District convention preview
Filed Under: Ad Hoc Commission, Convention, District, Report to the Twelve Districts, Year of Jubilee
The 2008 Report to the Twelve Districts, a collection of reports that communicates the work of the synod since its 2007 convention, is now available online. One hard copy will be mailed to each male called worker and each congregation by the end of the week. In addition to providing a snapshot of the synod's work for laypeople, this publication is designed to help delegates prepare for this year's district conventions, which will be held the second week of June.
"District conventions provide an opportunity to focus on what the Lord has done—he's blessed us spiritually and financially in so many ways," says WELS President Mark Schroeder. "The district conventions also enable us to see the challenges still facing us. We need to address important spiritual issues, such as worship and Bible study attendance, and we also need to maintain the increase in financial support we've received. When you trust in God he never lets you down. We pray that he will equip us to keep going, and to go further than we've ever gone before."
In addition to considering the Ad Hoc Commission report, which Schroeder addresses in his opening remarks of this newsletter, two districts will be electing new presidents. Rev. Larry Cross of the Minnesota district is retiring in June, and Rev. Paul Janke of the Arizona-California district has chosen not to accept nomination for re-election.
At the conventions, the district presidents will also be launching the Year of Jubilee—a special offering authorized by the 2007 synod convention to address the synod's capital debt of $22.4 million. "If God blesses us with the elimination of this debt, we will have $2.7 million annually to use for the expanded mission and ministry efforts," says Schroeder.
Convention delegates will be the first to watch the Year of Jubilee DVD, which highlights home mission efforts in Las Vegas, Nev. The video and other resources will be mailed to all congregations mid-June. Although congregations are encouraged to celebrate Year of Jubilee Nov. 23-Dec. 14, Rev. Dave Liggett, director of WELS Ministry of Christian Giving, says approximately $500,000 in offerings have already been received.
View reports from all areas of ministry and WELS subsidiaries in the Report to the Twelve Districts, online at: www.wels.net/jump/rttd
The Ad Hoc Commission report will be posted at www.wels.net/jump/rttd under "supplemental reports" in mid-May.
