Lutheran Hour Ministries is now accepting reservations for its 2008/2009 Ministry Tours to Asia and Latin America. The tours offer attendees an opportunity to get a firsthand look at LHM ministry in action and learn about the many outreach ministry highlights in the host countries.

The Asia tour will take place Nov. 2-15, 2008 and will include visits to Thailand and Vietnam. The Latin America tour is scheduled for Feb. 5-14, 2009 and includes stops in Nicaragua and Panama.

"We have the privilege of offering you, your family, and/or your congregation a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the beauty that God has created, its many wonders, rich heritage, and beautiful culture through LHM Ministry Tours," says the Rev. Dr. Walt Winters, LHM's International Ministries Division Director.

The tours are managed by professional tour agencies that have expertise in the regions being toured. Tour leaders include LHM staff or board members who know the countries, the sights, and the ministries of the specific country you are visiting.

"I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to tour China and Hong Kong with Lutheran Hour Ministries," says Bert Favre, who took part in an LHM tour in 2006. "This marvelous trip gave me an education about China. Besides this, I met thirty nine people who became new friends and one family in Christ."

A brochure, bulletin insert, and PowerPoint presentation with more information about the trips are available at www.lhm.org/tours. The Web site also includes trip itineraries, costs, payment schedule, and registration forms. You may also call 1-800-752-9636, ext. 4168 or send an e-mail to tours@lhmint.org if you have additional questions about the tours.

More than 1,000 people attended the 91st International Convention of the International Lutheran Laymen's League July 24-27 in Lexington, Kentucky. The convention, under the theme "Live by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16), provided attendees with a fitting goal as they share the Gospel message around the world and in their own communities. "When we 'live by the spirit' we have the best example to uplift us and encourage us in our daily lives," said outgoing Int'l LLL President Jack Kidwell.

"The Holy Spirit propels us into the mission of seeking the lost for Christ," said the Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, President of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. "One thing I deeply appreciate about the Int'l LLL is its focus on mission and outreach. Thank you for your continued efforts in producing resources for use by congregations and individuals for the purpose of Gospel outreach and for your dedicated partnership in the Ablaze! movement."

Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, offered powerful and inspiring messages during the general session, The Hoffmann Society reception, a mini-retreat for men, and The Lutheran Hour Rally. "Being a Christian is not a spectator sport; following the Savior calls for courage and commitment," he said. "The Lord has entrusted us with the salvation story ... we are people of Christ with the one and only message of hope that can forgive sins and save souls. 'Thus far, no further.' Here is where we make our stand."

Hall of Fame Jockey Addressed Convention Attendees
Legendary jockey Pat Day, who has ridden the winners of U.S. Triple Crown horses nine times, served as the keynote speaker during a sold-out fellowship luncheon. Day offered insights about how the Holy Spirit works through imperfect people like himself and how his life was turned around from a pattern of drug and alcohol abuse by God's grace through hearing the Gospel message and realizing his need for the Savior. "Everything in my life now is about having a personal, ongoing relationship with the Lord," says Day. "There can be no true joy apart from the will of God."

"Love Your Shoes" was the Message of the Ladies' Luncheon
"How beautiful are the feet..."(Isaiah 52:7) is a popular phrase that is most fitting for those who proclaim the Good News of God's grace, especially in Christ Jesus. Terry Kieschnick, first lady of the LCMS, shared her ideas about that concept during the Ladies' Luncheon. "God is our shoemaker. He designed us, He made us, and He bought us ... Each of us has specially chosen gifts and abilities" to help us serve Him, she noted.

New Officers, Governors Elected
Michael "Mick" Onnen of Davenport, Nebraska, was elected to a two-year term as the new president of the Int'l LLL and Mark Dunlop of Des Peres, Missouri, was elected to the position of financial secretary. Regional governors were also elected as follows: Region 2, Neil Widstrom of Tifton, Georgia; Region 4, Martin Henrichs of Valparaiso, Indiana; Region 6, Edward Bieno of Stoughton, Wisconsin; Region 8, Clarence "Sonny" Mack of Montgomery, Illinois; Region 10, Gary Rohloff of Fort Worth, Texas; Region 12, William "Bill" Snow of Watertown, South Dakota; and Region 14, Lou Marting of Mission Viejo, California.

