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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 114

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

114

tant Mrs. Jill Davis (15) to Mrs. Michelle Hammersland; Lutheran
Church Extension Fund Vice-President Mrs. Carole White Mandernach (26) to Mr. Josh Remington; and Gift Planning Coordinator
Mr. Jim Schroeder (36) to Mr. Leon Shoenfeld.
With so many rookies and much to learn, we thank God for our
continuing experience in the district office of (in decreasing order
of years of experience): Business Manager Roger Curtis, Executive Assistants Ms. Rhonda Mohr and Rev. Dr. B. Keith Haney,
Missionary-at-Large Rev. Pedro Lopez, and IOWAY Director Mrs.
Julie Mann.
What about missions here and around the world? Rev. Lopez
has been expanding ministry opportunities with Hispanic communities all around the district. Rev. Daniel Mapur has been working
with the Sudanese congregation at Grace, Le Mars. There are possibilities for additional Sudanese ministries in Denison, Storm Lake,
and Des Moines.
In the middle of the district, Mission Central, under the leadership of Mr. Gary Theis and Rev. Steve Schulz, promotes mission
awareness and support for missionaries sent around God’s earth.
Our Lutheran Women’s Missionary League with mites and prayers
supports district, Synod, and worldwide outreach. Our district sends
40 percent of our receipts on to the Synod for the Synod’s work.
Another blessing: More of our district congregations are returning to our biblical, confessional, historical practice of every Sunday
Communion: the Lord’s Supper for the Lord’s people each Lord’s
day, answering the question “How often would Jesus like to meet at
His table with hurting souls and care for them?”
We in the district look forward to our Lord’s work under His
blessing as we gather for our 2026 Synod convention, celebrating
Christ Is Risen Indeed! We live in this reality now and into days
eternal by His grace. And we anticipate His return, crying out with
all His faithful, “Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!”
Paul D. Egger, President
R30

Kansas District
Our work in the Kansas District is aptly reflected in the theme
of our 2025 convention: “Abiding in the Word” (John 8:31–32).
The baptized “abide in the word” as we are gathered at the pulpit,
font, and altar to receive the gifts of Christ in Word and Sacrament.
This is real, life-sustaining food. Receiving these gifts gives you a
good conscience before Christ (Heb. 10:22; 1 Tim. 1:5). With sins
forgiven and faith in Christ strengthened, we are set on the path
to serve the living God. We have the privilege of supporting and
encouraging the members of the district—155 congregations, 14
elementary schools, 1 high school, 35 preschools, and nearly 400
workers—in carrying out the mission Christ has given His Church.
We’re also thankful for the opportunities we’ve had to maintain and
enhance our work with other valued partners, including the Synod,
recognized service organizations, auxiliaries, and related agencies.

Goals
If you click on “About Us” on the home page of our website,
you’ll see the phrase “Synod in this Place.” It’s a nod to Bylaw
4.1.1.1. Our “common work” in the district—captured in our
mission statement, goals, and priorities—strongly aligns with the
Synod’s constitutional objectives, bylaw purpose, and convention
priorities while also taking into account directives from our district
2026 Convention Workbook

convention.
Following is a brief summary of progress on the major directives and priorities that have guided our work since the last Synod
convention:

District Resolutions
2022 Res. 22-01-03, To Encourage Kansas District Congregations to Seek Opportunities to Collaborate and Partner
to Enhance Mission and Ministry in the Kansas District: The
Partnership Project was launched in 2020. District congregations,
schools, and circuits are encouraged to consider ways in which they
can be “better together” for the sake of advancing the Gospel in
their location, and that the district identify, refine, and develop resources as needed to support the Partnership Project and encourage
use of these resources.
2022 Res. 22-02-02, To Recommend and Implement a Rigorous Program of Study in Circuit Winkels: The district president
provided to all circuit visitors and pastors of the district a template
for the Traditional Synodical Conference Winkel Model, which
provides, on a monthly basis, for significant and adequate time devoted to (a) the regular, formal study of God’s Word in the original
languages led by a circuit pastor; (b) the regular, formal study of our
blessed Confession and/or the Lutheran dogmatic tradition led by
a circuit pastor; (c) the regular, formal study of an historical, pastoral-theological, or polemical topic led by a circuit pastor; and (d)
regular, formal pastor-led critique of the winkel preacher’s sermon.
2022 Res. 22-03-01, To Encourage the Implementation of
the Church Worker Care Manual in LCMS Kansas District
Congregations: The lay leaders of district congregations are encouraged to implement the Church Worker Care Manual with their
pastor(s) and other professional church workers (if applicable)
within the 2022–25 triennium; and that church worker care teams
or other appropriate boards or individuals within the congregation
would focus their efforts on praying for, encouraging, and offering
respite opportunities for church workers, promoting and supporting
financially the continuing education of their called workers, and
providing compensation for church workers that meets or exceeds
established guidelines in the district.

Synod Priorities
Bylaw 4.4.4, Visitation: We conducted 31 “official” visitations
in the district since the last convention. The visits were intentionally based on Constitution Article III and Bylaw 4.4.4 (e). Visitation
in this triennium will also be centered on the same focus.
2023 Res. 1-01A, “To Stimulate Training for Witness”: We are
using and actively encouraging the use of all re:Vitality resources.
2023 Res. 1-03A, “To Plant More Churches”: Church Planting Simplified is currently being used with two new church plants.
2023 Res. 6-01, “To Affirm and Strengthen Set Apart to Serve
in Word and Action”: The district is actively supporting this
church worker recruitment initiative with prayer and active engagement.
2023 Res. 6-09, “To Recognize and Honor the Pastor’s
Wife”: We recognized all church workers and their anniversaries
with dessert following the convention Divine Service.

Performance Assessment
We strive to be good stewards of the gifts entrusted to our care.
Here are a few ways the district staff and the board of directors have