April 24, 2025
Dear Saints of the Lord in the Atlantic District,
Greetings to you in the Name of our Savior Jesus, who died for our sin and was raised for our justification! “I thank my God … because of your partnership in the gospel” (Phil. 1:3 and 5).
The Office of National Mission (ONM) serves the nearly 6000 congregations and 1800 Lutheran schools of the LCMS as you and your brothers and sisters in Christ carry out God’s mission: To Make Disciples for Life (Matt. 28:19-20 & John 10:10). Your work toward this end is valuable and treasured by the Lord. Thank you for what you do to serve in “God’s Mission Here.”
That phrase, “God’s Mission Here” is a significant one for me and my team in ONM. I have found that too often, people think about mission work as something that happens far away. But the Lord’s Mission is carried out as God’s people show mercy to their neighbor and as they share the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection with those around them. So that means, that mission work happens overseas through our LCMS missionaries, but it most certainly happens all over North America in our LCMS congregations and schools and, as God’s people go out into their communities and neighborhoods. It happens through you. So, I give thanks to God for you and for the work that you are doing.
With some of the challenges we face in our country today, people can be discouraged by things like declining church attendance, troubled families, growing secularization, and violence in our communities. But God’s grace is sufficient for us (1 Cor. 12:9), and He desires that we would be about the work that He has given His Church and His people to do.
We desire to support you in that work in areas like Witness, Worship, School Ministry, Church Planting, and more. We provide resources (generally free, though some at minimal cost), networking, and even some consultation. We do this in partnership with the districts of the LCMS. Please ask your district staff for more information about ONM, check out one of the blue God’s Mission Here trifolds, or reach out to my team with questions.
Please know that I pray for you weekly. You, and your work, will remain in my prayers. The Lord’s blessings to you for your convention and for the years ahead! “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58)!
In Christ,
Rev. Daniel Galchutt
Office of National Mission, Executive Director
