LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 110

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110 SYNODICAL REPORTS

and ministry opportunities. I consider it a great privilege and bless-
ing to be elected for a third term of service.

From the last three years of transition and planning, learning
and growing, God is preparing the Mid-South District’s 120 con-
gregations, specialized ministries, and 13 schools for bold witness
and service—in His name—into the 21st Century—and to the ends
of the earth!

David W. Callies, President

R7-05-13
Minnesota North District

The Minnesota North District is considered to be the most mural
of all of our Districts in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
It covers approximately two-thirds of the geography of Minnesota,
plus a comer of northwestern Wisconsin. The District has 213 con-
gregations and preaching stations.

The mission statement of the District is “to assist congregations
as Great Commission churches.” But how is this carried out and
how can the District best assist the congregations within its bound-
aries? To determine this, several “Listening Posts” were held
around the District to hear what our congregations had to say—
what they liked and what they would like to have improved. The
result of these Listening Posts is that our District is to restructure it-
self to better serve our congregations. Two mission and ministry
facilitators are now in place. Rev. Paul Biegner staffs the Division
of Mission and Congregational Outreach and works in the area of
new church starts and mission development, as well as with the
Ghana Mission Partnership Program and the DELTO program.
Rev. Richard Hans’ specialties are in the area of school ministries,
and he staffs the Division of Congregational Life and Nurture (ed-
ucation, youth, human care, stewardship, family life). The goal of
our restructuring is to work with congregations on a one-to-one
basis and to encourage, support, and nurture them that they might
become all the Lord of the church wants them to be in their partic-
ular setting. As before, the training and encouragement in the areas
of worship, education, stewardship, and youth will take place, but
now they will be tailored to each congregation’s unique needs. Pas-
tor Biegner serves the south and east region of the District while
Rev. Hans serves the north region.

The Minnesota North District has involved itself in a partner-
ship program with our church in Ghana. Two families, Rev. Burt
and Carol Benson and Delano and Linda Meyer, receive our special
support and encouragement as they carry out our work in Africa.
The members of our District have been invigorated as they have
heard reports at our District convention and congregational meet-
ings of the work that is being accomplished in our behalf.

Work continues at the Leach Lake Reservation with our Native
American ministry under the leadership of Rev. Mark Peske. Many
congregations involve themselves, especially in the area of con-
ducting vacation Bible schools on the reservations. These vacation
Bible schools serve hundreds of Native American youth. During
the biennium, the Board of Directors has designated District funds
to help establish a chair of Native American ministry at our Con-
cordia University in St. Paul. Work on the campuses here in north-
em Minnesota continues at Duluth, St. Cloud, Moorhead, Morris,
and Bemidji.

During the past triennium, new missions have been started at
Battle Lake, Lake Shore, North Branch, and Becker. Several areas
for new work are being studied as we look into the future. Our goal
is that every congregation may see itself as being truly a “mission
congregation’’ whether they are subsidized or are self-supporting.

Here in Minnesota North, we are very much concermed about
the health of our pastors. A retired pastor stands by ready to pro-
vide pastoral counseling and care when necessary. At the present
time, a grievance committee has been established with the goal to
assist congregations and pastors who may be in conflict by estab-
lishing ways of communicating their concerns to one another, and
also seeking to find solutions to those in conflict.

God's people in northern Minnesota give thanks to the triune
God for all the blessings that He has showered upon our congrega-
tions and District. The year 1998 marks the 35th anniversary of our

District. Early in 1963, the then Minnesota District was divided
into what are now the Minnesota North and the Minnesota South
Districts.

We in Minnesota North are grateful for the ministry we have
here in our area. We join hearts and hands with our brothers and
sisters in our beloved Synod as we follow the very capable leader-
ship of our President, Rev. Al Barry.

David A. Bode, President

R7-05-14
Minnesota South District

The Minnesota South District is currently made up of 245 con-
gregations which are served by 234 pastors. The District also
proudly has 51 elementary schools served by 402 teachers, four
Lutheran high schools with 81 teachers and administrators, 36
preschools with 92 directors and teachers, and 126 other commis-
sioned ministers serving in various ministries.

At the District convention in June 1997, Rev. Dr. Lane R. Seitz
was re-elected as President and is now serving his third term. The
following were also elected as Vice-Presidents: Rev. Gerald Cole-
man, First Vice-President; Rev. Dr. Larry Griffin, Second Vice-
President; Rev. Dr. James Pragman, Third Vice-President: and,
Rev. Robert Mundahl, Fourth Vice-President.

The District has three full-time assistants to the President in the
District Office, which is located in Burnsville, Minn. Rev. Donald
Taylor serves as assistant to the President for Ministerial Health;
Mr. David Roth serves as assistant to the President in the area of
School Administration; and, Rev. Daniel Decker serves as assis-
tant to the President in Missions. Rev. Decker recently replaced
Rev. Jeffrey Miller,;who served the Minnesota South District for 11
years before accepting a Call to St. Louis to serve as Vice-Presi-
dent for Ministry Resources with the Lutheran Church Extension
Fund. The District office is also served by a part-time treasurer,
Mr. Dale Johnson; Mr. Brad Hewitt, LCEF vice-president; Mrs.
Pam Moksnes, Gift Planning Counselor; Mrs. Lu Clemmensen,
business manager; and, numerous support staff people.

Determined not to let the lack of funds keep them from seizing
the numerous mission opportunities which are before us, the Mis-
sions Committee proposed a plan during the last triennium to raise
significant funds specifically for the purpose of enhancing the mis-
sion program of the District. After a positive feasibility study was
completed, a mission initiative program called, “Fear Not ... Go
Forward in Mission” was begun in 1996 in the hope of raising a
minimum goal of $2 million and a visionary goal of over $5 mil-
lion. At the current time the campaign has raised nearly $3,000,000
in pledges and deferred gifts. All of the funds received will be used
for aggressive mission activity, with 50 percent dedicated for the
planting of new congregations, 30 percent for establishing new
mission outreach initiatives, 10 percent for national and interna-
tional mission work, and 10 percent for local congregational out-
reach projects.

During the last two years, a decline in membership and re-
sources caused four of our smaller, rural congregations to disband.
At the same time some of our larger, urban congregations have
continued to show excellent growth. This growth has brought the
need for many building programs numbering in the millions of dol-
lars.

The arrival of a new mission executive and the plan to add a
mission developer, among other things, should ensure that the Dis-
trict will continue to move forward in carrying out the Great Com-
mission of bringing the lost and the erring into fellowship with their
Savior, Jesus Christ.

Lane R. Seitz, President

R7-05-15
Missouri District

During the past triennium the Missouri District added four new
mission congregations: Good Shepherd, Wright City. New Hope,
Festus; Christ the King, Lake Ozark; and Shepherd of the Lakes,