it isn’t.

Sena, the “Super Spreader for Christ,” is a character created to provide a tool to encourage us to perservere in inviting others to LWML events and conventions. At these gatherings, spiritual renewal and fellowship abounds as we learn ways to Serve the Lord with gladness (Psalm 100:2) and to be joyful always (from 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, the theme verse for the 2026 Ohio District Convention).

Karen Shanahan
Lutheran Women in Mission
Ohio District President
 

Sometimes Gospel Outreach is found in the strangest places. This was clear when a sports coat my husband purchased in Florida had a surprising item in the inside pocket. When we returned home he reached into the inside pocket and there he found a Mustard Seed packet from the 2015 LWML National Convention.

We don’t know who placed it there, but it seems that someone had purposely left it to share the Good News of Jesus with others.

We are called to engage, encourage, and equip others to share their faith in Jesus Christ, their loving Savior, with people of their communities and the world. It doesn't have to be "extraordinary" — it can be as "simple" as calling a neighbor to say hello, sharing a meal, or visiting someone in a nursing home. In this instance, it was as easy as leaving the seed packet in the pocket of a sports coat. In Matthew 19: 26 we read, “with God all things are possible.”

Dee E. Grzyb
Lutheran Women in Mission
Eastern District President

Are you getting excited about going to the Lutheran Women in Mission 41st Biennial Convention? I certainly am! In January, the LWML District Presidents convened at the Presidents Assembly. After two days of productive meetings, we had the opportunity to tour the convention site in Omaha, Nebraska, where we will focus on “Growing in God’s Grace.”

At our meetings, we learned valuable information that we will share at our district board meetings. As I prepared for my February board meeting, I was reminded of the need to select a design for the district banner for the convention. The board received four excellent submissions and ultimately chose one that depicts the fruit of the Spirit. Growing in grace is important for all Christians and signifies becoming more Christ-like through the Holy Spirit. As we grow in grace, we embody love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).

I look forward to seeing how the Holy Spirit will work within me and my Lutheran Women in Mission sisters in June.

Marian Hoehner
Lutheran Women in Mission
Missouri District President