LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 95

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SYNODICAL REPORTS 95

Also new to the District is Richard (Dick) Weniger, who fills
the position of Director of Educational Services. Dick comes to us
from a strong educational background and is strongly supportive
of our school system and its mission in ministry.

With the retirement of Glenn Herbold, Dr. Denny Langston
joined the executive staff as Director for Congregational Services.
Denny’s special gift is his dynamic approach to ministry, with a
great listening style and willingness to work closely with congre-
gations, not to bring “programs” but awaken others to an ongoing,
life-altering outreach to the lost.

Rev. David Hoover continues as Director of Expanding Min-
istries. His exciting exposition of the Word is seen in the first-cen-
tury emphasis of outreach in our District. David brings a passion
for the lost, working with new churches and ministries, special
ministries: campus ministry, deaf ministry, and ethnic ministries.

Larry Solberg is the Office Manager and Lutheran Church Ex-
tension Fund Vice-President. Larry ably keeps our doors open for
business, and, working closely with expanding ministries, has been
able to assist in the acquisition and development of property sites
for our churches and schools.

With restructuring came new approaches to overseeing the min-
istries of the Northwest District through its member congregations.
Task forces have replaced the standing committees of times past,
with special groups meeting for specific purposes with actual dates of
completion. This streamlining of the dedicated meeting process has
proved to be exciting and exhilarating for those working with the
special needs of our congregations and professional church workers.

If you would like to know more about the outreach of the
Northwest District, please visit us at our Internet Web site at
www.nowlcms.org.

Yes, God has opened doors and continues to open them. But He
needs us to walk through those doors, boldly going forth with a vi-
sion of Christ and His church. The Northwest District staff and pro-
fessional church workers of our District walk together to “Encour-
age servant leaders, empowering God’s people, and expanding
God’s kingdom.”

And to God be all the glory.

Warren Schumacher, President

R7-05-24
Ohio District

Serving One Congregation at a Time
and One Worker at a Time

The Ohio District consists of 175 congregations and mission
stations in three states—Ohio, northern Kentucky, and West Vir-
ginia. This is a story about people, not just any people, but people
who know and believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior,
people who were baptized into the faith, people who are nurtured
by Word and Sacrament.

Whether it is one of our historic congregations such as Zion,
Wilshire (Schumm) or St. John, Marysville (Neuendettelsau, Union
County) or our newest mission, Beautiful Savior in Highland
Heights or a five-year-old mission in Florence, KY, or our sea-
soned but growing congregation in Cleveland serving the deaf in a
new facility or a contemplated immigrant ministry in the state cap-
ital, the byline is always the same, /t’s the mission, folks! God has
placed us on this earth to tell the Good News about Jesus to the lost
and hurting.

Urban ministry remains a priority because large numbers of
people live in the city who need to hear the saving Gospel of Jesus
Christ. We have not done urban work well in our Synod. Lutheran
schools in the city remain an even bigger challenge, but we con-
tinue to view this as an opportunity and not a problem.

Communications: tell them what you will tell them, then tell
them, and then tell them what you told them. We have made strides

in Communications with our Web page (www.od.Icms.org) and our
regular e-group e-mailings, which share prayer lists and news of
interest. The Grapevine, our bimonthly in-house informational
mailing to congregation leaders, principals, and pastors, is doing
well. The occasional District News, a newspaper publication, re-
mains under review and in transition.

The care of our professional church workers and their families
remains a key emphasis. Recent studies on recruitment and reten-
tion bear this out—we are only as strong as our best workers. Per-
sonal, professional, and family pressures coupled with congrega-
tion and school needs all combine to make this a challenging period
for our workers. But they are important, and to that end the Dis-
trict called its first Director of Ministerial] Health, Rev. Robert
Myers—an action that was ratified and “blessed” by the District
convention.

Education, especially in our Christian day schools and
preschools, reinains a priority. This triennium saw the retirement
of Dr. Ewald “Bill” Kane, who served over 30 years as the first Di-
rector of Educational Services. In January we welcomed Mr. Gor-
don Stuckert as our new “education exec,” who brings experience
and a heart for our teachers, children, and their parents (and the
city) to his calling.

The 2000 District convention authorized the development and
implementation of a Mission and Ministry Facilitator trial model,
which walks with congregations and their pastors and leaders in
developing effective congregational ministries, rather than pro-
moting programs or offering instant answers. The MMF model
serves one congregation at a time and one worker at a time. An
Equipping for Missions task force led by Rev. David Reimann laid
the groundwork. Leading the transition into this new model is long-
time staff member, Rev. Richard Gahl, who not only will be doing
facilitating, but will oversee its operations and will train and lead
this process. Additional part-time facilitator help is being recruited
as this is being written.

Mr. David Bowers heads up our District’s church extension op-
eration, which now works with over $27 million in revolving funds.
Mrs. Pat Bilow, Gift Planning Counselor with the LCMS Founda-
tion, serves the people of the Ohio District on a full-time basis in a
partnership between the District and the Foundation.

The District convention also authorized the remodeling of our
District office building to create better space utilization, to install
heating and electrical improvements, and to offer handicapped ac-
cessibility.

Much more remains to be said: an exciting youth ministry
model with coordinator Mrs. Karen Dutton; Mrs. Bonnie Mann,
our Chief Financial Officer, who provides service on many levels:
a great dedicated support staff that works in our office; a wonderful
team of three dedicated and competent Vice-Presidents; 15 able
Circuit Counselors; a responsible Board of Directors; and a host of
many others on all levels of board and committee service who
make this District into the wonderful resource for church work that
it really is.

But the last word goes to the men and women and children in
the pew and the classroom. That’s who we really are, God’s people
involved in nurture and outreach. The glory goes to God, the ap-
preciation goes to the laypeople, and the commendation goes to our
teachers in our schools, our pastors in our congregations, and their
families.

Ronald L. Bergen, President

R7-05-25

Oklahoma District

By the grace of God the congregations of the Oklahoma Dis-
trict continue to flourish. God’s Word is proclaimed and the Sacra-
ments are administered according to His Word. Through the power

2001 Convention Workbook