Official Workbook report source text
Official Workbook source-navigation report record. No analysis has been added.
- Report number/id
- R28
- Report title
- R28 Iowa District East
- Workbook start page
- 112
- Workbook end page
- 113
- Source pages
- 112, 113
- Source status
- source_checked
- Committee
- Not available
R28 Iowa District East The congregations of Iowa District East remain a pasture where the pure Word of God and the Holy Sacraments are delivered to the sheep of each flock. As such, the sheep are well fed and able to stand firm in the Christian faith amidst an ever-increasing anti-faith culture. Our pastors are well trained and dedicated to tending their congregations with fidelity to the correct exposition of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. The schools of our district are experiencing growth, for which we give thanks and praise to our Lord. Each school is led by qual- • Encouraging, facilitating, and/or providing pastoral care for the pastors of the Indiana District; • Likewise, supporting and caring for the pastors’ families; • Promoting an active fellowship between brother pastors and sister congregations at the circuit level; • Increasing the clarity and consistency of the practice of closed Communion throughout all of our congregations; and • Fostering a more harmonious unity of worship practice across the district, for the sake of our confession of Christ. Along with regular attention given to each of these concerns, the district president and secretary were able to record a couple of podcasts on the theology and practice of closed Communion and on the benefits to be found through increased harmony of worship practices among the congregations of our church fellowship. Those recordings are readily available on the district website. In addition to the above concerns, another priority of focus has been on Lutheran education. An investigation of classical Lutheran education, initiated by the 2022 district convention, culminated in a report presented to the board of directors in December 2024 and acknowledged with thanksgiving by the 2025 convention. We were also able to partner with the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Ed- ucation in sponsoring a number of practicums within the district. Conversations continue and future plans are being pursued with various parishes interested in exploring a classical pedagogy. Broadening the scope of our considerations and discussions in response to a resolution adopted by the 2025 district convention, we are exploring the theology of Lutheran education and looking for ways to promote and support distinctively Lutheran schools as valuable partners in the Church’s overall ministry of the Word. We are well served in those efforts by our new education executive, Mr. Nathan Wingfield, and his capable administrative assistant, Mrs. Martha Peters, both of whom came on board in June of 2025. Now in 2026 we are preparing for the retirement of our long- time missions executive, Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Robinson, who will have served the district for 19 years as of the end of July. Plans are underway to fill his big shoes with a new executive, who will most likely serve as an assistant to the president with a focus on mis- sions, outreach, mercy, pastoral care, and other duties as needed. We are profoundly grateful for Dr. Robinson’s faithful and steady service to the district throughout these past many years. The district has been especially pleased to continue its signif- icant support of the ongoing mission and mercy work among our Lutheran brothers and sisters in Tanzania, including the training of new pastors, the establishment of a seminary, and the building of much-needed orphanages. The 2022 and 2025 district conventions and the board of directors have been consistent in their support of these and other efforts, and we are grateful to God for the progress, indicative of a commitment to the purity of the Word of God and the clarity of our Lutheran teaching and confession of the faith. As we have worked with the Office of International Mission and partnered with other Synod districts in supporting the work in Tanzania, so have there also been a variety of efforts over these past several years to partner with the Office of National Mission and the recognized service organizations of the Synod in our district, as we strive to exercise our fellowship in the Gospel for the benefit of our congregations and circuits. Besides our ongoing relationships with Concordia Plan Services, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund, and the LCMS Foundation, we have also worked with various agen- 2026 Convention Workbook 113 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS During this triennium, we have been acting upon Synod and district convention resolutions concerning reaching out into our communities with Jesus’ love, church worker wellness, promoting a culture of life, encouraging and recruiting pastors and other pro- fessional church workers, and more. How are we reaching out into our communities? Rev. Dr. B. Keith Haney conducts “Art of Neighboring” workshops and vision- ing workshops to help individuals and congregations see how they can be neighbors in their communities and bring people