The Fort Wayne Lutheran

09/21/2025

Camp Lutherhaven is now offering free workshops for teachers, administrators, and youth workers across northern Indiana. This opportunity is available through the end of 2025, or as long as the funding lasts.

Thanks to a generous grant, these workshops are completely free of charge, covering all speaker fees, refreshments, and facility space.

The goal is to equip educational and youth-serving professionals with meaningful tools to lead effectively and foster well-being within their teams.

Workshop content can be customized. Groups may choose to take advantage of Lutherhaven’s partnership with Run Hard Rest Well, a nationally-recognized organization that focuses on sustainable leadership and rest-focused strategies.
Alternatively, groups may also coordinate their own presenters upon request.
Interested groups are encouraged to reach out to Camp Lutherhaven to discuss options and schedule a workshop tailored to their needs.

For more information or to schedule a workshop, email [email protected] or call 260-636-7101.

09/20/2025

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church is providing a creative outlet. Nine years ago, St. Michael began offering private music lessons in response to an identified need among their students by creating an Academy of the Arts. Originally, the focus was on private lessons only, but after nine years, it became obvious there was a need for other creative interests, which grew into the Fine Arts Camp as they know it today.

This summer, more than 60 students, from kindergarten to eighth grade, took advantage of the opportunity to explore various art forms in elective classes that included music, sewing, drawing, dance, drama, 3-D printing, culinary, ukulele, puppets, sewing, and more.

Trained artists and teachers instructed students in the week-long camp, and teachers and mentors modeled Christian values and provided guidance on integrating faith into daily lives. The fine arts camp offered unique advantages by integrating faith with artistic development.

New this year, they also learned about the different artistic symbols of the faith and their meanings.

This holistic approach helped students develop a strong foundation for their faith and prepared them to live a life that glorifies God.

Said Stephanie Maxson, St. Michael’s Worship Director, “Students not only benefit from a nurturing environment that fosters creativity, emotional and spiritual growth, but the camp also provided a strong sense of community by learning valuable skills they can use in personal expression and future service within the church and community.”

These programs have now come full circle. Due to the success of the camp, today, in addition to more than 70 students taking private lessons, they also offer week-long classes in art, culinary, and American Sign Language.

St. Michael Lutheran  Academy of the Arts We recognize God as the ultimate source of artistic expression, and we seek to instill a passion in each student to utilize their artistic gifts for His glory. Signup for Lessons Fine Arts Camp Registration [email protected] Our Mission The SML

09/20/2025

The Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) will award six scholarships of up to $7,500 to ordained and commissioned LCMS church workers preparing for their first sabbatical. These funds can help cover interim staffing costs, salary and benefit support, and travel or education expenses related to the sabbatical.

The scholarship is open for submissions until Oct. 31. To learn more, visit their website at tinyurl.com/SabbaticalScholarships. Please contact Rev. Dr. Gregory S. Walton, Vice President, Ministry Solutions, of Grace Place Wellness, at [email protected] with any questions.

Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) is thrilled to announce the 2024 recipients of the Grace Place Wellness Sabbatical Scholarships.

09/19/2025

Staff from Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church attended the Best Practices Conference in Frankenmuth, Michigan in August. LCMS clergy and parishioners were invited for fellowship and education and to allow them to learn and grow so they can bring interesting and fun new perspectives to the congregation.

09/19/2025

Lutheran Senior Care Ministry provides Word and Worship ministry to individuals in nursing homes, assisted living centers, and adult day services in the greater Fort Wayne area. Volunteers, including talented pianists and helpers, are key in ensuring residents are accompanied to worship and receive the support they need. LSCM also distributes large-print Hopeful Living devotional booklets to those who want to deepen their faith. If you’d like to be part of this heartwarming ministry, contact Pastor Dan May at [email protected].

09/18/2025

Camp Lutherhaven is hosting a men’s retreat from Sept. 26-28 where faith, fellowship, and friendly competition meet under the theme of Iron Sharpens Iron. This year’s speaker is Dr. Jeffrey Leininger. During the retreat, Dr. Leininger will focus on “Callings for Life: God’s Plan, Your Purpose.” For cost details, to register and for more retreat information, please visit lutherhaven.org/programs/retreats/men/. For questions about the event please contact Lutherhaven at 260-636-7101 or [email protected].

