It all began in April, 1847, when representatives from 14 Evangelical Lutheran congregations met in Chicago to organize what is today known as The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. These people were German immigrants (Saxons, Prussians and Bavarians) who had come to this country primarily either to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience and/or to spread the Gospel of God's mercy and grace in Christ Jesus to the people of the "New World."

But why unite? Why form a church body? There were two main reasons. One, having found a doctrinal bond (common core of belief) among one another, they believed it God-pleasing that they express that unity of faith and confession by uniting corporately. Secondly, they were convinced that they could preserve that bond and carry on the work of the Lord far better together than any one of them could do it alone. Therefore, we, blessed with this legacy for more than 150 years, celebrate! We celebrate past blessings. We celebrate present opportunities. We celebrate future challenges.

It is a time when the Synod can celebrate today's challenges, tomorrow's opportunities and God's promises of blessing. Above all, the celebration is centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ -- the message that: "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16), and "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one may boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Back in 1847, 12 pastors representing 14 congregations signed a constitution establishing "The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States," a name that was shortened to The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod during the Synod's centennial anniversary. Today, the Synod's 6,175 congregations include 2.6 million baptized members. Our congregations operate 1,200 early childhood centers (the number growing at the rate of about one per week!); 996 day schools (the nation's largest Protestant elementary school system); and 62 high schools. As a Synod, we also operate one boarding high school, 10 colleges and two seminaries.

Congregations and schools are served well over 8,000 pastors, about 15,000 parochial school teachers, and numerous other full-time workers, such as deaconesses and directors of Christian education. Approximately 45 percent of the the Synod's full-time professional church workers are women. The LCMS has congregations in all section of the United States, but the heaviest concentration of its membership continue to lie in the Midwest. Our mission program reaches into 57 countries where we have mission stations, partner churches or mission relationships, and we have 281 missionaries in the field -- a figure that includes 126 volunteers, interns and vicars serving for six months or more.

As we celebrate our life together -- in congregations and as congregations in a Synod -- we also celebrate a faithful God, whose promise of forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus Christ is ever with us. Thanks be to God! To God alone be the glory!