Faith & Mental Health

The Lutheran Foundation • March 3, 2025

All are invited to register for the 2025 LookUp Conference

Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Conference Center, Fort Wayne, IN, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm


Join us for presentations, conversations, and breakout sessions with church leaders and experts who are working to integrate faith and mental health in the Lutheran and broader faith community. This one-day event will give pastors, church workers, and laypeople practical ideas in providing care, comfort, and support for people in their congregation and ministry settings. You will leave feeling inspired, energized, and ready to make an impact. 


Only $35 per ticket!


Keynote speakers are Dr. Beverly Yahnke speaking on Mental Health and the Church and Laura Howe will speak on Christ, Community, Connection, and Hope.  You'll see our own Pastor Nate listed under one of many interesting topics for breakout sessions.


Breakout Session Topics and Speakers

  • “Building a Circle of Care around People Living with Substance Abuse” by The Reverend Nate Widener
  • “Comfort and Hope for the Weary Caregiver” by Dr. Kim Marxhausen
  • “Compassionate Care for Those with Depression” by Dr. Beverly Yahnke
  • “Finding Hope in Helping: Preventing Burnout and Compassion Fatigue” by Laura Howe
  • “Guiding Youth to Find Hope in Mental Health Challenges” by Deaconess Heidi Goehmann
  • “The Balanced Life under the Sun (and Son)” by The Reverend Dr. Rick Marrs
  • “Trauma Informed Ministry” by The Reverend Rick Jones
For more information click HERE to visit www.lookupconference.com

News & Notes

By Tim Degen July 7, 2025
You are invited!
By Pastor Adam McDowell July 7, 2025
I want to share a story, actually several stories. I remember when I was young in Tulsa, Oklahoma and in Fredericktown, Missouri, of going up to the altar rail with my parents and receiving a blessing from my pastor. I remember sticking my head in between the posts on the altar rail and the pastor giving me a blessing. I don't exactly remember the words, but I knew it was important and I wanted that blessing. I remember in confirmation learning about what the pastor was actually saying, what those words actually meant. To understand what God was saying in his scriptures and growing in it. Overall, just being absolutely amazed at what my pastors, Pastor Sean and Pastor Beering were teaching me and knowing God better and just the joyfulness of it. And I remember Lyndi going through confirmation, adult confirmation, with Pastor Schueler in Rosenberg, Texas, and then seeing from her eyes what it meant to be Lutheran, to understand the faith. I had grown up in the Lutheran church, so it was all ordinary for me, but for her it was extraordinary to know and to understand and have that time with a pastor. And I'm so thankful for the pastors in my life and all of the other church workers that have been a part of my life who have helped me to understand who God is. I mentioned in this weekend’s sermon that there's an initiative, a program through the LCMS called Set Apart to Serve. It points out that we have a lack of pastors, teachers, and other church workers. Set Apart to Serve reminds us that the Lord asks us to pray for laborers for the harvest, and I encourage you to pray for laborers for the harvest. To pray for those that teach us who God is and to help us to understand how much we need him. If you happen to know some young people considering church work or being pastors, pray for them, encourage them. God has gifted them to us to answer our questions. Pray fervently that the Lord would send workers into his harvest so that we know him. Keep that in your prayers. I encourage you to look for people who would be good to take God's calling into his church. May the Lord provide workers for His harvest that we may know God and how richly He blesses us. Amen.
By Compassionate Care Collection July 7, 2025
By Debbie Haentfling & Bobbie Shadle
By Pastor Adam McDowell July 7, 2025
Sermon by Pastor Adam McDowell
By Board of Directors June 30, 2025
Announcement - Special Voter's Meeting
By Pastor Nate Widener June 30, 2025
A Note from Pastor Nate
By Lisa Hieber June 30, 2025
Thank you to all of the 2025 VBS Volunteers. Thanks to you, we were able to share the Love of God with over 97 children this year!
By Ministry Impact: Outdoor Ministry June 30, 2025
Camp Lutherhaven is our special monthly offering for July.
By Pastor Nate Widener June 30, 2025
Sermon by Pastor Nate Widener
By Tim Degen June 23, 2025
Written by Tim Degen, Director of Music & Organist
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