Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2019 · 67th Convention, Tampa › Page 132

LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 132

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

132

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

hearing of Jesus for the first time; and each agency as the love of
Christ is shared by being His hands in everyday lives.
To meet the challenges we encounter, we rejoice in the various opportunities and training for people to serve the church.
We have men training in EIIT, SMP, CHS, and traditional
routes. There are men and women training through various
routes to become rostered commissioned workers to meet the
challenges we face. The Atlantic District, in partnership with
other East Coast districts, has partnered to train leaders to assist local congregations in a variety of tasks to serve the church.
The congregations of the Atlantic District continue to
gather together for worship and celebrate the Lord’s Supper
regularly. We rejoice in the freedom of cultural expression that
ties together the components of the Divine Service.
The Atlantic District continues to give thanks for the Koinonia project as we explore our life together. This has continued
through discussions locally and throughout the district.
The Atlantic District schools are an incredible mission
field. It is the teachers and administration that encourage the
faculty and staff to Engage the students and families they serve
with the Gospel of Hope. They live out the Lutheran ethos in
their daily lives and teaching. We pray continually for the wonderful work they do amidst a changing culture.
The Atlantic District does its best to adapt to the new,
changing world. As people and culture have changed, the district has strived to continue to meet the challenges of this new
world without watering down or compromising the Gospel.
The Atlantic District continues to seek out new opportunities to support and grow the mission and ministry of the church
in the district. This is a challenging task in an environment where
normal giving patterns seem to be changing. The challenge for
the Atlantic District is not only supporting ongoing ministry,
but assisting struggling congregations; starting new missions;
and identifying and training diverse leaders of the church.
We continually give thanks as we walk together in common
mission especially here in New York.
Derek G. Lecakes, President

joins Him in planting the Gospel among those outside of Christ’s church.
Pray, remembering and asking that He be powerful in this, His work and we
A.) equip for Gospel witness in our communities
B.) provide missionary training for professional
and laity
C.) encourage new starts for the sake of connecting
new believers
Undergirding this we work to encourage multiplicative disciple-making.
Spring of 2019 marks the 6th annual CNH mission conference. Ministry plants include.
1.

The launch of LINC Bay Area and the full-time
funding of City Director Aaron Putnam. This important partner is the primary leadership development
and church planting partner for the CNH in the Bay
Area.

The organization of Addis Kidan as a full congregation. This multilingual parish is focused upon church
planting for East Africans in the greater Bay Area.

The readiness of St. Matthew’s Kauai to apply for
Synod membership.

In addition there have been five new language starts
in the Oromo, Hmong, and Spanish language groups.

Our district has been guided for the past fifteen years by the
vision that all of our churches and schools be equipped to serve
as missionary outposts in their communities. Outcomes include
1.

A. There is a district-wide culture that facilitates
the overall wellness and equipping of leaders.
B.

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2019 Convention Workbook

Identify and utilize leaders across the district
to assist others in mission for both congregations and schools.

Congregations have a positive mission direction.
A. Congregations have hope with a vision for the
future.

California-Nevada-Hawaii District
Under the theme “Hearts Burning with Christ for the
World,” based on Luke 24, the CNH District Convention celebrated the transition of leadership from long-term president
Dr. Robert Newton (15 years) and two staff members, Pastor
Ted Hartman (14 years) and Joel Koerschen (29+ years). President Michael Lange was elected to a first term and First VicePresident Tom Zelt of Fremont, CA, was re-elected as First
Vice-President. This past triennium also marked the transition
of the CNH District’s long-term CEF wrapping its assets into
the national LCEF. Mr. Bill Swift serves as the LCEF representative. Over $1.2 million of retained earnings were awarded to
CNH congregations and ministries for the sake of God’s mission in grants.
The CNH District’s Mission Agency has been active assisting in the planting, re-planting, and cultivation of new mission
starts. The CNH Mission Agency together with Jesus …

The CNH District consists of well-equipped, healthy,
missionally committed leaders.

B.
3.

Cooperative ministries between congregations
are fostered and enabled.

Basic congregational and support services are provided in an efficient and cost-effective way.

A variety of grants are made available through the generosity of donors and in the district grants. The CNH makes
church work education grants but also offers a variety of incentive grants for congregations and their leaders to engage in
mission work with their community and to engage in practical
individual and group experiences to enhance missionary learning and practice. The CNH District intentionally formed a mission agency to catalyze and organize the district’s mission work
together. We believe the CNH District and its Mission Agency
is not merely an office or an organization, but each and every
“called out” missionary person of God scattered in and around
our region, both within and sent beyond our congregations.