In today's News:

Concordia Irvine raises $100 million

Concordia University, Irvine yesterday announced the successful completion of its comprehensive campaign exceeding $100 million and surpassing its original goal of $85 million, making it the largest campaign in the University’s history. Launched in 2013, Forward in Faith — The Campaign for Concordia focused on new facilities, scholarships, academic programs and the University’s endowment. More than 10,000 donors — made up of alumni, parents, churches and community members — contributed to the record-breaking campaign that exceeded $100 million through private donations.

Pro-life Lutherans rally at Seminary

On a cold and windy Saturday afternoon in mid-January, Lutherans and other pro-life allies gathered in their cars on the campus of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., to show support for the sanctity of human life. The Jan. 16 event, sponsored by LCMS Life Ministry, was one stop on the March for Life Chicago’s “Moving the Movement Tour,” which connected participants across five Midwestern states in a series of pro-life car rallies and caravans. Following the rally, the cars — led by the March for Life Chicago van and decorated with signs and flags — caravanned through Fort Wayne ending at the Allen County Courthouse. The Fort Wayne “Moving the Movement” event was hosted by LCMS Life Ministry and organized with the help of Right to Life of Northeast Indiana, formerly Allen County Right to Life, in addition to the March for Life Chicago. The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, LCMS president, spoke at the beginning of the rally, which was broadcast locally over the radio and worldwide online. Participants tuned in from their cars and honked their horns where, previously, they would have cheered and clapped.

Ohio abortion center injures woman

According to pro-life watchdog group Operation Rescue, an ambulance was called to the Women’s Med Dayton abortion business on Jan. 13 for a woman who was suffering from heavy bleeding following an abortion. The abortion center has a history of injuring women. The 24-year-old woman reportedly required “urgent” transportation to the Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, for medical assistance that the abortionist was not able to provide. Abortionist Jeanne Corwin was present at the facility at the time of the botched abortion. The facility is owned by Martin Haskell, who is known for creating the now federally outlawed partial-birth abortion procedure.

Army chaplain investigated for stand on transgenders

A U.S. Army chaplain based in Texas faces an investigation after he made a social media post suggesting that transgender individuals are “mentally unfit” to serve in the military. In a Jan. 26 tweet, the Army’s Security Force Assistance Command announced that “the recent comments posted to the Army Times Facebook page by Maj. Andrew Calvert regarding President Joe Biden's policy on transgender service members are “under investigation.” A Twitter user flagged Calvert's posts and argued that Calvert "cannot be trusted to support soldiers for another minute." In his post, Calvert argued that there is "little difference" between those who believe in transgenderism and "those who believe and argue for a ‘flat earth' despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary."