LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 94

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94

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

Lutheran Education
Education remains a critical ministry link between our churches
and the larger society; thus, our Lutheran schools, preschools, and
early childhood centers continue to serve as vital mission and ministry centers in our communities. Presently we have 65 schools in our
district with over 6,850 children attending. Over 25 percent of these
children are unchurched. In the last three years, we have had reported
252 Baptisms of children and 74 adult Baptisms or confirmations that
have resulted directly through their ministries.
Our Lutheran schools reflect the changing cultural and ethnic
landscape of our CNH District. Where once our schools were intended
primarily for the children of our Saxon immigrants, today less than
60 percent of the children would claim Anglo-Saxon heritage. The
other 40 percent come from Asian, Latino, African American, Pacific
Islander, and African immigrant populations.
Like the Jewish exiles in Babylon, CNH District congregations
have entered a period in our history where we Christians do not direct
the affairs of our world in any significant way. We take heart in the
fact that Jesus owns this part of history too. His promises cannot be
shaken; His strong arm cannot be shortened as He moves triumphantly
to the completion of His Father’s will—“that all might be saved and
come to the knowledge of the truth.” This post-Christian era provides
us with new and great opportunities to be His faith-filled people. We
have the opportunity, even the necessity, to grow in faith and rely less
on human sight, to choose the adventure of following our risen Lord
into the world, rather than clinging to the fleeting safety of our own
human plans and structures. Regardless of how shaken the foundations seem to be in our post-Christian world, we are anchored by Word
and Sacrament to the unshakable cross of Christ.
Robert D. Newton, President
R21

Central Illinois District
The Lord has seen fit to grant grace upon grace, heaped up and
overflowing, to an unworthy people, on account of whose sins nothing good should be conferred or be enjoyed. We repent of our sins.
Nevertheless, the Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ has had free
course and is being preached and taught to the benefit of parishes,
people, professional church workers, parochial schools, their staff,
parish teachers, and pastors. Souls are being saved alive, according
to the promise of the Lord. The Holy Spirit attends the Word of God
to make it the power of salvation to those who believe. We confess
the faith. The sacraments are making and sustaining a peculiar people
… a royal priesthood … a holy nation … that declares the wonderful deeds of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous
light. The work of the Lord continues among us and we are humbled
and overwhelmed to receive and enjoy its results by which, not we,
but He is glorified. We rejoice in the goodness of the Lord. On this
Rock we stand!
In July 2015, 232 delegates (120 lay, 112 pastors) gathered in
Springfield for the 58th Triennial Convention of the Central Illinois
District. Reports were received. Resolutions were passed. Officers and
Board/Commission members were elected. The Rev. Dr. Ken Schurb
was the essayist on the theme of the convention: “Grace, Free and
Boundless.” The Rev. Dr. Herbert Mueller and Rev. Dr. Daniel Preus
served as spokesmen for the Synod and more than ably presented our
joint work together and also answered questions from the assembly.
The Rev. David Bueltmann, the previous district president (1995–
2012) received a Doctor of Letters honoris causa from Concordia
University, Nebraska. In, through, and by the power of God’s Word
we now move forward with renewed zeal to share the forgiveness
of sins with any in need of this comfort and to point unflinchingly
2016 Convention Workbook

to the suffering and resurrected Jesus as this world’s only hope. The
peace and brotherhood of the body was duly noted and commended.
We are deeply appreciative of the sacrifice in service made to our
congregations by the staff of this district: Rev. Joel Cluver (Missions,
Stewardship, and Evangelism) and Mr. Glenn Goeres (Education and
Congregational Life; retiring this year), Hugh Shown (bookkeeper
and co-business manager) and Marsha Shown (administrative assistant), and also Mr. David Rohe, executive director of the CID Church
Extension Fund, and his administrative assistant, Mrs. Susan Short,
who work in concert with the district in many valuable ways.
In responding to the request that each district review its viability
as a continuing agency of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod,
we participated during the latter months of 2015 in a survey which
included officers, members of the board of directors, circuit visitors,
pastors, and congregations of the district. The results were discussed
and compiled by the praesidium of the district. The congregations
of the district may not be aware of everything that is going on but
they certainly are aware of whom to contact to get that information.
Mostly this contact occurs when there is a specific need that must be
addressed. Most pastors and congregations are content with the role
of the district in their lives, but some see this very traditional district
as being out of step with the changing times. They think that it may
be time to reconsider the structure of the district in order for it to
become more efficient and effective for ministry to its congregations.
Finances are an issue and challenge. One suggestion (considered in
times past) was that CID and SID consider forming one district to
combine resources. Most respondents were convinced that this district is viable for the foreseeable future.
There are most definitely challenges that we, as well as several
other districts and our church body at large, must face and consider. First, the welfare of our professional church workers, who
have become fatigued and crestfallen, needs to be considered. Issues
include the pressures and priorities of the office in light of their several
vocations (e.g., as regards family, church worker, citizen, Christian),
the sacrifices they must, or are forced, to make in their service, the
unwarranted criticisms of their faithfulness in light of the world’s
changing mores and attitudes, flagging performance due to a lack of
positive stimulus, just to name a few. Also, congregations are held in
the balance by a few who lord it over the body, fail to perform due to
laziness and a lack of zeal, who are coasting toward retirement and
feel they have nothing left to give; but they also face a graying of the
parishioner, fixed incomes, fewer people active in worship or church
life in general, a lack of participation of younger generations, conflicting priorities pertaining to church, household, and extracurricular
activities, just to name a few of those challenges.
We are perhaps 60 percent or so rural, and those communities are
stagnant or shrinking. We have a large number of congregations which
have 100 or less attending worship on any given Sunday. So part of
the challenge will be looking at different alternatives that will still
preserve and grow congregations in the communities in which they
are presently planted. On the pastoral side, there may be a greater call
to bi-vocational situations. This does not allow for the same sort and
amount of care that we are used to. It adds another element of pressure to meet the needs of family: church family and one’s own. On
the congregational side, there is the option to form dual parishes in
order to free up and unite resources, personnel, and leadership; but
there again, that puts time limits and demands on pastoral care which
some may not be accustomed to and might judge as failure.
These are challenges, but they are also nothing new as the church
on earth has waxed and waned in popularity and numbers due to societal changes, pressures, and hostilities. The church takes comfort in
the fact that it cannot be squelched for even the gates of hell cannot
prevail against it. In the meantime, and we are united in our concern