[m-m-online] September 15th, 2006

[Minister to Minister online]

Minister to Minster Online
September 15th, 2006

IN OUR PRAYERS . . .

JIM AND JEAN LINDERMAN, thanks for successful surgery for
Jean for shoulder replacement surgery on September 14. We pray
for healing and a complete recovery.

JAY PRONK AND WIFE, AMY, daughter and son-in-law of
Clyde and Ellen Kieschnick, (Zion Abilene). Jay has been diagnosed
with leukemia and has started treatments in Milwaukee. We pray that
the treatments will be beneficial to him in fighting leukemia.

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CONGRATULATIONS . . .

BRENT AND JILL MCGUIRE (Our Redeemer, Dallas) on the birth
of Anna Rebecca born Friday, Sept. 15.

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MINISTRY CALLS:

UNDECIDED
Brad Heintz, Gloria Dei, Houston, to Holy Cross, North Miami, Florida

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The Board of Regents of Concordia University College of Alberta, Canada,
has issued the attached Call for Nominations for a president to succeed
Dr. Richard Kraemer, who has announced his coming retirement at the
end of June, 2007. Information regarding the search can be found on the
Concordia website www.concordia.ab.ca - click on the posting headed
Presidential Search.


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Retirement Planning Workshop -- Concordia Plan Services and the
Texas District are hosting a 2-day workshop for professional church
workers and their spouses in help understand the process of planning
for retirement. This workshop will include sessions on budgeting and
finance, income, envisioning retirement lifestyle, health concerns, where
to live and what to do with you time in retirement.

It will be held October 16-17, 2006 at Trinity Lutheran Church,
Houston, and beginning at 9:00 am. on the 16th. Registration is
$20.00 each person to cover three meals and another $20.00 for
each person to take a financial planning instrument provided by CPS.
(Housing is on you own, but a Comfort Suits has given us a reduced rate.)
Space is available, but time is running out. The planning instrument needs
to be taken on line in time for results to be printed and brought to the
workshop. Each couple will have a chance for a personal meeting with
a rep. from CPS at the workshop.

Questions? Contact John Hirsch in the District office.
(800-951-3478 or jhirsch at txdistlcms.org)


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RETREAT FOR PRAYER AND SPIRITUALITY

The Need for Retreat – The Need for Solitude with God

Walter E. Waiser, Peace, Hurst

Several years ago, at the same conference but at separate
times, two friends made the same comment to me: “I need to
learn how to be alone with God.” Each knew of the 48-hour
retreat I lead, and of my personal practice of retreat.
Interestingly, one is about seven years older, the other seven
years younger than my 56 years.

“I need to learn how to be alone with God.” It was January of
1990, when I went off alone to spend a week in the desert of
Big Bend National Park. At least seven years prior, I began to
explore the idea of retreat. It began with a monthly eight-hour
day at a nearby lake. Then I wondered what a 24-hour, overnight
retreat would be like. After a number of overnights, I explored a
48- hour retreat for solitude with God. A number of quarterly
48-hour retreats led me to a week in the desert.

As I write this piece, I am completing my quarterly, personal
48 hours of solitude with God. Even after 20 years of intentional
retreat and two weeks in the desert of Big Bend, I still experience
resistance to being alone with God. Sometimes I still struggle
at the beginning to heed God’s words of Psalm 46 – “Be still
and know that I am God.” Sometimes I still struggle to let God
“make me lie down in green pastures, lead me beside still water,
(to) restore my soul” [Ps 23:2-3a]. Almost always, it feels like
there are more important things I need to do at work.

Having learned over the years of retreat, how renewing it is to have
God “restore my soul,” I now deal with the resistance and the
struggle. God has also impressed on me that alone in retreat, He
will energize and renew my passion for ministry in the Name of Jesus.

Come with me on October 2 – 4, to beautiful Canyon of the Eagles
on Lake Buchanan. This 48-hour retreat is a guided opportunity
with other professional church workers and spouses to explore
solitude with God. It’s your opportunity to discover not only how
God will “restore your soul,” but give you a renewed energy for
life and ministry.

Come with me: Pastors, Educators, Business Managers,
Music Directors, any full-time Church Workers AND your
spouses, if they desire. Join me Monday, October 2, 1:30 p.m.
through Wednesday, October 4 at 12:00 noon. If you regret
the time spent, I will refund your registration fee. For more
information and to register, please call
Lois Wolf at 1/800-951-3478 at the District Office.
I hope to see you at the Retreat.