It was such a blessing to welcome Anne Schaff from Minnesota who drove all the way here to Mission Central to deliver a special “donation” that will be utilized by many of our Mission Central quilters in this entire area. Anne came to see the new Creation Theater, and to once again return to her Family Roots location. Yes, it…
For special friends from LaPine, Oregon and Huron, South Dakota to take the time to stop and have a tour at Mission Central in the hills of Western Iowa in the middle of nowhere, ya just gotta know that they are truly people who are NOT NORMAL! Normal people wouldn’t take time to stop and visit this type of place!…
What a blessing to have special NOT NORMAL friends like Kenneth and Diana Armknecht from Brule, Nebraska. Now that’s way, way out on the Western Part of Nebraska. Do you know why they are not normal? Because they are people who truly trust in the Lord Jesus with their whole hearts! Several years ago, they just took and chance and…
What an absolute JOY to welcome our dear long time friends of Mission Central from Norfolk, Nebraska the Honorable Missionaries Judith and Fred Otten on Tuesday afternoon the 22nd of September. Fred and Judith brought their long time friends and people who have never been to Mission Central, Bruce and Carolyn Cheney from Norfolk, Nebraska. It is because God called…
Our dear friends, who are members of Christ Lutheran of Norfolk, Nebraska, Bruce and Carolyn Cheny came to visit Mission Central for the very first time! These dear folks wanted to come for such a long time, and then when their good friends Missionary Judith Otten and her husband Fred invited them to come with them, they came for a…
Saturday the 19th of September was truly a special day that we will always remember here at the Lord’s Mission Central. It was the day that 7 truly NOT NORMAL people came for a tour and visit to this MIRACLE PLACE. Yes, Missionaries, Rita and Vernon Letsche brought a group from Christ Lutheran at Remsen, Iowa for a day tour. …
What a blessing to welcome the amazing new missionary family that God has called to serve the people in the Cayman Islands! On September 12th, 2020, with the cooperation of Missionary Rev. Richard Gudgel, of Utica, Nebraska, an entire group of NOT NORMAL people came for a day tour and visit to the Lord’s Mission Central! It was so special…
Without the Lord sending such valuable and NOT NORMAL Volunteer Missionaries, we couldn’t carry out the work that God has called us to do here at the Lord’s Mission Central. A CLASSIC example is the work of Volunteer Driver, Dr. Ed Bohlman from Omaha, Nebraska! Who would be willing to pick a missionary family at the Omaha Airport, arriving from…
One thing for certain is the fact that if a special couple will be willing to drive from Gorham, Illinois all the way to the Lord’s Mission Central, they truly have to be people who are NOT NORMAL. They are in the world, but NOT of the world! Yes, Missionaries Willard and Ruth Ann Arbeiter are truly special friends and…
SPECIAL GUESTS ARRIVE FROM AURORA, COLORADO On Saturday the 5th of September we were able to welcome some long time friends to Mission Central. Pictured here in our office, you will see from left to right….Don and Elaine Berlinski and their friend, Kaye Cairns. They came all the way from Aurora, Colorado and spent the afternoon. They came in Kaye’s…
SPECIAL GUESTS ARRIVE FROM AURORA, COLORADO On Saturday the 5th of September we were able to welcome some long time friends to Mission Central. Pictured here in our office, you will see from left to right….Don and Elaine Berlinski and their friend, Kaye Cairns. They came all the way from Aurora, Colorado and spent the afternoon. They came in Kaye’s…
On Saturday the 5th of September we were able to welcome some long time friends to Mission Central. Pictured here in our office, you will see from left to right….Don and Elaine Berlinski and their friend, Kaye Cairns. They came all the way from Aurora, Colorado and spent the afternoon. They came in Kaye’s motor home and spent the night…
