# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S130 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 130 SYNODICAL REPORTS ¢ $2,305,000 to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod for synod- ical missions and ministries ¢ $3,242,820 for Texas District missions and ministries: 52 min- istries receiving financial support from one of the largest District mission programs in the Synod History: The Texas District was organized in 1906 and will cel- ebrate its 100th anniversary in 2006 Geography: Over 250,000 square miles (the entire state of Texas, except El Paso County) Baptized members: 137,130 Congregations: 348 Circuits: 40 Pastors: 656, including retired Educators: 640 synodically trained Texas District Ministries ¢ Day schools: 136 ¢ High schools: 7 ¢ University: Concordia University, Austin (enrollment 1,155) ¢ Lutheran Social Services of the South ($50 million annual budget, serving 25,000 annually) ¢ Lutheran Outdoors Ministry of Texas (one camping/retreat facil- ity) * CAN-DO Mission (over 6,600 young people have participated in short-term mission servant events in Texas, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Brazil, Russia, Slovakia, Alaska, and Cuba) ¢ Texas Partners in Mission (providing financial support for mis- sion development) ¢ Texas District Church Extension Fund ($85.9 million invest- ments; $19,225,000 capital fund, $105.6 million total assets) ¢ Lutheran Foundation of Texas ($31 million under management) ¢ Texas District LWML ¢ Lone Star District LLL The vision of the Texas District is that by the 100th anniversary of the Texas District in the year 2006, the congregations of the Texas District will be mission-driven and will * touch and win those who do not know Jesus Christ; * enrich and empower those who do. James R. Linderman, President R7-05-35 Wyoming District Organized: September 30, 1970 Geography: The District includes the state of Wyoming, the pan- handle of Nebraska, and one congregation in Colorado. District makeup: 65 congregations, one mission station, 2 Ameri- can Indian missions, two campus ministries, 7 circuits Schools: 14 preschools, 4 elementary schools, 35 teachers and aides, 1 DCE Pastors: 65 Chaplains: 4 Baptized members: 16,308 Communicant members: 12,212 The Wyoming District continues to work hard to be responsive to the needs and wants of the congregations of the District as they carry out the mission and ministry of Christ. We have initiated a new planning process for the District efforts in serving our congre- gations. A new District Administrative Team receives input from our congregations, in terms of their needs, and then forms a strate- gic plan which is then shared with the various boards and commis- sions of the District. The boards and commissions then develop tac- tical plans in their area of responsibility to enable the strategic plan to be realized. The congregations have been well served by the team as they carry out our mission and ministry. 2004 Convention Workbook One of the very successful results of this new planning process is a Tell The Good News About Jesus Convocation, which has been held in the District each of the past three years. The convoca- tion is organized for the purpose of equipping the people of the District to share their faith in Jesus Christ, and to enable Christ- centered ministry in each community of the District. The convoca- tions have been very well received, and the last one, held in Jan. 2004, had over 440 participants, with representatives present from over half of the District’s congregations. The District also continues to address special needs in our two missions to the Native American population of our District. Imme- diate needs are: calling a new missionary, or assisting our present mission staff with other forms of help; finding an in-road to the Arapahoe Indian population, which has been difficult to find; and, as with all mission work in the Synod, funding the mission. We have established a new mission congregation in a highly Mormon- saturated area of western Wyoming. The going is rough, but we are making progress and have a good core group in the mission con- gregation at this time. The District also struggles with a Synodwide problem of serv- ing small congregations which can no longer financially support a full-time pastor. Funding the mission is a major concern in the Wyoming District, as it is over the entire Synod, and so work is being initiated to assist our congregations in proper Christian stew- ardship training. A special task force organized for that purpose is guiding this work. Visitation of congregations and pastors by the District Presi- dent, Vice-Presidents or Circuit Visitors, also remains a high pri- ority as we seek to properly carry out ecclesiastical supervision, re- spond quickly to needs or conflict, and encourage and support congregations and pastors in mission and ministry in their particu- lar location. We also encourage the support of each other, and of the entire Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, with our prayers and resources as we walk together in Christ. To Him be the glory! Ronald M. Garwood, President R7-06 Commission on Constitutional Matters The functions of the Commission on Constitutional Matters are set forth in Bylaw 3.905. Paragraph d of that Bylaw states that the Commission is to interpret the Synod’s Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions upon the written request of a member (congregation, ordained or commissioned minister), official, board, commission, entity, or agency of the Synod. The Bylaw limits the Commission’s work to the Synod’s Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions adopted by the conventions of the Synod, and thus the Commission cannot provide an opinion that interprets Scripture or the Articles of In- corporation. That same Bylaw goes on to state that an opinion rendered by the Commission shall be binding on the question decided unless and until it is overruled by a synodical convention. Therefore, the Commission does not have the last word on the issue to which it is requested to respond. Rather, all of the opinions of the Commis- sion are subject only to review and rejection by a synodical con- vention. The Commission consists of five voting members: three are or- dained ministers, and two are lawyers. In addition, the Secretary of the Synod serves as a nonvoting member as well as the secretary of the Commission. The five voting members serve six-year terms, renewable once. They are selected as follows: Candidates for a va- cant position are nominated by each of the District boards of direc- tors. The names of these nominees are then forwarded to the Coun- cil of Presidents through the Office of the Secretary of the Synod. The Council then selects five candidates for each vacant position.