LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 123

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OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
and other creative arrangements for pastoral service, an annual evangelism conference, and classical Lutheran schools where these can
be established.
The 2015 Wyoming District convention was held under the theme
“We Believe, Teach, and Confess Holy Baptism.” Our Baptism into
the holy, triune God inaugurates and encompasses the entire life of
the Christian in the one holy Christian and apostolic Church. In convention business, the Rev. Richard Boche completed nine years as
district president and retired from office. He is succeeded by the Rev.
John Hill. Among resolutions approved, the district asked for a task
force to explore and possibly initiate the establishing of a classical
Lutheran high school for the district.
The district completed its triennial emphasis on Witness, Mercy,
and Life Together. In the new triennium, we will be celebrating the
500th anniversary of the Reformation under the theme “The Bride
Confesses Christ.” Our pastors and congregations will especially be
encouraged to study our public confession and doctrine in the documents of the Book of Concord of 1580.
Report on Viability of the District

As directed by 2013 Resolution 7-04A, the Wyoming District conducted an evaluation of the district in 2015 through its praesidium,
circuit visitors, and board of directors, followed by the congregations
and circuit pastoral conferences. The following points correspond to
the revised “General Principles for Judging the Viability of a District.”
1. Given the size of the district, the Wyoming District president is able
to “exercise supervision over the doctrine, life, and administration of
office of the ordained and commissioned ministers of [his] district and
acquaint [himself] with the religious conditions of the congregations
of [his] district” (Constitution, Art. XII 7), along with other duties
enumerated in Article XII. He is able to provide “visitation, evangelical encouragement and support, care, protection, counsel, advice,
admonition, and, when necessary, appropriate disciplinary measures
to assure that the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Synod
are followed and implemented” (Bylaw 1.2.1 [i]).
2. The Wyoming District has been doing formal district visitations for
three decades. These visitations are done by the district president, vicepresidents, and circuit visitors. The size of the district makes it possible
for the district president to visit each of the congregations informally
in each triennium. The district president knows the pastors and other
church workers, the congregations, and many of the lay leaders, and
is able to carry out his office pastorally based on that knowledge.
3. The district provides guidance and support to the congregations
regarding God’s mission with regular visitation and oversight, pastoral conferences, and district convocations.
4. The district provides encouragement and needed congregational
services by making the congregations aware of district and Synod
resources, and by the work of its commissions and the conferences
provided by the district. It should be noted that the district office has a
business manager, who also divides time as the LCEF vice-president
in Wyoming and Montana, and otherwise employs only a half-time
administrative assistant. Because the administrative operation is lean,
much of the district support is supplied by volunteers who have been
elected or appointed to office. As a result, the work of the district is
closely shared by its pastors and laymen, who have ownership in the
well-being of its congregations and schools. The district has strong
circuits and circuit pastoral conferences, excellent visitation, a wellattended annual evangelism conference, youth conferences and camp,
excellent schools, and great harmony in doctrine and practice.
5. The district is adapting both to new opportunities with schools and
to new challenges with the declining rural and small-town population and congregational demographics. Adaptation includes exploring
new parish arrangements and having more congregations being served
by pastors on a part-time basis. Although the district has a congregation in almost all its larger towns, it continues to explore options for
outreach to a modest-size Hispanic population. It also has responded
vigorously to changing cultural and societal challenges in the area of

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marriage, life, and family, providing leadership and guidance to the
pastors and congregations of the district.
6. The district currently meets its financial commitments in supporting
a small district staff, the Wind River Indian Mission, and a vigorous
campus ministry at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, giving
generous financial aid for church-work students and graduates, and
giving limited financial support to several small and isolated congregations. The district currently sends over 15 percent of its annual budget
to the Synod. As the membership of district congregations ages and
declines through attrition, it appears that the district budget will experience increasing pressure.
7. With one exception, the district’s 60 congregations are no farther
than a five-hour drive from the district office. The smaller number of
pastors and congregations encourages fraternity among the pastors,
collegiality among the lay people, and hands-on participation in district activities.
8. Between the office staff and the volunteer service of vice-presidents,
circuit visitors, commission members, and others, the district provides
the assistance and support needed for the district president to carry out
the functions and obligations of his office.

In summary, the leadership, pastors, and congregations of the
Wyoming District believe that the district has the history, size, and
culture to continue to be viable and united for years to come. Because
the primary scriptural and confessional duty of the district is to provide ecclesiastical visitation to its congregations, schools, and church
workers, the district is particularly well suited to provide the strengthening in confession and encouragement in mission that such visitation
affords.
John Hill, President
R54

Lutheran Women’s Missionary League
The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) is the official
women’s auxiliary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Since
1942, the object of our auxiliary has been mission education, mission
inspiration, mission service, and financial grants for mission needs.
• Mission statement: The mission of the LWML is to assist each
woman of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in affirming
her relationship with the triune God so that she is enabled to use
her gifts in ministry to the people of the world.
• Vision statement: The LWML is the leading group for LCMS
women where each woman is welcomed and encouraged to use
her unique God-given gifts as she supports global missions and
serves the Lord with gladness.
• LWML is made up of 38 geographic districts and two non-geographic districts.
• Executive Committee members serving four-year terms are
President, Vice-President Christian Life, Vice-President
Communication, Vice-President Gospel Outreach, Vice-President
Organizational Resources, Vice-President Special Focus Ministries,
Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and two Pastoral Counselors.
• National conventions are held every two years in the odd-numbered
years at varied locations. The 2015 convention was in Des Moines,
Iowa, and had a registration of 4,622.
• Mission grant goals adopted by delegates totaled a record $2 million
to be funded during 2015–17. District mission goals for 2014–16
total $5,508,925.
Current mission grant recipients for the 2015–17 biennium include
the following:
• MOST Ministries—Clean Water and Evangelism: $50,000
• Disaster Response Trailers, LCMS Disaster Response: $80,000
• Cancer Care—Phil’s Friends: $50,000
2016 Convention Workbook