Harnessing captivating, full-color, three-dimensional computer animation, we embark on a profound journey into the intricate biological science of how God intricately knits together human beings in utero. This exploration extends beyond the development of embryos and fetuses to encompass the entirety of human existence, fostering meaningful conversations about the sanctity of life, touching upon profound matters such as capital punishment, overpopulation, sexual assault, child abuse, and societal responsiveness, all within the divine context of creation.

Pastor Salemink has served Lutherans For Life since 2015.  After growing up in Iowa, he has resided in most of the midwestern states and now makes his home in St. Louis.  His prior parish experience in Minnesota and Indiana includes a decade at a large congregation with a vibrant day school and lots of catechism classes, chapel services, and Bible studies.  A father of three boys, fan of sports and music, and avid runner, he writes regularly and speaks nationwide - including youth gatherings and teachers' conferences - equipping Lutherans and their neighbors to be Gospel-motivated voices For Life.

This retreat costs $40 per person and covers Friday night snacks, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and snacks, all presentations and activities, and overnight lodging at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. This retreat is intended for High School age students. The retreat will begin at 6 pm Friday and end at 3 pm Saturday. Please RSVP by December 22nd, 2023.

Boys and girls will have separate sleeping areas. Each group should have at least one female chaperone for the girls in their group and at least one male chaperone for the boys in their group. Attendees need to bring toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.), a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a change of clothing. There are no shower facilities. 

Andrea Hoover
260-222-1434
youthdirector@emanuelnh.org


Tana McKenna
Higher Things Retreat Coordinator
888-482-6630 x. 4
retreats@higherthings.org

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Serving God goes far beyond being an acolyte on Sunday morning, or helping with Sunday School and VBS. In your everyday life, you are a Mask of God. You carry the love of Christ to your neighbors in ways you may not even realize. Let’s explore how God the Father has gifted you to share his love with all your neighbors, not just your church family, and how important all of your work in this sinful world truly is.

Rev. Duane Bamsch is a born-and-bred Texan who enjoys living in the Sierra Nevada mountains and serving the people of God at Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA. His experience with Higher Things stretches back to 2005 when he was a participant, and he has served the organization in various roles as a breakaway teacher, plenary speaker, writer of Reflections, and teacher at retreats. He is married to Stephanie, and has two children who help focus him on getting Jesus into the ears of youth and daring them to be Lutheran.  

$40 per person covers all Friday night supper and snacks, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and snacks, all presentations and activities, and overnight lodging at First Lutheran Church. This retreat is intended for High School age students. The retreat will begin at 4 pm Friday and end at 2 pm Saturday.

Boys and girls will have separate sleeping areas. Each group should have at least one female chaperone for the girls in their group and at least one male chaperone for the boys in their group. Attendees need to bring toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.), a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a change of clothing. There are no shower facilities. 

Kathleen Vaughn
(619) 444-7444
kvaughn@youhaveaplace.com

Tana McKenna
Higher Things Retreat Coordinator
888-482-6630 x. 4
retreats@higherthings.org

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Have you ever wished to see more clearly and know more confidently what is of God and what is not? If so, then this Eyes to See retreat is for you! The devil makes nothing new yet remarkets his old deceptive ways to new generations. This presentation will give you Eyes to See both the works of the devil to avoid, and the works of God to cling to that you may abide in His peace and safety.

Rev. Matthew Wurm was born in August of 1981 in Wisconsin. He has been a pastor for 15 years and is the Senior Pastor at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Brookings, SD. In 2014 he was inducted as a Fellow of DOXOLOGY. He and his wife, Kyra have been blessed with six children. In his free time, he likes to build things and resurrect dead vehicles and equipment.

$40 per person covers all Sunday night snacks, Monday breakfast, lunch and snacks, all presentations and activities, and overnight lodging at Faith Lutheran Church. This retreat is intended for high school and college age young adults. The retreat will begin at 6pm on Sunday and end at 3pm on Monday. 

Please RSVP by January 8th, 2024

Rev. Sam Handschke
samhandschke@gmail.com

Tana McKenna
Higher Things retreat coordinator
888-482-6630 x. 4
retreats@higherthings.org

Grab your materials

"I believe that God has made me and all creatures." - Martin Luther. God is the Creator, and we are His Creatures. That may sound strange but it's true! Even more than that, it's good news! After all, "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Come learn all about your creatureliness and the Father's love for his creatures in Jesus Christ. Along the way we'll explore those creaturely questions: Why do we exist? What has God done to deliver his creatures? How did God make us and all things? What has God done to deliver his creatures from the mess we've made of his good creation? In the end we'll learn that it's a pretty great thing to be a creature! We're sure you'll agree.

