During the 77th convention of the Minnesota South District, June 18-20 in St. Paul, Minn., delegates re-elected the Rev. Dr. Dean W. Nadasdy of Woodbury, Minn., as district president. Nadasdy was elected to his second term on the first ballot.
Also elected were:
- Rev. Dr. Robert Gehrke, senior pastor of South Shore Trinity Lutheran Church, White Bear Lake, Minn., as first vice-president (Region 1). Gehrke previously served one term as fourth vice-president and one term as second vice-president.
- Rev. Dr. Lucas Woodford, senior pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Mayer, Minn., second vice-president (Region 2), first term.
- Rev. David Mumme, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Waterville, Minn., third vice-president (Region 3), first term.
- Rev. Harold Storm, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Gaylord, Minn., fourth vice-president (Region 4), first term.
Those elected were installed during the convention, which was held under the theme “On Our Way Rejoicing,” based on Acts 8:39.
Convention delegates adopted a number of resolutions, including those to:
- ask the district’s Missions Committee to develop and execute a broad, comprehensive campus-ministry plan. This plan will emphasize the importance of both providing Word and Sacrament ministry on college campuses as well as equipping students to engage in the mission field on these campuses.
- encourage congregations to participate in the district’s New Church Incubator, which uses a crowdfunding model to support new church planters.
- add a new position for a fifth assistant to the president. This full-time position, which replaces the part-time director of School Services, will focus on schools and commissioned workers.
- authorize a feasibility study of a fundraising campaign for education. This proposed campaign will help increase the quality of the district’s existing schools and early-childhood centers and establish new ones. Funds raised also will help with marketing LCMS schools and developing online education options.
- add to the district’s bylaws term limits for the president and circuit visitors. This limits those serving in these offices to no more than four consecutive three-year terms.
Delegates also adopted resolutions related to public-policy issues:
- to encourage pastors and church leaders to equip laypeople with the tools to speak about public-policy issues as LCMS Lutherans.
- to encourage all people to value and exercise the right to religious freedom.
- to call on the state of Minnesota to allow parents more freedom in choosing the right education for their children without undue financial burdens.
Posted June 23, 2015
