Faithful servants deeply involved with God’s mission in LCC

by Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel  

YORKTON, Sask. – Concordia Lutheran Mission Society (CLMS) held its annual meeting at Zion Lutheran Church, February 4-7, 2010. The long agenda included reports, planning, assessment of mission and social ministry projects of Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC), budgeting and deliberations on ways the society will pursue its 2010 fundraising goals as it supports the mission of LCC. 

The society adopted 19 LCC projects for 2010 totalling $129,000. The projects relate to LCC missions in Canada, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ukraine and Southeast Asia. Pastor Leonardo Neitzel, LCC assistant to the president for missions and social ministry attended the meeting and gave a presentation on his vision for LCC’s missions. He also shared information on LCC mission project proposals the society’s board was considering. 

CLMS board members attended the Sunday morning communion service at Zion.  Later, a “Nicaragua Mission Festival Service” began at 3 p.m., attended by more than 120 worshippers, including pastors and members from other area congregations. 

 LCC President Robert Bugbee was the preacher in the afternoon and based his message on Jonah 4:9-11 with the theme, You Know the Answer. He highlighted God’s mercy and compassion for those who do not know about His salvation. 

Immediately following his sermon, the president shared enthusiastically about LCC’s mission in Central America where he and Dr. Neitzel spent two weeks recently participating in the convention of Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua as well as visiting congregations and mission fields.  CLMS designated new mission outreach projects in Costa Rica and Nicaragua as the recipients of the festival service offering.  

Prior to the afternoon service, CLMS introduced its new officers and gave a brief description of each approved project, the amount to be raised, and offered prayers on their behalf. 

All participants joined for dinner and fellowship kindly prepared by Zion Lutheran Church. 

CLMS is an auxiliary of Lutheran Church–Canada and since its foundation in 1997 has supported tremendously the mission and social ministry of our Synod. One of several goals of the society in 2010 is to increase the donor base supporting its projects. 

It was a real blessing to witness God’s faithful servants deeply involved with the mission of His Church, giving generously from their time, efforts and even personal material resources to assist LCC in its mission outreach around the world. 

As the people gathered at Zion for the Mission Festival sang the hymn Beautiful Saviour, we rejoiced and thanked Him for enabling His servants, members of Lutheran Church–Canada to carry His name and news of salvation to the ends of the earth so that at the very last day many may see Him face-to-face and sing in His presence forever in the everlasting Zion. 

 May Jesus continue to bless the efforts of CLMS and may He continue to reveal Himself as the only Saviour and Lord of the nations.