Delegates to the 74th convention of the LCMS Southern District elected the Rev. Kurtis Schultz of Birmingham, Ala., to his fifth term as district president.
The convention was held June 4-5 at Concordia College Alabama, Selma, under the theme, “Hope: Jesus Changes Everything.”
“The sole purpose of the church is to passionately proclaim to the world that our only ‘Hope’ is in ‘Jesus,’ who by His death and resurrection ‘Changes Everything,’ ” said Schultz.
Schultz was re-elected on the first ballot. He has served as district president since June 2003.
Also elected were:
- Rev. Dr. Ulmer Marshall Jr. of Spanish Fort, Ala., to a first term as first vice-president, following a term as second vice-president. Marshall is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Mobile, Ala., and Bethel Lutheran Church, Point Clear, Ala.
- Rev. Dr. McNair “Tony” Ramsey of Valley Grande, Ala., to his first term as second vice-president. Ramsey, now retired, formerly served as pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Vredenburgh, Ala.
- Rev. Stewart Marshall of DeRidder, La., to a first term as third vice-president. He is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in DeRidder.
- Rev. Warren Pellom of Olive Branch, Miss, to a first term as fourth vice-president. He is pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Southaven, Miss.
All of the elected officers were installed during the convention.
Delegates adopted resolutions that included:
- Res. 1-01: Acknowledgement of the value and contributions of directors of Christian education (DCEs) to the service of the Synod and specifically the Southern District. The resolution encourages the district’s congregations to evaluate needs and resources to consider calling DCEs for future staffing needs.
- Res. 1-03: Encouragement for the Synod to educate and advocate for persecuted Christians in hostile countries. The resolution calls for LCMS publications and social media outlets to provide information about these persecuted Christians and ways to send funds and to extend sympathy, especially to those in the Middle East.
- Res. 1-04A: Establishment of a task force to study and suggest possible Southern District bylaw changes concerning term limits for the district’s elected officers and committee members.
Delegates also adopted a resolution forwarding the following priorities to the Synod for its consideration:
- Work toward the elimination of poverty and hunger within the United States.
- Increase and improve multicultural relations within the LCMS.
- Strengthen and support African-American ministry efforts.
- Actively engage in keeping Concordia College Alabama viable as an LCMS mission.
- Support Dr. Rosa J. Young’s legacy and the development of Rosa J. Young Academies.
Convention attendees attended preview showings of “The First Rosa,” an LCMS documentary on the mission work of Dr. Rosa Young in Alabama during the early 20th century. The film’s director, the Rev. Dr. Ardon Albrecht, and the Rev. Dr. Roosevelt Gray Jr., director of LCMS Black Ministry, were on hand to introduce and talk about the production. The film is expected to be released in September.
Posted June 10, 2015
