Workbook page: 109
PDF page: 144
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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 144
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2026 Convention Workbook 109 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS the congregations and their call committees to develop call lists. As the number of calling congregations has increased (more than doubled in the past year), we have sought to increase the time and focus of our staff for this critical ministry to our parishes. B. Mission Rev. Derek Mathers, mission executive and assistant to the bish- op, continues to work with groups in our district who are intention- ally and actively open to church planting opportunities. This past year, it was a great joy to welcome a new church plant, Shepherd of the Canyon Lutheran Church in Gold Canyon, Ariz., and her pastor, Rev. Dr. Mark Wood, into our district and officially as a congrega- tion of our Synod. Our 1-1-1 fundraising program (see 2019 Res. 8-02) continues to provide support for missions. Each year the proceeds are split between a national and an international mission. The district makes use of the Office of National Mission’s re:Vi- tality resources. These encourage congregations to be intentional in their time, energy, and effort for connecting to their communi - ties. We are focused on making strategic use of the Congregational Assessment of Development and/or Decline Study (CADDS) as a preparatory part of the congregational calling process. We continue to give considerable financial support to the Do- minican Republic Lutheran Mission as well as to our campus min- istries. Working through our Canadian congregations, and alongside our Synod’s leadership, we have strengthened our relationship with Lutheran Church—Canada, sharing resources and building fellow- ship. C. Education School Ministry Executive Albert Amling visits our 37 schools and their leadership each year to provide counsel and assistance with administrative challenges and growth opportunities. He is ac- tively involved in two new school starts at Fairlawn Lutheran (Fair- lawn, Ohio) and the Southern Arizona Lutheran School Association (SALSA) in Tucson, Ariz. Our district was blessed to receive a $50,000 grant from the Bolick Foundation to enhance efforts towards campus ministry and Lutheran school starts. D. Care for Church Workers The English District Ministerial Health Commission exists to be a resource for all rostered English District workers. The commis - sion is also available to all spouses and children of rostered church workers. The English District website includes a toolbox where our workers can access helpful materials designed to enhance health in every facet of life. Debt reduction is a real concern for our church workers. The English District provides considerable funding for the educational debts of our workers. For the past two years we also partnered with the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) and the Lilly Foun- dation to enhance this aid for our workers. E. 2025 English District Convention The 58th Convention of the English District was held June 26–28, 2025, on the campus of Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich. Below are some of the resolutions passed at the convention: Resolution 1-01B: To Encourage the English District of The portunities for continuing education for church workers across the district; and increased efficiency in the call process. Among future endeavors will be the establishing of Lutheran Braille Centers in all four regions; increased stewardship education throughout the district; facilitating partnerships between congregations as a means of continuing Word and Sacrament ministry; the targeting of areas which have potential for future mission establishment; with the ad- dition of a full-time education executive to district staff, increased interaction and support of schools throughout the district with the goal of financial stability, growth in numbers, and support of work- ers; with increased interaction with congregations, increased finan- cial participation of congregations in support of district endeavors. Staff serving the Eastern District office, in addition to the dis- trict president, include Mr. Bruce Sutherland, executive assistant, Stewardship and Discipleship; Mrs. Ruth Marzano, administrative assistant to the district president; Mr. Kevin Gundell, education ex- ecutive and assistant to the president; Mr. John Fretthold, business manager; Rev. Peter and Stephanie Johnson, Communications. Mr. A.J. Sinisgalli, regional vice-president, LCEF, maintains an office at district headquarters. Challenges affecting the Eastern District are similar to those found across the Synod. Cultural winds opposing the Gospel are strong. Many congregations face decreased funding and declining membership. Nevertheless, God’s Word and Sacraments remain efficacious. God’s Word continues to be proclaimed—grace and peace. People continue to be brought to saving faith in Christ and sustained in that faith through Word and Sacrament ministry. John L. Pingel, President R25 English District Living Our Baptized Life in Christ is the mission of the English District. Our non-geographic district is made up of 155 congrega - tions in 22 states across the United States and the Canadian prov- ince of Ontario. The district is divided into four regions: Eastern, Lake Erie, Midwest, and Western. The bishop/president, Rev. Jef- frey Miskus, assumed the presidency a year before the convention (where he was elected) when our previous president, Rev. Dr. Jami- son Hardy, was called by Concordia University System to lead their ministry. A. Strengthening the Church in Faith The English District is committed to conserving and promoting the unity of the one true faith. That objective is pursued as our bish- op visits about 60 congregations each year. He also has a one-hour online conversation with every active pastor in our district, encour- aging and praying for them. During his congregational visits our bishop intentionally calls men of all ages to prayerfully consider becoming pastors in our Synod. He also actively distributes the Set Apart to Serve brochure highlighting the eight church work vocations in the LCMS, encour- aging everyone to consider professional church work. Our circuit visitors and regional vice-presidents meet two to three times a year with our bishop in regional online meetings to communicate what is happening in the circuits and to review Synod Bylaws and procedures in the Circuit Visitors Manual pertaining to the care and ecclesiastical oversight of the congregations. A major part of our district’s ministry is working together with