LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 98

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98 SYNODICAL REPORTS

was created to offer support among congregations serving the
urban setting of Milwaukee. Ministry has expanded in reaching out
to the growing Hispanic, Hmong, and African-American commu-
nities. Through our participation in Pentecost 2000 several new
cross-cultural ministries have begun. Chaplaincy ministries in hos-
pitals, long-term care facilities, and prisons continue to help people
“to know Christ and make Him known.”

Financial support has been given to the students participating
in the DELTO program (Distance Education Leading to Ordina-
tion) and the Hispanic Institute of Theology. We will also have stu-
dents participating in the Deaf Institute of Theology.

School ministry has a high priority among the people of the
South Wisconsin District. They see our child care centers,
preschools, elementary schools, and high schools as vital tools in
helping people “To Know Christ and Make Him Known.” The
lives of over 13,000 children and their families are served by the
109 schools and child care centers of the SWD. Our sixth Lutheran
high school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2001. Located within
the SWD, Concordia University—Wisconsin continues to provide
leadership in recruiting students for teaching and pastoral ministry
careers. Two new elementary schools were started in 2000-2001.
with the prospect of four more schools starting in the next year or
two. The Lord has blessed our District with more than 800 dedi-
cated commissioned ministers who not only talk the talk, but also
walk the walk. We thank and praise God for His tremendous bless-
ing of school ministry here in South Wisconsin.

The Youth of South Wisconsin and their congregations continue
to be supported through the work of the District Youth Commit-
tee. Annually we participate in the synodical Teen Leadership Ini-
tiative, providing this leadership program in various retreat settings.
Special events were held, including the North and South Wisconsin
District Youth Gathering in Madison in 1999. Servant event op-
portunities continue to grow, with many of our youth participating
in local, state, national, and international programs.

Our Family Life Committee has provided resources for the sup-
port of family ministries to the congregations of our District. We
have coordinated our efforts with the annual evangelism festivals of
the District in expanding our impact on congregational life. Mar-
ried-couples retreats and premarital counseling education programs
have been offered. We have also benefited from family focus pro-
grams provided by Lutheran Counseling and Family Services and
our CPH District Resource Representative.

The sixth annual Retired Pastors, Wives, and Widows Gather-
ing will be held this fall. We have now expanded to include the
North Wisconsin District as we take turns sponsoring the gather-
ing. Plans are also underway for the fourth Retired Church Worker
Gathering in October.

Financial reporting. utilizing generally accepted accounting
principles, is prepared monthly and reviewed in detail with the Dis-
trict staff and finance committee members. Strict adherence to ap-
proved budgets has been maintained. The network computer sys-
tem is administered in-house for the District staff.

Districtwide workshops are being held to explain the congrega-
tional treasurers manual to laypeople and pastors.

The Lutheran Church Extension Fund program in the South
Wisconsin District continues to experience growth in investments
and loans provided to congregations. Two retired pastors provide
assistance to both LCEF and the LCMS Foundation as they pro-
vide wills awareness seminars throughout the District. In addition,
the work of volunteer congregational representatives continues to
support the work of LCEF in our District.

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, stewardship, and developmental/marketing support all
serve Christian donors, congregations, and Distriet ministry to help

2001 Convention Workbook

learn about stewardship goals and assist in the development and
management and plans to make these goals a reality. The end out-
come is millions of dollars to support congregations and affiliated
ministries of our church body, resulting in the continued proclama-
tion of Jesus Christ.

Ronald E. Meyer, President

R7-05-31
Southeastern District

The Southeastern District was formed as a ‘Mission District”
by outreach-oriented congregations of the Eastern and English Dis-
tricts who saw the vast potential for mission in the six states and
District of Columbia within our geographical boundaries. More
than 60 years later we remain a District committed to God’s mis-
sion. Our 2000 convention celebrated that mission fervor with the
theme of ‘Mission in Motion: The Past Remembered, the Present
Passion, the Future Promise.”

It is an exciting time to be in mission in this geographically and
culturally diverse District of ours. We see the task of District lead-
ership as providing vision for a “new missionary age” filled with
challenges and opportunities. We have sought to do that in a num-
ber of ways:

+ An energetic mission development strategy—Two years
ago we sought to partner in the establishment of 28 new ministries
within three years. After two years we have already seen the estab-
lishment of 27 of the 28, and the increased interest in mission ex-
pansion continues to bring forth multiple opportunities. We have
added three new child development centers and one high school in
the past triennium. The number of our ethnic ministries has blos-
somed to inelude ministries among Chinese, Korean, Hmong.
African, and Hispanic immigrants.

+ “Nine Marks of a Mission Focused Church’”—We seck to
strengthen existing congregations in their outreach through a Bible-
based, practical emphasis on what we call “Nine Marks of a Mis-
sion Focused Church.” We have prepared congregational work-
shops and Bible studies on each of the nine marks.

+ Strong “Tell the Good News about Jesus’ emphasis—En-
thusiasm for the LCMS “Tell the Good News about Jesus” empha-
sis has been high in our District. We have distributed $100,000 in
our own grants to 28 congregations that sought to begin new out-
reach programs in their communities. We sponsored a “TTGNAJ
Summit” to train congregational workers in outreach techniques.
We have developed a special TTGNAJ logo pin that we have shared
with other Districts, and we have established a network of circuit
and congregational coordinators to share encouragement and ideas.

+ Attention to underlying issues—Those issues include a crit-
ical shortage of professional workers and concern for congrega-
tional health in a stressful time for ministry. Our District conven-
tion established a task force to enhance the recruitment of
professional workers and to consider ways of training workers in
the church to fill the variety of staffing needs being faced by our
congregations. Issues of congregational health and conflict re-
sponse have been addressed by expanding our resources through
programs like “Bridgebuilders,” “Healthy Congregations,” and
“Peacemakers.”

The Southeastern District has been blessed with a wonderful
staff that operates from a team approach and a deployed mode.
Added to that are the many leaders who serve in volunteer eapaci-
ties as Circuit Counselors, Circuit Mission Advocates, School
Leadership Team members, Board of Directors, and a host of other
mission groups. I often say that “I have people on my mind.” The
Southeastern District is people gathered together in mission to ful-
fill the vision of

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

Arthur W. Scherer, President