As we ate our lunch a little while ago, we had the privilege of a special, honored guest joining us. Reverend Samuel, the President of the India Evangelical Lutheran Church, a partner church of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is in Chennai for meetings today. He is then on his way to Nagercoil to celebrate the Jubilee of the Seminary there next weekend.

As he addressed the group, Reverend Samuel shared with us a brief bit of the history of the IELC and its relations with the LCMS. In 1885, a missionary from the LCMS arrived in India--making India the first mission field to which an LCMS missionary was sent. Tragically, this missionary died after only a few years due to the plague, but mission work in India was begun and has continued for over 120 years. Reverend Samuel made the point that should you visit the LCMS headquarters in St. Louis, the display of flags representing the countries in which the LCMS is working is headed by the Indian flag--symbolic of the fact that India, in 1885, was the first mission field to be opened.

Accompanying the Reverend President was Pastor Herbert Hoefer, professor at Concordia University, Portland, and former missionary to India. Pastor Hoefer currently serves the LCMS Mission Board in an oversight position with responsibilities for India and Sri Lanka. He, too, is in India for the anniversary in Nagercoil later this week.

I know I can safely speak for all the members of the team that it was an honor to meet President Samuel and I know we will continue to raise him, the IELC, and the Christian Media Centre up in our prayers.