LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 83

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SYNODICAL REPORTS 83

of Lutheran Child and Family Services (LCFS) and an Immigrant
Law Center, established through the cooperative efforts of the con-
gregation, LCFS, Philadelphia Lutheran Ministries (the District
mission arm), Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, and
LCMS World Relief.

Two congregations in Philadelphia with declining membership
totals have worked to become legacy congregations. Nazareth is
home to the Puerto Rican ministry under the direction of Pastor
Hector Parodi. Calvary is inviting the work of the Center for Asian
American Missions and Evangelism to assist in the establishment
of an Asian ministry. Philadelphia Lutheran Ministries (PLM) is
also housed at Calvary. An Enterprise Division of PLM utilizes the
business and financial expertise of members of area congregations
in the development of for-profit ventures aimed at funding the mis-
sion and assisting local entrepreneurs to become established.

In Pittsburgh, First Trinity hosts a new Campus Ministry, in-
cluding outreach to international students, and a Blind Ministry
Center has been established with the help of the Campus Ministry
Task Force and the Blind Ministry Task Force. Good Shepherd has
initiated deaf interpretation in worship and offers American Sign
Language classes to its hearing members as a tool to communicate
with the hearing impaired among them. A braille transcription cen-
ter is located at Prince of Peace in Freedom.

The past triennium witnessed the retirement of Dr. David Be-
lasic, the architect of the current District Vision and Mission focus,
and the election of Dr. John Brunner as his successor. In June Dr.
and Mrs. Bclasic were recognized at the convention banquet, which
also featured missionaries Tim and Marguerite Nickel. The District
presented the Belasics with a gencrous monetary gift to cover travel
expenses to Kyrgyzstan to visit the Nickels in 2001. In August a
retirement party was hosted by District staff, held at the District
Camp Pioneer in conjunction with the annual leadership retreat. At
the retirement party the Belasics were presented a quilt featuring
squares from each of the 150 congregations of the District.

Pioneer Camp and Retreat Center engaged in a self-study and
development program that led to a long-range plan for enlistment
of a support group, site improvement, and added facilities. A $2.65
million fund-raising program was initiated and will be fully sub-
scribed by the end of 2001. The funding campaign will provide fis-
cal stability and upgrades to the physical facilities tor the foresee-
able future.

The well-being of protessional workers and families, especially
given the overall low salaries and often limited health benefits, re-
mains a critical conecrn for the District. A Professional Church
Workers Conterence was held in 2000 at Niagara Falls. Canada.
The overwhelming positive response to the conference will likely
determine that it will be included on a regular three-year rotation in
the conferences of the District.

John G. Brunner, President

R7-05-05
English District

On May 15, 2001, the English District marked its 90th year as a
District of The Lutheran Chureh—Missouri Synod. This celebra-
tion goes back to May 15. 1911, when 100 people attending an
English Synod Convention at Redeemer Lutheran Church, St.
Louis, marched across the street to Holy Cross Lutheran Church,
where the German Synod (LCMS) was meeting in convention. A
committee of the German Lutheran Synod welcomed the English
Lutherans at the church door and escorted them to seats of honor in
the nave. A vote was then taken to accept the English Synod as a
District, and from that moment on, the English District has been at
the forefront of being a District in mission.

Ninety years later, the English District remains committed to
sharing the Gospel of the faith of the fathers in the language of the
children. This “passion for souls” lives not only in the English lan-
guage of our mission District, but also in twelve other languages:
Spanish, Chinese (Cantonese), Korean. Tigrinya, Vietnamese. Tel-
ugu, Urdu, Creole French, Arabic, Albanian, Sudanese, and Amer-
ican Sign. Today, these languages are in use within the 165 con-
gregations of the District (70,000 members) in 17 U.S. states and
the province of Ontario in Canada—in |7 elementary schools, |
high school, 50 Lutheran preschools, and 7 campus ministries sup-
ported by our District. God has indeed been good to us as a Dis-
trict of our Synod. The Lord continues to enable us to provide gen-
erous mission support to congregations and mission fields like
Eritrea, West Africa: Sudanese ministry in Michigan: Hispanic
ministry in Arizona, California, Cleveland, and Milwaukee; Asian
ministry on both U.S. coasts and Ontario, Canada; campus min-
istries across the countries of Canada and the U.S.; and an Ameri-
can Indian ministry in a Midwest urban area. Indeed, this is both
our history and tradition!

The main objective of the English District still remains intact:
missions ... Missions ... missions—all the while serving as a pro-
gressive element in our church body without compromising our
doctrine and confessions, applying the Gospel to changing situa-
tions, demonstrating concern about community problems, keeping
our commitment to urban congregations, commending and encour-
aging innovative ministrics, maintaining biblical and confessional
standards in our worship, and responding to a membership with
heritage other than Lutheran.

This is what 90 years of blessings and grace from the Lord does:
it moves God’s people to partner in Christ, work together, and
equip to gather. These actions were very evident at the 50th regular
convention of the English District in June 2000. The convention
gathered under the theme “Go and Tell Until the Trumpets Sound.”
Synodical Vice President and Associate Lutheran Hour Speaker
Dr. Wallace Schulz, in his convention sermon, challenged our Dis-
trict to keep going and telling the Good News of Jesus Christ. Rev.
Professor David Schmitt of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, gave a
brilliant essay that encouraged our District to keep going and telling
“with eyes that sce and with ears that hear.”

Both Dr. Schulz and Professor Schmitt spoke about evangelism
and missions as the spiritual work of making people relevant to
God. The convention was truly lifted up by these servants in our
church body.

At the District convention it was also reported that the District’s
nearly 2 million-dollar “Mission: Alive” campaign was fully sup-
ported by the congregations of the District. We thank and praise
God that in a very short period of time, we are close to completing
the goals of the campaign.

The English District continues its efficient and faithful ministry
to the churches of our nongeographical District through its present
staff, consisting of Beth Miles (treasurer/business manager), Rev.
Robert Fitzpatrick (missions/evangelism), Mr. Ron Chewning
(stewardship). Mr. Dale Lewis (VP, LCEF). The English District
presently has a call to fill the position of assistant to the President:
parish services. In addition to their regular responsibilities, the Dis-
trict staff travels four times a year to the four regions of the Dis-
trict conducting “Partnership in Christ” convocations. These con-
vocations bring together key lay leaders of Circuit congregations
and the clergy of those congregations for sharing in the Word and
the ministries of those congregations and District. The convoca-
tions have truly been a blessing to all the participants.

As the English District enters a new year under God’s grace and
blessing, we look forward to our continuing partnership in Christ
with the other nongeographical and geographical Districts of our
Synod. Our working together with them to be in mission and our
equipping to gather servant ministry that is taught in our seminar-

2001 Convention Workbook