This year's convention opened with a Vesper service on Friday evening at Vineyard of Faith in Windsor, California. Vineyard of Faith was a LWML mission grant project in 1991-1992 for $5,000. The Vesper Service was followed by a time of Fellowship at Vineyard of Faith.

During the convention on Saturday, Priscilla Newton led the convention in Bible Study and Melissa Salomon shared the news of her ministry in Tijuana.

At the Santa Rosa LWML Convention the following were elected: Barbara Carr, Vice President Christian Growth; Ada Towers, Vice President Gospel Outreach; Rev. Scott Perry, Pastoral Counselor. Relected officers were Shirley Degner, Vice President Human Care and Lorraine Duato as treasurer. .

These officers join Kathie Lindquist, President; Kathy Richardson, Vice President Gospel Outreach; Sandra Haugner, Vice President Servant Resources; Jan Sorge, Recording Secretary; Marilynn Jones, Financial Secretary and Pastoral Counselors, Rev. Eric Johnson and Rev. Mike Franckowiak

2005 - 2006 Mission Grants:

• Evangelism, Lutheran Student Fellowship, U.C. Berkeley $2,700
• Evangelism Outreach to Young People $14,800
• Bringing Hope for 20 Street Children in Kisumu, Kenya $15,000
• Hmong Outreach Ministry $10,000
• Tools of Truth Project $1,800
• Mission Opportunities Short Term $10,000

Pictured above (click on photo to see larger version) are MAC members (left to right) Jack Scheuermann from Fallon, NV; Rev. Victor Maslowski from Susanville, CA; Rev. Ron Arnold from Sparks, NV; Gloria Stillman, LWML Rep from Reno; Lorraine Duato from Reno; Buster Hunsaker from Spring Creek; Rev. Steve Barckholtz from Elko; Chairman Dean Galvin from Gardnerville, NV; and Cathie Williams from Chester, CA.

The Sierra/Nevada MAC spent time looking at the demographic and first-hand reports of mission opportunities in the region. It was remarked that the Reno/Sparks area is one of the fastest growing regions in the United States.

Several task forces will be reviewing the existing mission activities at Dayton, Hawthorne/Yerington, and Ely, Nevada. They thank God for these ministries and want to know how best to partner in the future.

Each congregation in the region will soon receive a correspondence from chairman, Dean Galvin, that will include a mission application form. Should you want to suggest a mission start or new ministry, contact Dean at 5galvins@msn. com or Ed Krueger, Mission Counselor, at ed@cnh- lcms.org.

The first meeting of the Southern Region Mission Action Council (SoMAC) met Saturday, May 7th at St. Paul, Merced. Pictured left to right (click on photo for larger version) are: Rev. Herb Burch, circuit 9; Rev. Jonathan Lange, circuit 3; Mr. Walter Harris, circuit 9; Deacon Bruce Hindenburg, circuit 15; Rev. Rick Rice (chairman), circuit 16; Mr. Ken Goebel, circuit 16; Mrs. Jan Sorge, LWML rep, and Mr. Guillermo Melgar, circuit 3. Behind the camera was John Whaley, Mission Counselor for the Southern Region.

The council members all agreed there is a great need for communication between the circuits of the Southern Region as to what is going on in mission, and what opportunities God may be presenting to us. All agreed to take an active role in visiting with pastors, lay leaders and church councils to "tell the mission story" and listen to what others may be seeing as opportunities for mission in their areas. Look for a letter to all congregations in the region outlining what the MAC sees as mission and what steps will be taken over the months to begin to engage everyone in this. Those considering applying for a mission grant request will want to pay special attention to this.

Anyone in the Southern Region having questions, comments or would like to just share information, please feel free to contact your Mission Counselor, John Whaley at john@cnh- lcms.org, the MAC chairman Rick Rice at revrrice@aol.com or any MAC member (list of members found on CNH Web site under Missions/Mission Action Councils).

The Foothill Mission Society will hold a Mission Fest at Light of the Hills, Cameron Park, California, this Sunday, May 15, starting at 2:00 PM. Come and hear how the Foothill Mission Society is doing.

The speaker at the Mission Fest will be the Rev. Ted Hartman, the CNH Northern Region Mission Counselor. Rev. Gene Davidenas, missionary for the society, will give an update on the Jackson mission that meets in the Civic Center at Jackson, CA.

For information on the Foothill Mission Society, call Bill Clark, 916-933-8947, or Dick Anderson, 530-677-4721.

Theme: "With Hearts and Hands and Voices". Sponsored by the LCMS Commission on Worship July 26-29, 2005 Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin

One of the many outstanding missions and ministries in the CNH District is the Nehemiah Project in San Francisco. The Nehemiah Project's purpose is: "congregations doing the work of the Lord together, building urban ministry."

The Nehemiah Project is a corporation made up of the following supporting or member churches:

• Bethel
• Grace
• Holy Spirit
• Hope
• New Life
• Shepherd of the Hills
• West Portal
• Zion

What is the Nehemiah Project doing in San Francisco? They have a combined youth ministry, a pre-evangelism and prayer ministry, are developing a coalition among the existing day schools and preschools, have a robust food ministry each week at Grace and Shepherd of the Hills, and support the Bethel Center with vocational training to persons with developmental challenges.

Learn more by going to their website: http://w ww.geocities.com/sflnp/

You are invited to attend a course that will examine the writings of a variety of contemporary Lutheran ethicists (20th century to present), including Werner Elert, Paul Althaus, Adolph Koeberle, Helmut Thielicke, Wolfhart Pannenberg, Gilbert Meilaender, Oswald Bayer, Reinhard Huetter, William Lazareth, and Robert Benne. Special attention will be given to the relationship of justification and sanctification in contemporary Lutheran ethical reflection, the place of the third use of the Law, the orders of creation, the doctrine of the two governments, and issues in bio-ethics from the perspective of the Lutheran doctrine of creation.

The course will be taught by Professor John Pless of Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1295 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301.

For more information email conti nuinged@mail.ctsfw.edu. To register on- line visit: www.ctsfw.edu.

This course is hosted by the Rev. Stewart D. Crown, pastor at Trinity, Palo Alto.

New Prayer Requests:

Rev. James Kramer, San Jose CA.

Rev. John Wahl, pastor emeritus, Santa Cruz CA

Rev. Marcus Lang, pastor emeritus, Middletown CA

Family of Marty Hartman (Livermore) on the death of her father.

Family of the Rev. Enrique Vallejo (San Jose), death of his mother-in-law.

Rev. Jack Geistlinger, hospitalized briefly.

Rev. John Standley, Cordova, Rancho Cordova CA has a call to Shepherd of the Hills, Yuma, AZ.

Vineyard of Faith, Windsor, CA, upon the decline of the call issued to Rev. Joseph Meyer of Hosannah Lutheran, Mesa, Arizona.

Rev. Ricky Adams who has accepted the call to Mill Valley, California.

If you have a specific "district" prayer request that you wish to add, please let us know (rita@cnh- lcms.org)

Upcoming events:

• Northern Mission Action Council, First, Willows, CA-- May 12
• Stewardship Committee, Ministry Center -- May 13
• Demographic Workshop for Interim Ministers, Ministry Center -- May 18
• Large Church Meeting, Ministry Center -- May 26
• Board of Directors, Ministry Center -- June 11
• Evangelism Committee, Ministry Center -- June 13
• Hispanic Task Force, Ministry Center -- June 16
• Board of Directors, Ministry Center -- September 10
• Fall Pastors' Conference, Fresno -- October 11-13