Missions

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations

Matthew 28:19

Immanuel Lutheran Church gladly supports the mission authorized by Jesus recorded in Matthew 28:18-20: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” This mission is supported by individual members as they bear witness personally to their faith, by our pastors as they proclaim and teach the Word and baptize, and by the support our members and church provide to support local outreach efforts as well as international missions through the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and its auxiliaries, Lutheran Hour Ministries and Lutheran Women in Mission. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, this work helps to accomplish what St. Paul shared with the Corinthians: “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

While many members personally support mission efforts, we also as a congregation financially support these mission efforts:

Direct support for Lutheran Blind Ministry, Lutheran Library for the Blind, People of the Book Lutheran Outreach, Friendship Bible Class, Lutheran World Relief, LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces, Faith Comes by Hearing, International Lutheran Council, Bethania for Kids, and Prince of Peace.

Active Missionaries

Leif Camp

He graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and for more than 20 years has served as a missionary pastor in Russia. He lives in St. Petersburg, but travels all around the country, including Siberia. Russia is huge, with 11 time zones! He has two grown children. His son Karl now enrolled at Concordia Seminary to be a pastor.

Slava Shadrin

In 2007, we helped raise funds to provide a worship and training center in Minusinsk, Russia, for Transfiguration Lutheran Church. This city, located in South Siberia, is strategically located to be a training base to develop congregations in ten other communities within a radius of 20 miles. Vyasheslav Shadrin, was pastor and mission trainer, and he is now studying for his masters degree in Novosibirsk.

Slava Boychenko

Slava grew up as an atheist, believing there is no god. He studied music and fell in love with the work of J. S. Bach, a Lutheran composer. From his music, he first heard of Jesus. He moved to Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia, where he lived and studied right next to a Lutheran congregation. He volunteered to play piano for them, and ultimately became a Lutheran Christian. He is now a pastor.

Rev James and Deaconess Christel Nuendorf

Serve in Puerto Rico. The Lutheran congregations there are growing and have been very active in providing relief and support for victims of hurricanes there.

Rev. Matthew Prince

Grew up in Seymour and is a graduate of ILS. He became a Lutheran School teacher, then went back to study to be a pastor. He served as a mission pastor in Puerto Rico, where volunteers from Seymour helped to build a church. He then became a military Chaplain, serving with Marines in Iraq, with sailors on ships, and now is stationed at Virginia Beach.

Rev. Thomas Bernard

Serves at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and School in Port au Prince, Haiti. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and has been devastated by hurricanes, earthquakes, and many gangs that control the streets. Despite this, Good Shepherd had more than 500 children in their Lutheran School and has started several other locations, with the help of volunteer from Seymour and elsewhere.

Chuck Ferry

served as a vicar at Immanuel, prior to which he was a policeman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After serving in a congregation, he accepted the call to missionary work. He now is Asia Regional Director, International Mission, for the
Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. He, Cheryl, and their 7 children live in Romania.

John and Jenn Wolf

serve as LCMS missionaries in Kenya. As the Africa region’s
project manager, John provides oversight and support for projects and grants across the region, with a particular focus on mercy work. He also trains the local people and the local church partners to develop, manage and sustain projects that support Christian growth and congregational needs across Africa.