R26 Florida-Georgia District

R26

Florida-Georgia District The Florida-Georgia District has for more than 75 years been known for its focus on the mission of God. This is beautifully summarized in our Bylaws:

Since God’ s mission and ministry occur through local congregations, and it is our desire that every congregation be a church in mission; and every man and woman a missionary, all working together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, be empowered by His Gospel, to share His Love. Therefore, the Vision of the Florida-Georgia District is: Every member ...

Equipped, Empowered, Engaged ... Connecting People to Jesus!

Our district board of directors went through a two-year process of prayer, study, discussion, and visioning for its work ahead. Although we live in a day where the Church is faced with many challenges, the district believes that this is a time for us to remain steadfast and bold in our witness that many more might come to saving faith. The result was a renewed vision and strategy built around four critical ministry targets:

• Cultivate the Christian Identity of Every Disciple … as those created, loved, redeemed and sent by God;

• Support Church Workers and Leaders in Healthy Ministry Practices;

• Help Congregations Engage Their Communities … moving beyond the church doors and becoming actively involved in their communities; and • Foster a Sense of Shared District Identity around a Culture of Disciple-Making.

The district is diverse, stretching from the Florida Keys to the mountains of north Georgia. Despite Lutherans being a minority in a sea of denominations and religions, we are joyfully Lutheran, proclaiming the message of God’s grace through Christ by faith alone. We are committed to sharing this one true hope with all. We are committed to standing upon God’s Holy Word and celebrating the gift of the Sacraments.

We continue to support campus ministries across our district to reach over 690,000 students spread out in our many universities.

These students are not only being fed on Word and Sacrament but equipped and sent as witnesses and leaders for Christ. Financially, our district has remained healthy and debt-free.

We are blessed with a wonderful spirit of unity. Pastors joyfully and faithfully gather for winkel conferences, sharing worship, Bible and Confessions study, and brotherly encouragement. Commissioned workers gather locally and at our annual conferences. As those who are God’s redeemed, we are sent to be a blessing. When so many are hurting, struggling, and living outside of God’s grace, it is our calling to “share the hope that is within us” (see 1 Peter 3:15). Therefore, we continue to provide opportunities to equip and empower the people of the district to be the leaders that the Church needs and to see each opportunity as a “divine appointment” for outreach and service to the Lord.

Such equipping is accomplished through pastors’ conferences, regional gatherings and workshops, convocations, emergent lead - er training, treasurer workshops, outreach/evangelism training, the Kairos Network, Missionary Pathway Training, and other resources provided through the district and Synod. Others have been enLutheran Church—Missouri Synod to Affirm Unequivocally the Practice of First Communion Prior to Confirmation as a God-pleasing Practice so as to Encourage Member Congregations and Pastors of the English District to Recognize the Validity of the Aforementioned Practice and, On That Basis, Commune Visiting Children Who, Though Not Yet Confirmed, Are Nevertheless Communicant Members in Good Standing and Who, Therefore, Should Not Be Denied the Lord’s Body and Blood Because They Have Not Yet Been Confirmed Resolution 1-02B: To State Religious Objection to Government Interference of Parents’ Duty Resolution 1-03S: To Request the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) to Produce a New Document on Race Resolution 2-01: To Affirm and Retain the Seven Mission Priorities of the LCMS Resolution 2-03: To Memorialize the Synod to Encourage Congregations in the LCMS to Include in Their Annual Mission Budgets Support for a Regional University of the Synod’s Concordia University System Resolution 4-01A: To Request a Comprehensive Review of the Theological Concerns and Practical Procedures When a Call Is Terminated or Self-Terminated F. LCEF and Canada Corporation A corporation was established in 1954 by English District congregations to make loans to our Canadian congregations. As the need for funding grew, and with the blessing of the Canadian congregations of the English District, the LCEF became the sole member of the Canadian corporation. This has resulted in the Canadian Corporation becoming Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Canada.

The board of directors includes members of our English District’s Canadian congregations. We are excited to see how LCEF—Canada can expand its services to congregations and church workers throughout Canada, including congregations and pastors in Lutheran Church—Canada. This project has taken four years to accomplish, and we are thankful to God for His grace to everyone involved in the process.

G. Endowment Fund The English District Endowment Fund is currently worth about $5,000,000 and is bearing fruit each year to support the congregations’ efforts towards new missions, human care/disaster relief, campus ministry, church worker debt reduction, and scholarships.

H. Regional Conferences A highlight of each year is the round of four regional church worker conferences held in September and October. Our church workers, mostly pastors, come together for fellowship, education, worship, and to hear reports from our bishop and district staff. Topics ranging from our Lord’s resurrection to the history of the Synod’s congregations in Chicago were enjoyed by those in attendance.

I. Living the Baptized Life The English District joyfully looks to the future for our Lord’s appearing, seeking to please Him in all we do for His glorious eternal kingdom.

Jeffrey G. Miskus, President

2026 Convention Workbook 111 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS tions calling for pastors and fewer than 28 percent of our educators across the Synod are rostered. This reality cries out for our daily prayers. The Lord says, “Pray that the Lord would send out workers into the harvest.” In our district we urge everyone to daily pray at 10:02 (Luke) for workers to be raised up and Christ’s Church to grow.

In response to this need and the incredible opportunities before us, in January the district launched Compelled … A Mission Advancement Initiative to perpetually support three critical practices to the life and mission of the Church: (1) Plant new churches, (2)

start new outreach ministries outside the doors of our congrega - tions, and (3) raise up new church workers by providing additional financial aid.

Raising and endowing $10 million is the goal to provide the resources needed to accomplish these critical objectives now and in the future.

We continue to face approximately a 12 percent pastoral vacancy rate. This number is significantly less than it would be, due to the blessing of the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP), Center for Hispanic Studies, and Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology routes through the seminaries. SMP alone accounts for a little over 10 percent of our pastoral coverage. In addition, we are phenomenally blessed by retired pastors and workers who serve vacant congregations and classrooms faithfully. Yet, the availability of such workers is diminishing. We are doing what we can and working with Set Apart to Serve to address the need for existing congregations and church plants going forward. Yet more can be done to address needs as Christ’s Body together.

My fervent prayer is that we will continue to be bold in living as Christ’s witnesses, proclaiming, “Christ is risen indeed!” Therefore, may we take to heart these words of the psalmist:

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

(Psalm 105:1–3, NIV)

James H. Rockey, President