LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 59

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SYNOD REPORTS
R3-03-12

Mid-South District
The continuation and expansion of the ministry and mission of
the Mid-South District continues to be expressed in the words of its
mission statement:
“As an alliance of congregations and schools, the Mid-South
District provides leadership, resources, and encouragement for reaching the lost for Christ’s kingdom and equipping the found for service
in our churches, communities, and in the world.”
Our vision statement became this:
“We see every ministry reaching the lost and discipling the found.”
For the 2012 district convention, we chose the theme “Founded on
Christ; Focused on Community.” The theme provided the convention
and all the member congregations of the Mid-South District a means
to enable congregations to equip and encourage the priesthood of all
believers and make significant strides to touch the lives of the community surrounding our congregations.
The Mid-South District was founded on the principle of mission and outreach to the lost for the mid-South area. The convention
encouraged the participants to think and consider means by which they
could touch the lives of those who are unchurched and dechurched in
their immediate area and around the world.
During the past three years, the board of directors and executive
staff have worked intentionally and diligently to bring about a greater
awareness of what steps are necessary for the assembly of resources
to assist congregations to become stronger in their own context, and
with the wisest use of limited resources. A wider emphasis on assisting congregation leadership to be focused on community has come
from Congregation Revitalization and the A.C.T.S plan, bringing
meaningful and intentional contact with the community through the
congregation’s membership.
By encouraging smaller congregations and enabling more diversity in the larger congregations, more educational opportunities have
been provided through the district for specific ministry pastor and
deacon program participants. Professional workers and lay-church
workers have received more opportunities for continuing education
in their own areas of development.
Congregations have been encouraged to continue efforts toward
meaningful alliances with other congregations, whereby either new
mission opportunities can be explored and developed, or resources
can be combined to enable a way in which essential ministries may
continue in a more efficient fashion.
The 2012 district convention continued its support, by resolution,
of church planting, the ELVD outreach in Tanzania, the Lutheran
Malaria Initiative, the deacon program, and Trinity Hope, Haiti.
The District renewed its interest in and support of its church-planting initiatives. Since the 2009 convention, three new church plants
have started, bringing the Gospel to areas of Memphis, Knoxville,
and northwest Arkansas, in areas and neighborhoods where it has
never been before. A church-planting training site has recently offered
year-long training to potential church planters for other districts in
the LCMS as well in the Mid-South District. The number of congregations involved in revitalization has maintained a manageable and
active number of congregations, with noticeable results.
The convention and activities of the district continue to urge the
professional church workers and laity to be involved in active outreach
into the community, the workplace, the schools, and the region. The
Mid-South District will provide the leadership, resources, and encouragement for congregations and schools to develop an outward-focused
vision for mission and ministry. Several initiatives were prayerfully
introduced and considered for this upcoming triennium:

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Re-establish a Small and Rural Congregation Council
Town Hall meetings to ascertain the needs and resource potentials of
each congregation
* Create a President’s Council of past presidents to act as an advisory
board
* Establish a District Mission Board with broad-spectrum representation
* Provide a means for resource distribution for congregational
strengthening
* Develop means for cooperative use of congregational resources for
mission and ministry
* Establish a tool by which congregations can evaluate their relative risk
factors for continuing ministry
* Continue meaningful church planting to maximize use of limited and
valuable resources

The Mid-South District continues its focus on the mission and
ministry entrusted to us under the privilege and stewardship of workers for the kingdom of God and to His glory.
Roger Paavola, President
R3-03-13

Minnesota North District
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has
sent Me, even so, I am sending you’” (John 20:21).

These words of Jesus served as the foundation for the 21st Regular
Convention of the Minnesota North District gathering under the theme
Sent to Share Christ’s Healing Grace. Through His Holy Word and
Sacraments, Christ comes into our midst and gives us life. Basking
in His forgiving grace, we cannot help but give thanks for His mercies that are new every day. Forgiven and redeemed, we take the
Good News of salvation into our daily callings in our home, work
places, and communities, sharing through word and deed the love of
God in Christ Jesus. Jesus draws His people out of the world into the
Church, and He sends the Church out into the world. Christ is in the
midst of His Church, reaching out over the world by stretching the
Church out over the world.
The following sets forth how the Lord is working in and through
the Minnesota North District during the past triennium:
Witness:
1. A new mission start in partnership with the Minnesota South District
was begun in Otsego. This is our second such start, the first one being Alive! Lutheran Church in Monticello. Alive! is now a member
congregation of our district.
2. Sowing for Christ and Engaging Rural Communities workshops
were held to encourage and assist our rural/small-town congregations in reaching out with the Gospel.
3. A Discipleship Workshop was conducted to provide congregations
and individuals with resources to equip God’s people to “follow Jesus” out into the mission field to be effective witnesses where He has
placed them.
4. A Regional Outreach Conference (ROC) presented by Lutheran
Hour Ministries was hosted by the district and had over 400 people
in attendance.
5. Children’s Bible Clubs is a part of the effort of Project 24 to bring
the Gospel of Jesus Christ to thousands of orphans in Kenya and was
endorsed by our district in convention.
6. Hearts for Jesus is an opportunity for the children of our Sunday Schools, Vacation Bible Schools, preschools, and elementary
schools to support mission projects such as the work of Julia Mueller—serving in Lima, Peru, as the service coordinator for short-term
LCMS teams—and the Lutheran Heritage Foundation—providing
children’s materials in countries around the world.
7. Anyuak Ministry: Trinity Lutheran Church of Sauk Rapids has initiated a ministry to the Anyuak people living in the greater St. Cloud/
Sauk Rapids area. Their plan is to establish an Anyuak congregation

2013 Convention Workbook