REV. ROD BENKENDORF ACCEPTS CALL TO LHF DE The Rev. Rod Benkendorf has accepted a call to serve in development and church relations at the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. In his new position, Rev. Benkendorf will be responsible for Rev. Rod Benkendorf developing strong connections with churches and individual members, so that they may play a part in the LHF mission. “What I love the most about the LHF mission is the simplicity of it,” Rev. Benkendorf said. “There’s a simple need: people need God’s Word in the Small Catechism,
POLAND:
LHF’S “RIVER OF LIFE” VBS MAKE
This summer, a Lutheran school teacher, a military supply chain manager and a 12-year-old girl and her father shared the Gospel with children in Poland using LHF’s “River of Life” VBS curriculum. For the past 10 years, the LCMS Office of International Ministry (OIM) has coordinated short-term mission volunteers to run summertime English as a Second Language (ESL) vacation Bible school camps in Poland. This year, OIM organized 9 camps in Poland and one in the Czech Republic, each attended by 20-50 kids. “While Americans plan and run the camp—teaching lessons, leading music and crafts—they definitely don’t do it alone,” explained Anna Gonzalez, DCE and manager of OIM’s Short-term Mission Training and Engagement. “The local pastor might be involved in opening and closings, and church volunteers serve as translators, provide the snacks and are extra hands in the craft area.” Parents are eager to enroll their children in the VBS camps 2
in the Book of Concord, in children’s Bible books, translated into their own languages. [LHF Founder] Rev. Robert Rahn saw that need, and then decided to establish this organization to get God’s Word out there from our Lutheran perspective.” Rev. Benkendorf will be based out of Missouri, where he will be available as a guest preacher and Bible study leader at LCMS congregations. “We are really looking forward to Rev. Benkendorf being part of the LHF mission,” said LHF Executive Director Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise. “He has such enthusiasm for spreading the Gospel and for LHF’s work in particular, which will undoubtedly be passed on to the congregations
At left, one of the churches emphasized the River that flows from Jesus death on the cross to the ba font. At right, volunteers from Community Lut Church in Escondido, Calif. teach Polish child English hymn.
to improve their English conversation skills, and along the way, the children hear the Gospel time and again. With LHF’s “River of Life” program, the students learned how God uses simple water to save His people. Through the stories of creation, Noah, Moses crossing the Red Sea, Jonah and the baptism of Jesus, the children were reminded of their own baptisms and their Heavenly Father’s love for them. “I really liked the theme of water, and some of the
