A member of Our Savior Deaf Lutheran Church in Madison, WI signs "Silent Night"
12/24/2011
06/07/2011
05/26/2011
DEAF PASTOR TO LEAD LUTHERAN DEAF MISSION SOCIETY
News Release:
SAINT LOUIS, MO, <May 24, 2011> - The Board of Directors of the Lutheran Deaf Mission Society (LDMS) at its annual meeting in Frankenmuth, Michigan elected Rev. Dennis Konkel to be the Executive Director of the Lutheran Deaf Mission Society. Rev. Konkel, from Des Moines, Iowa, is a missionary-at-large for the Iowa District West of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Rev. Konkel succeeds Rev. Dr. Rodney Rynearson, who submitted his intention to retire to the Board of Directors.
Rev. Konkel became deaf due to German measles and attended and graduated from the Michigan School for the Deaf in Flint, Michigan in 1968. After his High School graduation he attended Gallaudet University in Washington, DC and began his studies to be a Chemistry researcher. He graduated as Chemistry major from Gallaudet University in 1973. It was at this time that he became a Lutheran under Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf -LCMS and confirmed into this church that was not afraid to take a stand for the truth of the Gospel.
In October 1973, Dennis has worked for the United States government as a chemist at National Institute of Health in Maryland and at St. Elizabeth Hospital (US Government hospital for mental illness) in Washington, DC as a brain scientist. In August 1985, he became an associate researcher (still as a brain scientist) for FIDIA-Georgetown Institute for the Neurosciences at Georgetown University in Wash., DC near Virginia and worked at the Institute from 1985 to 1997.
In March 1997, after much prayer and careful consideration on his part and his family’s, he decided to go to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri to become a deaf Lutheran church pastor or a Missionary at Large. In May, 1997, he was accepted as a student at the seminary and began his studies in the summer of 1997. Upon completion of his academic studies in the summer of 1999, he began to serve his one-year vicarage at Peace Lutheran Church for the Deaf in Indianapolis, Indiana under the supervision of Pastor Jerold Munz. On April 25, 2001, the District Iowa West extended a call for him to become Missionary at Large (MAL) and he accepted the call. On May, 18, 2001, he graduated from the seminary, and on July 8, 2001 at Calvary Lutheran Church for the Deaf in Des Moines, Iowa, he was ordained into the Holy Ministry.
Rev. Konkel and his wife, Susan (also deaf), have two deaf daughters and make their home in Des Moines, Iowa.
“Thanks be to God for the many years of service that Rev. Dr. Rynearson gave to deaf ministry in the parish, at the Lutheran School for the Deaf, at the national LCMS, and as Executive Director of LDMS.” Says Rev. Jerold Munz, pastoral advisor, International Lutheran Deaf Association. “I thank the Lord for Rev. Dr. Rynearson and others for refusing to allow deaf ministry in the LCMS to sink into oblivion and saw to it that the LDMS was brought into fruition. Since 1896 the Church has claimed only a hearing person can fill the leadership positions for the Church-at-Large. I am excited that the LDMS has elected a deaf person to the position of Executive Director. My prayer is that Rev. Dennis Konkel will give many years of service as Executive Director and that many wonderful things will happen under his leadership. 1 Chronicles 28:20 ‘”Be strong and courageous and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service … of the Lord is finished.”’
Rev. Konkel can be contacted at dennis.konkel@idwlcms.org.
The Lutheran Deaf Mission Society engages in evangelism to help Deaf People and their families see Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and in Christian training to help Deaf Persons serve Jesus Christ as His redeemed people. The Lutheran Deaf Mission Society raises funds to support its outreach and training for the purpose of helping congregations and districts of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod reach the Deaf People in their area.
05/07/2011
Fantastic Blessing!
They rejoiced in the blessings God has so wondrously given to LDMS.
They thanked Pastor Rynearson for all his work. He thanks all those who helped him.
They installed the Rev. Dennis Konkel as the Executive Director of the LDMS.
After only 117 years of work sharing Christ with Deaf persons, LCMS has elected a Deaf Leader!
Fantastic blessing
04/11/2011
Deaf LITES in Northern Illinois
Deaf LITES in for the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois stateline area will be held June 15-19, 2011 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Palatine, Illinois.
Costs and program are still being determined.
For more information, please contact Betty Jo Lucero at her email address: bjolucero@aol.com
2 New DIT Deaconess Interns
What a great day we had on Sunday, March 20, 2011! Two new Deaf Institute of Theology Deaconess Interns were inducted. Dawn Polzin, (Madison, WI) and Loreena Steenes (Duluth, MN) began their DIT Deaconess internships with Our Savior Deaf Lutheran Church (OSDLC) in Madison, Wisconsin.
Both Dawn and Loreena completed courses in the Deaf PAH! Program of the Lutheran Deaf Mission Society. They been studying in the Deaconess Program of the Deaf Institute of Theology with Concordia Seminary in St. Louis for two years.
Dawn, Loreena and their mentor, Rev. John Reinke use a variety of technologies to meet together on a regular basis. Rev. Reinke and Dawn meet at OSDLC. Loreena joins them thru webcams and software programs that make it possible for deaf people to communicate with sign language over the internet.
