Summer, 2025
We continue to fix our eyes on Jesus and the mission He has to seek and to save the world. Through congregations in our District the Gospel is being shared across the state and the world.
We seek to continue to do more together.
This story is a true and powerful account of God’s heart and work in Michigan District missions:
The story of redemption flowed through every word and deed in Rev. Mandla Khumalo’s life. A non-believing young South African during Apartheid, he knew only violence and rebellion. When a pastor gave him respite as he ran from the government, he invited young Mandla to church. It was there he learned for the first time that God loves all people. He knew God was leading him to a new life of speaking and demonstrating peace to South Africans.
With a changed heart, he studied at Concordia Theological Seminary, was ordained by an LCMS partner church in his country, and went on to establish St. Peter Confessional Lutheran Church in Mhluzi, Middleburg, South Africa. In short time, St. Peter became a thriving network of 10 satellite churches, a Lutheran preschool and grade school, and compassion ministries to attend to health and economic needs in the church community.
In 2019, the Michigan District welcomed Rev. Khumalo for a 2-year stay as a visiting missionary and evangelist. God’s miraculous transformation that started with a pastor’s invitation and turned a young rebel into a community builder compelled District leaders to ask, “How can we work together as God’s people and People of Hope?”
Rev. Khumalo helped numerous Michigan District congregations develop and implement evangelism experiences. He shared his powerful transformation story with schools and congregations. He encouraged and participated in outreach to diverse racial and economic communities in Michigan. He mentored Rev. Moses Dangba, who was installed in 2023 as pastor at Living Word Lutheran Church in Lansing. He sought international partnerships for his beloved St. Peter Church.
He loved others as Christ loved him (John 13:34).
Friends, this is the mission of the Church! Christ came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
With the same fervor as Rev. Khumalo’s, the Michigan District will establish new and revitalized congregations, increase ethnic immigrant ministry, form campus ministry partnerships with local congregations, strengthen urban ministry community mentoring and workforce development, grow congregation-based compassion ministries, and enable international missions.
Grants and assistance from the District already help congregations and ministries to share the love of Christ with their communities in all these ways. Your gift to the Michigan District Mission & Ministry Fund or the Missions Endowment will continue Rev. Khumalo’s vision to reach all God’s people in the Michigan District and beyond.
Shortly after Rev. Khumalo returned to South Africa in 2021, God called him to eternal rest. We remember his words: “At some point we will depart this world, no matter how and at what age, and when my time comes, my hope is that I shall have contributed to someone who could do better than I have done and that my name should not be remembered for anything but the humble contribution I shall have made to this world.”
Thank God for our Brother Khumalo. We will carry on his work here in the District.
…eyes on Jesus…
Rev. David A. Davis, President
Michigan District, LCMS
Download Printable Summer Appeal Letter
