LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 125

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SYNOD REPORTS
R7-02-08

125

R7-02-09

Iowa District East
In June 2009, the Iowa District East met in convention under the
banner of “Proclaiming Christ in Your Fields of Opportunity.” The
proclamation of Christ is stated in Luke 24:46–47: “And He said to
them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from
the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will
be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.’”
President Gary Arp announced his retirement and the Rev. Brian
Saunders was elected district president at the convention. Each
committee of the district assists President Saunders and Dr. Dean
Rothchild, Assistant to the President, with the responsibilities of
advising, helping, and supporting the pastors and congregations of
the district as they carry out the mission of the church. At each altar
in the district, the pastor preaches and the congregation hears, the
pastor officiates and the congregation eats and drinks of the heavenly treasures.
Renewed by the gifts of God in that place, the congregations
reflect the incarnate Christ into the communities and cities where
Christ has planted them. A concerted effort is being made to assist the
“noncalling” vacancies to understand the value of a called shepherd
in their midst. Sacrifices from neighboring congregations, creative
means of compensation, and deeply dedicated lives to the Holy
Ministry are bearing fruit in these congregations. What was once a
bustling rural setting for some churches has become a struggle with
a poor economy and a vastly reduced population. Each congregation
is encouraged and supported in seeing its opportunity to proclaim
Christ, even in fields less dense than before. The church of the Word
and Sacraments is never a dying church. God is a God of life and
uses His saints to reach and teach in ways never before imagined by
human minds but grasped by faithful hearts.
We continue the many missions of the district, with two campus
ministries, two congregations for the deaf, Camp IODISECA, prison
catechesis, chaplaincy at the University of Iowa hospitals, and churchplanting opportunities. Our schools are led and staffed by dedicated
men and women. The preschools continue to be a blessed source for
outreach, and plans for another Lutheran high school are well under
way. An ongoing project of the district in Palanga, Lithuania, is nearing completion, where a $1 million catechetical center will soon be
open for men and women to study the Word of God in a land where
such study was forbidden not that long ago. When that project is complete, the district plans to focus on other missions around the world,
such as in Kenya, Africa, and Siberia, Russia.
President Saunders and Dr. Rothchild are conducting workshops
and conferences for congregations and pastors on topics such as “The
Healthy Congregation,” “Calling on Inactive Members Using the
Hymnal , ” “Resolving Conflict with Difficult People,” “The Key
to the Revitalization of the Church Is the Office of the Keys,” and
“Confessing Christ Where You Live, Work, and Play.” The catechesis of pastors and congregations is bearing much fruit in the fields
of harvest. The forgiveness of sins is being preached and bestowed
in His name on all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (the home altar).
Brian S. Saunders, President

Iowa District West
“Joy in Serving”
St. Paul wrote,
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any
comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness
and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of
selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better
than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others. (Phil. 2:1–4)

“Selfish ambition … vain conceit … only to your own interests
…” The passage reads like the top news stories of our day. It seems
to be the way the world operates. In the church, however, this attitude
destroys the unity and leads to conflicts between brothers and sisters.
In a church where people turn inward and focus only on themselves
and their own needs, there isn’t much interest in missions and ministry to the community—or serving others. It robs the church of her joy.
Paul pleads with us to be the church our Lord has called us to be:
“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any
comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion.” There isn’t really any “if” about it. Paul
reminds us that we have been blessed with encouragement, comfort,
fellowship, tenderness, and compassion as a result of being united
with Jesus. We have been forgiven through His cross. We know the
love of God! We have the hope of eternal life. It is the precious Gospel
that motivates us.
Now our relationship with Jesus has a profound influence on our
relationship with others. No longer do we see them as adversaries
or opponents, but as brothers and sisters whom Jesus loves and for
whom He died. Now we can rejoice with them, encourage them, support and comfort them. Because you and I are on our Savior’s heart,
we can express the same kind of tenderness and compassion in our
actions—and in our service.
Paul wrote that if all of this is true, “then make my joy complete
by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and
purpose … in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each
of you should look … to the interests of others.” There is “Joy in
Serving!”
“The Mission of Iowa District West is connecting, resourcing,
optimizing, partnering and serving with the member congregations
for the extension of the Gospel within our communities, throughout
the district, into all the world” (Mission Statement). During the past
triennium, the district staff has had the privilege and joy of serving
the congregations and professional church workers of Iowa West.
Along with the district board of directors and circuit counselors, we
attempted to visit every congregation to “Focus on the Fields,” to
share the work of the district, to listen, to learn the needs of our
congregations—so that we might better serve them and provide the
resources they need to carry out their ministries. As a result of these
visits, we have provided leadership workshops for school boards,
treasurers, elders, stewardship committees, endowment committees,
evangelism and outreach teams, youth leaders, older adults, and rural
congregations. We have assisted congregations in strategic planning
and revitalization.
We have sought to serve and support professional workers when
their service has become stressful and when, through health issues,
family matters, addictions, and disabilities, they have lost their joy.
As a district, we continue to generously support the Synod’s mission efforts around the world. By convention resolution, in 2010 we
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2010 Convention.indb 125

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