LOCATION
Messiah Lutheran Church is conveniently located at 8300 Providence Rd. just south of the Arboretum and Hwy 51 (Pineville-Matthews Rd). Map
Parking is located on both the north and south sides of the
sanctuary. Handicapped parking has been designated at the south
entrance, although both entries are wheelchair accessible.
February Memory Verse
Romans 5:8
". . . God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
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Pastor's August 2010 Message |
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SYNOD IN CONVENTION Last week, from July 9th through July 17th, I was honored to represent the 14 churches/ ministries of Circuit 15 of the Southeastern District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod at her national convention in Houston, Texas. I, as pastoral delegate, along with William Boyd, the Circuit 15 lay delegate, gathered with some 1200 other voting delegates from Synod’s 35 districts. With us were also 157 Advisory delegates, 121 Official Representatives and 100 plus special visitors and guests– totaling almost 1600 present at the Houston Convention Center under the theme, “One People – Forgiven.” We gathered to encourage, inspire, instruct and partner together for the greater good of the whole Synod through times of prayer, worship, Bible Study, devotions, and decision making.The word Synod means “walking together.” The Synod is composed of some 6200 congregations comprising some 2.4 million members gathered in 35 Districts geographically located around the country, with the exception of two non-geographical districts. Every three years, Electoral Circuits comprised of a given number of congregations/communicant members elect one pastor and one lay person from its number to represent it at the Convention. The intention is to try and balance the number of lay persons with the number of clergy. Other ordained and commissioned ministers also attend as Advisory Delegates who can speak at a convention but not vote.Along with an inspiring opening worship service, a prayer service, morning devotions and closing devotions each day, a daily Bible Study on the theme “One People Forgiven,” the main agenda item was business – the business of electing leadership to serve the next three or more years, and discussing and then deciding on Resolutions brought to the floor for action. The resolutions acted on from the floor of the convention begin as Overtures presented to the convention for action by individual congregations, groups of congregations, District and Synod Boards and Committees, and a few other groups of LCMS members. These Overtures are then routed to 8 different specially selected committees composed of lay and ordained/commissioned ministers to research, collate and otherwise transform into Resolutions. These resolutions, along with the Overtures that inspired them noted near their titles, are presented to the convention for a majority vote decision. The actual voting is done with an electronic device that looks similar to a television remote (with fewer buttons). Delegates push 1 for yes, and 2 for no and the results are posted on large screens in 10 seconds or so. In that way, around 100 resolutions were acted on in some way or another: accepted, amended, referred back to committee or defeated. The big news was the election of new people to leadership. In fact, along with a new Synodical President, Matthew Harrison, and a new 1st Vice President, Herbert Mueller, 3 of the other Vice Presidents are also new and most of those elected to Boards and Committees, some 90 or so individuals were also new. The impact of these elections awaits to be seen.As your pastoral delegate, I will be composing a more complete report of the convention including action that will directly and more immediately affect Messiah. This I will present, as mandated by my role, not only to Messiah but other congregations of Circuit 15. I want to thank all those who covered for me on Sunday mornings as well as during the week while I was gone – first on vacation and then the Convention. It is a great feeling to know that everything is being cared for and that I can rest it in God’s hands through these individuals: Michael Kane, Matthias Bechert and Josh Mize – proclaimers; David Green, Josh Mize, Rev. Torgler, Matt Baldinger – liturgists and Rev. Torgler, Rev. Gittner and Messiah’s Board of Elders for handling things during the weeks (special thanks to Marty Diesterhaft for his attention to Gerry Henke when he had surgery). And, of course, thanks to Paula and her leadership, Donna and the music people, the ushers, readers and all the others that serve on Sunday mornings and a big thanks to Linda and Sherri who cover the office so well.
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