# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S134
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

134

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

Circuit Visitors were ratified by the convention and the District
President was re-elected on the first ballot.
The Eastern District became a place of increasing contrast
in the past triennium. Many congregations have declined to a
point at which they are unable to sustain the style of ministry
that had been in place primarily under the direction of a solo
pastor. Each of the 10 elementary schools and 45 early childhood centers are also confronted with diminishing revenues, rising operational costs, and increasing competition.
Those realities force the 125 district congregations to examine creative alternatives for ministry. New methods of providing pastoral care, spiritual leadership, and quality Christian
education are being explored and, in places, implemented. Ministries of the Eastern District are now especially encouraged to
“partner,” that is, form coalitions, in order to continue or to enhance their presence in their communities. Some congregations
link together to share pastoral services, some share the services
of gifted lay leaders, some join together for local servant events
or international mission projects, and others have pooled their
youth into a “mega-size” group for spiritual growth and recreational activity. In doing so, congregations and schools are also
discovering that vitality, creativity, and good congregational
health come when congregations connect with other congregations and not in a closed-“silo”-congregation world.
Challenges to congregations ripple into district programming and staffing. Like its congregations, the Eastern District
also partners with other districts. The LCEF Vice President and
Lutheran Foundation Counselor, both of whom find their offices in the Eastern District, are shared with the New Jersey and
Southeastern Districts respectively. In addition, the district office staff downsized recently. Currently the senior staff consists
of a full-time district president and three part-time assistants to
the president; a significant change from the past.
Congregations of the district were visited in 2016 and 2017.
From the president’s office about two-dozen “visitors” were enlisted for this purpose. Visitors were sent with questionnaires
to be completed by members of the congregations. The visitors
were instructed to listen to responses and offer encouragement
and hope among the congregations. They were well received and
appreciated. A Visitation Report lists the challenges to the mission expressed in the questionnaires. The Report also includes
suggested “pathways to greater health” for congregations as appropriate for greater ministry effectiveness and health.
We have been blessed through the years with several DELTO, SMP, and EIIT pastors. In 2018, work began in earnest
to transition Deacons to Pastors through the SMP Colloquy
and General Pastor processes. As of this writing, four of our
Deacons have been approved for SMP Colloquy; two others are
awaiting their interview. Two Deacons have been ordained as
General Pastors.
Aspiring to be a light for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the
Eastern District has supported regional mission organizations,
initiated and adopted the foreign mission project “Mission Liberia,” provided tuition debt assistance to new church workers,
networked congregational presidents and church finance leaders through Internet share groups, and provided a Leadership
Legal Conference to inform participants of laws and policies
pertaining to the church.
Pioneer Camp and Retreat Center remains one of the
high-visibility, high-impact ministries of the district. Long-time
2019 Convention Workbook

camp advocates and new supporters have made decisions in the
past several conventions to continue in support of Pioneer. The
objective to make Camp Pioneer a primary resource for ministry in the district is being achieved at an ever-increasing level.
We recognize that we are living in ever-challenging times
for the church. We might not always enjoy the privileges of the
church past, but God is forever strong and faithful, and God is
“Always Reforming” His church. We are grateful for strong lay
leaders in our congregations and will continue to encourage the
same. We vigorously maintain that the pastoral office is created
by the Lord of the Church “to equip the saints for works of
ministry” (Ephesians 4:11, 12).
We do not stand alone. Our faith is in Jesus Christ alone,
but we need your prayers and encouragement if we are to be the
people that God has called us to be by the Holy Spirit. To God
be the glory.
Chris Wicher, President

R25

English District
The English District is 105 years old and is one of two nongeographic districts of the LCMS. As of this report, the English
District is blessed with 160 congregations in 20 states within the
U.S. and in Ontario, Canada. We, in the English District, are
blessed to carry on the tradition and culture passed on from our
Church Fathers past and present. As a true microcosm of the
Synod, we are blessed to reflect virtually every face and ministry
type offered within the greater Synod. The joy of being a missional district is felt in almost every congregation that is visited
and every ministry that is offered. Some of the highlights of the
last three years are:
••

The adoption of 1-1-1 mission funding by the district
convention as a new funding model for missions in
the district.

••

Continued partnership in the Dominican Republic
and other international partnerships.

••

New ministry focuses within existing congregations.

••

Addition of two campus ministry sites at churches
within the district.

••

Expansion of ministry in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania, as well as a mission plant in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

The triennial theme for the English District is “Love the
Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” This theme
continues the previous theme of the district and has been very
contagious within many of our district congregations. Many
of our congregations have run with it within their own specific
ministry context. Under that theme, the district is focusing on
eight specific areas to emphasize within the triennium.
1.

The English District will be a model for the Synod in
funding new missions and missionaries by our congregations participating in the Dollar for Missions
(1-1-1) funding model.