LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 119

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SYNODICAL REPORTS 119

District staff and finance committee members. Strict adherence to
approved budgets has been maintained. Network computer system
is administered in-house for the District staff.

Districtwide workshops have been held to explain the Congre-
gational Treasurer’s Manual to lay and clergy.

The Church Extension Fund has experienced continued growth
in supporting investments to provide sufficient funding of all con-
gregation borrowing requests. A promotion director continues to
assist our congregation volunteer representatives in the expansion
of our District program. Regional promotion meetings are held to
update these fine people in this regard.

The LCMS Foundation’s work is primarily a tool—a channel—
through which people give their resources and assets to move for-
ward His kingdom. Gift Planning Counselors, trust
and investment services, capital funding services, and develop-
ment/marketing support all serve Christian donors, congregations
and District ministry to help learn about stewardship goals and as-
sist in the development and management of plans to make these
goals a reality. The end outcome is millions of dollars to support
congregations and affiliated ministries of our church body, result-
ing in continued proclamation of Jesus Christ.

Ronald E. Meyer, President

R7-05-31
Southeastern District

“Strong congregations working in creative partnership for the
sake of God’s mission to the world.”

That vision has guided the mission and ministry of the South-
eastern District for more than five years. It reflects values which
shape our approach to structure, staffing, and the style of our part-
nership with congregations. Those values include the following:
the centrality of mission in the life of the church; the commitment
to a relational rather than a programmatic style of District ministry;
the affirmation of congregations as the front line of ministry; the
practice of missional theology; the lifting up of our present age as a
time of hope and opportunity for the church.

The past triennium has seen the maturing of the structure and
staffing model adopted in 1993. Our staffing pattern focused
around deployed Mission and Ministry Facilitators has worked well
for us in our geographically large and culturally diverse District.
We have been blessed by the ministry of our three facilitators as
they concentrate on strengthening strategic relationships, guiding
through transition and change, resourcing outreach, and encourag-
ing excellence in ministry. They serve as the gateway for District
resources provided by an excellent team of executive, support, and
volunteer staff in the areas of congregational services, finance and
administration, LCEF, and black, urban and multiethnic ministry.
Black, urban, and multiethnic ministry will be greatly enhanced
through the addition of our first full-time executive in this area, the
Rev. Lloyd Gaines, who joined our staff in 1997. This new position
will help us address the special opportunities our District has to
reach out to African-American, immigrant, and urban populations.
This effort has already begun with new ministry starts among
African-Americans, Hispanics, African immigrants, and Koreans.
New starts are currently being explored among Vietnamese and
Hmong.

Mission efforts have resulted in 13 new starts in the past trien-
nium and 7 new schools or preschools in the past year alone. Con-
cern for professional workers has led to significant work in the
areas of sabbatical policies, sexual misconduct guidelines, and mu-
tual ministry concerns. Work has also begun toward enhancing in-
terim ministry effectiveness and using the transitional period of a
pastoral vacancy as a time of congregational growth.

All of these efforts fit with newly adopted leadership priorities
formulated by our Board of Directors as part of our movement to-
wards a policy-based model of board leadership. Those leadership
priorities are the following:

New ministries: Congregations and Circuits intentionally de-
veloping new ministries and planting new congregations and
schools.

Change and transition: Congregations, schools, and their lead-

ers recognizing the challenge and opportunity for growth that
change and transition provide.

Congregational health: Congregations, schools, their staffs
and leaders proactively using District staff and resources to assist
them in building teamwork and healthy ministries in the congrega-
tion.

Resourcing the mission: Congregations, schools, and District
growing the mission with adequate resources of gifted people, staff,
and finances.

These newly adopted leadership priorities are focused toward
addressing the following congregational based priorities which
have been identified as critical over the past several years: Lead-
ership Development, Professional Church Workers, Family, Out-
reach, and Congregational Schools.

The past year saw a change of leadership in our District as the
Rev. Dr. Roy A. Maack announced his retirement and the Rev. Dr.
Arthur W. Scherer was elected President of the Southeastern Dis-
trict. Dr. Maack’s caring and pastoral style of leadership deeply im-
pacted the spirit of our District. His concern for people and his love
for mission guided and blessed his presidency.

As new President of the Southeastern District, it is my desire to
energize congregations with a vision of hope, to enhance mutual
ministry and teamwork between congregations and their profes-
sional workers, and to enable staff for more effective ministry. The
church is in a time of transition which I call the “Premissionary
Age.” It is a time of challenge, change, and opportunity unlike any
we have experienced before. It is an exciting time to be in ministry,
lifting up the vision of “Strong congregations working in creative
partnership for the sake of God’s mission to the world.”

Arthur W. Scherer, President

R7-05-32
Southern District
* 1997 convention theme: “Sent Forth by God’s Blessings to Cel-
ebrate Life!”
* Two 1997 convention essayists:
* Dr. Jean Garton, “Celebrate Created Life”
* Dr. John Nunes, “Celebrate Redeemed Life”
* Adopted four Triennium Goals regarding OUTREACH

1. Communicate Outreach Vision

2. Support Outreach Vision

3. Encourage Professional Workers and Congregations to have
increased Outreach Vision

4. Train Leaders for Greater Outreach Vision

Number of congregations: 168

Some of the District’s God-Given Opportunities for Ministry
* To plant new congregations in areas where Lutheranism is al-
most unknown.

* To undergird many small congregations with leadership devel -
opment.

* To capitalize on Distance Education Leading Towards Ordina-

tion (DELTO) in both of the above areas of ministry.

To achieve more of the District’s potential for effective African

American outreach and Hispanic outreach.

* To be increasingly supportive of historic Concordia College,
Selma.

* To provide ministry for the growing number of retirees and win-
ter residents choosing District’s geographical area.

* To provide additional sources of funding for 18 Lutheran ele-
mentary schools and one Lutheran high school.

Orval D. Mueller, President