Rev. Jeff Ware has served the saints of All Saints Lutheran Church in Charlotte, NC since 2014. Previously he was the Assistant Pastor at Living Word Lutheran Church, The Woodlands, TX specializing in youth and young adult ministry. He is also serving on the Board of Directors for Higher Things. Rev. Ware enjoy spending time with his family outdoors, camping, hiking, and fishing. He is also an avid home chef and home brewer. 

This retreat costs $60 per person and covers Friday snacks, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and snacks, all presentations and activities, and overnight lodging at Immanuel Lutheran Church. This retreat is intended for Middle School and High School age students. The retreat will begin at 6 pm Friday and end at 3 pm Saturday. Please RSVP by January 26, 2023.

Boys and girls will have separate sleeping areas. Each group should have at least one female chaperone for the girls in their group and at least one male chaperone for the boys in their group. Attendees need to bring toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.), a sleeping bag, a pillow, a change of clothing, and Small Catechism. There are no shower facilities. 

Todd Stevens
tstevens@icaba.org

Tana McKenna
Higher Things Retreat Coordinator
888-482-6630 x. 4
retreats@higherthings.org

Grab your materials!

When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said ‘Repent,’ he intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance.  This was the very first of Dr. Martin Luther's 95 Theses hammered to the church door in Wittenberg to begin the Reformation.  So what?  What does this mean for YOUR reformation, your rehabilitation, your repentance, your death, your life now, today, February 2024?  Come and find out!

Pastor Eric Andrae has been the campus and outreach pastor at First Trinity Lutheran Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania since February 2001.  He is often seen bicycling around town and offering "Free Prayer" to college students. He is married and has 2 children. His favorite Lutheran theologian is Bo Giertz.

This retreat costs $50 per person ($60 after January 26th) and covers Friday night snacks, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and snacks, all presentations and activities, and overnight lodging at First Trinity Lutheran Church. This retreat is intended for High School age students. The retreat will begin at 5 pm Friday and end at 5 pm Saturday. Please RSVP by February 1st, 2024.

Boys and girls will have separate sleeping areas. Each group should have at least one female chaperone for the girls in their group and at least one male chaperone for the boys in their group. Attendees need to bring toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.), a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a change of clothing. There are no shower facilities. 

Erin Seifferlein
920-346-9222
eseifferlein@gmail.com

Rev. Benjamin Janssen
765-346-2050
janssenb.lcms@gmail.com


Tana McKenna
Higher Things Retreat Coordinator
888-482-6630 x. 4
retreats@higherthings.org

Grab your materials!

The Lord Jesus Christ determines the eternal destiny of all people. Even yours! Did you know that? He does! Why? I’m glad you asked. First, He was sent by His Father to take away the sins of the world (Mt 1:21; Jn 1:29). Second, all judgment has been given to Jesus by His Father (Jn 5:22, 25) so that He authoritatively speaks His Father’s Word of pardon or forgiveness to guilty sinners on the earth (Mt 9:3-8; Jn 5:24; 8:3-11; Lk 23:34) or withholding forgiveness from them. The NOT GUILTY verdict of absolution is the key that opens heaven’s door to His Father’s heavenly house. Absolution is the divine verdict declared to at fault sinners that they are NOT GUILTY for Jesus’ sake. You who hear and believe this have no fear of the Last Day’s verdict of damnation because, through faith in Jesus and His Word of forgiveness, you have already passed from death to life (Jn 3:17-18; 5:24). What joy! What freedom! NOT GUILTY FOR JESUS’ SAKE!

Rev. Brent Kuhlman, a sinner declared to be “NOT GUILTY” because of the Lord’s Good Friday death and Easter Sunday resurrection, has the joy of serving as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Murdock, NE in order to pass on that same absolving verdict into other sinners’ ears and hearts that desperately desire it. In addition, some of the Lord’s good use of Him as a forgiven sinner is to be husband to Robin, the parental unit of three grown children, and recently the grandparental unit to a granddaughter. Over the years he has taught pastors and lay people God’s Word in Siberia, Vietnam, Sumatra and Tanzania.  He drives school bus, golfs, plays the organ and currently is learning to play the guitar.  Man!  Are his fingers sore!

