Official Workbook PDF page source text

2026 Convention Workbook

278 NATIONAL WITNESS

becoming known as the “mayor of the city’s neglected element” because of his work among the poor and dispossessed;

• Rev. Nils Bakke, a white pastor who founded numerous black Lutheran congregations and Immanuel Lutheran College in North Carolina before partnering with Rosa Young in the growth of black Lutheran churches and schools in Alabama;

• Rev. R.O.L. Lynn, who was a pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Greensboro, N.C., taught at Immanuel Lutheran College, and went on to be the first African American to lead a Lutheran college, serving as the president of Alabama Lutheran Academy; as well as • Immanuel Lutheran College in Greensboro, N.C. (1903 – 1961), which had the core mission to educate African Americans, training men for the ministry and both men and women for teaching positions; and the 54 black congregations, which, through realignment of districts within the Synod, came to be part of what is now the Southeastern District; and • Other faithful servants like the Rev. William Schiebel;

and

WHEREAS, The official 150th anniversary celebration of Black Ministry in the Synod, scheduled to be held in Charlotte, N.C., July 7–10, 2027, provides an opportunity to reflect on this legacy, celebrate its impact, and look toward the future; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention give praise and thanks to God for the history of Black Ministry throughout the Synod over the last 150 years; and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod be directed to provide support for such celebration and a renewed emphasis on Lutheran Black Ministry.

Southeastern District

Ov. 1-03

To Give Thanks to God for 150 Years of Black Ministry

WHEREAS, Christ our Lord commissioned His church to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19–20); and

WHEREAS, Revelation 5:9, 13:7, and 14:6 speak of salvation freely offered and the proclamation of the Gospel “to every nation and tribe and language and people”; and

WHEREAS, Many other passages of Holy Scripture testify to God’s love for all people and our obligation to likewise love our neighbors regardless of ethnic, geographic, or social background;

and

WHEREAS, 2027 marks the 150th anniversary of Black Ministry within The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS) with its establishment at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Ind. at the 1877 convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America; and

WHEREAS, The history of Black Ministry within the LCMS as the Rev. Dr. Richard C. Dickinson aptly put it is one of both “roses and thorns” ( Roses and Thorns [Concordia Publishing House, 1977]); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Northern Illinois District celebrate the missionaries, teachers, churches, and schools involved in this work;

and be it further

Resolved, That the district lament failure to meet the scriptural standards of love for one another; and be it further

Resolved, That we commend the 2023 Northern Illinois District study on Crossing Thresholds: to Others mandated by the 2022 district convention (NID Res. 3 -03A; nidlcms.org/ethnic-biblestudy-intro) and 2019 Res. 11- 04A, “To Affirm the Common Humanity of All People and Ethnicities”; and be it further

Resolved, That the district reaffirms the scriptural condemnation of racism in all its forms; and be it further

Resolved, That the district encourage the study of the history of Black Ministry in the LCMS through books such as Roses and Thorns: The Centennial Edition of Black Lutheran Missions and Ministry in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (Richard C.

Dickinson [Concordia Publishing House, 1977]) and Light in the Dark Belt: The Story of Rosa Young as Told by Herself (Concordia Publishing House, 1950), films such as The First Rosa , and other sources; and be it further

Resolved, That able LCMS scholars be encouraged to provide an updated history of Black Ministry within the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That pastors, commissioned ministers, and lay people involved in this work be encouraged to record their reflections and personal accounts for the sake of preserving our knowledge of this important work; and be it finally

Resolved, That the 2026 Synod convention adopt this resolution generally as is and that resources be provided to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Black Ministry in the LCMS in 2027.

Northern Illinois District

Ov. 1-04

To Encourage Outreach and Ministry on College and University Campuses

WHEREAS, The English District is known for its support for and encouragement of ministry among college students, with more than 18 different campuses served by its congregations and by supporting nine ministries with funding from the district in the past triennium; and

WHEREAS, There are 164 LCMS U chapters and 420 congregations across the Synod engaged in some form of college student ministry; and

WHEREAS, Ninety -five percent of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregations report being within a 45- minute drive of a college or university campus; and

WHEREAS, There is a recognized need to train leaders for the future of the church, both as lay leaders and professional church workers; and

WHEREAS, Baptized and confirmed members of LCMS congregations attending college or university at a distance from their home congregation need a place to receive Word and Sacrament ministry and to grow in faith and service; and

WHEREAS, Even though the colleges and universities within the Concordia University System (CUS) are blessings to the church at large and to the students who attend them, many LCMS students