09/18/2025

The Lutheran Schools Partnership would like to thank The Lutheran Foundation for their generous grant of $5,000 to each early childhood program. This blessing will have a lasting impact on the Lutheran preschools as they continue their important mission - educating young children and teaching them about Jesus.

09/17/2025

Check out Ministry Moments, the newest podcast from Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF), which launched Aug. 20. This podcast is for pastors, ministry leaders, church workers, and anyone who serves the church in any capacity. The podcast will cover a wide range of topics to help ministries thrive and align with God’s purpose, including communication, engagement, leadership, and more. Share and subscribe to the LCEF Ministry Moments Podcast and find more information at lcef.org/ministry-moments.

Secure your congregation’s financial future while actively supporting efforts to empowering LCMS ministries to share His Word.

09/17/2025

Bible class open to Lutherans - A Bible class, which began many years ago at the old Hobby House restaurant, is continuing and open to all Lutherans at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2313 Hanna Street, on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. Rev. Dr. James Teasdale will teach the class after nearly a decade of faithful service by Rev. Dr. Geoff Robinson. For more information, please contact Jim Crouse at [email protected].

Join The FW Lutheran board - The Fort Wayne Lutheran is seeking a board member - someone who is interested in the Lutheran community and who wants to help spread the word about events in member churches and schools. An English or journalism background is preferred. Contact Kevin Leininger at [email protected].

Explore PTSD resources at LookUp Indiana website - LookUp Indiana has curated faith-based trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resources.
There are short videos on trauma, articles, guidebooks, a PTSD online screening test, self-care cards for caregivers and many other helpful materials available at lookupindiana.org/faith-mental-health/faith-trauma.

Free resources available for those with visual impairments - Do you have individuals in your congregation who need large-print materials? Does your congregation offer outreach for the blind or visually impaired? Lutheran Braille Workers produces high-quality, large-print materials and provides them free of charge to LCMS congregations. Visit lbwloveworks.org for more information.

09/16/2025

CLHS is holding its 60th reunion from September 26–28! For info or to RSVP, contact Ed McCutcheon at [email protected] or 260-760-4655, or Donna Nahrwold Volmerding at [email protected] or 260-437-8531.

09/16/2025

Holy Cross Lutheran Church & School celebrated the installation of Rev. Daniel Kinley as Associate Pastor and Stephanie Kinley as Deaconess during a worship servivce in July.

Daniel was ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry on July 13 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Richmond, Virginia.

He graduated with honors from Liberty High School in 1996 and immediately joined the U.S. Air Force, where he earned multiple honors throughout his service, including the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and recognition as the 2007 Air Combat Command NCO of the Year.

Serving globally in both surgical and leadership roles, he managed multimillion-dollar budgets, trained medical teams, and led surgical operations in Korea, Italy, Honduras, and across the U.S.

Following his honorable discharge in 2011 as a Technical Sergeant, Daniel worked as a civilian surgical technician and team lead in Virginia hospitals while also volunteering through his local Lutheran churches. He holds a B.S. in religion from Liberty University (Magna Cum Laude), a Master of Theology from Saint Leo University, and completed his Master of Divinity at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne this past May. Daniel has served both in fieldwork and as vicar at St. John, Columbia City.

Stephanie Kinley has worked in the mental health field since 2004, beginning as an intern supporting teen mothers and later serving in roles ranging from residential care director to licensed mental health counselor in Massachusetts. She has provided trauma-informed care to children, led multi-disciplinary teams, and helped found and direct a domestic violence shelter in rural Virginia. She holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in counseling psychology from Assumption University. She completed her Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne this past May, where she has served in congregational care, seminary support ministries, and as Deaconess Intern at Holy Cross last year.

09/16/2025

Your LCMS Foundation Gift Planning Counselor can help you to initiate an estate plan, including sharing some examples. For assistance, contact Mark Muehl at 260-241-4845 or [email protected].