I heard the next year ESPN is going to cover the event! Get Outlook for iOS From: Thies, Gary <Gary.Thies@lcms.org> Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2020 8:43:50 AM To: Missioncentralupdates@gmail.com <Missioncentralupdates@gmail.com>; Dr. Dave Reddel <dreddel@gmail.com>; Brent Smith <brent.smith@lcms.org> Cc: Steve Turner <steve@iowadistrictwest.org>; Richard Snow <richs@ndlcms.org>; Kurt Kaiser <pastor.kaiser@ziondenison.com>; sparkles_jo@hotmail.com <sparkles_jo@hotmail.com>; Seth Kaiser <bstrongandcourageous@yahoo.com>; David Lyons <davidlyons2962@gmail.com>; Merle Mahnken <immansch@iowatelecom.net>; rkanoy@stpaulsarlington.org <rkanoy@stpaulsarlington.org>;…
AMAZING 78TH BIRTHDAY BATTLE AT MISSION CENTRAL! It was one of those nights that one can never, never forget! It was the 28th of August and at 5:00PM the offices of the Lord’s Mission Central was shaken by the beginning of a special event. It was the Birthday Event of the century! Yes, Old Missionary Gary was celebrating his…
It was one of those nights that one can never, never forget! It was the 28th of August and at 5:00PM the offices of the Lord’s Mission Central was shaken by the beginning of a special event. It was the Birthday Event of the century! Yes, Old Missionary Gary was celebrating his 78th Birthday…and who should come as special guests…3…
NOT NORMAL MISSION FESTIVAL AT FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH AT HAZARD, NEBRASKA! It was one of those VERY, VERY SPECIAL MISSION FESTIVALS, THAT WE WILL NEVER, NEVER FORGET. The Honorable Missionary Rev. Dean A. Hanson scheduled a special “Joint Mission Festival” with the congregations that he has the privilege of serving at Grace Lutheran Church at Pleasanton, Nebraska and Faith Lutheran…
WIOTA AND AUDUBON, IOWA CONGREGATIONS COME TO MISSION CENTRAL FOR PASTOR JAMES SHARP! What a blessing to welcome the congregations from Wiota and Audubon, Iowa to the Lord’s Mission Central. This NOT NORMAL group of folks came for a full day tour! They were led by their Pastor Michael Bodkins and his wife Julie. Here you see the group…
What a blessing to welcome the congregations from Wiota and Audubon, Iowa to the Lord’s Mission Central. This NOT NORMAL group of folks came for a full day tour! They were led by their Pastor Michael Bodkins and his wife Julie. Here you see the group in the Ministry Central listening to the report given by our dear Missionary Rev….
It was one of those VERY, VERY SPECIAL MISSION FESTIVALS, THAT WE WILL NEVER, NEVER FORGET. The Honorable Missionary Rev. Dean A. Hanson scheduled a special “Joint Mission Festival” with the congregations that he has the privilege of serving at Grace Lutheran Church at Pleasanton, Nebraska and Faith Lutheran Church at Hazard, Nebraska. That date was August 23rd, 2020, and…
Scripture tells us so clearly in John 16:33..”In this world you will have trouble, but, take heart, I have overcome the world”…these are words of Jesus, and there are times in this life of great sadness, however, the Lord is always with us. What helps us through in times of great sadness are special friends that the Lord puts…
What a blessing to welcome our new Missionary Sandra Rhein to Mission Central for a days training and orientation on Thursday the 20th of August. It was such a wonderful day and Sandra enjoyed a tour of the entire Mission Central campus. Sandra will be working with several locations in Asia, and hopes to leave before too long for Taiwan,…
“Normal Congregations” when they received an inheritance, the normal thing to do is the attitude of “well, now we have a reserve at the congregation, and we can save this for a rainy day, because “we may need that money”. That was NOT the case with the NOT NORMAL people who served on the Mission Endowment Committee at Immanuel Lutheran…
Yes, what a BLESSING to welcome our newest missionary Iowa District West’s very own Missionary Teacher, the Honorable Missionary Barbara Rebentisch who was born, raised and attended Lutheran School at our Zion Lutheran School at Paullina, Iowa!! Barb is the daughter of missionary Arnold Hibbing, and his late wife Wanda. Arnold was a missionary in Africa and provided some wonderful…
In spite of the “Pandemic” we have found that the Lord does NOT stop HIS new missionaries from coming to HIS Mission Central. Yes the Lord is totally and completely in charge of all things that happen at HIS world famous Mission Central! On Saturday the 8th of August, we were so happy to welcome our newest missionary couple truly…
