Focusing on these Michigan District Critical Targets: • Great Commission Ministry
- Great Compassion Ministry
- Healthy Congregations
- Healthy Church Workers
The Michigan District seeks above all things, in and through her congregations and in every endeavor it undertakes, to proclaim Jesus. Indeed, We Preach Christ Crucified.
The State of Michigan Three realities impact Christian ministry in the state of Michigan. First, the latest election approved one of the most liberal positions regarding abortion and gender issues in the nation. Second, the state continues to be one of the few in the Midwest that does not provide a voucher system for education. Third, social practices continue to accelerate the use of marijuana and legalized gambling across the state.
Ministry during the Pandemic
During the pandemic, the district helped its churches transition to online (recorded) and live stream worship by providing resources such as phone and Zoom consultations with our staff videographer, how-to videos and podcasts on how to live stream, and a listing of congregations offering online worship. We also created videos based on The Hymnal Project (an ongoing project whereby hymns in the public domain receive new arrangements and are distributed free of charge), adding lyrics to facilitate singing via live stream. These videos blessed many congregations not only in our district but also in other states and even around the world. A website page with pandemic resources was created to help congregations and schools navigate the social, educational, financial, and legal environments during state lockdowns. Unfortunately, some of our major conferences had to be canceled during 2020. Most were rescheduled for a later date, or we moved to a hybrid or virtual-style conference instead. We thank God for the flexibility of our professional church workers as things changed regularly. All of the turmoil took a heavy toll on church workers, and the district sought to provide support by means of podcasts on mental health, as well as reminding workers of the availability of our Mental Health Case Manager.
Schools Our Lutheran schools and early childhood centers have rebounded from the pandemic, and, despite the challenges of the shortage of educators and roadblocks from the state department of education, we continue to push forward as we explore a variety of ways for Lutheran education to thrive in the years to come.
Other Ministry Initiatives during the Last Four Years The Digital Footprint Initiative continued to address the challenges some congregations face when they do not have a web presence, an updated website, or skilled, willing, and trained volunteers.
It provides an inexpensive website platform with a template that requires little to no manning. The Michigan District Stewardship Committee put together the video curriculum God’s Children Are God’s Disciples for parents and teachers to engage children in stewardship principles as they grow in their life as disciples of God.
Here We Stand Campaign
The Michigan District’s Here We Stand campaign, which was launched in 2015, ended in June 2022, having surpassed its $10 million goal by raising $10,392,875.86. The campaign focused on four initiatives: Professional Church Worker Scholarships; Innovative Missional Ministry; Endowment Fund; and International Ministry.
Circuit Visitors Our circuit visitors meet monthly by Zoom and twice a year for a two-day conference. The circuit visitors work with congregations on the call process, maintain monthly circuit meetings, and meet regularly with individual pastors.
Michigan District Church Extension Fund Our Church Extension Fund continues to be a strong partner with our district. CEF provided a total of $1,290,000 in financial support of our Here We Stand capital campaign. CEF continues to provide low-cost loans to congregations for building, renovation, and church-worker housing, and competitive investment instruments to all our members. CEF also provides services and grant programs that assist our congregations in various ways (e.g., aesthetic updates, Lutheran education, security, technology, and ministry worker wellness).
Michigan District Convention Our convention theme was People of Hope … It’s Time. Keynote speakers were Rev. Dr. Chad D. Lakies and Rev. John A. Nunes, Ph D. The convention expressed its gratitude to Rev. Dr. David P. E. Maier for his 13 years of faithful service as district president. Convention business focused on resolutions toward the reversal of Roe v. Wade with Gospel understanding and care (1-17); the CUS/CUE proposed governance model (2-06a); strengthening the advisory delegate participation at district conventions (2-01); a CUW/CUAA board of regents representation (2-08); addressing the issues of race by utilizing resources such as Heart Issues Are Hard Issues (1-05a); a culture of Bible reading (1-01a); focusing on spiritual formation (1-06); and encouraging congregations to raise up new commissioned and ordained church workers (1-10). The convention elected a new praesidium: David Davis, president; Dean Davenport, first vice-president; Darryl Andrzej ew ski, second vice-president; Craig Bickel, third vice-president; and Erik Cloeter, fourth vice-president.
Synod Convention Actions Michigan District leadership priorities align with the following Synod resolutions: • We are determined to move forward with church planting and church revamping (helping smaller congregations work with others to forestall closure and maintain an in car national presence) (2019 Res. 1-02, 1-03, 1-05A).
- We are determined to take advantage of lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic to find ways to expand theto Mark the 50th Anniversary of the 1974 Concordia Seminary St. Louis “Walkout” with Thorough Teaching about the Controversy and Renewed Emphasis on the Pure Doctrine
reach of our extensive parochial education system. We call it Parochial Education 2.0 (Res. 12-01). • We offer a wide range of services to our church workers regarding mental health (Res. 3-04A).
- We will encourage our circuit visitors to have all district pastors’ PIF/SET updated during this triennium (Res. 6-04).
- We have worked to ensure that we are in compliance with the Synod relative to licensed lay deacons.
- R-01-07-21: To Encourage Further Consideration of Successful Completion of Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Coursework before Ordination and Placement on Ordained Roster
- Building an Ethic of Bible Reading
R-02-01-21: To Commend and Support the Work of Trinity HOPE in Haiti
- During this triennium, the district will work toward more disciplined Bible reading. Our annual theological conference explored the topic The Word Works. With our faith formed by Scripture, our people are able to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus and fully communicate the Synod convention theme, We Preach Christ Crucified.
R-02-02-21: To Continue a Relationship with the Southeast of Lake Victoria Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania
- R-02-03-21: To Continue a Relationship with the Confessional Malagasy Lutheran Church in Madagascar
- R-02-04-21: To Reaffirm Church Planting and Revitalization
- R-02-05-21: To Encourage Financial Support for Professional Church Workers
- R-02-06-21: To Encourage All Christians in Personal Witnessing
- R-02-07-21: To Address the Use of Technology in the Life of the Church and the Ministry of Congregations
- R-02-08-21: To Encourage Congregational Men’s Ministry
- R-02-09-21: To Encourage the Study and Use of Biblically Based Stewardship Resources
- R-03-01-21: To Give Thanks to God for Sustaining His Church through the Global Corona Virus Pandemic
- R-03-02-21: To Increase the Awareness of Human Trafficking to the Congregations of the Mid-South District and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
- R-03-03A-21: Protect Christian Consciences
- R-03-04A-21: To Reject Racism and Advance the Gospel
Leadership Pipeline
We are building a coordinated effort to raise up workers through an integrated pipeline. That pipeline includes generous support of and encouragement to our young people to attend our Concordia Ann Arbor, another Concordia, or one of our seminaries. The recent Here We Stand capital campaign raised $1.73 million for financial assistance to professional church work students. Respecting recent Synod resolutions, we also have a robust deacon training program that provides congregations with credential ed deacons, and many congregations are utilizing the Specific Ministry Pastor program. Additional aspects of the pipeline include utilizing EIIT and CHS routes to ordination as we seek to serve the growing number of immigrants with the Gospel. We will identify and train more of their own spiritual leaders as qualified and gifted pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc. We also provide regular conferences for pastors, teachers, commissioned workers, and circuit visitors. In fall 2023, we will hold a professional church worker conference, where we expect over 1,000 in attendance.