LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 73

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SYNOD REPORTS
African Immigrant Outreach Program, reaching out to first- and second-generation African immigrants. Jesus spoke of being witnesses to
the end of the earth. Our congregations and people are witnessing to
those who have come to South Dakota from many parts of the earth.
A large portion of the northwest corner of South Dakota has large
ranches, few towns, and sparse population. There are no LCMS congregations and few congregations of other denominations. In Romans
10:14, the apostle Paul asks, “How are they to believe in Him of
whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” Our district’s circuit rider ministry, “Hitchin’ Post
Ministry,” brings the witness of the Gospel by on-site visits by a pastor who brings his own horse and trailer to give a hand to the ranchers
and a witness as well. He also covers that area through ads and interviews broadcast over the radio waves.
Nearly every parish pastor in the district participates in the opportunity to bring the message of the Gospel to people over every part of
South Dakota and into some neighboring states through our television outreach program, “Main Street Living.” In addition to a weekly
half-hour Divine Service, the program includes a half-hour children’s
program called “Kids’ Crossing.” All of the work for these programs
is done by pastors and members of congregations who volunteer their
time and talents. The program brings a solid Gospel witness to a wide
variety of viewers, including those who are homebound, shift workers, and many adults and children who, as yet, do not have a church
home. But the Holy Spirit is at work!
Jesus said to “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:38). In order that men and women
of our district may prepare for professional church-work vocations,
our district provides generous student aid grants both at the undergraduate and seminary levels. While we recognize that not all of these
students will return to serve in South Dakota, these individuals will
be witnesses of the Gospel whether they serve here or to the ends of
the earth. In addition, the district helps subsidize campus ministries
at three of our state universities, serving students who are preparing
for nonchurch vocations but who will be witnesses both to other students on campus and to others beyond their graduation.
We continue to work with congregations to start new mission
congregations, especially in our larger population areas. At the same
time, we recognize the importance of keeping the Gospel proclamation and witness present in our less densely populated areas. Well
over half of the congregations of our district are located in country or
rural settings surrounded by farms and ranches in towns with dwindling populations of less than 1,000, including 20 congregations in
communities of less than 100. Two-thirds of our congregations are in
multiple-point parishes, mostly in rural settings and some with long
distances between churches. Two congregations have closed during
the last triennium, in part because their membership could no longer support even part-time ministry. Our district encourages alternate
ways of serving some of these challenging settings so that the witness
of the Gospel can continue while being faithful to the Scriptures and
our Lutheran Confessions. During the past triennium, three men have
been trained and ordained as specific ministry pastors, two of whom
are now serving in locations that otherwise would be unable to sustain a full-time pastor. These men are proving to be a special blessing.
The congregations, schools, and saints who are part of the South
Dakota District thank God that by His grace, we have been baptized
for this moment in time. And as His redeemed and baptized children, we thank Him that we have been “Called Into Partnership: For
Witness.”
Dale L. Sattgast, President

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South Wisconsin District
The theme for the 2012 South Wisconsin District convention was
Кοινωνία ... Life forgiven, Life together ... It is all part of the reason
why our district tagline is “Passionate Believers Changing Life” as
we (1) maximize resources, (2) multiply ministries, and (3) magnify partnerships. So much good is being accomplished as we work
together in the church.
1. Maximizing Resources
At the completion of our last fiscal year, which ended Jan. 31,
2012, our auditors reported that not only did we close out the year
once again well into the black, but also that our financial team was
to be commended for the fine work they are doing keeping track of
the precious gifts which we receive from our various congregations
and other donors. Another very positive financial item that needs to
be noted is that back in 2006, our capital indebtedness was $5.5 million. This last Thursday, Tim Dittloff informed me that our capital
indebtedness is now down to $2.38 million. In the last six years, we
have more than cut that indebtedness in half.
2. Multiplying Ministries
Three years ago, at the 2009 convention, the district with
Resolution 3-03A adopted a goal of starting 50 new missions and/or
ministries in the next five years. Current count puts us at somewhere
just over 30 at reaching that goal; but it has not been easy, especially
in light of our financial limitations. One of the things we have learned
along the way is that it is not about brick and mortar, not about buildings; rather, it is about Word and Sacrament; it is about relationships:
Кοινωνία ... Life forgiven, Life together …
3. Magnifying Partnerships
Where to begin? Koinonia is the key to all that we are accomplishing for our Lord in His kingdom: 214 congregations, 120,000 people,
58 elementary schools, preschools, 6 high schools, CUW … sharing a common faith, sharing a common purpose, aimed at a common
goal of making a difference with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have so many resources: people resources, financial resources,
resources that come from the Gospel news of forgiveness and peace
because of our Lord Jesus.
Many of our district’s mission stories are about those of other cultures, not necessarily in faraway places, but in places like Racine and
Milwaukee, in Franklin and Waukesha. The fastest growing demographic group in south Wisconsin is no longer Pomeranian; it is
Hispanic. There are also Asians like the Karenni and Hmong. There
are those from the Middle East: Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim. There are
African immigrants from Nigeria and the Congo. As we reach out to
these new cultures in our midst with the Gospel, they become part of
our Кοινωνία ... Life forgiven, Life together ... And that is a fantastic blessing from our Lord!
In his opening remarks to the 2012 South Wisconsin District convention, President Wille offered the following comments on the
convention theme:
“Fellowship, partnership, sharing. κοινωνία is a word that reminds
us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves, something
even much larger than our local congregation, something even much
larger than the South Wisconsin District. We are part of a much larger
church. We are part of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, part of
the Holy Christian Church, part of God’s family of believers.
“Dr. Martin Luther writes on this about κοινωνία:
This fellowship consists in this, that all the spiritual possession
of Christ and his saints [i.e., believers] are shared with and become
the common property of him who receives this sacrament. Again all
sufferings and sins also become common property; and thus love
engenders love in return and [mutual love] unites. (LW 35:51)
“For each of us that fellowship, or that relationship, begins at a very
personal level, when our Lord Jesus claims us to be His own in the Sac-

2013 Convention Workbook