Reports - Central Illinois District - Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

Congregational Life CommissionCommission Members: Mrs. Ellen Griffin, Mr. Robert (Bob) Minnis, Rev. Mark Eddy, Rev.Ted Gall, Mr. Herbert Krueger“The Congregational Life Commission vision shall be: Growing and Building Relationship inChrist in the congregations, our circuits, our district, and our LCMS.” Our Society is facinginstability in our culture, institutions, and family. The Commission shall seek to carry out thisvision and bylaws in the following manners:∑ The commission will be develop a Resource Notebook similar, but not identicalto the CID Youth Ministry in Excellence Tool Box Resource book.∑ Finding best practices in our various congregations and linking othercongregations who seek improve their various practices or programs.∑ Developing servant events in the congregation, circuit, district, and synod thatcan be intergenerational.The activities of the Commission centered around:1. Communications Committee attached to the Commission in 2007 and the committeeredesigned the Website.2. Youth- Developing Youth groups and conducted Jr. High Lockin- and national youthgathering under Ellen Griffin’s guidance.3. We provide through our executive Christ-centered Visioning planning withCongregations.4. Leaders Workshops for congregational leaders were provided in 2008 and 2009. Plansare to carry the project forward for the next 3 years.5. Resource notebook: We are in the final stages of providing a congregational resourcenotebook.6. Demographics for Congregations. In 2008, the commission in conjunction thegenerosity of CID Church Extension Fund undertook to provide all CID congregationswith free access to demographics of their areas for congregational planning.In the next 3 years.1. We need to provide Seminars in worship- How LSB is contemporary and traditional!2. We need to work with Stewardship to develop a Family Life District Convocation.Reaching out to various needs of our families and strengthening our families.3. The Leaders Workshops/Seminars have been well received in providing training andskills to our church leaders. Our plans are to continue and further develop this area.4. Increasingly lay people are asking at the election of district president and other areaswho is eligible in our district. The commission took the concern to the District Boardof Directors to develop biographical information in two to three sentences for districtpastors. Their response was the timing of this year’s request was perhaps late incoming and perhaps can be done in time for the next convention nominations. Wewould like to see a 3 line to 4 line biographical on Pastors of our District for upcomingdistrict elections. Congregations are seeking and wanting to know the pastors of ourdistrict and make informed decision about voting.2009 Convention Section B – Reports Page 51