WORSHIP
Just as Jesus did,
we welcome children of all ages as integral members of the body of Christ, and we welcome the sounds and activity that accompany them!
Children are invited up front for the children's sermon each Sunday and Wednesday. There, Pastor Craig teaches a great variety of lessons, sure to entertain.
Another statement we would like you to know--children are absolutely welcome in worship no matter how 'curious' they might be! We are a congregation that embraces the young voices amongst us, as they are all gifts given to us by God and they are the future of the congregation! ALL ARE WELCOME!
Stepping Stones
Our "Stepping Stones Ministry" is a series of milestones in the lives of our youth here at Lutheran Memorial Church.
We have phases in our children's lives in which they receive tools and and other acknowledgments that bridge the gap between their faith life, and the world around them.
From faith pillows, to Bibles, to quilts at graduation, our congregation takes pride in supporting our families in their faith journeys.
Prayer Pillows
Each fall, 3 year old children receive a prayer pillow. They are welcomed up front during worship and given to them.
There is a pocket on the front of the unique pillow that has special prayers tucked inside. Your child will enjoy practicing these prayers with you at home!
1st Grade Devotional Cards
Faith Talk cards are given to the 1st Graders. They are given to encourage faith conversations among children and adults in their lives.
3rd Grade Bibles
All 3rd graders receive the Hands-On Bible. Parents and youth have a session with our pastor to learn how to use their bible and are encouraged to bring it to church school.
4th Grade First Communion
There are many different parts to First Communion. The 4th grade class meets twice with a pastor during Wednesday School/Sunday School.
On Sunday evening from 4-6 pm they meet in the fellowship hall and learn how to make Matza. They also set-up tables for Wednesday Night Seder Meal. After all that hard work, they enjoy pizza for supper!
Wednesday night at 6 pm the 4th grade students, their parents, and invited guests, meet in the fellowship hall to participate in the Seder Meal together .
Maundy Thursday at 6:30 pm the 4th graders, parents, and guests, attend the service together. It is at that time that we celebrate their first communion.
6th Grade Bibles and Beginning of Confirmation
6th Grade marks the beginning of confirmation. They receive a bible that is for their age. They are in confirmation for 3 years which consists mostly of in-class instruction. Confirmation is held for grades 6th-8th.
Confirmation
Senior Recognition
May on Mother’s Day we recognize those who will be graduating from High School. Every high school student receives a quilt from the quilters to remind them that many are praying for them in their new journey.
Baptism
Baptism is a celebration here at Lutheran Memorial. We want to begin this stepping stone with equipping the family for the journey of raising their child in the faith. For baptism the family receives a faith chest, a baby blanket, and a baptismal candle.
Jesus said: “Unless one is born of water and the Holy Spirit, they cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” Paul writes: “When anyone is baptized into Christ, they are a new creation, the old is gone, the new has come.” These are promises of Scripture. Through water and the Word, God marks all of his baptized as children of God forever.
Baptism is not magic; it is a beginning. It is a covenant made between God and parents, sponsors, pastor and congregation. It is a promise to provide a Christian environment for for our children. It is a promise to join them in worship, to introduce them to the Bible, and to pray that their faith would become their own. It is the belief that God will honor this covenant as well.
If you are desiring to be baptized, or are simply curious about more information, please contact our church office!
3rd Grade Bible
The Hands-On Bible goes hand in hand with the curriculum that we use at both Wednesday and Sunday School. Jesus used a hands-on approach and this Bible give students a similar experience by allowing them to understand God's word through illustrations, activities and stories geared toward their age level.
After receiving the Bibles, a pastor meets with the 3rd grade parents and students. During that meeting, the kids learn how to take care of the bible and how to look up Bible verses. We also give them Bible tabs so that they can learn how to navigate it.
6th Grade Bible
Live takes "teen bible" to a new level. While many teen bibles tend to be only slightly different than an adult bible, Live includes experiences that allow kids to see how God is involved in their lives, and show their faith in their own way. It's a great way to see how God works in the lives of other teens and be encouraged to express their faith, too.
Additional resources can be found at the Augsburg Fortress
Why Lutheran?
Explore the history of our faith, and learn what Martin Luther might say today!
We joined Pastor Craig in a 5 part study to learn more...
