LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 117

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SYNODICAL REPORTS 117

study, frequent prayer, and careful planning, our restructure pro-
posal was presented to our people under the title “A New Way for
a New Day.” Its basic concept is designed to move staff out of the
District office into the field, where they will provide support, coun-
sel, and encouragement to our congregations on a deliberate and
intentional basis. The plan was enthusiastically adopted, and the
implementation is now in process.

Ours is genuinely a field ripe for the harvest. In spite of vast
open spaces called deserts and the fortress walls of towering moun-
tains, we are the most urbanized District in The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod. The fastest-growing city in the United States, at
the present time is Las Vegas, Nev. Not far behind in percentage of
growth is Phoenix, Ariz. Since the opening of the first Southern
California District mission in Arizona in 1959, the number of con-
gregations there has grown to 46, with several more on the imme-
diate drawing boards. In addition, there are 14 congregations in
Arizona belonging to the English District of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod.

The language and ethnic groups with whom we interact in min-
istry read like Jerusalem at Pentecost 2,000 years ago. We are
working among and with Koreans and Hispanics, Chinese and
Vietnamese, Eritrians and Ethiopians, and Sudanese and Somalis,
just to name a few. Today we have more than 20 pastors doing His-
panic ministry. There are 16 Korean pastors serving in congrega-
tions located in our District. That’s just the tip of the iceberg of the
current challenges and opportunities we face. Today we have more
than 280 congregations served by 400 pastors. We have 114
preschools and 76 elementary schools served by nearly 1,400
workers. There are 8 Lutheran high schools in the District. In addi-
tion, we are privileged to have in our midst Concordia, Irvine, ded-
icated to providing Christian education to our young people and
preparing full-time workers for the church.

Today we rejoice in the rich blessings of our past. We are com-
mitted to working with joy and vigor in the present, and we look to
the future with the faith and confidence that the God who has been
our help in ages past is also our sure hope for the years to come.

Loren T. Kramer, President

R7-05-27
Rocky Mountain District

The theme for the 1997 Rocky Mountain District convention,
“Sent Forth by God’s Blessing—Our Faith Ever Sharing, in Love
Ever Caring,” is a good description of the life and activities of the
District during this last triennium. The emphasis on bold sharing
of the faith with love and care is essential in this part of the country,
which continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas of the
United States. Under the direction of mission executive Martin Bar-
lau, new and creative ways of planting churches have been under-
taken to enable new missions to be developed with limited District
financial resources.

Mr. Bernard Braunschweig joined our staff during this triennium
as administrative assistant to the president and vice-president of the
Lutheran Church Extension Fund. Under his guidance the Lutheran
Church Extension Fund continues to be a vital part of the mission
effort by providing loans for land and buildings. Mr. Lou Eberhard
continues as LCEF promotion director, working with congregations
and individuals to raise investments in LCEF throughout the Dis-
trict.

Again in this triennium God has opened many doors for sharing
the Gospel through Christian education. Under the guidance of ed-
ucation executive Allen Herbst, several new schools and early-
childhood centers have opened. A very successful youth gathering
was held, and four regional volunteer educator conferences were
held.

Rev. Richard Holz continues to provide an excellent ministry
of assisting people in planning how to more effectively use the fi-
nancial blessings they have received from God.

The District Board of Directors is functioning under a “policy
based governance” model as it seeks to encourage and enable con-
gregations to extend their ministries.

By God's grace, we in the Rocky Mountain District continue to

live and serve as people “Sent Forth by God’s Blessing—Our Faith
Ever Sharing, in Love Ever Caring.”
Roger L. Krause, President

R7-05-28
SELC District

The SELC District—one of two nongeographical Districts of
LCMS and one of two Districts without any full-time staff person-
nel—continues to be organized for the purpose of using all re-
sources efficiently to support and extend the kingdom of God.

SELC—sometimes historically known as the “Slovak” Dis-
trict—has become a microcosm of the whole Synod. Recently
elected at our summer District convention were Krueger, Dzurov-
cik, Cahill, Malec, Hayas, Bergmann—names that reflect as var-
ied an ethnic background of any other District in Missouri.

Sincerely Evangelical Lutheran Congregations—the SELC is
bound together by theology, history, cooperation, and camaraderie.
We have Churches in 12 states and 2 Canadian provinces. Because
of the distance between us, we experience the best of all relation-
ships. We are far enough apart so as not to worry about territorial
jealousies. We are close enough to support and care for one an-
other. The distance also encourages us to spend quality time to-
gether in Circuit Conferences, Forums, or auxiliary gatherings for
our LWML or Luther League.

Sharing with Everyone the Love of Christ is our SELC goal as
we focus our energy on missions. Because all of our District offi-
cers are part-time for both pastors and laity, the SELC continues to
enjoy minimal administrative costs, allowing the District to invest
primarily in planting new missions. This past triennium we have
* begun a mission in New Jersey, whose first unit was dedicated

1996;

* begun a mission in Viera, Fla., with first unit being built summer
1998;

* cooperated with the New Jersey District in a mission endeavor in
Jackson, N.J.;

* cooperated with the Eastern District in a mission endeavor in
Bloomsburg, Pa.;

* begun a Hispanic ministry at our Church in Chicago, IIl.;

* supported an English-speaking ministry in French-speaking Mon-
treal;

* called a missionary-at-large to central Florida to begin work in
spring 1998.

In addition, nearly one-third of our congregations presently
have or are considering the establishment of preschool or day care
as an extension of their ministry into the families of their areas.

By the blessing of God, the SELC has been able to increase our
fiscal commitment to the Synod each of the past three years. Many
of our SELC congregations also have made commitments over and
above their regular District-synodical support for special work with
“Together in Mission,” as well as many other ministries connected
with the individual congregations or with groups who work in con-
junction with our Synod.

Because of our District’s historic roots, we have been very sup-
portive of work in Eastern Europe. Cooperating with Concordia
Publishing House, we have provided for the translation into Slo-
vak, the printing, and the shipping of Sunday school materials to
Slovakia. In addition, our Mission Board has made a commitment
of $10,000 in matching funds for our congregations to support the
Slovak Lutheran Hour. A delegation of District pastors and lay
leaders will be traveling to Slovakia to visit leaders working with
the Lutheran Hour Ministries of Slovakia.

Showing Everyone the Love of Christ—the SELC continues
its historic commitment to the residents of our District-operated
Assisted Living Facility and Nursing Home: the Lutheran Haven.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary of ministry, the Haven began as a
place of charity for orphans and impoverished, elderly church
workers. Today, a 400-resident retirement community and a 100-
child early education center form an environment for the continu-
ing charity and care for impoverished elderly.