Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2019 · 67th Convention, Tampa › Page 152
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 152

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

152

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
public disclosure of delegate personal information
other than name and congregational membership
and require prior consent for any distribution of their
personal contact information.
Anthony Steinbronn, President

Notes:
1. Who I am in Christ defines my identity (who am I) and
my ministry (why am I here) as a Christian; as one baptized into
Christ, I am a disciple, servant, priest, witness, salt of the earth,
light of the world, temple of the Holy Spirit, etc., and this is
how I am to live out my faith in the relationships of life. Moreover, who we are in Christ defines our identity (who are we) and
ministry (why are we here) as the Body of Christ, with Christ as
our Head; as His people, called and gathered into the assembly
of believers, we are the Body of Christ, living stones built into a
spiritual house, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
saints, ambassadors, living letters, etc.

R40

North Dakota District
Many have wondered and asked: Why would the cold north
state of North Dakota have a district convention in January
with the threat of snow storms and extreme cold? The answer:
Because North Dakota has such beautiful spring, summer, and
fall months, we have our district convention in January when
it is too cold to enjoy outdoor events. Who would want to be
confined inside during the pleasant months? Therefore, again,
in January 2018, the 83 congregations served by 51 plus or minus pastors of the North Dakota District had their district convention under the triennium theme of “Unity in Christ” from
Ephesians 4:1–16.
In light of the convention theme “Unity in Christ” our
essayist was the Rev. Lawrence Rast, president of Concordia
Theological Seminary at Fort Wayne, IN, with an essay titled
“ ‘De Ceremoniis Ecclesiasticis’ On Church Usages or Ceremonies, Sometimes called ‘Mitteldinge’ or ‘Adiophora’ ”. The word
adiophora in church usage means “things neither commanded
nor forbidden by God’s Word.” Yet, in our walking together
as a Synod we agree to unity in some adiophora things. Other
presentations on “Unity in Christ” were Baptism, Confession,
and missions as we remain in “unity” with God’s Word and the
Lutheran Confessions.
Continuing in this “Unity in Christ” theme was the implementation of the 2016 Synod Resolution 4-04A “To Appeal
to the LCMS Congregations, Workers, and Institutions within
Christian Freedom and for Love’s Sake to Retain a Common
Order of Service for the Lord’s Supper.” This was implemented
by the district’s Resolution 3-05 “To be United in the Practice
of Closed Communion.” This district resolution directed the
district president to establish a task force to prepare a suggested
common communion statement to be used districtwide and to
encourage pastors to instruct the congregations on the practice
of closed communion for the sake of unity of doctrine.
In order to accomplish the implementation of Synod Resolution 4-05A “To Continue and Expand the Koinonia Project,”
the District, during the spring and fall pastor’s conferences, uses
2019 Convention Workbook

“the principles of the Koinonia Project, namely, that when there
is disagreement regarding doctrine and practice the baptized
will come together through their unity in Christ to live out that
unity as they study the Word of God and pray” (the last Resolve
of Resolution 4-05A).
The ND District passed a resolution, Resolution 3-04 “To
Unite in a Common Marriage Policy.” This resolution directed
the district to include “The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s Sample Marriage Policy” in the District Handbook and to
encourage district congregations to include it in their bylaws
and policy manuals.
Also, in convention, under the theme of “Unity in Christ,”
Resolution 2-04 was passed to “Establish a North Dakota District Handbook.” This handbook will make clear to the workers
and congregations our agreed upon policies, procedures, and
guidelines, fully aware of freedoms allowed by the Scriptures,
and also fully aware that some practices are essential to our
walking together.
The North Dakota District only has two pastors on candidate status. Both of them have secular jobs and they are both
serving vacancies regularly. One candidate has been traveling
over a hundred miles one-way for over a year to serve a vacancy
each Sunday with Word and Sacrament. He is well liked by the
vacancy congregations and has been asked and nominated to be
on their call list (a practice we do not do) but I do use his name
on other call lists in the district. Thus the district is in support of
and fulfilling Synod Resolution 12-02A, “To Encourage Calling
Church Workers on Candidate Status.” The North Dakota District board of directors heard the need and desire from the district to continue the campus ministry at the University of North
Dakota campus, at Grand Forks, ND, and so we went from a
part-time campus pastor to a full-time position. It was seen as
important to keep before our youth “faith in Christ Jesus and
Him crucified” for our salvation as we travel through what has
become a very secular world.
“Joy:fully Lutheran” is expressed in the district’s desire to
continue to support “Christ Care for Children-Kenya” and mission support of part of a pastor’s salary in the Maule Region
of the Iglesia Luterana Confesional de Chile. The “Christ Care
for Children-Kenya” project is a financial support of $10,000/
year for the support of about 10 orphaned children to attend
the orphanages that the district has been involved with the construction of through Project 24 in the past years. The Chile mission support is for $25,000/year as this Chile mission is definitely “Joy:fully Lutheran” in their confessional presence in their
schools and churches.
The North Dakota District remains “Joy:fully Lutheran,”
even though pastors and congregations are in a changing congregation demographic within the state. We remain “Joy:fully
Lutheran” as we see the Lord working through God’s people
with its faithful pastors serving them with Word and Sacrament
ministry. In the past triennium, we have had a closing of four
congregations. Although it is a sad thing to have a congregation
close, this is a mobile society and traveling a little farther for
the “Joy” of God’s Word and the Sacraments is done by God’s
“Fully Lutheran” people to “Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks”
for the salvation won for them.
We remain “Joy:fully Lutheran” with all of you; for, God
gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists,
the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints