LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 128

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128

SYNOD REPORTS

Gospel and effectively serve in their congregations, communities,
and the district.
Professional Workers: Equipped and effective workers with
hearts on fire, providing leadership, training, and inspiration to their
congregations and schools for the work of sharing the Gospel.
Congregations: Strong vibrant, Spirit-filled congregations compelled by the love of Christ, selflessly supporting, encouraging, and
networking with each other in expanding healthy, fruitful ministries
and planting new congregations to better reach the lost with the saving message of the Gospel.
Schools/Early Childhood Centers: Christ-centered, academically excellent education programs, viewed as mission outposts,
intentionally embracing students, their families, and their communities with a Christ-like love and the saving message of the Gospel.
Mission-Focused Unity: District and congregational leaders,
staff, and members clearly understanding, enthusiastically affirming,
and actively working together to accomplish our corporate mission
and vision.
At the 2009 convention, delegates renewed the district’s partnership with the East of Lake Victoria Diocese of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Tanzania. Each year a mission team made up
of clergy and laity goes to Tanzania to strengthen this relationship.
The district is in the process of once again giving a greater emphasis to church planting and has committed itself to a new approach to
church planting, which involves church planters receiving additional
training at a mission training center before beginning a new church
plant. The district has also seen an increase in the number of congregations participating in the revitalization process and of pastors
getting involved in learning communities.
The Mid-South District is striving to help its congregations and
schools, professional workers, and laity see themselves as missionaries and to develop a sense of urgency about the mission God has given
to us. To that end, the district is providing leadership, resources, and
encouragement for congregations and schools to develop an outwardfocused vision for ministry that can provide opportunities to connect
and build relationships with unreached people in their communities.
Ken Lampe, President
R7-02-13

Minnesota North District
One Message:

It is a privilege to share what the Lord has done in and through the
Minnesota North District during the past triennium.
The theme of our District convention in 2006 was “Living and
Forgiving as God’s Holy People: In Peace, In Mission, In the Word…
Through Christ” based upon Col. 3:12–17. In 2009, the theme of our
district convention was “Make a World for Christ My Goal” based on
Acts 1:8. We have witnessed through the Word of God, through the
Sacraments administered, through the preaching of the Law and the
Gospel—the death and the resurrection of the Lord. Through these
means we have been called to repentance and granted the gift of forgiveness that is life and salvation. And we are now called to witness
to the blessing of redemption which Christ has won for us. It is with
this Gospel message of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that we
reach out to a world that is lost and condemned.
One Mission:

“Tell the Good News,” “Becoming Northern Lights,” “Minnesota
Ablaze!” and “Equipping to Share” are outreach training events that

have been held to assist congregations and individuals in their efforts
to witness.
A Mission Partners Summit II was held on March 30, 2008, which
included representatives from the district board of directors, the divisions and committees of the district, the LLL, and LWML, the Oswald
Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach (OHSCO), Good Shepherd
Lutheran Community (Senior Care), and others. The focus of the gathering was to discuss the mission the Lord has given us and explore
ways by which all parts of the district might collaborate in carrying
out that work.
“Hearts for Jesus” is an opportunity for the children of our Sunday
Schools, Vacation Bible Schools, and Lutheran preschools and elementary schools to support mission projects such as the ministry of
missionary John Muhly in Moscow and the work among the Anuak
people at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sauk Rapids, MN.
The congregations of the district continue to support efforts to
begin new ministries. At the present time, we are working with the
Minnesota South District in looking at the Otsego area for a potential
new mission start. We also continue to support ministry to the hearing
impaired, to Native Americans (on two reservations with two called
workers), and to students (six campus ministries).
Workshops have been held and resources have been provided for
our rural/small town congregations in an effort to strengthen their
witness and outreach efforts.
A technology workshop was presented to help reveal new ways
that the message of Christ can be shared.
The Minnesota North District has embarked on a mission appeal
entitled “Make A World For Christ.” Its goal is to raise an initial $1.35
million to improve and expand the facilities of Lutheran Island Camp
and to support the work of three overseas missions: the “Wittenberg
Project”; Concordia Seminary in Nagercoil, India; and health care
centers in Africa.
One People…:

The parish nurses of our district have been involved in serving
within their respective congregations and also within our district.
They have organized workshops on dealing with sexual abuse; provided Christian care and counsel for church-worker training; and
offered mental health conferences (“Mental Illness/ Addictions”;
“Help End Abuse with Respect and Trust” [HEART]; and “Sowing
the Seed—Rural Health Ministry”) as well as a Church-Worker
Wellness Conference.
Donald J. Fondow, President
R7-02-14

Minnesota South District
Gathered under the theme “Transformed for HIS Mission” based
on Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” the
Minnesota South District met in convention at Concordia University,
St. Paul, MN, for its triennial convention. Rev. Dr. Lane Seitz was
elected district president for his seventh consecutive term during the
June 2009 gathering.
During the past triennium, the district has been faced with many
challenges and opportunities to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ into
a society that reflects more and more the reality of being one of the
world’s largest mission fields. Minnesota has become one of the largest settlement states for ethnic immigration in the United States. In
addition to receiving four new Anglo congregations into the district (one a partner mission start with the Minnesota North District),

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