The SELC District Board of Directors met September 26 at The Way Church in Columbia, Illinois. One of the newest churches in our District (received into the District at last year's District Convention), The Way was planted in 2008 and has grown in size and in ministry to their community since then. You can learn a lot about their exciting ministry at their website HERE>>. (By the way, at the far right on the top of their homepage there's a link to an invitation to join RightNow media, an online library of thousands of Christian videos, Bible studies, and other resources. It's free to join, through The Way Church, and worth checking out).
Notes from the Board of Directors meeting:
Notes from the SELC District Professional Workers' Conference, Sept 27-29, Lake Williamson Conference Center, Carlinville Illinois
When the SELC District church workers (pastors, wives, and others) meet at a District Convention or Conference, it's like a family reunion. Old friendships are renewed, and new friendships are begun and nurtured. Teasing happens, and so does caring, prayer, and sometimes tears. As the hymn says, "We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear / and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear." This conference was no exception - but here are a couple of things to know:
And - not exactly a highlight, but - if it seems to you that people are quick to take sides and get into arguments not only on important issues but on silly questions, Pastor Cahill offered this little one-question survey while the pastors were eating s’mores at the conference: how do you like your roasted marshmallows? Lightly tanned? or charred and crispy? What's your guess about their answers? How do you like YOUR roasted marshmallows?
Notes from the Board of Directors meeting:
- The finances of the District are in good shape. Because most congregations are submitting their mission goal offerings in a timely manner, the District is able to fulfill its financial commitments to church work students, new congregations, people, and ministries in our District and our Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
- We are supporting mission work in India and in Montreal (Canada), and we are helping congregations to reach out into their communities in Galloway, New Jersey; Sanford and Rockledge, Florida; and Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
- We are supporting several church work students - three at the LCMS' Concordia Seminary in St Louis, and one at the LCMS' Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne (the SELC District is one of only a handful of the 35 LCMS Districts that gives financial support to their college and seminary students).
- While we want to focus on outreach and planting new churches into the future, a huge concern of our District's leadership centers around the declining number of pastors in the LCMS, as well as the future of aging congregations. For example, in our Central Circuit (Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and Ontario) there are 16 congregations. Christ the King has the newest building (at over 40 years old). 9 of the congregations have no pastor. Of the 7 active (not retired) pastors, only 3 are younger than Pastor Cahill.
Notes from the SELC District Professional Workers' Conference, Sept 27-29, Lake Williamson Conference Center, Carlinville Illinois
When the SELC District church workers (pastors, wives, and others) meet at a District Convention or Conference, it's like a family reunion. Old friendships are renewed, and new friendships are begun and nurtured. Teasing happens, and so does caring, prayer, and sometimes tears. As the hymn says, "We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear / and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear." This conference was no exception - but here are a couple of things to know:
- One of the speakers was Dr. Larry Vogel, who after many years as a pastor now works for the Commission on Theology and Church Relations ("CTCR" - more HERE>>) of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. His presentation was about the CTCR document "The Royal Priesthood: Identity and Mission" (you can download it HERE>> and learn about how we understand the relationship between the people of a congregation and their pastor when it comes to the mission of the church).
- The other main presenter was Rev. Todd Biermann. He was the pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Parma (in fact, while he was there he conducted the funeral of Pastor Cahill's mother Janet in 2001, and the wedding of Pastor Cahill's dad Jerry and stepmom Carolyn in 2003) before moving to Michigan. His ministry passion for years has been "family discipleship"; he has recently been named as the new Executive Director of the Concordia Center for the Family at Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan. You can find his blog "Life in God's Way" HERE>>, and explore ministry of the Center for the Family HERE>>.
And - not exactly a highlight, but - if it seems to you that people are quick to take sides and get into arguments not only on important issues but on silly questions, Pastor Cahill offered this little one-question survey while the pastors were eating s’mores at the conference: how do you like your roasted marshmallows? Lightly tanned? or charred and crispy? What's your guess about their answers? How do you like YOUR roasted marshmallows?