What a blessing to welcome Missionary Kelly Haynes one of three new missionaries who have accepted the Lord’s call to go to tell people about Jesus in lands of darkness! Yes, Kelly was here at the Lord’s World Famous Mission Central on August 8th, 2020 for a full afternoon for a full 5 hours of instruction and training! What a…
Long time friends are special! The Lord brings people to Mission Central at “just the right time”!!! Recently, our dear, dear, dear friends in Christ, Jim and Mary Andersen came to visit MISSION CENTRAL. These dear and special Catholic Christian friends truly know Jesus as their Savior, and they wanted their grandchildren, Lyncoln and Alyssa to see what God can…
We were so blessed a year ago to be able to have our entire parking lot finished with 6 inches of asphalt, and what a blessing that has been for the thousands of visitors that come to this MIRACLE PLACE! The snow removal for last winter was such an encouragement, because for the first time we didn’t have to “dig…
What a special blessing to welcome Missionary Pastor Michael Bodkins and his dear wife Julie, and their grandchildren to Mission Central for a very, very special tour! We were so happy to welcome this NOT NORMAL family, as Pastor Bodkins and his wife Julie serve the congregations at Wiota and Audubon, Iowa. These congregations are planning a special tour here…
The Lord continues to “call” people at “just the right time”. We needed some new typists to help with the letters and dictation here at the Lord’s Mission Central. The Honorable Volunteer Missionary Typist, Carol Auen from Odebolt, Iowa came for special training by our Executive Secretary, Pam Kovarna. On August 4th, 2020 at 1:00PM an intensive training course was…
After old Missionary Gary spoke at the wonderful congregation at St. Peter Lutheran Church on August 2nd, 2020, the Holy Spirit touched the heart of a very special farm couple. The congregation has the Honorable Missionary Pastor Rev. Greg Schaffer as the shepherd of this amazing “flock”. The Spirit called a new volunteer to want to help with HIS work…
WHAT A SPECIAL 85TH BIRTHDAY PRESENT! Special Miracles keep right on happening at the Lord’s Mission Central! Yes, and Old Missionary Gary met Robert and Norma Gonnerman from Gresham, Nebraska many, many years ago. Immediately I could tell that Bob and Norma were truly NOT NORMAL. They were “in the world, but not of the world”!!! Robert is with the…
AMAZING MEDICK FAMILY FROM CHEROKEE, IOWA COME ON A SPECIAL MISSION! On August 1st, 2020, we were so happy to welcome the family of the late Missionary Delbert Medick of Cherokee, Iowa. Delbert was a very NOT NORMAL man…. He was a special man that loved the Lord Jesus and he loved the work of the Lord’s Mission Central. Delbert…
NOT NORMAL PEOPLE COME FROM ST. JOHN LUTHERAN AT RURAL, IRETON, IOWA FOR SPECIAL TOUR! One person can surely make a difference. The older we get the more we understand that in our lives. When we got the phone call from Missionary Laura Jasper a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Rural Ireton, Iowa it was clear that SHE…
What a special blessing, honor and privilege to have the President of the South Dakota District of the LCMS and his dear wife Sarah take time to stop and visit our humble setting here at the Lord’s Mission Central! President Sailer has been a wonderful friend for so, so many years, and because of “leadership people” like him in the…
ANOTHER “NOT NORMAL” COUPLE COME ALL THE WAY FROM WISCONSIN! Why would a couple drive all the way out of their way to come to the Lord’s Mission Central…here in the hills of Western Iowa? Why, because a missionary by the name of Rev. Ron Meyer told them about this MIRACLE place in the middle of nowhere!!!! On Tuesday afternoon…
It was one of those VERY SPECIAL DAYS, when the Lord called Ryan & Jessica Voelker to come to visit the world famous Mission Central!! Usually, Old Missionary Gary would be gone on Saturday traveling to speak at a congregation on Saturday….but, the Lord MUST have arranged to have him speak closer to home, and he was in his office…
It was a special Tuesday at the Lord’s Mission Central. A special day tour was planned for a new family that old Missionary Gary had never met until he had the privilege of speaking at Trinity Lutheran Church in Auburn, Nebraska! Yes, the Lord always puts the right people at the right place at “just the right time”. What a…
