LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 109

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OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Matthew Harrison as installer. We were grateful for these services
with grassroots participation in the heart of the NID, our congregations.
Finally, a great joy has been Circuit Partnership Gatherings held
throughout the NID. While delayed because of COVID-19, congregational chairs, vice-chairs, treasurers, lead elders, and others have
gathered with pastors and NID staff to discuss, lament, rejoice, and
look for possible areas of partnership. It has been a joy to see opportunities discovered, care given, new connections made, and encouragement through Christ generously given. Yes, we rejoice that
we proclaim Christ crucified and risen, ascended, our great High
Priest, the Lord of the nations, Church, and the mission!
Allan R. Buss, President
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Northwest District
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” This
was the theme of the 2022 Northwest (NOW) District convention,
and it has been a driving theme for our work together in the Pacific
Northwest. We have been set apart to bring the message of God’s
love in Christ in a cultural context that is unfamiliar and unsupportive of the church. It is our great challenge to communicate God’s
deep love to people who neither recognize Him nor His desire to
love and care for them.
NOW continues to emphasize the importance of leadership
training and the development of its professional church workers.
The district staff operates with the goal of “helping leaders do their
best work … together,” and it is in this vein that we support worker
wellness, coaching opportunities, and access to spiritual, personal,
and emotional support.

A. Closure of Concordia University,
Portland
By far the most significant event of the past triennium was the
closure of Concordia University, Portland (CUP), in 2020. It was a
deep loss to the people of NOW and the church at large. While we
are thankful for the lasting legacy of CUP, its closure has created
a deep void. We have lost an important mission outpost. The challenge of maintaining a clear confession must include pointing to
the heart of God for lost people, and CUP’s closure has limited that
opportunity significantly.

B. Northwest District Leadership Initiative
Toward the end of 2019, the NOW District Board of Directors
charged the district president with identifying new leaders for the
church. The NOW District Leadership Initiative (NOW L.I.) was
the result. The vision for this effort works hand in hand with the
Synod’s Set Apart to Serve project of identifying church workers
for the future. The NOW L.I. adds the identification and training
of lay leaders to the conversation as well. This initiative is based
on the New Testament model of the Body of Christ identifying and
supporting people for leadership roles.

C. Mission Training Center
NOW began the practice of training laypeople for ministry in
the 1980s, and that effort led to the establishment of Mission Training Center—an online training opportunity that delivers “just in
time” training. NOW has joined forces with the California-Nevada-

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Hawaii District and the Pacific Southwest District to continue providing this ministry to the churches of our districts and the church
at large. The Mission Training Center, which was once operated in
partnership with CUP, is now partnering with Concordia University Irvine. In Jan. 2023, we identified a new director, Rev. Jonathan Priest, to lead the effort in preparing God’s people for works
of service.

D. NOW District Grant Programs
The Catalyst Grant program is an effort by the NOW office to
encourage the beginning of new ministries within our congregations and communities. Ministry entities are given the opportunity
to request time-limited grants that are designed to help them start
something new in their scope of influence. Catalyst Grants have
been used to assist the growth and expansion of Lutheran schools,
counseling centers, and brand-new ministries.
The Faith Community Grant program is designed to launch new
faith communities that are focused on reaching people who are not
already a part of an LCMS ministry. They are intended to cultivate
relationships with neighboring ministries.

E. NOW Start Network
The NOW Start Network is a grassroots effort supporting the
identification and implementation of new ministries across the district. It is an effort led by pastors in the field who gather to resource
and support one another in beginning new ministries.

F. Speaking the Truth in Love
In response to a resolution from the 2018 NOW District convention, a task force was established to address the concern of
racism. This effort was put into play before the issue captured
the attention of our nation in 2020. To prepare the delegates for
healthy conversation at the convention in 2022, the task force, with
the help of the district staff, assembled the “Speaking the Truth in
Love” toolkit. We continue to encourage our ministries to engage
in this important conversation.

G. NOW Resource Library
The NOW staff established a redesigned website during the
last triennium that includes the opportunity to access a library of
resources we have accumulated over the years. These include toolkits for legacy congregations, becoming essential participants in
one’s own community, and the legacy of the LCMS in mission. In
development is a toolkit designed to help congregations who are
resource challenged and are considering the options of a merger,
shared ministry, or closure. The district staff continues to provide
resources like the NOWLeading podcast to help workers grow in
their service.
NOW is the largest geographic district in the Synod, including the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. We also
count the Church of All Nations in Hong Kong among our congregations. We are in the top 15 percent of LCMS districts in terms of
the number of congregations and near the 50 percent mark in the
number of members. This means we are a large district with many
smaller congregations that are far apart. NOW also includes people
who represent many different cultural backgrounds. We find our
unity in the saving love of our God in the person of His Son, Jesus.
It is our calling and our challenge to reflect the love of Christ to this
unique and challenging population while we strive to walk together
with our brothers and sisters across the Synod. May God bless us
2023 Convention Workbook