"I am truly honored and humbled to stand before you today," Onnen told the general session audience following the announcement of the election results. "I thank you for your kind vote of confidence and for the loving words of support and blessing that I have received from many of you."

Other convention activities included a new outreach track for younger adults, a servant event in which children attendees collected canned goods for God's Pantry Food Bank, the annual reception for members of The Hoffmann Society, and a special recognition ceremony to honor LHM's Outstanding Ambassadors.

Key Convention Events Now Available Online
Several convention events will be available for viewing on the Internet throughout August. The opening worship service, The Lutheran Hour Rally led by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, and the ministry presentations are among the speeches available online. A Webcast uses the Internet to broadcast live or delayed video and audio transmissions, much like traditional television broadcasts, but at a significantly reduced cost to Lutheran Hour Ministries. Except for computer equipment and an Internet connection, there are no costs to the viewer, although you may need a high-speed cable modem or a DSL phone connection for best results.

Pre-Register Now for the 2009 Convention
The 2009 International Convention of the Int'l LLL will be held July 16-19 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Pre-registration at discounted rates is now available through Oct. 1, 2008. A full registration fee will be $75 per person and the 2-day fee will be $50 per person. After Oct. 1, the rates increase to $95 for a full registration fee and $65 for a 2-day fee. For more information about pre-registration, please send an e-mail to ejrgcr8338@aol.com.

At this year's convention, the inspirational story of how one Lutheran Hour Ministries volunteer is risking much to bring hope to his suffering neighbors was shared with convention-goers. Royce Makonye is a schoolteacher from the mining town of Kwekwe, Zimbabwe. Even though he earns a relatively decent salary, his family can only afford to eat porridge at every meal. This is the sad reality for the many Zimbabweans who have not fled the country for their own political and economic survival. Clearly this is a nation in need of hope rooted in the Gospel.

In the summer of 2007, while on vacation in South Africa, Makonye came in contact with LHM-South Africa staff while attending a church service in Johannesburg. They invited Makonye to come and visit the LHM ministry center.

In the weeks that followed, Makonye took a Bible Correspondence Course (BCC) and also completed Equipping the Saints (ETS) training. He even volunteered his time to help around office.

Through ETS evangelism workshops, LHM staff help strengthen volunteers' understanding and interest in witnessing. These workshops have been held in every region of the world and provide lay people, like Makonye, with the practical tools needed to reach out and witness to the unchurched. By the time Makonye was ready to embark on the 15-hour trip back home, he was certain that he had a mission to fulfill.

"We had no plans of extending ETS to Zimbabwe, but God sent Royce to our office, and then called him back to his hometown, and laid the plight of his people on his heart ... both the spiritual as well as the physical suffering," said Christel Scharlach, Director of LHM-South Africa.

Today, Makonye is utilizing ETS materials in various locations inside Zimbabwe and is now working with a local Lutheran pastor, who is enthused about the LHM training materials he has seen so far. Makonye is also using his experience as a teacher to help BCC students work through the lessons.

The video, which was shown on Friday July 25 at the workshop entitled "Opportunities Abound ... Get Involved!", will soon be able to be viewed online at www.lhmint.org/resources/videos.htm.

Your continued prayers and support for LHM allow outreach programs to have an impact all around the world. We ask that you prayerfully consider a gift to our International Ministries today. Click here to support this ministry or call us at 1-800-944-3450, ext. 4275.

LHM-Myanmar recently bought three boats and donated them to three different villages, thanks to a gift from Lutheran World Relief in Baltimore, Maryland. The boats will be used to transport food, clean water, and other supplies to people who live in areas that have become harder to reach by land following the destructive Cyclone Nargis on May 2.

The boats were presented to the representatives of three churches by the staff of LHM-
Myanmar (known locally as Word of Hope). The churches were very happy to receive the boats that will help them with their outreach efforts. "With boats, we will visit other places easily and can carry the paddy seed for people to plant, among other things," rejoiced one church member.

Gunya Na Thalang, LHM's Area Counselor for Asia, said these gifts open the door for LHM-Myanmar staff and volunteers to return to the villages in the future for outreach efforts. But she added that there is still much more that can be done to help the people of Myanmar.

