Our second annual Germany FORO took place in late September. During that action-packed week, we presented to a host of guests from the LCMS the various areas of LCMS mission work in Germany. Lula was the driving force in putting this fantastic event together, which included a variety of missionary presentations in Eisenach (even touring Wartburg Castle!), Leipzig, Wittenberg, and Berlin. Our guests were greatly encouraged that our Lord is blessing the Persian Project, and they were able to see and hear first-hand how LCMS missionaries have translated Lutheran hymnody and liturgy into Farsi. Also, two of our Iranian students at Riga Luther Academy, our online seminary, shared stories of their conversion to Lutheran Christianity. One highlight of the FORO, as our guests shared, was our visit to probably the largest Persian Lutheran church in the world—in Berlin-Steglitz.
By the way, keep in mind that we are working on the Persian Project even while the United States is engaged in a more or less hot war with Iran. We trust that the Lord will sooner or later deliver the Iranian people from the evil dictators who have been oppressing them for almost fifty years. Because once these wicked rulers are gone, there will be an enormous opportunity for Christianity and thus a great need for Lutheran pastors. For this reason, with your support, we are working even today to prepare suitable men to become Lutheran pastors, who will in a few years be able to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to their fellow citizens—perhaps even directly in their newly liberated homeland and not only in the Iranian diaspora (that is, in Germany and the U.S.).
In October, I also preached, taught, and did pastoral counseling in Cologne, Wittenberg, Hamburg, and Halle.
On October 25, I conducted my last sermon in Germany before flying to the U.S. next week to go on home service in November and December. I am very grateful to have been invited to preach and present in Wisconsin, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, and California, and Lula and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on our travels. Here is our itinerary:
Nov 5: Redeemer LC, Sheboygan. WI
Nov 6: Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, WI (chapel service)
Nov 8: Elm Grove LC, Elm Grove, WI
Nov 12: CHI Annual Membership Meeting and Awards Banquet, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO
Nov 15: St. Paul’s LC, Strasburg, IL
Nov 22: Trinity LC, Norman, OK
Dec 5: Mission Central, Mapleton, IA
Dec 6: Lord of Life LC, Elkhorn, NE
Dec 9: Immanuel LC, Cedar Falls, NE
Dec 13: Christ LC, La Mesa, CA
I particularly look forward to visiting with our LCMS congregations in the San Diego area which have Afghan parishioners, many of whom have been living in the U.S. since they fled from Kabul in the summer of 2022. Also, Southern California is home to some 800,000 Iranians. It is my hope, with God’s help, to be able to build a bridge between our LCMS Persian Project work in Eurasia with existing LCMS Persian ministry on the West coast.
It is a privilege to serve on your behalf here in Eurasia, and Lula and I thank you so much for your continued love and support, which makes all this possible.
God bless you all!
Pastor Tiews and Lula
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