Part 1
The motivating force behind Luther's drive towards the Reformation, was his desire to care for the souls of his parishioners and his community. He himself was plagued by fear that he was never good enough in God's eyes as a monk, but as a pastor, and as his study of the Bible grew, he discovered that what was being taught by the Church dogma was inconsistent with what the Gospel of Christ really meant for us as followers of God's Word. Luther gave his people the gift of the translated Bible into their common language, he helped create an education/school system for both boys and girls, he utilized Guttenberg's printing press to prolifically share these written works, and he taught the people of the Church to start holding their leaders accountable for what was being preached and taught.
Join us next week in Adult Education to learn about the inventive way that Luther began to teach so that even the illiterate people of Saxony, which were most everyone, could begin to read, teach, and fall in love with the Biblical story. All are welcome even if the previous session was missed!
Part 2
"Once Luther's reformation started to take shape and the outcomes of a new found understanding of the biblical language, education and accountability of church leaders became important. Luther's catechism was created to be a teaching component to the Bible to help teach people about the foundations of our faith, formed from the Biblical story, and also memorized by most everyone for the sake of their excitement of finally learning the true Gospel and defending this story at all costs."
Part 3
"After pressing through Luther's Small Catechism, engaging in incredibly thoughtful questions, discerning how any of this tool applies to us in 2017, our adult education group was reminded by the heart of the Gospel, and reminded by Luther's conviction of caring for the neighbor--and ultimately, caring for the human soul. Luther reminds us that we are to fear and love the Lord, our God, because he is the ultimate holder of our souls, but through the Gospel, we know that ultimately, God wants everything good for us. We are in the middle of a battle between good and evil in our lives--we are in the middle of a battle of distractions and mixed priorities, but Luther argues that the church is a place where we can come to be surrounded by God's Word of love, compassion, and forgiveness, so that we can go back out into the world, and live lives of caring for our neighbors around us--not out of fear that God will frown upon us if we don't--not for the sake of our salvation, but because Jesus simply told us that our neighbors need us to make it through this life--never alone! Faith Alone, Word Alone, Grace Alone!"
Lutheran Memorial Endowment Fund
The impact of a person’s life may extend beyond a lifetime. Through prayerful thought and planning, we have an opportunity to share our resources and extend our serving well into the future.
There are many ways to express our gratitude to God for all the blessings we have received. Your church, Lutheran Memorial Church, wishes to expand these options through the Lutheran Memorial Church Endowment Fund.
What is the Endowment Fund?
The Lutheran Memorial Church Endowment Fund is an endowment fund that was established by the congregation in 1990 to be a permanent, self-sustaining source of funding.
What is the purpose of the Endowment Fund?
The Endowment Fund’s purpose is to receive gifts of all kinds. The principal of the gifts will be held in a permanent fund as a financial cornerstone of the church. The income generated from this fund will be used each year for educational, charitable and religious programs of Lutheran Memorial Church. The Fund will help the church meet new challenges and opportunities which would not normally be met by the annual budget.
How does the Endowment Fund operate?
Gifts given to the Endowment Fund become part of a permanent endowment fund. The fund is an accumulation of many gifts, large and small, contributed by persons interested in the welfare and programs of Lutheran Memorial Church. A committee chosen by the congregation oversees the management and distribution of the funds.
How can you participate?
Contributions to the Endowment Fund can occur in a number of ways. Gifts or memorials may be made directly to the Fund in the form of cash, stocks, bonds, life insurance, annuity or IRA beneficiary designation or other property. When you establish an endowment fund, you create a permanent legacy of support for Lutheran Memorial Chruch.
Options for Giving
Cash contributions are always welcome no matter what size the gift.
Gifts of real estate and securities can be made to the Endowment Fund. There may be a tax advantages to the donor here, also. Your attorney or CPA will be able to give you current information as to any tax deductions available to you.
Bequests. A bequest is a gift by will which assures that your property will be distributed as you desire. Donors can specify an amount, a percentage, or a particular asset. A will is a legal document which should be written in consultation with an attorney.
Life insurance and deferred annuity policies. New and existing policies may be used for gifts to the LMC Endowment Fund. The LMC Endowment Fund should be named as a beneficiary of the life insurance or annuity. Life insurance policies can also be owned by the Endowment Fund with payments then made to fund the policy. Life insurance policies make it possible for the donor to finance a sizable gift to the Endowment Fund by payment of relatively small annual premiums.