Possible future projects include providing funds for drilling bore wells to supply clean drinking water; distributing school uniforms, backpacks, and school supplies to children who have been orphaned or whose families lost everything to the disaster; and helping to build fishing boats.

"If funding is available, we would like to rebuild simple homes for the victims. Aid is still needed for food, supplies, clean water, and household items," said Na Thalang.

To date, reports estimate that more than 150,000 people perished, and close to 2 million people have been displaced as a result of the cyclone. We ask for your support in providing much needed assistance to the people of Myanmar and other parts of the world where LHM is reaching out with the Gospel message. Click here to give a secure gift online.

Lutheran Hour Ministries is ramping up efforts this year to get in front of as many church groups as possible to raise awareness of LHM in LCMS churches. LHM's division directors, members of the LLL Board of Governors, Ministry Advancement Officers, and other key staff members will make short presentations to small groups and congregations through these LHM Catalyst Events.

"Our goal is to make a presentation about our ministry to somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 to 400 congregations in the next year, and continue that effort in subsequent years," says Jon Jensen, LHM's Director of Ministry Advancement. "The events will build district and congregational awareness and involvement in the work of Lutheran Hour Ministries and assist congregations in becoming more outreach-oriented. They will offer an in-depth look at exciting ministry results from Lutheran Hour Ministries and show how we are able to stand beside congregations in their efforts to put Christ first in their communities."

Catalyst events have already kicked off. Abby Orde, Executive Assistant in LHM's Ministry Advancement division, recently made a presentation to the women's Bible study group at her church, Ascension Lutheran Church in St. Louis. "They were very interested in hearing how Lutheran Hour Ministries is so much more than The Lutheran Hour," says Orde. "Upon opening their Bible study in prayer, they asked God to help Lutheran Hour Ministries spread the Gospel throughout the world and reach both those who already know Him and those who have not yet heard of His Salvation."

"Many LCMS Lutherans do not know what Lutheran Hour Ministries does ... and many of them would want to get involved in this life-changing ministry if they knew all the programs we have beyond our flagship program, The Lutheran Hour," says Jensen. "By sharing the exciting developments and results of LHM's programs, we will find more people to join us in our mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations-and the Nations to the Church."

LHM would love to make a presentation at your church in the near future! Please contact Abby Orde at abby.orde@lhm.org or 1-800-944-3450, ext. 4114 if you are interested in getting more information about these events or to set one up.

Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and a special edition of The Lutheran Hour offered much needed words of encouragement to Midwest flood victims in states with cresting rivers this spring and summer. Particularly hard hit were states along the Mississippi River corridor like Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas.

First available to radio stations on June 23, the PSAs were recorded in 15-, 30-, and 60-second increments. The message, "Does Jesus Care?", delivered by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, reminded listeners "in the midst of the mess your Savior is at your side." As a complement to these announcements, Klaus produced a 30-minute sermon of the same name. Both announcements and the sermon are downloadable at www.lutheranhour.org.

The flood sermon and PSAs will continue to be available to radio stations and the general public for the foreseeable future at www.envoyproductions.com/floodsp.htm. The PSAs and sermon have been downloaded and broadcast by radio stations nearly 100 times. As a public download, Pastor Klaus' sermon has been downloaded more than 1,100 times.

Lutheran Hour Ministries is proud to announce a free and convenient opportunity for you to convert your extra car, truck, or RV into a tax-deductible donation benefiting the ministry.

LHM is working with Maguire/Maguire, Inc. on the vehicle donation program (V-DAC). V-DAC is a direct outgrowth of the successful Internet and telephone-based vehicle donation service provided by J.D. Power using Adesa Impact, the company responsible for the disposition and auction of damaged vehicles for 14 of the 20 largest insurance companies in the U.S. and of donated vehicles for many of the nation's top charitable donation programs.

The V-DAC program controls costs and tries to return as much of the gross proceeds as possible to designated charities. LHM will receive about the same amount a car dealer would clear if they accepted the car as a trade-in, and then prepared and auctioned the vehicle (including the dealer overhead). V-DAC estimates that charities using their service usually receive between 45 and 60 percent of gross auction/sale proceeds.

For more information about this program, or to donate, you can call 1-877-999-8322 or click here.

