LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 127

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SYNOD REPORTS
these into the context of the “means.” These are extraordinary days
that our church has not known for decades. And yet we exist under
one of the basic stewardship principles taught me through Scripture
by one of my father confessors years ago, “You begin every day with
every gift and penny that God intends you to have that day.” As we
have said before, God invites you into that day under the waters of
Baptism. We begin the day then by saying, “Bring it ON.”
Finally, in these days, God puts before us the care and keeping
of the workers of our church. Even the most seasoned of veterans in
professional church work express to me that these are new days in
that service, and days which bring on a whole new set of challenges.
I have spent a lot of hours in the study and homes of pastors, educators, professional workers in these past three years listening to both
the joys that they feel serving today and the frustrations that sometimes come to a breaking point. The battle in which they are engaged
is not new. The Lord is the Lord of the church, and the devil doesn’t
like it. But the expectations and demands of that service today have
risen. There is no doubt. The doctrine of the call hangs between the
balance of a godly union of a worker and congregation. It suffers from
a mentality of “hire and fire” based upon personal likes and dislikes,
to the tyranny of workers who hide behind the call as an excuse for
not examining themselves and seeking personal growth.
All in all, I can tell you that we have an exceptional group of
servants of the church here in the Kansas District, who are largely
eager to serve their Lord and their church. We continue to be vigorous in the care and keeping of those who serve us as God’s leaders,
both those enlisted through the roster of our church and those lifted
and elected by our congregations and ministries. Together, we strive
to fulfill our calling, “The Servant mission of the Kansas District is
to equip, empower and encourage each congregation in its mission
vision and Christ-care ministry.”
In Christ’s Service,
Keith E. Kohlmeier, President
R7-02-11

Michigan District
“Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him
the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God
the Father” (Phil. 2:9–11). As the Michigan District gathered in convention in June 2009 under the theme “Celebrate Jesus,” it was both
humbling and exciting to think back over the past triennium and celebrate His presence.
Since 2006, seven new missions have been established. We praise
God for the success of the 125th thank-offering The Future Is Now in
partnership with Fan into Flame. With the three main objectives of the
thank-offering being mission starts, support for Michigan students,
and international ministry, many generous donors have made it possible to continue mission starts in Michigan. There are also ten new
mission sites that are in varying stages of implementation.
During the 2009 convention, the two documents “Partners in
Ministry: Ethical Conduct for Congregations” and “Partners in
Ministry: Ethical Conduct for Professional Church Workers” were
approved. At the request of many, these documents were mailed to
every district office for study, use, duplication, and so on.
Due to term limitation as per the Michigan District Constitution,
President C. William Hoesman completed 12 years in office as president of the Michigan District. His service has been blessed by God

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throughout the Michigan District and the Synod as well. Pastor David
P. E. Maier, elected district president on the first ballot at the June
2009 district convention, began the duties of the office in October
2009.
The Michigan District is most blessed with the desire to follow
the promise of God in Proverbs 22:6, “Train a child in the way he
should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Students
attending one of the 8 high schools, 84 elementary schools and 154
preschools are challenged academically, physically, and, most importantly, spiritually, as they learn of God’s love for them. Although
funding continues to be a major challenge, the dedicated teachers
and staff of our schools continue to share the love of Jesus with each
child in their care. Michigan is also thankful for Concordia University,
Ann Arbor, as future church workers are trained for Christian service.
The Church Extension Fund (CEF) of the Michigan District is
separately incorporated from the district. Organized in 1901 under
the laws of the State of Michigan as “Church Trustee Corporation,”
the CEF is governed by its nine-member Board of Trustees elected
by the Michigan District in convention. Mr. Ronald L. Steinke is the
president and CEO of the fund, serving in that capacity for the past
15 years. At the end of its most recent fiscal year, December 31, 2009,
total assets of the Fund stood at $264.3 million, with total net assets of
$44.2 million, representing a strong capital ratio of 16.7 percent. The
CEF in Michigan has experienced steady growth since the last report
to the LCMS in convention, when total assets equaled $256.8 million
on December 31, 2006. It offers a menu of options for the investor
and is the main provider for the borrowing needs of congregations,
schools, and other entities of the Michigan District.
As we look to the future, we celebrate in the midst of a challenging
context in society. These times would seemingly not lead to celebration but rather to anxiety, fear, and hopelessness. However, in the face
of such we recall God’s invitation to turn to Him, “Come unto me all
you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matt.
1:28). Therefore, as we remember the words of our 2009 district convention theme, we focus on the “basics” to simply “celebrate Jesus”
through a regular use of His Word and Sacraments.
David P. E. Maier, President
R7-02-12

Mid-South District
The ongoing mission of the Mid-South District continues to be
expressed in these words:

“As an alliance of congregations and schools, the Mid-South District
provides leadership, resources, and encouragement for reaching the lost
for Christ’s Kingdom.”

For its 2009 convention, the district chose the theme: “Fishers for
Christ—Casting our Nets” based on Luke 5:1–11. The theme provided the opportunity for the district to have a very mission- focused
convention and for delegates to think and talk about how we can
be “fishers for Christ” in our own communities in our post-Christian world.
During the past triennium, the board of directors made the transition to policy-based governance and called a new executive assistant
to the president, Rev. Todd Jones, whose focus is on congregational
health and outreach. The board of directors also made changes and
updates to the strategic plan which had been presented to the 2006
convention. The plan, however, continues to focus on the same five
critical targets:
Laity: A nurtured and equipped laity, vigorously using their Godgiven gifts and abilities to intentionally reach out to the lost with the
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