Transfer On Death (TOD). A TOD can be assigned to the LMC Endowment Fund for any mutual fund, securities account, or bank account. On such accounts the donor can complete a beneficiary form naming the LMC Endowment Fund as full or partial beneficiary.
Donor Advised Funds. Donor advised funds can be set up by the donor and allows the donor to distribute grants to a variety of charitable causes at any time for any amount. Gifts to this type of fund provide for tax benefits to the donor.
IRAs, 403b and 401k accounts. LMC Endowment can be named as sole or partial beneficiary on these types of accounts. Donors over 70 ½ may be able to directly transfer a portion of their IRA to the LMC Endowment. Contact your CPA or accountant prior to making such a transfer.
Grain, Cattle, or other tangible assets. Such items can be donated to LMC and sold by the Endowment Fund. Consult your CPA or accountant for proper procedures and process for making such a gift. Such professionals can also discuss the various tax advantages of making such gifts to the LMC Endowment Fund.
Complex Assets. Complex assets such as C Corp, S Corp or Partnership Interests can be gifted to the LMC Endowment directly or indirectly through a Donor Advised Fund. Involvement of legal and CPA advisors are necessary to ensure maximum benefits to the LMC Endowment Fund and the Donor
*A Letter of Intent should be completed by donors and kept on file by the LMC Endowment Fund to ensure donor’s intent can be honored.
Request More Information
If you wish to have more information about how the Endowment Fund operates, or how you can take part in this program of Lutheran Memorial Church, contact the church office at (605) 224-8608 or complete our Request for Information form. A member of the Endowment Fund Committee will then contact you to provide any assistance you may need to complete your gift.
Advisors
Gifts of cash to the LMC Endowment are easy to do. Gifts of appreciated securities, real estate, or corporate business interests (C Corp or S Corp shares) require the assistance of tax and legal advisors. It is recommended that you notify the LMC Endowment Committee prior to completing these types of gifts.
Resources
www.lpgsd.org (Lutheran Planned Giving of South Dakota)
Online Giving
Click HERE to create an account or make a one time donation as a guest user.
Text to GIVE! Install the Give Plus app on your mobile device and find an easy way to give on the GO!
Give Plus can be found in your app store and is FREE.
Text your $ amt to 605-250-1235 to give today!
A Walk With Christ
Hosted by Pastor Craig Wexler
Monday, May 3-13, 2021
Join Pastor Craig for a trip through the Holy Land...
Joppa, Mt. Carmel, Mt. Tabor, Galilee, Igal Alon Museum, Mount of the Beatitudes, Capernaum, baptismal renewal at the Jordan River, Jerusalem, Cana, Nazareth, Mt. of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, the Dead Sea and more.
You won't want to miss out on this life-changing experience! If you have any questions, contact Pastor Craig.
Israel Bound 2021
Download your copy of the 11 day itinerary HERE.
There is a $300 deposit to reserve your trip. We will have final cost details once we have a final headcount.
Strategic Plan
Lutheran Memorial is a dynamic congregation.
We are constantly changing. We are “Becoming People of God for All People of God”. What are we to become and who are we to serve? To answer those questions we have undertaken a planning process that includes both a congregation-wide survey and a “listening” campaign with both internal and external components. Through this process we have learned what it will take for us to become the people God wants us to be in order to serve the people he loves.
We’ve learned that there are many great needs in our community and we’ve also learned that God has already blessed us with gifts we need in order to do the work. Through God’s grace this congregation has been blessed with a talented and energetic staff. As members of this congregation we have been blessed with the talent, energy and financial resources to serve God’s people while becoming God’s people.
Shalom,
Paul Knecht, Strategic Planning Team Chair
Our Purpose: To be a center of Christian growth for individuals, couples, and families in all stages of their lives as we deeply engage with our neighbors.
The next steps will build on the strengths of our congregation as we implement a plan for existing and expanding ministries, staffing, and programs engaging needs in our neighborhood. Lutheran Memorial will become a center for people in all stages of their life.
Dynamic
We creatively use different styles of worship to meet the needs of people’s experiences with God and the schedules of their lives.
Innovative
We create and adapt to the changing culture around us for the sake of making the Gospel relevant.
Resourceful
We are blessed with the talents of many volunteers; we are blessed with the
financial gifts of people within our church and our community.
Ready
We are ready to learn, ready to serve, ready to mentor, and ready to enter the next chapter God is calling us into.