The Florida-Georgia District continues to live out its mission of “Connecting People to Jesus” through equipping, empowering, and engaging God’s people for witness and service. This year we are celebrating our 75th anniversary of mission and ministry, growing from 22 original congregations to 192 today and 59 schools and early childhood ministries! We rejoice in the Kingdom work of our past and are committed to boldly living as the “called-out ones” that others may come to know and believe the life-transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ. Work is underway to bring together nearly 1,000 lay leaders, pastors, and commissioned workers at our fall President’s Equip Conference. Our theme is focused on living as Disciples who Make Disciple Makers. As part of our anniversary celebration, a capital drive to raise $1.5 million will culminate at the conference. These funds are being designated to provide mission grants to start ten new church plants in the next five years. The statistics show that the Western church is in decline, but God is not done and there is still a harvest for us to bring in! At our district convention in June 2022, a new district president was elected as President Greg Walton termed out. Under the leadership of President James Rockey, the district is building upon its mission heart of the past. President Rockey is committed to strengthening congregations and God’s people with focus on the three R’s: restoring, reaching, and rejoicing. This spring, the district board of directors began a process of prayer, study, discussion, and visioning for its work over the next ten years. Even though we live in a day where the church is faced by many challenges, the district believes that this is a time for us to remain steadfast and bold in our witness that many more might come to saving faith. The district is diverse as it stretches from the Florida Keys to the mountains of north Georgia. Despite Lutherans being a minority in a sea of denominations, we are joyfully Lutheran, proclaiming the message of God’s grace through Christ by faith alone. We are committed to sharing this one true hope with all. We are committed to
standing upon the Word of God and celebrating the Sacraments in accord with the Word of God. The district is blessed with a wonderful spirit of unity. Pastors joyfully gather for winkel conferences, sharing worship, Bible study, mutual encouragement, and friendship. Commissioned workers gather locally and in mass at our annual educator conferences. Across the district, the focus remains on outreach and leadership. As those who are God’s redeemed, we are sent to be a blessing. When so many are hurting, struggling, and living outside of God’s grace, it is our calling to “share the hope that is within us.” Therefore, the district continues to provide opportunities to equip and empower the people to be the leaders that the church needs, and to see each opportunity as a “divine appointment” for outreach in service to the Lord. Such equipping is accomplished through pastors conferences, regional gatherings and workshops, Emergent Leader Training, treasurer workshops, outreach/evangelism training, and in providing other resources through the district staff. Others have been encouraged and strengthened in their life and ministry through Grace Place Wellness Retreats, Doxology, Pastoral Leadership Institute and in a number of seminary workshops held. Due to COVID-19, our 2022 Fall Pastors Conference and Educators Conference were our first in-person conferences in three years and attendance was among our highest ever. The desire for reconnecting, renewal, and growth, along with excellent programs and speakers was a strong draw. During the past triennium, the district not only saw the passing of the baton to a new district president, but in other key leadership roles as well. Mark Brink retired in 2020 after more than 30 years of service as Executive Director of Schools and Youth Ministry. The district has been blessed with Jennifer Tanner, who brings her own great gifts, passion, and vision for this growing area. The schools across our district are all growing, creating wonderful opportunities, and, at times, challenges. Yet our school leaders and congregations are working to fully utilize this growth for ministry to both the students and families. Many of our schools are seeing multiple baptisms a year as they faithfully share the Gospel. Youth ministry and children’s ministry in a number of our congregations has reflected much of the change across Synod in recent years with lower participation. This has been further impacted by COVID-19. Yet we remain blessed with great DCEs, deaconesses, and other youth and children’s ministry leaders who are working to reach out into their communities. Even with the challenges, we continue to offer excellent youth district gatherings for middle schoolers and high school students, along with an annual servant event. In 2020, immediately as the impact of COVID-19 began, the Rev. Dr. Peter Meier joined the staff as Executive Director of Outreach and Missions. He has brought incredible experience and fresh ideas and is doing a great job in helping to raise up new leaders and engage congregations of all sizes in mission. Much focus has been given to equipping God’s people for their daily vocations as followers of Christ. In addition, resources and time are being spent in developing micro-church groups as an effective way to reach un reached neighborhoods and people groups. Lastly, a strong commitment remains to walk with congregations that are struggling. District staff is reaffirming and engaging more congregations through circuit district partnership events and visitations and offering to lead visioning and mission workshops and more.
The population of both states continues to grow rapidly (2% in 2022 alone). With that growth comes many opportunities. Yet one that we continue to need to improve upon is that of reaching the diverse and growing ethnic population. Challenges include few bilingual pastors, but also leaders and congregations that will answer the call to “send workers into the harvest.” We are indeed blessed to have a number of ethnic ministries including Latino, Hispanic, Haitian, Korean, and Ethiopian. But there is more to do. One response to these opportunities is our REV7:9 project that is involving 22 congregations in reaching out to diverse ethnic groups. This project is being supported through a partnership with Mission Nation Publishing and a grant from LWML. We continue to support campus ministries across our district in order to reach over 665,000 students spread out in our many state universities. These students are not only being fed on Word and Sacrament but being equipped and sent both locally and on mission trips in Latin America. Financially, our district has remained strong and debt free. Our executive director of finance and administration, Laura Zirbel, has been a great blessing in guiding us through this time of change, and continues to help us be faithful stewards in all that the Lord provides. Our LCEF vice president, Jay Wendland, continues to serve wonderfully as an advocate for partnerships with our congregations and schools. The people of the district also love supporting the Lord’s work with nearly double the average percentage of investors comparatively across Synod. The LCEF Vice President also serves as our Disaster Response Coordinator and has done an amazing job, particularly in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Please also allow me this opportunity to thank you, the people of God across the Synod, for your generous gifts in support of the recovery efforts. In partnership with the Synod’s Disaster Response office, we have helped nearly 100 workers and 14 congregations with financial aid totalling more than $825,000! My prayer is that we will continue to be bold in living as Christ’s ambassadors together! Let us walk together as the redeemed of Christ that His Kingdom may see incredible growth. May we honor our Lord and daily live out His command to “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (: 34–35). Finally, I leave you with these words of the Apostle Paul from 2 Thessalonians, “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”