# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S120 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 120 SYNODICAL REPORTS mission fields. The Orphan Grain Train, based in Norfolk, has a worldwide impact in providing human care ministry. The Nebraska District and Iowa District West partner in order to involve congre- gational members and church workers in personal mission prayer and service. The Nebraska District is also privileged to have Lutheran Fam- ily Services of Nebraska offering quality human care service throughout the state. Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska is the largest and most compassionate provider of human care services in the state. The LCMS Foundation Gift Planning, Lutheran Church Exten- sion Fund, and Lutheran Ministry Foundation are special blessings in the Nebraska District. Each of these ministries provides so much more than dollars for mission. Through their efforts many people are reached and touched with the Gospel of Jesus. With the many blessings in the Nebraska District also come great opportunities that call for courage and strength from the Lord. The many rural and small town areas of Nebraska are experienc- ing population decline. Some are also experiencing the arrival of immigrants who bring their culture and spiritual needs. Seeking God’s guidance to proclaim the Gospel and demonstrate the com- passion of Jesus can prove to be a challenge where populations de- crease and new cultures are appearing. God is raising up His people to follow His lead to take the Gospel into these settings. Pastors, teachers, and DCEs are serving in multiple ways. The District has also initiated a Lay Leadership Program in partnership with Con- cordia University in Seward to train congregational members for special service in assisting their pastors, teachers, and DCEs. Men are being led to prepare for the Office of the Ministry by entering a seminary of the Synod or seeking entrance into DELTO (Distance Education Leading To Ordination). Others are preparing for collo- quy into the teaching ministry of the church. As the Nebraska District looks to the future, all confidence is in the Lord God to provide courage and strength to see and seize the mission and ministry challenges and opportunities that the Lord is granting. For God not only proclaimed to His people that they could be “strong and courageous because He would go with them and not forsake them,” but He further encouraged them to “be strong and very courageous” (Joshua 1:7). Russell L. Sommerfeld, President R7-05-18 New England District The theme of the 13th regular convention of the New England District was “One Mission and One Message.” The convention gave us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our oneness in being His church in mission. During the convention we were able to pause four times for NED Mission Moments. These four mission moments told the stories, through words and pictures, of four ex- citing mission outreach ministries. We heard about our newest mission congregation in Bangor, Maine, receiving their first full-time pastor and purchasing their first church building. Our congregation in downtown Boston told their story of calling a pastor from the Lutheran Church in Brazil to serve the Portuguese-speaking Brazilians in the greater Boston. area. Our newest Lutheran elementary school told its wonderful story of building a school building and expanding from a preschool to including grades one through six. Finally, our congregation in Bedford, Mass., told the story of purchasing a building and calling a certified lay minister, in order to continue growing in a Food Ministry that serves 10,000 each year in one of our urban areas. The first resolution passed at our convention encouraged our congregations and schools to expand cross-cultural ministry throughout our District. While all of our congregations and schools 2004 Convention Workbook encourage and welcome people of all cultures, at least nine of our congregations are intentionally reaching out to various cultures with the Gospel. We will be greatly helped in this intentional ef- fort to reach out to those around us with the addition of Rev. David Born, who has been called by LCMS World Missions to serve as the Northeast Coast Regional Coordinator of missions. This is a wonderful example of the partnership that we share as a Synod and as four regional Districts in mission together. Our convention also placed a strong emphasis on continuing to support our seminaries, and to work hard at promoting recruitment and retention of church professionals. The school year ending this past May had 21 of our men enrolled at one of our two seminaries. We are committed to enabling our seminaries and our Concordia University System to grow and thrive as they prepare men and women for service in the church. We continue to work hard at creating an atmosphere in our Dis- trict of care and trust toward one another, as we partner together in being mission-minded. Our Theological Convocation was a con- tinuation of our recent Pastor Retreats that have annually allowed us to discuss areas of difference between us in an increasingly safe environment. We need to walk together and talk together with in- tegrity in the covenant relationship that we call the Synod. Our Health and Wellness Board continues to explore and imple- ment ways in which we can bring awareness to the importance of car- ing for our church professionals and the congregations and schools that they serve. We sponsored our second Pastors’ Wives Retreat this past spring. Through Circuit meetings and church professional con- ferences, we are working hard to create an atmosphere that fosters the importance of taking care of those who serve the Lord. We presently have 69 congregations, 6 Lutheran elementary schools, and an additional 25 preschool or early childhood centers. During the last three years we have had 19 congregations that have had a vacancy in the full-time pastoral office. During the same three years, we have installed a total of 13 pastors. Six of those in- stalled pastors were also ordained either in our District or their home District. Signs of congregational and school growth are revealed in the following statistics: Two of our congregations have very recently relocated to growing areas and two other congregations are prepar- ing to relocate in the near future. In the last three years, 14 of our congregations have either completed or are in the process of ex- panding their facilities. In addition, 14 congregations have already or are planning to expand their professional staff. Praise God for the growth of these ministries! Our ministry together as a District continues to be blessed through our gift planning counselor and our partnership with the ‘LCMS Foundation. We are also blessed through our official Dis- trict publication, NEDNEWS. It is printed quarterly and distributed in each of our congregations. It enables us to be connected in cel- ebrating our mission as a partnership. We rejoice in being a part of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and in ministering to the people of God in New England and beyond. God has blessed us with so many gifts in His people, and we are pleased to be a contributing District to the overall partner- ship of making disciples throughout the world. May all that we do together focus on Jesus and the saving message of the Gospel to a world lost in the darkness of sin. James E. Keurulainen, President R7-05-19 New Jersey District The New Jersey District seeks to faithfully proclaim Jesus Christ through its 60 congregations and 2 preaching stations. In 2003, the District grew by the addition of two congregations: Tu- maini Kristo (Trust Christ) in Jersey City, reaching primarily im-