DISTRICT MISSION BOARD REPORT
Pastor·Teacher·Delegate Conference � Thursday & Friday, January 2122, 2010 Abiding Word Lutheran Church � Houston, Texas
“You have shown your people desperate times… But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner.” Psalm 60:3,4
Field Reports: Mission Encouragement 1) Christ Alone – Alliance Airport area, Texas. Pastor Paul Seager (Pastor Brian Doebler).
• First service held on January 10, 2010, at local high school – 49 in attendance
• Community “grand opening” set for March 28, 2010 (Palm Sunday)
• Mission Establishment request was not prioritized to receive BHM funding
• The mission will be receiving over $70,000 in grant funding each year for the next 3 years
2) Holy Cross Outreach – Norman, Oklahoma. Pastor John Strackbein.
• First service held on January 3, 2010, at a hotel – 23 in attendance (18 in Bible study)
• Community “grand opening” set for April 4, 2010 (Easter Sunday)
• Mission Establishment request was not prioritized to receive BHM funding
• The mission will be receiving a Kingdom Workers TCW team in the spring
3) Holy Word – Austin, Texas. Pastor Don Patterson and Pastor Karl Gurgel.
• The congregation has a 10yearplan in place that is looking to establish a presence in Pfluggerville
• Mission Counselor Ed Schuppe is used by the congregation in an advisory role
4) King of Kings – Alexandria, Louisiana. Pastor Chris Esmay.
• The Hurricane Gustov damaged building and property were sold, all debts paid, $200,000 in the bank
• Regular services continue and outreach work continues and is increasing
5) Living Water – Marble Falls, Texas. Staff Ministry Robert Hill.
• The newly selfsufficient congregation worked with the Mission Counselor to make a community profile
• The congregation submitted a request to the Antioch Foundation for ministry program funding (pending)
6) Trinity Preaching Station – West Plaines, Missouri. Pastor David Kapler.
• The congregation (based in Mountain Home, Arkansas) continues to conduct occasional services in MO
• The Mission Counselor is available to help with demographic work and community study
Field Reports: Mission Enhancement 7) Holy Word – Austin, Texas. Pastor Don Patterson.
• BHM Mission Enhancement request was not prioritized to receive BHM funding
• The congregation continues to reach out with bilingual congregational members and programs
8) Redeemer – Edna, Texas. Pastor Andy Schroer.
• Kingdom Worker National Project Grant (2008, 2009, and 2010 – final year)
• New layworker (MLC student) for Hispanic outreach
Field Reports: Mission Establishment 9) Christ the Lord – Sienna Plantation, Texas. Pastor Larry Schlomer and Pastor David Bivens.
• Kingdom Workers National Project Grant (2009 and 2010) for added staff
• LayEvangelist for congregational outreach: Chris Thomas
• Church Extension Fund – tentative mortgage approval
• The mission congregation continues to worship on Sunday evenings at a Sienna Plantation preschool
• Mission Establishment request was not prioritized to receive BHM funding
• Recent activity has focused on property acquisition – a new, prime $1.7 parcel is now available
Office: 9796934514 � Email: CalebSchoeneck@gmail.com � Cell: 9795745984
Field Reports: Mission Development
10) Abiding Savior – Killeen, Texas. Pastor Steve Dorn.
• The congregation formally dedicated their new building on November 15, 2009
• Church Extension Fund provides the congregation with a 4% mortgage
11) Christ the Rock – Round Rock, Texas. Pastor Matt Doebler.
• The congregation is working with Mission Counselor Ed Schuppe on the mission’s future plans and vision
• Prof. David Bauer is on sabbatical from MLC and is working onsite with the mission this year
Field Reports: Mission Enrichment
12) Mission Enrichment Funding Sources. This category identifies congregations that work with the District Mission Board to enrich ministry efforts. Special funding from various sources may be available throughout the year. Contact Pastor Caleb Schoeneck about possible outreach efforts to see what funding might be available.
13) Kingdom Workers Faith in Action. The South Central District submitted 15 requests for Faith in Action teams. While final details are being made as we speak, I believe that all but one congregation are receiving teams in 2010. (By comparison, in 2009, only 11 of 20 requests were able to be funded.)
