LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 127

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SYNODICAL REPORTS 127

the Ridge and Mission of Christ. These two urban congregations
are mission restarts and will be our base for reenergizing our urban
mission and ministry in Milwaukee.

Two DELTO students completed their studies for ordination
and were ordained and installed in District congregations. Currently
we have one additional student in DELTO, three students in the
Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT), and three students
in the Hispanic Institute of Theology. We also have three people
participating in the Deaf Institute of Theology.

South Wisconsin District missionaries and pastors have been
active in overseas mission outreach programs. Rev. Yia Vang, Rev.
Faiv Neng Her, and Deacon Nou Toua Yang have been involved in
ministry in Thailand; while South Wisconsin missionaries/pastors
to the hearing impaired Rev. John Reinke and Rev. Bud Palmer
spent two three-week periods in Ghana, West Africa, training
Ghanaian Christians with tools to reach others in the Gospel and
to teach the deaf living in their country.

School ministry in South Wisconsin is vibrant and valued—140
child-care centers, preschools, elementary schools, and high
schools serve over 13,000 children and their families. We are
blessed with over 700 commissioned ministers and over 100
equally dedicated lay teachers. Located within South Wisconsin is
Concordia University Wisconsin, a university developing Chris-
tian leaders and providing future professional church workers for
the LCMS. The Superintendent’s Cabinet and the various confer-
ence planning committees are providing staff development activi-
ties/conferences designed to stretch our administrators and teachers
beyond their comfort zones, to equip them to grow in their skills
as twenty-first-century servants of our Savior. School ministry is
critical in helping people “To Know Christ and Make Him
Known.”

The youth ministry effort in the South Wisconsin District seeks
to network congregations and support their efforts in this vital min-
istry. A District youth care event provided an opportunity for youth
to experience servant events for the first time. Many of our youth
groups now participate in annual servant events. A statewide youth
gathering, Circuit Youth Leader Cluster meetings, and monthly
Youth Leaders e-news also strengthens our youth ministry network.

Family life has been strengthened through a series of Marriage
Enrichment Experiences. Prepare/Enrich training continues to be
provided to several pastors in our District. A manual for multicul-
tural family events was developed at our “We Are One” Family
Festival held at our Camp LuWiSoMo. Professionals in youth and
family ministry meet every other month to share resources and
grow in their ability to bless family life ministry.

In order to “Make Christ Known,” the District’s stewardship
ministry has sought to provide helpful resources and support to
congregations and church leaders. The stewardship committee
completed work on a “Ministry Menu,” which is a list of topics and
speakers available to District congregations. In addition, congrega-
tions that purchased the Congregational Stewardship Workbook
2000 were given orientation for this resource. In coordination with
LCEF and the LCMS Foundation people, a “Stewardship Sunday
Emphasis” was offered to the congregations of the District. This
emphasis includes a sermon on stewardship plus a Bible class on
the eight Stewardship Principles as well as training in how the
LCEF and Foundation ministries can help people practice good
stewardship during this life and beyond. This has evolved into the
offer of a “stewardship buffet” for congregational and/or leader-
ship consumption.

The SWD Task Force on Outreach has annually conducted an
Evangelism Convocation to provide the people of the District train-
ing and inspiration to be about the task of sharing the Good News
of Jesus. The last year of the triennium found, instead of one large
event as in past years, the Task Force conducting regional Idea Ex-
changes with congregational evangelism committees. This small-

group format better allowed people to share ideas and resources to
enhance outreach ministry. The District’s evangelism ministry also
continues annually (for nearly 25 years) to sponsor a pre-Lent re-
treat for pastors and their spouses.

The Student Aid and Recruitment committee of the District pro-
vides monetary support to those from the District who are entering
into full-time church work. In addition, the committee seeks ways
to help congregations and pastors recruit more of God’s people into
preparation for a church-related career.

The annual Retired Pastors, Wives, and Widows gathering will
soon be held for the ninth time. This is a joint effort with the North
Wisconsin District which alternates with us bi-annually in spon-
soring the gathering. Plans are also underway for the seventh an-
nual Retired Non-Clergy Church Worker Gathering in October.

Financial reporting, utilizing generally accepted accounting
principles, is provided monthly and reviewed in detail by the SWD
treasurer, staff, finance operations committee, and auditors. It is
also shared quarterly with the SWD Finance committee and the
District’s Board of Directors, and triennially with the SWD con-
vention delegates and, upon request, with District members. There
is a clear separation of duties in accounting responsibilities and
constant internal review for accuracy and security. The SWD has
brought this accounting safety, security, and protection to most of
the individual professional conferences by doing the accounting,
check writing, and receipting for those conferences through the
SWD office.

All critical financial data is backed up daily, and a copy is taken
off-site to protect the same against catastrophic loss. Strict ac-
countability is maintained with all staff, and dollar amount sign-
off levels are clearly designated.

South Wisconsin congregations and members are provided with
monthly reports of pledges and receipts, financial and tax informa-
tion, annual training in and as well as updates for the Congrega-
tional Treasurer’s manual and Salary Suggestions document.

The Lutheran Church Extension Fund program in the South
Wisconsin District continues to grow in financial strength and in
the provision of supportive loans. These are provided to congrega-
tions and other District ministries. Over the past three years LCEF
has focused its efforts on teaching stewardship in congregations
and schools along with the importance of saving money through
LCEF. LCEF continues its strong partnership with the LCMS
Foundation in the District to link Christians with giving opportuni-
ties.

Ronald E. Meyer, President

R7-05-31
_ Southeastern District

The Southeastern District (SED) sees the time in which we are
living in North America as a “new missionary age.” Most of the
features of “Christendom,” when the church was an integral part
of our society, have melted away, and nearly half the members of
any community claim no religious affiliation whatsoever. The time
has clearly come for all of our congregations to become disciple-
making centers of caring and outreach.

Articulated forcefully and consistently by our former President,
Dr. Arthur W. Scherer, this is the theme that pervaded all the Dis-
trict’s activities during the last triennium. A noteworthy example
of this was the work of the Task Force on “Training and Recruiting
Workers for Ministry,” called into being not simply in view of the
Synodwide shortage of church professionals, but because of the
growing number of mission opportunities within the region of the
SED. Between 2000 and 2003, 49 new ministries were indeed ini-
tiated, and thus far in 2004, 13 additional opportunities are claiming
our attention.

2004 Convention Workbook