Living Our Baptized Life in Christ is the mission of the English District. Our non-geographic district is made up of 155 congregations in 22 states across the United States and the Canadian province of Ontario. The district is divided into four regions: Eastern, Lake Erie, Midwest, and Western. The bishop/president, Rev. Jeffrey Miskus, assumed the presidency a year before the convention (where he was elected) when our previous president, Rev. Dr. Jamison Hardy, was called by Concordia University System to lead their ministry.
A. Strengthening the Church in Faith
the congregations and their call committees to develop call lists. As the number of calling congregations has increased (more than doubled in the past year), we have sought to increase the time and focus of our staff for this critical ministry to our parishes.
B. Mission Rev. Derek Mathers, mission executive and assistant to the bishop, continues to work with groups in our district who are intentionally and actively open to church planting opportunities. This past year, it was a great joy to welcome a new church plant, Shepherd of the Canyon Lutheran Church in Gold Canyon, Ariz., and her pastor, Rev. Dr. Mark Wood, into our district and officially as a congregation of our Synod. Our 1-1-1 fundraising program (see 2019 Res. 8-02) continues to provide support for missions. Each year the proceeds are split between a national and an international mission. The district makes use of the Office of National Mission’s re:Vitality resources. These encourage congregations to be intentional in their time, energy, and effort for connecting to their communities. We are focused on making strategic use of the Congregational Assessment of Development and/or Decline Study (CADDS) as a preparatory part of the congregational calling process. We continue to give considerable financial support to the Dominican Republic Lutheran Mission as well as to our campus ministries. Working through our Canadian congregations, and alongside our Synod’s leadership, we have strengthened our relationship with Lutheran Church—Canada, sharing resources and building fellowship.
C. Education School Ministry Executive Albert Amling visits our 37 schools and their leadership each year to provide counsel and assistance with administrative challenges and growth opportunities. He is actively involved in two new school starts at Fairlawn Lutheran (Fairlawn, Ohio) and the Southern Arizona Lutheran School Association (SALSA) in Tucson, Ariz. Our district was blessed to receive a $50,000 grant from the Bolick Foundation to enhance efforts towards campus ministry and Lutheran school starts.
D. Care for Church Workers
The English District is committed to conserving and promoting the unity of the one true faith. That objective is pursued as our bishop visits about 60 congregations each year. He also has a one-hour online conversation with every active pastor in our district, encouraging and praying for them.
The English District Ministerial Health Commission exists to be a resource for all roster ed English District workers. The commission is also available to all spouses and children of roster ed church workers. The English District website includes a toolbox where our workers can access helpful materials designed to enhance health in every facet of life.
During his congregational visits our bishop intentionally calls men of all ages to prayer fully consider becoming pastors in our Synod. He also actively distributes the Set Apart to Serve brochure highlighting the eight church work vocations in the LCMS, encouraging everyone to consider professional church work.
Debt reduction is a real concern for our church workers. The English District provides considerable funding for the educational debts of our workers. For the past two years we also partnered with the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) and the Lilly Foundation to enhance this aid for our workers.
Our circuit visitors and regional vice-presidents meet two to three times a year with our bishop in regional online meetings to communicate what is happening in the circuits and to review Synod Bylaws and procedures in the Circuit Visitors Manual pertaining to the care and ecclesiastical oversight of the congregations. A major part of our district’s ministry is working together with
E. 2025 English District Convention The 58th Convention of the English District was held June 26–28, 2025, on the campus of Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich. Below are some of the resolutions passed at the convention: Resolution 1-01B: To Encourage the English District of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to Affirm Unequivocally the Practice of First Communion Prior to Confirmation as a God-pleasing Practice so as to Encourage Member Congregations and Pastors of the English District to Recognize the Validity of the Aforementioned Practice and, On That Basis, Commune Visiting Children Who, Though Not Yet Confirmed, Are Nevertheless Communicant Members in Good Standing and Who, Therefore, Should Not Be Denied the Lord’s Body and Blood Because They Have Not Yet Been Confirmed Resolution 1-02B: To State Religious Objection to Government Interference of Parents’ Duty Resolution 1-03S: To Request the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) to Produce a New Document on Race Resolution 2-01: To Affirm and Retain the Seven Mission Priorities of the LCMS Resolution 2-03: To Memorialize the Synod to Encourage Congregations in the LCMS to Include in Their Annual Mission Budgets Support for a Regional University of the Synod’s Concordia University System Resolution 4-01A: To Request a Comprehensive Review of the Theological Concerns and Practical Procedures When a Call Is Terminated or Self-Terminated
F. LCEF and Canada Corporation A corporation was established in 1954 by English District congregations to make loans to our Canadian congregations. As the need for funding grew, and with the blessing of the Canadian congregations of the English District, the LCEF became the sole member of the Canadian corporation. This has resulted in the Canadian Corporation becoming Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Canada. The board of directors includes members of our English District’s Canadian congregations. We are excited to see how LCEF—Canada can expand its services to congregations and church workers throughout Canada, including congregations and pastors in Lutheran Church—Canada. This project has taken four years to accomplish, and we are thankful to God for His grace to everyone involved in the process.
G. Endowment Fund The English District Endowment Fund is currently worth about $5,000,000 and is bearing fruit each year to support the congregations’ efforts towards new missions, human care/disaster relief, campus ministry, church worker debt reduction, and scholarships.
H. Regional Conferences A highlight of each year is the round of four regional church worker conferences held in September and October. Our church workers, mostly pastors, come together for fellowship, education, worship, and to hear reports from our bishop and district staff. Topics ranging from our Lord’s resurrection to the history of the Synod’s congregations in Chicago were enjoyed by those in attendance.
I. Living the Baptized Life The English District joyfully looks to the future for our Lord’s appearing, seeking to please Him in all we do for His glorious eternal kingdom.