to hear the Word of God in our churches. Mrs. Julie Mann assists congrega - tions in establishing Swaddling Clothes ministries as well as Lu- theran Early Response Teams (LERT). The district reaches out to hurting families and congregations with our LERT training and vol- unteers and has recently served homes and churches in our district impacted by tornados and flooding. LERT volunteers also traveled to Concordia Seminary to help clear trees and debris following a tornado. Our district also supports Orphan Grain Train. What about church worker wellness and mental health issues? In addition to our two annual professional church worker conferences, we have begun an annual Mutual Consolation of the Brethren gath- ering initiated and led by Rev. Chad Dietrich. We are renewing our emphasis among pastors on regularly attending our monthly circuit winkels. We host an annual pastors’ wives’ retreat at Camp Oko- boji. We passed a resolution to encourage every congregation to enact sexual abuse prevention strategies. We’ve devoted 3 percent of our entire district budget to expand staff and resources of Lu- theran Family Service under the care and direction of Rev. Max Phillips and Ms. Wanda Pritzel. Rev. Phillips shares that Lutheran Family Service is the oldest service organization in Iowa, having been organized in 1901. Its mission includes bringing comfort to those who have had an abortion, those who are unexpectedly preg- nant, those suffering mental health challenges, and others in need. Rev. Jonathan Conner leads seminars encouraging appropriate use of social media. Also, we have begun regular circuit visitor Zoom meetings followed by in-person meetings to discuss opportunities and issues as we walk together, because Christ is risen indeed! What about promoting a culture of life? Our district convention passed a resolution supporting and encouraging adoptions. Pastors travel to our state capital to discuss life issues and legislation with state government officials at lunch and learns and also Pastors Day on the Hill. Revs. Cory Kroonblawd and Paul Schulz are actively planning activities prior to and alongside the annual Iowa March for Life. How are we encouraging and recruiting pastors and other pro- fessional church workers? Our 35 preschools serve over 1,400 chil- dren. Our eight Lutheran schools are each increasing in enrollment. By God’s grace, with our schools bringing Jesus Christ to God’s dear children, He may lead more into professional church work. The district has distributed over $250,000 in aid again this year to 18 district students attending our Concordia universities and seminaries. Also, our district provides a generous fund available for church workers to help with debt reduction. How about music among God’s children? David’s Harp is a recognized service orga- nization of the Synod that is helping raise the next generation of church musicians in local congregations. It began in the district, at St. Paul, Council Bluffs, several years ago. Our district office has recently experienced major transitions in staffing. From those retiring: District President Steve Turner (after 10 years) to Paul Egger; Administrative Assistant Mrs. Sue Light (46) to Mrs. Emilie Jensen; District President Administrative Assis- ified and wise administrators who lead competent and caring fac- ulties. The directors of Christian education and deaconesses fulfill their calling with determination and commitment to Holy Writ so that our children and young adults may be equipped to withstand Satan’s assaults and give a clear testimony to the world of who Jesus is and the salvation that He has earned for us. The rural areas of Iowa are continuing to decline in popula- tion. Our rural congregations are valiantly remaining committed to reaching out to those who yet may live nearby. Adjustments and ar- rangements with sister congregations to share a pastor are difficult considerations. Yet they bravely make decisions they need to so they may continue to be present in their local communities. Concerted efforts at church worker recruitment are bearing fruit. Partnering with the Synod office supplying us with materials and resources, we have seen an increase in students going to our Con- cordia universities as well as young men heading off to one of our two seminaries. As was said above, we can only give thanks and praise to the Lord of the Church for answering our prayers to send more workers into the harvest field. In convention this past year, the Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann guided the assembly with a wonderful presentation on the topic “The Word of God Leads Us Through Life.” It was a time of worship, study, reports, and reflection on what we have been given in the Church and how each congregation and membership can communicate that message to the communities we live in. We have the holy treasures of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our pastors preach “Christ Jesus and Him Crucified” with clarity. Our schools prepare our children rightly. We have everything Pentecost has given the Church in every era. We have work to do, and by God’s grace and strength we will do it. God help us all and bless us with the promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Brian S. Saunders, President