Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 151

2026 Convention Workbook
116 
OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
to provide the necessary resources to strengthen congregations and 
schools to assist them in the fullest use of precious resources of 
the Gospel and all God’s gifts. A strong emphasis has been placed 
on assisting congregations to be faithful stewards of the gifts God 
offers so that they may help their members profoundly impact their 
communities with the Good News of Christ crucified and risen. 
Through the district’s IMPACT efforts, we have continued to raise 
dollars to fund and support missions and ministries throughout the 
district. IMPACT has raised over $3 million to continue to support 
the missions and activities of the district.
Cooperative arrangements have been developed to assist small-
er congregations in exploring collaborative efforts for ministry. At 
least two examples of this collaboration have been introduced into 
a “hub-and-spoke” type of relationship. Another model encourages 
two or more congregations to share services to build ministry effec-
tiveness together. The district has launched a “Grow-Grant” pro-
cess that allows all congregations, schools, and agencies to apply 
for start-up dollars to bring new mission and ministry initiatives. 
Additionally, there has been one new mission plant in the Nashville 
area as well as three other locations for more mission church plants. 
The Mission and Ministry committee will be reviewing potential 
sites for microschools and homeschool co-ops.
The district continues its church planting efforts through a rela-
tionship with the Synod and its Church Planting Simplified project. 
Three additional potential church plant sites are being developed 
along with several replants and a number of revitalization efforts of 
the Mission and Ministry subcommittee of the board of directors. 
On the international scale, the continuation of our support for in-
ternational and national missions includes convention support for 
the South East of Lake Victoria Diocese (SELVD) of the Evan-
gelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, Trinity HOPE in Haiti, and 
the Lutheran Institute of Managerial Enterprise (LIME) with the 
Malagasy Lutheran Church. The district also provided one-time as-
sistance to St Martin’s Lutheran Church in Ghana for its expanding 
ministry.
The Congregational Assessment Resource (CAR) and COM-
PASS continue to flourish, with over 12 other districts and over 
100 congregations and schools using the CAR tool pioneered by 
the district and implementing the process offered by the district’s 
COMPASS program to help them find a new direction for their 
ministry and mission outreach. These resources have been shared 
with the Council of Presidents, Synod leadership, Concordia Plan 
Services, and the Lutheran Church Extension Fund. The district 
will continue to provide leadership, resources, and encouragement 
for congregations, schools, and church workers on their focus for 
mission and ministry.
The district established a Set Apart to Serve task force to iden-
tify, encourage, support, and recruit church workers for Christ’s 
kingdom. Through town hall meetings, individual visits to con-
gregations and schools, and regular newsletters, these efforts are 
showing tremendous results here and throughout the Synod. During 
academic years 2025 and 2026, the district had 11 and 13 men re-
spectively in one of the several seminary tracks toward ordina-
tion—a ratio of one seminarian for every 1,750 confirmed members 
of the district’s membership. Thanks be to God!
The 2025 district convention adopted resolutions that focus on 
the mission and ministry that is entrusted to our stewardship of the 
Gospel of Christ. The district continues to conduct extensive eval -
uation of the viability and optimization of our ministries across the 
district, including:
The convention reelected David Davis to a second term of of-
fice; Darryl Anrzejewski, Erik Cloeter, Craig Bickel, and Drew 
Gruenhagen were elected first–fourth vice-presidents, respectively.
E. Michigan District—Church Extension Fund
Our Church Extension Fund (CEF) continues to be a strong 
partner with our district. CEF annually provides over $1 million 
in support through sponsorship, grants, and other support. CEF 
continues to provide low-cost loans to congregations for building, 
renovation, and church worker housing, and competitive invest-
ment instruments to all our members. This next year our CEF is 
celebrating its 125th year of ministry as an independent extension 
fund in the district.
F. Concerns across the District
Filling pulpits and classrooms continues to be a great challenge. 
We have been blessed by the training of dozens of specific ministry 
pastors. We continue to find public school teachers who are inter -
ested in serving in our schools, but we find the colloquy process, 
especially for teachers, more difficult to access than we think nec-
essary.
Like many other areas across the country, we have closed many 
congregations. We work with distressed congregations to build re-
lationships with other stronger congregations to enhance ministry 
to their communities so as to limit the loss of our presence in the 
community.
G. Building Christian Character
During this triennium, the district continued to advocate for 
more disciplined Bible reading that we might always build on 
Scripture alone. We have accented stronger personal relationships 
with pastors and lay leaders through coordinated efforts in visits, 
phone calls, and other contacts. Through balanced conferences and 
communications, we refuse to succumb to internecine conflict. We 
are committed to being People of Hope: Vigorously Making Known 
the Love of Christ. For Christ is risen. Indeed!
David A. Davis, President
R32
Mid-South District
The continuation and expansion of the mission and ministry of 
the Mid-South District remains expressed in the words of our mis-
sion statement: As an alliance of congregations and schools, the 
Mid-South District provides leadership, resources, and encourage-
ment for reaching the lost for Christ’ s kingdom and equipping the 
found for service in our churches, community, and in the world.
As the theme for the 2025 district convention we chose Christ 
the Church’ s One Foundation. The theme inspired the convention 
and member congregations and schools to encourage our members 
to be equipped as the priesthood of believers and to make signifi-
cant strides to touch the lives of those in the communities in which 
we live. The district was founded on the principles of mission and 
outreach to the lost within the geographical area we serve. The last 
three district conventions encouraged delegates to focus upon the 
Gospel of Christ and consider how they can touch the lives of those 
who are unchurched or de-churched here and around the world.
In the last three years, the board of directors and executive staff 
have diligently worked to build an awareness of the tools needed