Official Workbook report source text
Official Workbook source-navigation report record. No analysis has been added.
- Report number/id
- R40
- Report title
- R40 North Dakota District
- Workbook start page
- 124
- Workbook end page
- 125
- Source pages
- 124, 125
- Source status
- source_checked
- Committee
- Not available
R40 North Dakota District The North Dakota District met in convention in January 2025 under the banner “Clothed in Christ’s Righteousness.” Our Lord, who has clothed you in His righteousness in Baptism, who robed 2026 Convention Workbook 125 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS God’s Work in the District Through the Rev. Dr. Dwayne Lueck, President In June of 2025, upon the completion of his 13th year as district president and his 38th year of service in the district, the Rev. Dr. Dwayne Lueck retired from his call. God used him in the district to support Lutheran schools, presently numbering 20 elementary schools, 3 high schools, and 25 preschool childhood centers; to allocate support for candidates desiring to colloquize into LCMS ministry; to begin and sustain support for missions work in Peru; to launch the support of missions grants to congregations across the district; to sponsor two additional full-time LCMS pastors, one at Peace Campus Center at UW Stevens Point and the other a chaplain for the Veterans’ Home at King serving 300 residents; to establish and complete a two-year $1,000,000 campaign to reduce the educa- tional debt of individual professional church workers; and to com- mit support for smaller congregations to benefit from revitalization efforts by participating in Small Church Clarity cohorts led by the Rev. Kennaugh through the Lutheran Church Extension Fund. In keeping with the resolutions of the 2023 Synod convention, President Lueck applied district resources advocating for Set Apart to Serve, disaster response and Lutheran Early Response Team training, Worker Wellness, Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support, and Concordia University System scholarships. President Lueck prioritized the work of the Synod by serving the district with a streamlined staff including two full-time workers, Ex- ecutive Assistant Lori Kavajecz and Education Executive DJ Schult. He relied upon their skill to meet district ministry needs and directed a larger portion of district offerings for the Synod to allocate. Camp Luther’s 80th Anniversary The Lord continues to use Camp Luther to bring Christ and His Word to people, to draw them closer to Him by His grace, and to plant seeds in the hearts of many for serving Him in professional church work. Camp Luther is planning an 80th anniversary cele - bration for 2026 with the theme “Unchanging” based upon Heb. 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” The district gives thanks to God for our camp and takes pride in supporting it. A New Mission Statement and Initiatives Upon Lueck’s retirement and my election June 1, 2025, and official start July 1, work began to review the breadth of district ministry and expand it. We Bring Christ and His Word to People is the new district mission statement, under which five initiatives are being introduced, each guided by an action team or committee: Fostering Lutheran Education Much of our American culture is ungodly, and Lutheran edu- cation matters. We will support traditional Lutheran grade schools, high schools, and universities and expand our efforts to support ho- meschool families, classical schools, and children and families of public schools. Building Families and Children of Faith and Character Family ministry will focus on building strong marriages and on training fathers to shape the faith of their children in their homes. The Rev. Matthew Baye is leading this committee and will draw upon work from his D.Min. studies and from the Rev. Dr. Todd Bier- mann of Concordia Center for the Family to help build up Christian families. Sunday morning. In my congregational visits, I teach the people that Sunday morning is not a divinely mandated time to receive the Lord’s gifts. If they receive the gifts on Sunday afternoon or Tuesday evening, give praise to God for send- ing them. In addition, 2025 district convention Res. 3-04A, “To Create a District Fund for Sudden Financial Hardships,” has been imple - mented. There has been a fund and an application process creat - ed for struggling congregations to apply for funds in case of an acute need, usually maintenance related. Also, the idea has been put forth that, as Paul collected funds from churches for the saints in Jerusalem, a fund be set up for more chronic needs of struggling congregations. The working title of this initiative is “Collection for the Saints.” C. Preaching Stations As we are thinking of ways to assist the rural congregations of the district, we also keep an eye on opportunities for church plant - ing as well. Currently, there are two preaching stations in the dis- trict and several others have been identified as good candidates. In my view, preaching stations are preferable to the district calling a man as a mission planter for several reasons. 1. It locates the primary work of missions in the local congre- gation, with the district in a supportive role. 2. Preaching stations are significantly less of a financial burden. 3. The pastor already has a call to an altar and pulpit. He, essen- tially, takes the pulpit to which he has been called to another location. A mission planter who has been called by the dis- trict is called neither to an altar nor a pulpit. If 10 preaching stations are started and one flourishes into a con- gregation, God be praised; the work of growth is granted by our Lord who works through His Word. The district also participates in international mission work. Project 24 and Christ Care for Children Kenya have been enthu- siastically supported by convention delegates for many years. The district has partnered with and supported the Lutheran Church in Chile. The saints in North Dakota, who have shirked their own righ- teousness before God and have received the robe of Christ’s righ- teousness, continue faithfully to hear and receive. Our pastors continue to bring God’s Word to the people, despite the many chal- lenges. The district continues to strive to be faithful to our Lord’s Word and cherish that which we have received from the saints who have come before us. Mark A. Chepulis, President