Since the program's inception, Project Connect booklets have found a home in churches throughout the United States and Canada. With more than 50 titles available, individuals can find valuable resource information on topics ranging from "Saving for the Future" and "Parenting with Purpose" to "Living with True Confidence" and "Surviving A Loved One's Suicide."

With many titles offered in Spanish as well as English, it increases the potential audience. At Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Surrey, British Columbia (Canada), three Project Connect displays provide ministry tools to no fewer than five different ethnic fellowships: English, Korean, Chinese, Hispanic and, most recently, Indo-Canadian.

"We have had a Project Connect stand in our narthex for some years and then, as we expanded our ministry to include an on-site Lutheran preschool and an Indo-Canadian Fellowship, we decided we needed two more stands," said a church worker from Faith. "One of these is now in the preschool waiting area ... and the other is serving our Indo-Canadian Fellowship. Our members really like the format and the variety of topics which relate so well to their lives," she added. All in all, the Lutheran Laymen's League of Canada purchased nearly 15,000 booklets in 2007.

Ever want to give someone a piece of your mind? Lutheran Hour Ministries wants to get your opinion on how you feel we are doing and how our ministry might best help your church in the future. Please click on the link below to take a survey. It should take only a few minutes.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=XYfjPeC7mXysomqfcCjUSw_3d_3d

Please share this link with others in your church so we can hear from them as well! If your church has an e-newsletter, please submit the link and the paragraph above. The link can easily be copied and pasted into an e-mail for distribution. Thank you!

Following are synopses for the programs that are airing during the rest of August.

Aug. 17
Title: A Great Faith
Synopsis: A lot of people want to just get by. Is God pleased with a little faith? Will a medium-sized faith get us into heaven? This message is designed for someone you may know who isn't worried about faith at all.
Speaker: Pastor Ken Klaus

Aug. 24
Title: Mistaken Identity
Synopsis: Does anyone really know you? Today's message speaks to those who think they know Jesus but probably don't.
Speaker: Pastor Ken Klaus

Aug. 31
Title: Hold On to What Is Precious
Synopsis: God calls us to let go of worthless things and return to that which is precious: His faithful and forgiving love for us, revealed in Jesus Christ. Pastor John Schmidtke says God's Word helps us to distinguish the precious from the worthless.
Guest Speaker: Rev. John Schmidtke

The Lutheran Hour, the flagship radio program for Lutheran Hour Ministries and the world's longest-running Christian outreach radio program, is broadcast weekly on 800 stations. The program is also available each Sunday on XM Satellite's Family Talk Radio 170 at 1 p.m. EST. Program stations and broadcast times, as well as an archive of sermons, are available on demand in MP3 format via the Internet at www.lutheranhour.org.

Since its first broadcast more than 75 years ago, The Lutheran Hour has been supported exclusively by caring friends like you. That's right, there is no financial support directly from The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod or Lutheran Church-Canada. Our message of bringing a changeless Christ to a changing world goes out, or not, in direct proportion to the support we receive from you and others who care about this ministry. Please consider supporting The Lutheran Hour through a gift today by clicking here.

Do you have a question for Pastor Ken Klaus? You can submit it via e-mail at www.lutheranhour.org/contact.htm.

Following are synopses for programs airing during the rest of August and early September:

Aug. 17
Title: Say Goodbye to Your Painful Past
Synopsis: Consumed with shame from a childhood full of abuse, Jan turned to alcohol and promiscuity to mask her pain. By age 20, she was divorced with a young son. Learn how Jan's life turned around and how she is now helping other women to be Set Free.

Aug. 24
Title: Rules for Women in a Man's World
Synopsis: As Miss America of 1990, CBS news correspondent and now host of The Early Show, Debbye Turner has learned her fair share of tough lessons when it comes to excelling in a man's world. She'll share how to be successful without the striving.

Aug. 31
Title: The Art of Living Below Your Means - Part 1
Synopsis: Your debt keeps you awake, interferes with your relationships, even keeps you from answering your phone! Let Mary Hunt, creator of Debt-Proof Living, teach you the art of living below your means with tips for today to protect your tomorrow.

Sept. 7
Title: The Art of Living Below Your Means - Part 2
Synopsis: Mary Hunt, AOL money coach and best-selling author of 17 books, wasn't always the financial expert she is today. At one time, she was $100,000 in debt! But no more! Hear about her rise from the ruins and what tips she has for you, too.