LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 94

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94 SYNODICAL REPORTS

¢ developing new missions and ministries

* encouraging intercongregational support and cooperation

* developing leaders

* supporting professional workers, congregations, and schools
* maintaining strategic ministries

* supporting the work of the Synod

* providing special ministries on behalf of congregations

New Regional Structure Now Fully Implemented

The reorganized regional structure, adopted by the 1997 con-
vention of the District, is now fully in place. The new East Region
now enables the sprawling Chicago metropolitan area to operate as
a single entity, recognizing a oneness in mission and ministry while
at the same time rejoicing in its cultural, ethnic, and linguistic di-
versity. In addition, the addition of three new regions formed of
areas that are closely tied by geography make possible increased
support and enrichment of each congregation’s ministries.

The new regional structure is designed for flexible response to
changing congregational needs! A single Board of Mission and
Ministry is responsible for all areas of congregation life, mission,
and service! For the first time, mission development, stewardship
life. Christian education, singles’ ministry, youth ministry, and
human care ministries all will be in dialogue together as they seek
to serve the congregations of the District!

In addition, a new approach to the development of new mission
congregations and new ministries has been developed. Four re-
gional mission outreach teams replace the former District Mission
Board and Evangelism Board. By placing these two ministry
thrusts under one group, the outreach that leads to mission devel-
opment and the actual development of that mission will flow more
smoothly and be in the hands of congregations of the very region in
which the new ministry will take place!

New Congregational Services Staffing

Closely tied to the new regional structure are the four new Ex-
ecutives for Congregational Services, replacing the former Execu-
tives for Program who had served the District in the past.

One of the key roles of the executives ties in closely to the de-
velopment of new missions and ministries as they serve as staff to
the four regional ministry outreach teams. In addition, they serve a
significant portion of their time as facilitators for long-range and
short-range planning in congregations of the District. Above all,
these staff members serve to greatly enhance the communication
between congregations and the District leadership.

New Ministry Initiative in Housing

{In 1999 the District Board of Directors authorized a one-
million-dollar loan secured from Lutheran Church Extension
Fund, provided interest free (interest paid by the District budget),
to support a Nehemiah-type project of housing development in
the city of Chicago. Now renamed the Ezra Housing Plan, this
effort involves the city of Chicago, the Roman Catholic
Archdiocese, the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, and African-
American churches. In similar fashion to the first Nehemiah
project in Brooklyn, NY, supported by a one-million-dollar loan
from the Lutheran Church Extension Fund, this project will
enable the creation of hundreds of quality homes for low-income,
first-time home buyers. Housing sites are planned within the
nearby communities of one of our congregations, giving us an
opportunity to serve that new community with the Gospel of our
Lord, Jesus Christ. We are thrilled to be able to give this evidence

2001 Convention Workbook

of our Savior’s love in caring for people’s spiritual as well as
physical needs.

New Ministry Initiative to Figh

In early 2001 the Northern Illinois District received a grant from
Wheatridge Ministries to fund in part a project aimed at disabling
systemic racism in our congregations and communities! Under the
tile ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE GOD AND FATHER OF
US ALL, this three-year project will train teams of God’s people
within congregations and institutions of the District to deal with
the still-persistent evil of racism! The first seven teams will be
trained in 2001-2002. We pray for God’s richest blessings on this
effort to clearly and powerfully witness to the fact that there is truly
one Lord, one faith, one God and Father of us all!

The Lord of the church has set great challenges before us. We
look to the years ahead with great excitement and with great ex-
pectations.

William H. Ameiss, President

R7-05-23
Northwest District

“God Opens Doors.” Does He ever! The Northwest District’s
emphasis directs our trust to Him who, indeed, “open doors” to
reach the “lost,” people who have no knowledge of saving faith in
Jesus Christ. And for the Northwest Ministry team that’s our
marching orders. At our 2000 convention we celebrated our 100th
anniversary by revisiting some of the wondrous doors that God
opened in our “walk together.” And certainly God has blessed His
Northwest District as we have seen God-pleasing expansion to en-
compass 269 congregations across the states of Alaska, Idaho, Ore-
gon, and Washington, and the Church of All Nations, Hong Kong.
And there remain even greater opportunities before us today.

At the 2000 convention the District delegates united in a first
ballot vote to return Rev. Warren Schumacher to the presidency of
the Northwest District for the next triennium and for his third term
of office. President Schumacher accepted this call to serve, promis-
ing, with God’s help, to faithfully serve the Lord and His church.

The theme of that convention, “God Opens Doors,” was truly
prophetic, as the delegates voted overwhelmingly for a resolution
adopting the Bylaws necessary to support the restructuring of the
Northwest District Board of Directors and staff. This restructuring
will position the District to better assist the congregations in their
pursuit of the Great Commission in the coming years. And doors
did open!

The delegates began by adopting a special triennium project
emphasizing the expansion of ethnic ministries and inner-city min-
istries in the Northwest District.

The Alaska Mission Committee lay ministry program (utilizing
trained lay workers in bringing the Gospel to people in remote
areas) has become a model for setting up new areas of outreach
mission and ministry to reach the lost in southern Idaho through
the South Idaho Circuit Rider Project. And we are examining the
coastal areas of Washington and Oregon as sites for a Circuit rider
approach, also.

With restructuring approved, setting the vision of our Lord and
His church before us has brought retirement of some familiar and
also new faces to the District. Rev. Lee Wendland retired, having
expanded the awareness of both District staff and congregational
pastors that the District really cares. Replacing Lee, but with a dif-
ferent organization structure in mind, was Rev. Jerry Scansen as
Pastoral Assistant to the President, with duties to oversee the call
process, professional church-worker care, and as my personal as-
sistant.