14) Summer Student Assistance Program (Summer Vicars). This is not a new program, but new funding from the LWMS became available this year to “reinfuse” the program. Victory of the Lamb Lutheran Church in Katy, Texas, has applied to receive a seminary student for ten weeks during the summer of 2010 (approval pending).
Note: Kingdom Workers Regional Chapters. Currently the Lone Star Chapter (greater Austin metro) is the only regional Kingdom Workers chapter in the South Central District. This chapter takes on several projects each year. More chapters like this could help to fund more Mission Enrichment projects in the South Central District. Mr. Ron Meier, the Kingdom Workers Chapter Director, is at this conference if you would like more information.
Other Items to Report
15) SCDMB Workshop. The SCDMB will conduct a workshop in College Station on February 28March 1.
16) Missionary Conference. In June 2009, the DMB met and studied the “go” passages in the Gospels. The conversation that followed led to a resolution to speak with the district (give and take) on the topic of mission work. While the resolution for advancing mission work was born out of the great urgency of the drastic defunding that was taking place at the time, the reality is that this great urgency is everpresent. October Conference 2010.
17) BHM Defunding. In April 2009, the Board for Home Missions cut funding to 27 sites in anticipation of a 25% decrease in synod funding. The defunding was approved at the 2009 Synod Convention. A memo detailing the impact of this defunding is attached to this report.
18) BHM Update. God was gracious during the BHM defunding process. Since the majority of the missionaries were not displaced, the funding set aside for severance—as well as new special gifts received by the BHM—have made it possible to increase the level of subsidized work. (The increased work is reflected on the attached memo. Additional funding for increased work may possible following the Synodical Council meeting in February.)
19) WELS Church Extension Fund. There are 18 congregations in the South Central District that have a loan with CEF. It was, is, and will continue to be a vital part of the work in reaching out with the gospel. In the recent days you should have received the CEF “offering circular.” This is information regarding the opportunities that CEF is offering to congregations and individuals. Investing in the CEF is always a winwin proposition.
20) Alternate Placement of Pastoral Candidates. The BHM has worked together with Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary to find creative, outreachminded ways to make use of the number of graduates that will be greater than the number of vacancies in the synod. For more information, please contact the District Mission Board Chairman.
21) WELS Connect Website. The new password protected website contains most of the “administrative” and synodical resources that used to be available at the old WELS website. Each called worker, and each congregation, should have an account and password. If you do not, you may contact support@WELS.net.
22) Vicars in Mission Settings. The revised deadline for submitting Vicar in Mission Settings applications to the District Mission Board is Friday, March 12, 2010. Beginning this year, the Vicars in Mission settings requests will be made online at the WELS Connect site.
23) Kingdom Workers Deadlines. Don’t forget that the deadline to submit requests for Kingdom Workers National Project grants and Faith in Action requests is August 15, 2010.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "District Mission Report - South Central, WELS - Oh...":
Thank you for posting the mission report Pastor GJ. I was able to read the minutes posted on pdf.
Pastor John Strackbein, of Holy Cross Ok City, is a blessing to the district. He is a home visiting pastor and a Confessional.
During his sermons he has preached about the importance of keeping our traditional Lutheran Liturgy. The lay leaders of Holy Cross will NOT allow any contemporary services or music. I am happy to see that they were able to get a Norman mission going. Twenty-three people in attendance? I would be very interested to know if they were all new people.
For the district as a whole, it appears that thay have to do a little more kingdom working and a little less monetary spending. It is God's will. Of course the LWMS is always happy to give. Yes, we're "rich" with our 300 dollar treasury funds.(it might be lower for some churches and higher for others)
"Ex-SP Gurgel!" Why did he have to come here? I am sure any number of "other" churches could have taken him off our hands.(Core, St Marcus, St. Peter, Cross Walk etc.) "Future DP Patterson?" He is in the C&C and a Jeske pal. Don't forget the Baptist conference. Yes I know Patterson has relatives around the district, and I feel sad for them. He is big time friends with Gurgel, so Schroeder is not one of their FANS! Look into it! Despite this particular instance, DP Glaeske is a nice person and has a warm reception.
In Christ,
from WELs church lady
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GJ - The issue is not whether someone is friendly with SP Schroeder but whether he is friendly with the Book of Concord and Luther.
Patterson and his odious circle are friendly with Babtist theology (what there is of it) and Babtist Emerging Church stunts.
