Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 146

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 Ad-
vancement 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 vacan-
cy 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 di-
minishing. 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!” There-
fore, 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
R27
Indiana District
The Indiana District comprises some 212 congregations, along 
with their pastors, schools, teachers, and commissioned workers in 
Indiana and northern Kentucky. By God’s grace we are a strong 
and healthy district with many blessings received with thanksgiv-
ing and being used to the glory of His name and for the good of 
His Church.
Following a period of significant transition within the district 
office, the past few years have been a time of increasing stability 
and of growing equilibrium in our week-to-week operations. As the 
undersigned has settled into his office and role as district president, 
to which he was reelected in June of 2025, it has become easier to 
clarify our collective goals, to lay the groundwork for future plans, 
and to make concerted efforts to advance the faithful and consistent 
catechesis and confession of our Savior Christ Jesus and His Word.
A persistent focus has been maintained on the following five key 
priorities, identified by the undersigned in 2022: 
couraged and strengthened in their life and ministry through Grace 
Place Wellness Retreats, DOXOLOGY , Pastoral Leadership Insti-
tute, and seminary workshops. We are blessed to support worker 
wellness through Lutheran Counseling Services, Post-Seminary 
Applied Learning and Support, pastors’ wives’ retreats and break-
outs at our conferences, and working with Synod partner ministries. 
We are working to further develop our worker and family wellness 
plans.
During this triennium, our educator conferences, pastors’ con-
ferences, circuit convocations, and the President’s Equip Confer -
ence have all given priority to equipping God’s people for outreach 
and leadership. Attendance at these events has increased, with more 
than 800 at our pastor and educator conferences and over 1,000 at 
the President’s Equip Conference in 2023. We have seen new min-
istries start, our schools grow, and an openness to helping “Every 
Congregation Be a Church Planting Congregation—Start Some-
thing New” that will be a bridge to reach new people and connect 
them to Jesus.
Youth ministry and children’s ministry in many of our congre-
gations have reflected much of the change across Synod. However, 
we remain blessed with great directors of Christian education, dea-
conesses, and other youth and children’s ministry leaders who are 
working to reach out into their communities. Even with the chal -
lenges, we continue to offer excellent district youth gatherings for 
middle and high school students with more than 500 in attendance, 
along with annual servant events. Our 59 early learning centers and 
schools are growing. This growth is a result of the excellence in 
our programs, parental choice, and a growing population. We have 
seen two new schools open and others are under consideration. Yet 
not only do we provide exceptional education, but places where the 
seeds of faith are planted and nurtured in both students and parents. 
Over the past three years, we have seen more than 400 baptisms 
through our school ministries!
Our district convention theme in 2025 was Compelled, based 
upon 2 Cor. 5:14–15:
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that 
one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, 
that those who live should no longer live for themselves but 
for him who died for them
 and was raised again. (NIV)
The 
population of Florida and Georgia continues to grow rapid-
ly (two percent or more a year), now totaling more than 34 million 
residents. With that growth comes many opportunities and chal -
lenges in reaching the diverse, large-growing ethnic population. 
This includes few bilingual pastors, but also leaders and congrega-
tions that will answer the call to send workers into the harvest. We 
are indeed blessed to have a number of ethnic ministries including 
Hispanic, Haitian, Korean, and Ethiopian. But there is more to do 
as we respond to what is before us and the Synod’s call to increase 
mission efforts to immigrants and various cultural groups. One re-
sponse to these opportunities is our Rev7:9 Project involving 22 
congregations in reaching diverse ethnic groups. This project is be-
ing supported through a partnership with Mission Nation Publish-
ing and a grant from the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. In 
addition, we have given more attention to new ethnic church plants 
and raising individuals to be trained through our seminaries. During 
this triennium, we have closed two congregations and planted three 
new congregations.
Today, the Synod and our district are facing an ever-growing 
and critical need for workers. There are more than 600 congrega -