The New England district was created out of the Atlantic District by the 1971 Synod convention. It encompasses six states: Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Some of our congregations are in the fairly large cities of Boston, Mass.; Providence, R.I.; and Nashua, N.H. Most, however, are suburban or rural congregations which are fairly small and are at a significant distance from one another. For this reason, the district is divided into only five circuits, with five circuit visitors and three elected vice-presidents assisting the district president with his work. When the numbers of congregations and parishioners are tallied, New England is a small district: 65 congregations with around 9,300 confirmed members. There are certainly disadvantages in this, one being the small district staff. Only the president is full time; the business manager is half-time (and also serves as the Lutheran Church Extension Fund [LCEF] regional district vice-president half-time), a deaconess serves part-time, and the president’s administrative assistant is part-time. All other district workers serve as volunteers. One significant advantage of being small, however, is that the pastors and other church workers of the district know one another well and are very supportive of one another. The district president visits every congregation of the district at least once (and some, several times) over the triennium. During the 2022–25 triennium, those visits were to evaluate and encourage the pastors and other church workers of the district. During the 2025–28 triennium, the congregation members, and especially their leaders, will hear their district president preach and teach on Church and Ministry, using Dr. Walther’s theses as a basis for discussion. Our business manager is also a great resource to our congregations, providing help and guidance with LCEF resources and especially with financial and tax issues. Most of the pastors of the district faithfully attend their circuit winkels, which provide opportunities for worship together as well as in-depth discussion of matters of doctrine and practice. Discussion is robust and fraternal. They also faithfully attend the pastoral conferences which the district provides twice a year. Commissioned workers are also welcomed at these winkels and conferences. Wonderful fellowship and learning opportunities are fostered at these gatherings. The district also has several deaconesses serving within it, with one having completed her training this spring and now serving the district as a called worker. Her focus is especially upon the families of church workers, whom she checks in on regularly. Another deaconess started and runs a recognized service organization in Bangor, Maine, called Hope for Healing. She uses horses to connect with military veterans who are dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, and then to minister to them with God’s Word of healing and comfort in Christ.
A. Congregations Most of the 65 congregations in the district have fewer than 200 members, and over half of the congregations average fewer than 50 in worship on any given Sunday. This makes it difficult to support a pastor or other church worker. Currently, 10 percent of our congregations are being served by visiting pastors, as available, as they cannot support a pastor of their own. Another 10 percent are, or were recently, vacant and involved in the call process.
Fifty-five pastors serve our congregations, mostly full-time, but some part-time. Of these, 17 have been in their congregation less than 10 years. So, although there have been many new pastors in the district, many more have enjoyed lengthy ministries in their current congregations. We also have five specific ministry pastors serving congregations and several retired pastors who are still regularly serving. We are blessed with faithful pastoral leadership! Liturgical worship, using the liturgies in our hymnals (mostly Lutheran Service Book), is also what is taking place in most of our congregations on Sundays (and other days). The Word of God’s salvation in Christ is being clearly proclaimed and also given out sacrament ally. The weekly reception of the Lord’s Supper is standard in the majority of New England congregations.
B. Schools There are three elementary schools in New England: Immanuel Lutheran School in Danbury, Conn.; Immanuel Lutheran School in Bristol, Conn.; and Trinity Christian School in Keene, N.H. The schools are visited annually by District President Beinke and Business Manager Brenda Bacon, with classrooms visited and a lunch for the teachers and staff provided. The district also hosts the principals of the schools at the district office quarterly, providing an opportunity for mutual help and support. Finally, the district also provides for ongoing training and support for the teachers at an annual training day, which is held at one of the schools. There are also 16 preschools and early childhood centers that are run by congregations in the district. They serve as a service to and outreach into their communities and provide a wonderful opportunity for bringing the Gospel of Christ to children and their families.
C. Missions For several years now there has been a congregation in the Boston area that is reaching out to and serving immigrants from Ethiopia. Bethel Oromo Lutheran Church is a small congregation and is currently without a pastor, but it has been receiving assistance from LCMS Oromo pastors and church leaders from throughout the Synod to help them during this vacancy. This help from our brothers and sisters across the Synod is much appreciated, as there are currently no Oromo-speaking pastors in New England. First Lutheran in Boston has for years had an outreach to the many college students attending the schools in the Boston area. This has resulted in many students embracing Christ and our Lutheran teaching of His Gospel and also joining the congregation. It is a vibrant congregation with people of many different cultures and language groups … and foods, which are often shared together on their patio! If you’re visiting the Boston area, plan to attend on a Sunday and rejoice together in the Gospel and fellowship! North of Boston, Messiah Lutheran in Lynnfield, Mass., has an outreach to people of Portuguese heritage, of whom there are many. The pastor has learned the Portuguese language and offers a service in that language, yet also each month joins together in worship the English- and Portuguese-speaking members of the congregation. St. Paul’s Lutheran in Providence, R.I., is a congregation that is made up primarily of Liberian people who have emigrated to the U.S. One of their members is now enrolled in the seminary and is preparing for service to them. They also support mission work among the Gbarnga people of Liberia. In the Lakes region of central New Hampshire is Lakes Region
Lutheran Church, the most recent mission start in New England. This group of dedicated believers is supported as a campus of Grace Lutheran in Nashua, N.H., and worships in Moulton borough, N.H. The surrounding populace is 70 percent un church ed, so the need for the Gospel in that region is great! In Connecticut, Our Savior in South Windsor has an outreach to the Asian Indian community, with a member just having finished his seminary studies and been ordained and installed in the congregation for service to that community. Service to our neighbors for their bodily needs is also taking place through our congregations. St. Paul’s in New Hartford, Conn., supports Hands of Grace, a food and clothing bank that is led by a specific ministry pastor from the congregation who also brings the Gospel to those who are served. Two other congregations in Connecticut support similar ministries: Our Savior in South Windsor with The Bridge and Christ in Amston with Caring Shepherds. New England is a challenging area of the country for proclaiming Christ, as the states of New England rank as having the highest percentage of un church ed people in the country. The people also tend to be well educated and very liberal in their thinking. Even so, serving my entire ministry in New England—beginning with serving as a vicar at St. Luke’s in Dedham, Mass., in 1984–85—has been a joy. Serving since March 2021 as district president has been an honor and a privilege. To our heavenly Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, be the glory; and by the work of the Holy Spirit, may His blessing rest upon us! Robert D. Beinke, President
an advantage. It means that, while the district is the smallest of districts in terms of churches and geography, we are close. First, we are close in distance, meaning that circuits are small and sister congregations are nearby. As our congregations struggle with the high cost of living and housing, they are finding it ever more advantageous to build relationships with nearby congregations and share a pastor and ministry. Our close proximity makes this easier to do. Second, we are close in relationship. Our close proximity enables us to gather more easily for circuit meetings, district meetings, training, and fellowship. We enjoy a high level of collegiality and friendship, which fosters the care and well-being of our pastors and church workers. Third, district president visitation is facilitated as most congregations are within an hour’s drive of the president’s home and all are within two hours. To that end, all the district congregations received a presidential visit in the first 16 months of the new district president taking office in September 2021 and most a second “official visit” by June 2025. Some, for various reasons, have received additional visits.
Synod Focuses The district has sought to respond to the resolutions of the 2023 Synod convention. The following is a brief report of the work accomplished according to the resolutions directed to districts: 1-03A Plant churches – Strategic Plan, Target 3 1-07A Care of workers – Strategic Plan, Target 2 2-07A Support International Missions – FORO exploration trip to the Dominican Republic 3-01 Life Ministries – Participation in New Jersey March for Life