PresidentialAddress Eastern District Convention June, 2006

“City of Light”

Light to the World City on a Hill

Mandate Resources

Message Will be Heard Light Will be Seen

Innovative Exciting Fashion and

Share the Light Make Use of Our Resources

ChaoticandUnpredictable

...to Share the Light with those in the dark DarknessandDeath

We are not totally convinced We don’t seem to sense the urgency We are satisfied to live in the light ourselves While those around us die in the dark How Can This Be?

The World Prefers the Dark Each age has it’s unique challenges Being the church than being members of the church

Share the Light

Authenticity Integrity

Apostolic Mission Congregations

Encourage Equip Embolden Purpose

Share the Light

Dying in Darkness

Including Us

QuitetheContrary

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light HelpCongregations bring the light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Stewardship Faith Sharing MinistryPlanning Local Missions

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark 100,000,000 Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary 100 Career Missionaries 2,000

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark 40 ÷10 4 We Ought to be able to do That! Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary...aren’t doing what needs to be done, and we aren’t doing what must be done fast enough.

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Schools

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Schools ParochialInfrastructure

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Schools ParochialInfrastructure 19th Century Funding Model

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Church Workers

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Church Workers Not pursuing excellence

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Church Workers Not pursuing excellence Do not have time or energy

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary District Staff

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary District Staff Break specialist mindset......Becomefacilitators

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Too many of us are just plain stuck.

If we believe we will grow disciples by replicating an old model WE WILL FAIL! WE NEED A NEW VISION

“We must be transformed by the renewal of our minds.”

...we cannot focus on unproductive declining congregations.... We are making some progress... and give birth to new congregations at the same time.

The choice is a simple one - focus the energies of the District Staff on those opportunities for growth and revitalization in our congregations.

Shift their focus from getting people to become members...

...to finding ways to get more and more people in the community surrounding them to know who Jesus is.

We are not in the Church Growth business

We are in the Kingdom Growth business

We are in the business to

I can guarantee you... We can help and We will

We can help and We will

We can help and We will

The Eastern District helps train and equip missional leaders to discover and cultivate resources in order that....

Congregations become spiritually stronger, better equipped, more outwardly focused, fiscally sound...

Mission Outposts that identify and embrace Outreach Opportunities in their community, their region and throughout the world.

I cannot guarantee What we do in any given situation will be successful.

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light OptimalQualities - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Willingness... to Pay the Price to Change to Accept Help

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light CongregationsMust... - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Empower & Trust Leadership Mission Mindset Outward Focus

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light CongregationsMust... - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Commit to God’s Word Commit their Resources Power of Prayer

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light CongregationsMust... - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Face facts as real and deal with them Become acquainted with culture around them

Respond to Opportunities to Bring The Light CongregationsMust... - St. Paul - St. John - Trinity - Grace - Redeemer - Faith - Good Shepherd Pilgrim - St. Luke - Mt. Olive - Concordia - St. Mark Salem - Zion - St. Matthew - Christ - Hope - Calvary Find ways to reach & connect to the culture in a language the natives can understand

This is what I can promise... The time of the District President & District Staff will be committed to ongoing Transformation of congregations

From a membership mentality... To becoming Mission Outposts

Discipleship Witnessing Stewardship Igniter Events

Partner Facilitate Coach

Apostolic Congregations care about the mental, physical & spiritual health of leaders

Safety Net Conflict Management & Dispute Resolution

Mission Strategy Summits Raise Resources Train Church Planters

Work with Congregations Evaluate Assets Devise Strategies Identify Instruments

Work with Church Professionals to develop mission minded leaders

Keep You Informed - Tell Stories of those who share the Light!

Keep You Informed - What is Happening

Keep You Informed - What the Board of Directors is doing

Keep You Informed - About our Partners

We will... Link you to Resources

We will... Point you to trainingopportunities

And we will expect you to hold up your end of the operation

What I will not do

Is ask you for moremoney.

You and I are the Eastern District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

My expectation... Every congregation will want to be a part of an enterprise that is bigger than itself.

My expectation... Every congregation will support the work of the District spiritually & materially

My expectation... Every congregation will want help to transform

Apostolic Congregations with a mission focus.... have a scriptural understanding of their resources

Apostolic Congregations with a mission focus.... allocate time and abilities and finances

Apostolic Congregations with a mission focus.... look for opportunities to share the abundance

$2,500 $2,500 C.S. C.S.

13% $150,000

EasternDistrict Synod Synod BeaverFalls $2, WitnessWksp 300people

My Expectation

Apostolic Mission Congregations Share the Light

Alternating Current

Things Change

Vision!

Share Light Light the

Apostolic Mission Congregations Ablaze!

Apostolic Mission Congregations Look to be transformed

Apostolic Mission Congregations...by the power of the Holy Spirit

Apostolic Mission Congregations...will not let others die in the dark...

Apostolic Mission Congregations...while we have the resources...

Apostolic Mission Congregations...the knowledge...

Apostolic Mission Congregations...and the desire...

Apostolic Mission Congregations...to do something about it!

We will... SHARETHELIGHT!