LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 130

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130 SYNODICAL REPORTS

¢ $2,305,000 to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod for synod-
ical missions and ministries
¢ $3,242,820 for Texas District missions and ministries: 52 min-
istries receiving financial support from one of the largest District
mission programs in the Synod

History: The Texas District was organized in 1906 and will cel-
ebrate its 100th anniversary in 2006

Geography: Over 250,000 square miles (the entire state of
Texas, except El Paso County)

Baptized members: 137,130

Congregations: 348

Circuits: 40

Pastors: 656, including retired

Educators: 640 synodically trained

Texas District Ministries

¢ Day schools: 136

¢ High schools: 7

¢ University: Concordia University, Austin (enrollment 1,155)

¢ Lutheran Social Services of the South ($50 million annual budget,
serving 25,000 annually)

¢ Lutheran Outdoors Ministry of Texas (one camping/retreat facil-
ity)

* CAN-DO Mission (over 6,600 young people have participated in
short-term mission servant events in Texas, Mexico, Guatemala,
Panama, Brazil, Russia, Slovakia, Alaska, and Cuba)

¢ Texas Partners in Mission (providing financial support for mis-
sion development)

¢ Texas District Church Extension Fund ($85.9 million invest-
ments; $19,225,000 capital fund, $105.6 million total assets)

¢ Lutheran Foundation of Texas ($31 million under management)
¢ Texas District LWML

¢ Lone Star District LLL

The vision of the Texas District is that by the 100th anniversary
of the Texas District in the year 2006, the congregations of the
Texas District will be mission-driven and will
* touch and win those who do not know Jesus Christ;

* enrich and empower those who do.

James R. Linderman, President

R7-05-35
Wyoming District
Organized: September 30, 1970
Geography: The District includes the state of Wyoming, the pan-
handle of Nebraska, and one congregation in Colorado.
District makeup: 65 congregations, one mission station, 2 Ameri-
can Indian missions, two campus ministries, 7 circuits
Schools: 14 preschools, 4 elementary schools, 35 teachers and
aides, 1 DCE
Pastors: 65
Chaplains: 4
Baptized members: 16,308
Communicant members: 12,212

The Wyoming District continues to work hard to be responsive
to the needs and wants of the congregations of the District as they
carry out the mission and ministry of Christ. We have initiated a
new planning process for the District efforts in serving our congre-
gations. A new District Administrative Team receives input from
our congregations, in terms of their needs, and then forms a strate-
gic plan which is then shared with the various boards and commis-
sions of the District. The boards and commissions then develop tac-
tical plans in their area of responsibility to enable the strategic plan
to be realized. The congregations have been well served by the
team as they carry out our mission and ministry.

2004 Convention Workbook

One of the very successful results of this new planning process
is a Tell The Good News About Jesus Convocation, which has
been held in the District each of the past three years. The convoca-
tion is organized for the purpose of equipping the people of the
District to share their faith in Jesus Christ, and to enable Christ-
centered ministry in each community of the District. The convoca-
tions have been very well received, and the last one, held in Jan.
2004, had over 440 participants, with representatives present from
over half of the District’s congregations.

The District also continues to address special needs in our two
missions to the Native American population of our District. Imme-
diate needs are: calling a new missionary, or assisting our present
mission staff with other forms of help; finding an in-road to the
Arapahoe Indian population, which has been difficult to find; and,
as with all mission work in the Synod, funding the mission. We
have established a new mission congregation in a highly Mormon-
saturated area of western Wyoming. The going is rough, but we are
making progress and have a good core group in the mission con-
gregation at this time.

The District also struggles with a Synodwide problem of serv-
ing small congregations which can no longer financially support a
full-time pastor. Funding the mission is a major concern in the
Wyoming District, as it is over the entire Synod, and so work is
being initiated to assist our congregations in proper Christian stew-
ardship training. A special task force organized for that purpose is
guiding this work.

Visitation of congregations and pastors by the District Presi-
dent, Vice-Presidents or Circuit Visitors, also remains a high pri-
ority as we seek to properly carry out ecclesiastical supervision, re-
spond quickly to needs or conflict, and encourage and support
congregations and pastors in mission and ministry in their particu-
lar location. We also encourage the support of each other, and of
the entire Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, with our prayers and
resources as we walk together in Christ. To Him be the glory!

Ronald M. Garwood, President

R7-06
Commission on Constitutional Matters

The functions of the Commission on Constitutional Matters are
set forth in Bylaw 3.905. Paragraph d of that Bylaw states that the
Commission is to interpret the Synod’s Constitution, Bylaws, and
resolutions upon the written request of a member (congregation,
ordained or commissioned minister), official, board, commission,
entity, or agency of the Synod. The Bylaw limits the Commission’s
work to the Synod’s Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions adopted
by the conventions of the Synod, and thus the Commission cannot
provide an opinion that interprets Scripture or the Articles of In-
corporation.

That same Bylaw goes on to state that an opinion rendered by
the Commission shall be binding on the question decided unless
and until it is overruled by a synodical convention. Therefore, the
Commission does not have the last word on the issue to which it is
requested to respond. Rather, all of the opinions of the Commis-
sion are subject only to review and rejection by a synodical con-
vention.

The Commission consists of five voting members: three are or-
dained ministers, and two are lawyers. In addition, the Secretary of
the Synod serves as a nonvoting member as well as the secretary of
the Commission. The five voting members serve six-year terms,
renewable once. They are selected as follows: Candidates for a va-
cant position are nominated by each of the District boards of direc-
tors. The names of these nominees are then forwarded to the Coun-
cil of Presidents through the Office of the Secretary of the Synod.
The Council then selects five candidates for each vacant position.