“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Who will I send? Who will go for Us?’ I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Isaiah 6:8

Greetings dear sisters in Christ!

First, thank you for bringing our mission projects to the hearts and minds of your members. How blessed we are to have them “in mission” with us! It was with great thankfulness and joy I announced at Convention that ALL mission grants were paid out for the 2024-26 biennium! To God be the glory!

It was also a joy to meet so many of you at the Convention! Thanks to each of you who stopped by the Gospel Outreach table; your hugs, smiles, and mission hearts are such an encouragement. I only know many of you from emails – so why didn’t I take pictures? I’m still asking myself that question.

Convention delegates voted to accept and fund 23 mite projects in 24 months! You know what that means? Yes! By the grace of God, we will endeavor with our Plentiful Prayers and Mighty Mites to complete a mite project per month. One a month seems impossible, but as the angel Gabriel said, “But nothing is impossible for God.” We ARE Women in Mission!

This year and next we grab our passport, Jesus, to travel throughout the District, the Country, and the World. Our first destination…Afterschool Engagement Through Faith, Bethany Lutheran, Vacaville, CA. Our mites will help Bethany Lutheran School serve children from kindergarten through 8th grade. They plan to offer faith-driven clubs for the students including gardening, cooking, Bible trivia, choir, arts, sports, and running. These enriching experiences will connect students and families and foster Christian fellowship and spiritual growth outside of traditional classroom hours. They are asking for $4,000 to pay for startup supplies.

Hope to see you soon at our next destination!

Wonderful things are happening with our 2024-2026 Mission Grant #12 – Construction Zone LINC Youth Ministry Training funds. LINC Bay Area hosted the Impact Conference, a youth event held in January at Good Shepherd Lutheran in Hayward. Over 100 young people attended, including youth who traveled from St. Louis, Tennessee, and even Germany.

It is exciting to see our youth coming together and learning how to spread the word of our Lord to others. Grant money from LWML for LINC was used for this event.

The women of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Pinole planned a group outing instead of the regular April meeting. We rode the SMART train from Larkspur to Windsor, where we shared a delightful lunch and visited local shops. With 17 women in attendance, there was plenty of time for conversation along the way, making it a memorable experience. We were also joined by women from Our Savior’s Grief Share program and the Tuesday Quilting Group. Connecting with other groups within the church was wonderful, and some are interested in joining our LWML group!

The LWML CNH convention in Sacramento in April was attended by six women from Our Savior. The congregation supported the ingathering, and many items were delivered. We enjoyed all the convention had to offer, especially the Saturday evening dinner and the Roaring ’20s theme.

The LWML Zone 11 Hawaii Spring Zoom Event, “Hope in Eastern Asia,” provided a meaningful opportunity for fellowship, reflection, and spiritual growth. Held on April 11, 2026, the gathering brought together 19 attendees from across multiple time zones uniting LWML women in Christ despite the distance.

Centered on Acts 16:6–10, the event explored how the Holy Spirit guided the Apostle Paul during his missionary journey, opening and closing doors according to God’s purpose. This passage reminded participants that even when plans shift or paths seem uncertain, God’s direction is always intentional and filled with purpose.

The event featured guest speakers Matt and Dee Dee Wasmund. The Wasmund family serves the Lord in Seoul, South Korea, where Matt works as the Asia educator manager for the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). Their mission work focuses on supporting Lutheran education and encouraging leaders across Eastern Asia.

The LWML Zone 11 Hawaii Spring Zoom Event, “Hope in Eastern Asia,” provided a meaningful opportunity for fellowship, reflection, and spiritual growth. Held on April 11, 2026, the gathering brought together 19 attendees from across multiple time zones uniting LWML women in Christ despite the distance.

Centered on Acts 16:6–10, the event explored how the Holy Spirit guided the Apostle Paul during his missionary journey, opening and closing doors according to God’s purpose. This passage reminded participants that even when plans shift or paths seem uncertain, God’s direction is always intentional and filled with purpose.

