The trip to the US provided a marvelous opportunity for Rector Winterle and Bishop Maragelo to meet with the folks at LEA (Lutheran Education Association), which is also active in South Africa, as well as with the President of CUC (Concordia University Chicago), Rev. Dr. Daniel Gard. The official meeting at CUC provided opportunity for formal exchange, while the dinner invitation afterward allowed for more informal interaction between the educators and churchmen. Besides Dr. Gard, LEA and CUC were represented by Dr. and Mrs. Laabs, Dr. and Mrs. Fischer, and Dr. and Mrs. Richter.

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On Saturday, August 11, Rector Dr. Winterle and Bishop Maragelo represented the LTS at Mission Central in Mapleton, IA. Here they were hosted together with many other attendees by Mission Central founder Gary Thies, Rev. Brent Smith, and the rest of the Mission Central team. During this opportunity, they met up with old friend Rev. Bob Roegner (LCMS office of international mission, retired), as well as with Steve Cohen, founder of Apple of His Eye Mission Society, a St-Louis.based LCMS mission society to Jews. Also present was Rev. Jesse Burns, one of the directors of the St. Philip Lutheran Mission Society, which provides strong support to the work of the LTS. Rev. Burns serves as pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Ventura, IA.

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From August 8-10, Rector Dr. Winterle and Bishop Maragelo attended a conference held at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Council Bluffs, IA on the “Formula of Concord in the Life of the Church.” The conference was held by Dr. Naomichi Masaki from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN. The Book of Concord is of course central to the life of the Lutheran church, but it is often underused and even misused. The course presented the Formula of Concord as an amazingly contemporary and invaluable handbook rivaling the Small Catechism. It provided an opportunity not only for the Rector and LCSA Bishop to be enriched themselves, but also for international fellowship and exchange within the established church fellowship of the confessional Lutheran global fraternity.

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During their visit to St. Louis, LTS Rector Dr. Winterle and LCSA Bishop Maragelo stopped by the Lutheran Hour Ministries’ headquarters. Afterwards, they were invited to dinner at the house of one of the Brazilian Lutherans serving in the US, Rev. Nilo and his wife Liane Figur. Rev. Figur serves as LHM regional director for Latin America. They were joined by representatives from the LCMS office of international mission, namely Rev. and Mrs. Dan McMiller and Rev. and Mrs. Kevin Robson, as well as by Rev. John Messmann from Texas who helps coordinate the Lutheran mission outreach to Mozambique.

Rev. Figur and his wife hosted the party to a Brazilian barbecue known as a churrasco. The event provided wonderful fellowship and a good opportunity to talk informally about Lutheran mission worldwide and the LTS, its role, and its challenges and opportunities in this regard.

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After visiting one of the LTS’ sister seminaries, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in Missouri, USA, Rector Winterle and Bishop Maragelo met up with LCMS Missionary to Togo Rev. Jacob Gaugert in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Rev. Gaugert serves as a theological educator at the Lutheran Center for Theological Studies in Dapaong, Togo, a Francophone Lutheran seminary serving many churches in West Africa. Gaugert is currently on furlough in the USA, reconnecting with the congregations supporting him in prayer and with financial gifts, and he was very helpful to our representatives as they travelled around the LCMS in finding transport and accommodation, making contacts, and attending conferences throughout the Midwest. We pray the Lord’s blessings for Rev. Gaugert during his time in the US, and also for his return to Togo and wherever else the Lord might send him in Africa next year.

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As part of their trip, LTS Rector C. Walter Winterle and LCSA Bishop Modise Maragelo visited their counterparts at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in Missouri, USA. Here they are pictured with Dr. Douglas Rutt (Provost) and Dr. Dale Meyer (President) of CSL and Rev. Dr. John Messmann of St. Paul Lutheran, Fort Worth, TX.

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The two African churchmen visited members of the St. Philip Lutheran Mission Society (SPLMS) in Elmhurst, IL on Saturday, August 11. The SPLMS supports the work of the LTS in South Africa. Pictured here are Rev. Anthony Oliphant, who has lectured at the LTS in the recent past, and Rev. Chris Maronde, chairman of the SPLMS.

Rector Winterle and Bishop Maragelo also attended the Lutheran Hour Ministries Conference  in Milwaukee, WI. Here they met up with Dr. Kurt Buchholz, President and CEO of LHM, and they also encountered some familiar faces at the conference.

A meeting was held with Dr. Laabs of the Lutheran Education Association – LEA, and representatives from LEASA (LEA South Africa)

On Tuesday, August 7, Rector Dr. Winterle and Bishop Maragelo had a very congenial and productive meeting with LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, his assistant, Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, who also serves as Executive Secretary of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), and LCMS Chief Mission Officer Rev. Kevin Robson. The two South African representatives also met up with Rev. Timothy Scharr of the Southern Illinois District (SID), which has worked closely together with the LTS in the past.

May the Lord God grant His continued blessings upon the trip. Rector Winterle and Bishop Maragelo are to return to South Africa on August 16.

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