This retreat costs $50 per person and covers all meals, all presentations and activities (including comedy sports on Saturday night!), and overnight lodging at Trinity Lutheran Church. This retreat is intended for Junior and High School students. Trinity Lutheran Church will open for housing and pre-retreat festivities at 6 pm on Friday, February 16, for those who are traveling, at no extra cost. The Higher Things retreat will begin with registration check-in at 7 am Saturday and runs through Sunday's Divine Service and Bible study concluding at 10:30 am. Registrations are limited to 200 participants. T-Shirts are only guaranteed for registrations received by January 29th.

Boys and girls will have separate sleeping areas. Each group should have at least one female chaperone for the girls in their group and at least one male chaperone for the boys in their group. Attendees need to bring toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.), a sleeping bag, a pillow, a change of clothing, a Small Catechism, and a Bible. There are no shower facilities. 

Pastor John Berg
(920) 458-8246
berg@trinitysheboygan.org

Tana McKenna
Higher Things Retreat Coordinator
888-482-6630 x. 4
retreats@higherthings.org

Grab your materials!

You are baptized once, and that remains sure and certain.  But daily you sin much, and need to “return to your Baptism.”  Old Adam has doubts, pet sins, and straying that are kept in check by the Lord’s work of calling you to repentance, and His gift of Confession & Absolution.  In this repeating cycle of repentance, confession and absolution, Christ continually drowns Old Adam, and raises you as a New Creature, and blesses you to live out your Baptism.  Join Pastor Harrison Goodman as he immerses us in the Fifth Chief Part of the Catechism.

Chief of sinners. Child of God. Pastor Harrison Goodman preaches Christ crucified as a light that shines in darkness and a hope for the hopeless. As HT’s Content Executive, he helps to make these same gifts known online by employing the many voices and talents of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Join us at this retreat and hear all about the great gifts God continues to give us.

This retreat costs $50 per person and covers Friday snacks, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all presentations and activities, and overnight lodging at Trinity Lutheran Church. This retreat is intended for Junior High and High School age students and is limited to 50 registrants. The retreat will begin at 6 pm Friday and end at 7 pm Saturday. Please RSVP by February 26th, 2024.

Boys and girls will have separate sleeping areas. Each group should have at least one female chaperone for the girls in their group and at least one male chaperone for the boys in their group. Attendees need to bring toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.), a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a change of clothing. There are no shower facilities. 

Rev. Rich Heinz
(773) 420-7177
revfrheinz@gmail.com

Tana McKenna
Higher Things Retreat Coordinator
888-482-6630 x. 4
retreats@higherthings.org

Grab your materials!

It is not a surprise anymore that America's culture has become much less friendly to Christianity.  Gone are the days of Christianity's influence.  Instead, the church is often left either on the sideline or, worse yet, suffering at the hand of mockers.  

How shall Christians respond, though?  Shall Christians run to the hills to hide?  Shall Christians fight back mano a mano - become bullies back at culture?  Shall Christians resort to the status of the victim, waiting to be rescued by a bigger man?  No, the answer is none of these!  Instead, we Christians are to Endure and suffer through the fiery trials.    

 Join us on April 5th and 6th at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, ND, as Pastors Voth, Suelzle, and Neuendorf teach on the theme of "Endure: Suffering Through Fiery Trials."

This retreat costs $50 per person and covers Friday supper, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Please note that we take all possible precautions for allergies but cannot prevent cross-contamination. This retreat covers all presentations and activities, and overnight lodging at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. This retreat is intended for youth ages 11-18 who want to learn how their Lutheran faith applies to the world around them. The retreat will begin at 6 pm Friday and end at 3 pm Saturday. Please RSVP by March 29, 2024.

Boys and girls will have separate sleeping areas. Each group should have at least one female chaperone for the girls in their group and at least one male chaperone for the boys in their group. Attendees need to bring toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.), a sleeping bag, a pillow, an air mattress, a change of clothing, and a Bible. There are no shower facilities. 

Pastor Matt Richard
 (701) 389-0418
stpaulsrev@srt.com

or

Diane Pierson
dipierson1989@gmail.com

Tana McKenna
Higher Things Retreat Coordinator
888-482-6630 x. 4
retreats@higherthings.org

Grab your materials!