The event featured guest speakers Matt and Dee Dee Wasmund. The Wasmund family serves the Lord in Seoul, South Korea, where Matt works as the Asia educator manager for the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). Their mission work focuses on supporting Lutheran education and encouraging leaders across Eastern Asia.

Through personal stories and biblical insight, Matt and Dee Dee highlighted how the Holy Spirit continues to guide mission work today, drawing connections between Paul’s journey in Acts and their own experiences serving abroad. Their message reflected the event’s theme, offering hope and encouragement through the work God is doing in Eastern Asia.

The Spring Zoom Event was not only a time of learning, but also a chance for connection and encouragement among LWML sisters in Christ across Hawaii and beyond. The 19 participants gathered in faith, trusting that the same Spirit who led Paul continues to guide His people today.

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church was well represented at the 2026 LWML CNH Convention, held April 24–26 in Sacramento, California. Three women attended from St. Mark’s, joined by three more from area congregations: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Healdsburg, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Santa Rosa, and Grace Lutheran Church in Crescent City.

This event brought together members of the Lutheran faith to share in worship, service, learning, and fellowship. The convention served as a time to be encouraged in our faith in God and to strengthen relationships with Him, equipping us to serve Him with joy.

The LWML CNH Convention also provided an opportunity for Lutherans to join in service to others who are less fortunate. Attendees participated in two projects to support unhoused neighbors in Sacramento. The two projects aimed to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of these individuals, treating them with dignity and hope. Lists of needed items were distributed ahead of time so church members would know what to purchase and bring.

Laura Lynn Ledson dedicated many hours to constructing a beautiful three-foot tall Manzanita Cross for the altar. She also designed a banner for the convention, which she and Dana Finger carried in a procession for all to see.

Each day began with a devotional time, followed by uplifting song fests on both Saturday and Sunday mornings. On Saturday night, attendees enjoyed a banquet with a “Roaring Twenties” theme. Many members dressed in period attire, and the evening included enjoyable entertainment as part of the festivities.
Before leaving on Sunday, the group gathered for a worship service, which provided a wonderful conclusion to three days of fellowship.

At its monthly meeting, the Sacramento Lutheran Youth Group (Zones 4 and 19) supported the CNH Disability Ministry Committee by assembling 75 Special Needs Buddy Bags at Faith Lutheran Church in Fair Oaks. Each bag includes headphones, sensory tools, and picture communication cards. The bags will soon be available to district churches and schools to help children feel more comfortable and secure in worship and classroom settings.

The Sacramento Lutheran Youth Group will be supported by Mission Grant #7 and Special Needs Buddy Bags is Mission Grant #8 (both for the 2026-28 biennium). It was encouraging to see youth who will benefit from these grants actively supporting the Disability Ministry initiative.

We were so excited to have 4 Young Woman Representatives (YWR’s) at the LWML CNH Convention in Sacramento, April 24-26, 2026. Their names are (left-right): Ashley Hurtado (Zone 15), Sara Russel (Zone 19), Kaytlyn Coyne (Zone 7), and Shannon Conroy (Zone 19).

We look forward to hearing more about their experience in future!

Grant #1: Afterschool Engagement Through Faith, Bethany Lutheran, Vacaville, $4,000
Bethany Lutheran School in Vacaville serves children from Kindergarten through 8th grade, and intends to offer faith-driven clubs for students, including gardening, cooking, Bible trivia, choir, arts, sports, and running. Their goal is to connect students and families and provide enriching experiences, while fostering Christian fellowship and spiritual growth outside of traditional classroom hours. The grant will cover for startup costs.

Grant #2: Igniting His Children with the Word of God, St. Peter, Lodi, $5,400
St. Peter Lutheran Church in Lodi, CA, has been hosting meetings for groups of neighborhood boys and girls where they learn about Jesus and grow in faith together. They call themselves Sparks and Sparklers because their faith is sparked by the Holy Spirit. The grant will continue this outreach to youth and pay for biblical crafts, games and snacks.

Share stories about your successful past events and plans for upcoming events. Share what inspires you. We welcome photos!