Coronavirus Resources Page

A MESSAGE FROM THE DISTRICT PRESIDENT

To the Saints of the Kansas District:

I’d like to share with you a post written by Rev. Timothy Appel, which appeared in my Facebook news feed in late August. It’s reprinted here with Pastor Appel’s blessing. I strongly encourage you to read the message and take it to heart.

Dear Christians,

There’s a new idol in town these days. His name is Normal. I suppose he’s not new, technically speaking. He’s been around for so long that you probably didn’t even realize he was there until about five months ago, about the time “social distancing” entered your vocabulary. Normal didn’t like his sudden exit from the scene. That’s why he’s been particularly busy since March, trying to regain his foothold. Here’s how he attempts his ascent to your idol of choice. He tells you that life will be OK again once he’s back in place. Once the kids are back in school without masks. Once you can go to the grocery store without wondering how close you are to someone else. Once football stadiums are packed to the brim again. Once everything is back to Normal, life will be OK. I beg you: don’t fall for his lie. Normal will not make everything OK again, for Normal was not OK from the start. Letting your children value school and sports more than church was Normal, but it wasn’t OK. Running here and there and everywhere with no real reason other than that’s what everyone else was doing was Normal, but it wasn’t OK. You can think of examples from your own life: the things that were Normal, but weren’t really OK. Don’t fall for Normal’s lies again. The Christian response coming out of this pandemic must not be a return to Normal. The Christian response coming out of this pandemic must be a return to Jesus and His Word.

I would add this: The Christian response must also be a call to repentance and faith. It must be a return to Christ and receiving His gifts of Word and Sacrament in the fellowship of believers at your local congregation. It must be reaching out to our neighbor in love who desperately needs the peace of the forgiveness of sins that we possess.

Return to the Lord your God. He is faithful. He is loving. He is forgiving. God grant it for Jesus’ sake.

In the service of Christ,

President Panzer

Together We Pray

90 Days of Prayer in the Kansas District

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Getting the Online Giving Moment Right
If you’re new to recorded church services, and your members are new to online giving, take eight minutes to check out this video.

LCMS Stewardcast: Electronic Giving

Blog Post: Digital Solutions During SocialDistancing (Worship/Online Giving)

LCEF Joyful Response
LCEF offers e-tithing and e-tuition payments through the Joyful Response program, a stewardship resource for LCMS congregations, schools and registered service organizations (RSOs). If you are currently enrolled in Joyful Response, you will be automatically upgraded to the Giving + program. To move ahead, read this overview letter; click the links for the LCEF application and Vanco enrollment form.

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