Reports - Central Illinois District - Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

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Here is the listing of our Central Illinois District missions supported by the mission dollarsfrom our congregations.Christ the King Lutheran Church (Hispanic), East Moline. This church is telling peopleabout Jesus Christ also in Moline, Rock Island, and Silvis, Illinois (it also reaches into Iowa).There are as many as 30,000 Hispanics in this area. Over 90% of these people are unchurched.Very few of them know that faith in Jesus Christ saves. Pastor Pablo Dominguez has becomewell known in the community and has many opportunities to share God’s Word. That work isbeginning to bear fruit. Three children were recently baptized. Adults are also being reachedfor Christ.Risen Savior Lutheran Church, Buffalo is a mission which is 10 miles east of Springfield.Risen Savior is served by President David Bueltmann and Vicar Wade Turner.Grace Lutheran Church, Canton, is being served by Vicar Ken Serr. Christ’s FamilyLutheran Mission, Mahomet is served part-time by Rev. James Bloch. Our Savior LutheranChurch, St. Joseph (10 miles east of Champaign-Urbana), started in 2006, now numbers 49members. They currently worship in a rented school band room on Sundays. Rev. ScottWeiler serves this mission.Exciting work is being done in our prisons by volunteers and the two district paid prisonpastors (Rev. Chuck Olander and Rev. Stephen Southward). Gains are being made by ourdeaf mission in Jacksonville. Pastor Tom Phillips is sharing Christ with the students from theIllinois School for the Deaf and people in the community. We continue to serve those who aredevelopmentally disabled through a number of Bible studies and outreach efforts with theservice of Deaconess Linda Schaefer.Always a bright spot in our district is our work in campus ministry. Church workers (Rev.Rick Milas, Vicar William Jensen, Rev. Michael Burdick, Rev. Kenneth Hoover, and Directorof Young Adult Ministry Greg Witto) in Champaign, Normal, Macomb and Charleston cantell many stories of young people’s lives changed by God’s Word.In 2008 we looked at the possibility of beginning a new mission in Princeton. A missioncongregation did not begin at that time, but the outreach effort in Princeton did bring 6unchurched adults into area LCMS churches.With all the missions our churches support we should realize that in the last fifteen yearseleven mission congregations have became self-supporting (Friendship Champaign, GoodShepherd Bloomington, Ascension East Peoria, Flora, Lexington, Mt. Zion, Newton,Robinson, Casey, Eureka, and Colona).Our district is blessed to support a foreign mission, The Evangelical Lutheran Church ofLatvia. Our brothers and sisters in Christ at this partner church are benefiting from thegenerous support of our congregations. A number of our churches are matched with churchesand pastors in Latvia. Our people are learning about the trials and joys of a church emergingfrom communism.2009 Convention Section B – Reports Page 16
We have many areas in our Central Illinois District where we need more churches andoutreach efforts. We still have sizeable towns without a single Missouri Synod congregation.We have growing opportunities to serve Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, and Somalians. We havemany more state prisons in our Central Illinois District than we have volunteers or paidworkers to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We have a large number of hearingimpaired, blind, and developmentally disabled people in our district. More than ninety percentof these people are unchurched! Eighty percent of college students are not attending church!We have nursing homes where many aged people, who will soon depart this life, do not knowChrist as their Savior from sin! Yes, God has placed many opened doors before us. Ourprayers and financial support are needed to continue these important ministries and to opennew doors for the work of the Lord!EVANGELISMAbout half of all churches in the LCMS and the Central Illinois District confirm 0 or 1 adult ayear. We do not want to play a numbers game, but that statistic makes us wonder if we aredoing all we can to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those who do not know him.I am here to assist our churches in evangelism. My work is to: Assist churches in planing effective outreach Meet with pastors and evangelism committees to share ideas, resources andencouragement Be the “Evangelism Field Representative” for the Evangelism Commission, Board ofDirectors, and District President Conduct Sunday Evangelism Festivals and Evangelism Presentations Be the presenter for Outreach WorkshopsFriendship Witnessing WorkshopsCanvassing WorkshopsAttracting Guests and Getting Them to Return WorkshopsDeveloping and Keeping Prospects Workshops Assist the pastor and board of elders by providing training and workshops to win backour inactive members Assist congregations with demographic information and interpretation Visit all pastors and congregations in the District assisting them in outreach activitiesNew this year is a revitalization process for churches in our Central Illinois District.This revitalization process helps a congregation with a biblical, Lutheran approach to lookclosely at the mission field around their congregation.The process begins with the congregational self-study, looking over past years of its ministry.Upon completion of the self-study, a consultation weekend is scheduled.2009 Convention Section B – Reports Page 17
Page 1 and 2: President’s ReportAs I write this
Page 3 and 4: helping with vacancies and problems
Page 5 and 6: Majewski, Aloysois (STL 06) ordaine
Page 7 and 8: Lohnes, Mark S. Resigned 12/31/04Po
Page 9 and 10: Gullen, Linda (SID) installed as te
Page 11 and 12: Saeger, David R. to North Wisconsin
Page 13 and 14: TREASURER’S REPORT - Mr. John Rod
Page 15: MISSIONS - EVANGELISM - HUMAN CARE2
Page 19 and 20: CONCLUSIONMuch work still needs to
Page 21 and 22: Prison WorkLincoln Correctional Cen
Page 23 and 24: SHOULD WE START A MISSION?Not enoug
Page 25 and 26: 13. Church planting is essential fo
Page 27 and 28: MR. GLENN W. GOERESADMINISTRATIVE A
Page 29 and 30: Elementary Schools 23Elementary + H
Page 31 and 32: among the program directors in thei
Page 33 and 34: Congregational Life and Stewardship
Page 35 and 36: Table 1 Average Percentage (%) of H
Page 37 and 38: ∑ Gutting of National Stewardship
Page 39 and 40: CIRCUIT COUNSELOR REPORTSBloomingto
Page 41 and 42: Milford—Our Savior (Rev. Jason Wa
Page 43 and 44: they are trying to reach out in the
Page 45 and 46: Throughout the years, our Lord cont
Page 47 and 48: On a historical note, the members o
Page 49 and 50: eappointed on an annual basis. We c
Page 51 and 52: Congregational Life CommissionCommi
Page 53 and 54: CID-YMC Report2006∑ Adult & Youth

Reports - Central Illinois District - Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

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