LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 142

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142

SYNOD REPORTS

Chinese and Korean. We hope soon to carry on work in Vietnamese.
In the previous triennium, we made efforts to do Gospel work in
Spanish but were unsuccessful in sustaining the work.
Found in both rural/small town communities and urban areas east
of St. Louis, the SID includes large suburban congregations, small
churches in the city, as well as large small-town parishes—a wide
variety in a small area, totaling 43,046 baptized souls and 33,942 communicants. We are blessed with 92 active pastors, 323 teachers and
commissioned ministers, 22 schools, 14 preschools, and 3 Lutheran
high schools. The district operates a mission school in East St. Louis
with 119 students (a 100% increase in three years) and supports vigorous campus ministry in Edwardsville and Carbondale, both touching
hundreds of lives with the Gospel.
God gives our district the challenge of ministry (through pastors
and volunteers) in 31 prison and jail settings across Southern Illinois.
Prison ministry represents our greatest mission expense. However, by
God’s grace through one of our rural congregations (Our Redeemer,
Golconda) a new mission start is being developed in Eldorado,
Illinois. Eldorado and Harrisburg represent the largest population
center in the district where we did not have an LCMS presence.
We continue a vigorous program of pastoral and congregational
visitation. Our purpose is to encourage congregations to be more
intentional in bringing the Gospel to those who do not know Christ
and to address possible reasons for disharmony in our midst. We
believe God is blessing these efforts with His grace and Spirit.
Yes, the Southern Illinois District faces funding issues, with congregational remittances to district and Synod continuing to decline.
We are very careful with God’s money. Of every dollar spent by the
district in 2010 (approximately $1.1 million), 59 cents will go to
district and Synod missions, while 41 cents will go to support congregations in their work. Unfortunately, the share of congregational
remittances sent on to Synod had to be reduced to 27 percent in 2010.
We are planning a special mission offering to coincide with our participation in Fan into Flame.
One more joy God has given our district is our mission partnership
with the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa. Our congregations have
provided approximately $40,000 per year, over and above regular
offerings, to support agreed-upon mission projects in Southern Africa.
All of this is in line with the prayer for the future adopted by
our board of directors in 2005, that we (1) grow in faith through the
Word; (2) increase support for Synod missions; (3) grow in our mission partnership with the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa; (4)
help congregations and schools be mission outposts; (5) strengthen
members in firm confession and outreach; (6) unite by the Spirit
in our confession of faith through the Lutheran symbols; (7) plant
churches and schools; and (8) expand the various ministries of the
district (prison, campus, mission school).
How will this be done? If it depends on us, we fail. We simply
pray that God will be at work through us to carry out this vision and
purpose. His Word never fails. We have His promise that “‘the Word
of the Lord remains forever’ And this Word is the good news that was
preached to you” (1 Peter 1:25).
Herbert C. Mueller Jr., President

R7-02-34

Texas District
The mission of the Texas District is to strengthen congregations
to reach the lost, disciple the saved, and care for people―locally
and globally.
Over the last three years, the population of the state of Texas has
grown at a faster rate than normal—a net population growth of over
900,000 just in the last two years. The majority of these new people are coming from other parts of the United States and not from
other countries. The downturn in our nation has brought on much of
this growth, as people searching for work have moved to Texas. The
health of state government, new job creation, and a diversified economy have all helped the Texas economy remain strong.
The Texas District continues to move forward to accomplish its
Ablaze! goals:
• 200 new Word and Sacrament congregations by 2017;
• 2.5 million witnessing events; and
• 2 percent growth per year in baptized membership within the
district.
To accomplish the goal for new congregations, the district’s four
mission and ministry facilitators have conducted major training events
each year to encourage congregations to partner with the district in
planting these congregations. The congregations of the district will
need to step up their activities if the district is to meet its goal. There
are signs that this is beginning to happen as every major city and area
of our state experiences the influx of new people.
Our deployed staff and elected vice-presidents and circuit counselors continue to be a blessing to local congregations by providing
more personal connections to the district. Both the staff and the officers actively serve and support congregations and professional church
workers and their families.
The funding model for new starts established by the mission
board is proving to be a blessing for the district’s mission efforts.
The amount of dollars repaid by our new starts has increased each
year, dollars that are in turn used to begin more new congregations.
The district continues to be blessed by the two Lutheran Inner
City Network Coalitions (LINC) that carry out ministry among the
numerous immigrants in their inner cities. LINC Houston and LINC
North Texas have focused their efforts in raising up indigenous leaders, training them, connecting them with seminary training, and using
them to reach their people group. At the present time, there are over
40 people in some level of training. San Antonio will begin their own
LINC organization this year.
The Texas District Church Extension Fund continues its healthy
growth in investments, loans, and capital funding. This ministry has
been a huge blessing in supporting expansions of established congregations as well as new mission starts. It also partners with the Synod’s
LCEF in providing services beyond Texas.
Because the Texas District has been blessed by God in so many
different ways, we are committed to be a blessing for others and the
Synod. The district has increased its percentage in support of Synod
each year over the past three years. This did not always result in an
increased dollar amount because of the adverse economic impact even
in Texas, but the district is committed to support and walk together
with our brothers and sisters who make up The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod.
Even though the population boom is a blessing, it is also one
of our biggest challenges. The Texas District has not been able to

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