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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 130

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

130

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

In the Western Region, which includes the Enid, Kingfisher,
and Panhandle circuits, outreach continues among the Burmese
Karen people. The result includes multiple baptisms and confirmations. Lutherhaven Retreat Center is located near Knowles and offers wilderness and waterfront experiences. Youth retreats are held
in the summer. Continuing education courses are also hosted for
church workers. Various seminary professors have taught there and
discovered the open spaces of the Oklahoma Panhandle.

We treasure the Bible, the Book of Concord, and the hymnal.
The ordinary elements of water, bread, and wine become extraordinary when connected to the Word of God. What amazing power
comes into the lives of people through preaching, teaching, baptizing, absolving, and communing around the altar!

In the Central Region, which includes the Oklahoma City,
Lawton, and Norman circuits, the Hispanic ministry continues. The
future growth of these ministries offers exciting potential. We support pastors and missionaries from this region who now serve at
the new seminary in Shinyanga, Tanzania. We also assist in church
planting in Italy and Latvia. One teaches systematics and also assists in pastoral formation. Ministry to the armed forces has continued at the U.S. Army Training Center at Ft. Sill. Local pastors have
conducted the Divine Service on the military base for the soldiers
who are serving our country.

David R. Nehrenz, President

In the Eastern Region, which includes the Tulsa, Miami,
and Ponca City circuits, spiritual doors have opened for outreach
among Hispanic people. Also, our Camp Lutherhoma resides on
120 acres in beautiful eastern Oklahoma, located along the Illinois
River just east of Tahlequah. The mission of the camp is to nurture
discipleship in Jesus Christ in outdoor settings. It ministers to hundreds of youth during summer and winter programs. They learn
how to share the love of Christ to the world. The camp also offers
its beautiful facilities as retreat settings for groups, congregations,
and families.
When a tornado went directly through Camp Lutherhoma in
June of 2025, we worked together with district volunteers, the Lutheran Early Response Team, and Ross Johnson from LCMS Disaster Response to begin the extensive recovery and clean-up work.
By the grace of God, no one was seriously injured, even though
the camp was filled with youth campers. It was a joint effort that
brought together dedicated and joyful service in the midst of a
stressful event. God be praised!
Three campus ministries are active in Norman (University of
Oklahoma), Stillwater (Oklahoma State University), and Tulsa
(The University of Tulsa). The impact from these ministries has included baptisms, confirmations, and marriages. Students have been
directed into various church vocations of deaconess, teacher, director of Christian education, and pastor. Pastoral supervised vicars
and student peer ministers have served in these campus ministries.
English-as-a-Second-Language programming and international
student ministries on campus have also brought the Gospel to various cultural and people groups.
The saints of Oklahoma continue to carry out the Great Commission. Christ Is Risen Indeed is what we proclaim in the southwest part of our country and throughout the world. “In fact Christ
has been raised from the dead. … By a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. … In Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor.
15:20, 21, 22).
The dedicated, sanctified service of our congregations is exceptional. We are friendly people. We are faithful to the Word of God.
We are family oriented.
We rejoice in sacred spaces, sacred words, sacred music, sacred ways of acting and speaking. We are shaped by God’s Word,
and not by the world. We understand that in today’s world, the old
things have become new. The Gospel is best delivered to people by
2026 Convention Workbook

using the tools we have always had in the LCMS.

May the Lord Jesus continue to work mightily through our
faithful commitment to make disciples of all nations through His
Means of Grace. He will guide the next generations of our children
and grandchildren in this place we call home, the LCMS Oklahoma
District!

R46

Pacific Southwest District
The Pacific Southwest District is honored to welcome the Synod
to our district as the 2026 Synod convention gathers in Phoenix
around the theme Christ Is Risen Indeed. The mission of the district
is to effectively resource congregations and schools for transforming lives and making the Great Commission REAL! Here are 10
highlighted ways that this mission is being fulfilled as we partner
together to proclaim the risen Christ. (References to applicable
2023 Synod convention resolutions are included at the bottom of
each section.)
The 47th Convention of the Pacific Southwest District gathered
under the theme Redeemed to Tell, inspired by Psalm 107:2: “Let
the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.” The convention, held
June 25–27, 2025, at the beautiful La Quinta Resort in the desert
of Southern California, reflected the hope and joy in which 265
congregations and 136 schools came together to tell the stories of
God’s abundant faithfulness to the 36 million people who live within the district.

Evangelism, Mission, and Church Planting
The district continues to pursue the creation of 100 new Gospel-proclaiming ministries by 2031, the 100th anniversary of the
district. To date, over 50 intentional Gospel-proclaiming ministries
have begun. The Lutheran Mission Society of San Diego, under
the guidance of Mission Director Rev. Dr. Tardelli Voss, is working with over 50 lay evangelists who come from many different
cultures and are individually connected to local San Diego County
congregations. Many of these individuals are now pursuing LCMS
pathways into rostered church work. The Coastal Mission Society
has become a guiding force for church planting in the district. Rev.
John Alwood, a career church planter who recently colloquized
into the LCMS, leads this equipping and planting effort that has
already launched 13 new locations that will soon qualify as “new
church starts.” On Sept. 30, 2025, the district, in partnership with
the LCMS Office of International Ministry, hosted a FORO in San
Diego that introduced mission opportunities on both sides of the
U.S.-Mexico border. President Omar Garza of the Lutheran Synod
of Mexico participated. (Res. 1-03A, “To Plant More Churches”;
Res. 11-03A, “To Love and Disciple Peoples of All Ethnicities,
Languages, and Skin Colors”; Res. 1-05A, “To Increase Mission
Efforts to Immigrants and Various Cultural Groups in North America”; Res. 2-07A, “To Commend Use and Attendance of FOROs”)