A note from Rev. Mark Chavez, NALC general secretary:

Dear colleagues in ministry,

I pray you are keeping safe and healthy in this troubling time for the world and our countries in North America.

I am writing about a matter that is not quite so troubling, but frustrating and potentially damaging. The North American Lutheran Church’s (NALC) online presence is constantly attacked by malicious people and agents. Hackers constantly target the NALC website and the NALC Network. Because the email accounts of NALC staff are online, scammers frequently use them for phishing. The most common form of phishing is a message purportedly sent from the NALC Bishop, or another staff member, which asks for financial assistance.

None of the NALC staff will ever send you an email asking for financial assistance. Delete all such messages and do not respond to them. If you respond to these messages you make yourself a target for the scammer.

Phishing emails are often easy to spot. If you look carefully at the email address from which it was sent, you will often see the message was not sent from our actual email addresses. You do not need to inform the bishop or staff members when you receive phishing emails. Just delete and ignore them.

The world is full of sinners, including each one of us. Until the last day when our Lord appears there will always be trials and tribulations of all kinds. Come Lord, Jesus!

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Mark Chavez
General Secretary
North American Lutheran Church