The Lord is so good to us here at HIS Mission Central. What a blessing to welcome to welcome the African Congregation that meets at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sioux City, Iowa. This special tour was organized by the Honorable Missionary Pastor David Zirpel, one of the pastors at Redeemer Lutheran. On Sunday afternoon July 19th, 2020, this entire group…
What a special Friday afternoon at the world famous Mission Central! We were so blessed to welcome special friends for a full tour of the facilities at this MIRACLE PLACE. What a JOY to welcome Jeff Allen and his dear wife Laura all the way from Oklahoma and also long, long time friends from Danbury, Iowa….Dean and Vae Uhl. The…
What an absolute blessing to welcome a very, very, very NOT NORMAL FAMILY to the world famous Mission Central! Yes, all the way from Columbus, Nebraska the Lord called The Wade and Nicole Johannes Family to come and spend an afternoon seeing what the Lord can do in the hills of western Iowa with an old set of farm buildings! …
What an honor and blessing to welcome the very famous Dr. Dale and Liza Grotelueschen for a tour of the world famous Mission Central. These dear friends took time out of their busy schedule to drive all the way here from Garland, Nebraska. In 2018 Dr. Dale Grotelueschen, veterinarian and director of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Great Plains Veterinary Educational…
Saturday the 18th of July was such a special day to welcome some dear friends from Lincoln, Nebraska, the Honorable Missionaries Linda and Bill Himmelberg. Bill and Linda drove over from Lincoln to have a special Tour of the facilities and to pray with Mission Gary and hear the MIRACLES that take place at this MIRACLE PLACE. It was such…
What a great blessing to have folks come from Sloan, Iowa and Panora, Iowa as well as Mapleton, Iowa to visit the Lord’s Mission Central. It was truly a special day on this Saturday to have this amazing group of Christian people who were NOT NORMAL come and be here to see what the Lord can do with an old…
Here you see the Keith Zediker Family from all the time zones of the United States gathered at the famous Mission Central sign on the evening of July 3rd, 2020. Yes, few people would think of coming to a place like this on a Holiday weekend! However, at the Keith Zediker home the entire family from across the United States…
What an amazing afternoon, with some folks from Columbus, Nebraska. They are the Pastor and his wife, Rev. Jim and Kristen Thelen, and their members Greg and Kate, Dirk and Kris, and Randy and Jane. It was an afternoon we all will remember! A time of touring, praying and seeing what God can do with an old set of farm…
Here we go again…..The Lord sends us some VERY, VERY SPECIAL NOT NORMAL PEOPLE that Old Missionary met over 20 years ago out in Eastern Colorado and spoke in two churches served by the Honorable Missionaries Rev. George and Ruth Ann Hesse! Yes, it was a long, long time ago, but these dear friends NEVER FORGOT OUR FRIENDSHIP AND TIME…
Yes, there are some very, very, very special days that we have been given here by the Lord at HIS Mission Central! On June 24th, 2020 we had the honor and privilege of being with ONE OF THE MOST “NOT NORMAL” PEOPLE THAT OLD MISSIONARY GARY HAS EVER MET. For over 20 years the Honorable Missionary Pilot Harry Barr from…
What do Missionaries look like? You might wonder about that question, but it’s not that hard. A long time friend from our area near Sioux City, Iowa by the name of Missionary Scott Herbold, is a teacher in a public school, and he is a real missionary. Yes, he brings buses from the public school to see Mission Central, so…
What a JOY and blessing to welcome Missionaries Marvin and Shirley Frerking from Robins, Iowa at the world famous The Lord’s Mission Central! These dear friends have been very, very special friends for many years and have been so supportive of the Lord’s work in helping missionaries over the years. These dear friends came with a very, very wonderful gift…
WHO WOULD DRIVE 5 AND A HALF HOURS FROM CAMBRIDGE, NEBRASKA TO MISSION CENTRAL? When we talk about “Only NOT NORMAL people come to the Lord’s Mission Central”…we really mean it!!! Yes, I knew for sometime that the Jim and Nora McGowen family from rural Cambridge, Nebraska were truly NOT NORMAL! They were “OUR KIND OF PEOPLE”….they love and teach…
