To Give Thanks to God for Many Existing Routes to Office of Holy Ministry

WHEREAS, In 2006, the Atlantic District in convention passed resolutions designed to strengthen and expand the scope of mission and ministry by resolving to prepare 100 home-grown mission leaders for service to Lord and Church; and

WHEREAS, By God’s grace, well over 100 men and women have been developed, trained, and sent to serve in congregations of the district as lay deacons, ministers of religion—commissioned, and ministers of religion—ordained; and

WHEREAS, The benefits of this leadership development model have been visible signs of God’s grace in more than half of the congregations of the district, as they exercise various spiritual gifts in service; and

WHEREAS, Mission opportunity remains at the highest level in the district, even as transitions in leadership demand more strong Lutheran Christian leaders in its congregations, schools, and agencies; and

WHEREAS, The Specific Ministry Pastor program, Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology, Center for Hispanic Studies, Concordia University Irvine’s Mission Training Center, residential M.Div., and General Pastor Certification programs have all provided excellent avenues for continuing the development toward the service of “home-grown mission leaders” in the district;

therefore be it

Resolved, That the district in convention give thanks to God for the many existing routes to the Holy Ministry in the Synod by rising to sing the first stanza of “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest” (LSB 498:1); and be it further

Resolved, That the district in convention memorialize the 2026 Synod convention with this resolution.