Districts of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LC-MS) is organized into 35 districts, 33 of which are defined along geographic lines and two are recognized and continued as mon-geographical, the English and the SELC districts (the results of long ago mergers). Each district has a president who oversees the congregations in his district, which are further subdivided into local circuits. The position of synod president is analogous to the role of bishop in many other church bodies / denominations (including those of other Evangelical Lutheran churches in North America and throughout the world). But the LC-MS supports a synodical polity (political / governing organization), which combines the commonly used church body systems of congregationalist polity and episcopal polity, as opposed to an exclusively episcopal polity / ierarchical governance (such as used in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism / Anglican Communion and even many other Evangelical Lutheran churches, and some other Protestant churches in North America and throughout the world).

Each Missouri Synod district chooses its own president from among the pastors in the district at its triennial convention. In some districts the district president occupies a full-time position, while in others he continues to serve as pastor in a local congregation or specialized ministry (hospitals, military chaplains, colleges / universities, social services agencies, etc.)

The 35 district presidents plus the synod general president form the Council of Presidents (COP), one of whose duties is to place graduates from the two LC-MS theological seminaries as pastors in congregations that have requested such a candidate. If a congregation desires an experienced pastor to fill a vacancy, the district president may suggest a list of possible candidates (gleaned from interactions with the COP as well as other sources), but the district president does not assign pastors in this case; the congregation extends a "call" directly to the pastor.

History

From the time of its founding in 1847, for eight years until 1854, the LC-MS held annual synod-wide conventions. However, given the rapid growth in number of confessional Evangelical Lutheran congregations and the large geographic area then covered by the synod in its first decade in the United States, from the States of Iowa in the west, to western New York state in the northeast, and from Minnesota in the northwest to Louisiana in the south). From that enlarged range in the 1850s, since expanded coast-to-coast in the 19th century, and in the following 20th century, throughout the twin continents of the Americas, and later even overseas.

So a new Synod constitution was also adopted in the latter year of 1854, splitting the Synod into four geographical districts (Eastern, Western, Northern, and Central), each with its own annual convention, and elected clergy / laity officers. This would provide for increasing cooperation between congregations and ministers / pastors of a smaller regional geography grouping. It would also take over some of the responsibilities of the general Synod, and enable for more ministry, service and outreach to be made.[1]

These original four districts were further divided over the years and decades in the 170 years since of having lower districts in Missouri Synod history, to create the growth resulting in the current 33 geographical and 2 mon-geographical districts now functioning along with their individual congregations and various ministries in the day-to-day life for 177 years of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod in North America.

List of districts

The following is a chronological list of former and current districts of the LCMS.[2] Former district names are in italics.

District Name Year Created Parent District Additional Information
Central 1854 One of original four districts Initially contained congregations in Indiana and Ohio. The district was divided into the Indiana and Ohio districts in 1962/1963.
Eastern 1854 One of original four districts Initially contained congregations in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Later the province of Ontario in Canada was added, but was then transferred to the Northern district in 1874. In 1906 the Atlantic district was split off. The district now includes only western New York state and most of Pennsylvania.
Northern 1854 One of original four districts Initially contained congregations in Michigan and Wisconsin. The Northwestern district was split off in 1874/1875, at which time the province of Ontario in Canada was moved from the Eastern district to the redefined Northern district. The Canadian district was split off three years later in 1878/1879, and eventually in 1988, the three Missouri Synod districts in the Dominion of Canada there were separated to join and form the new independent denomination of the Lutheran Church-Canada. The old Northern district was renamed the Michigan district in 1881.
Western 1854 One of original four districts Initially contained congregations in Missouri, Illinois, and Louisiana, with other states added later as congregations were established. The Illinois district separated in 1874, the Iowa district in 1878/1879, the Nebraska and Southern districts in 1881/1882, and the Kansas district and the California and Oregon district in 1887. The district was divided the next century into the Missouri and Mid-South districts in 1965/1966.
Illinois 1874 Western Divided into the Northern Illinois, Central Illinois, and Southern Illinois districts in 1907/1908.
Northwestern 1874/1875 Northern Initially contained congregations in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Split into the Wisconsin district and the Minnesota and Dakota district in 1881/1882.
Canada 1878/1879 Northern Renamed the Ontario district in 1923.
Iowa 1878/1879 Western Divided into the Eastern Iowa and Western Iowa districts in 1936.
Michigan 1881 Northern Renamed from the Northern district. It does not include the western half of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, between Lake Superior to the north and Lake Michigan to the south and east.
Minnesota and Dakota 1881/1882 Northwestern The South Dakota district was split out in 1905/1906, and the North Dakota and Montana district in 1910. The district was renamed the Minnesota district in 1912, and the Alberta and British Columbia and the Manitoba and Saskatchewan districts were split off in 1920. The district was divided into the Minnesota North and Minnesota South districts in 1962/1963.
Nebraska 1881/1882 Western The district was divided into the Northern Nebraska and Southern Nebraska districts in 1922, but those districts merged in 1970 to reform the Nebraska district.
Southern 1881/1882 Western Initially contained congregations in Texas, Louisiana, and adjoining states. The Texas district was split out in 1905/1906, and the Florida-Georgia district in 1947/1948. It now consists of the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and the western Florida Panhandle.
Wisconsin 1881/1882 Northwestern The district was divided into the North Wisconsin and South Wisconsin districts in 1916.
Kansas 1887 Western Initially contained congregations in Kansas and Colorado. The Colorado district was split off in 1920/1921, leaving only the states of Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. The new Oklahoma district was split off in 1923/1924
California and Oregon 1887 Western The district divided into the two separate districts of California and Nevada district, and the Oregon and Washington district in 1899.
California and Nevada 1899 California and Oregon The Southern California district was split from the district in 1929/1930. The district was renamed the California-Nevada-Hawaii district in 1977.
Oregon and Washington 1899 California and Oregon The district was renamed the Northwest district in 1948.
Brazil 1904 Initially contained congregations in the continent of South America and country of the Federal Republic of Brazil. Congregations in Argentina, adjacent to the south, were added in 1905. The Argentina district was then later split off in 1926/1927. The Brazil district became the independent denomination of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (Igreja Evangelica Luterana do Brasil) on January 1, 1980.
South Dakota 1905/1906 Minnesota and South Dakota
Texas 1905/1906 Southern The state of Texas except for far western El Paso county.
Atlantic 1906 Eastern Initially included the part of the state of New York east of a boundary running between Rome and Utica, along with all of the region of New England and the state of New Jersey. The latter were later split off into the current separate New England and New Jersey districts, respectively, in 1971/1972, leaving the southeastern half of New York state, i.e., New York City, Long Island, the Hudson River Valley, and the Capital District (around the state capital city of Albany, New York).
Central Illinois 1907/1908 Illinois
Northern Illinois 1907/1908 Illinois
Southern Illinois 1907/1908 Illinois
North Dakota and Montana 1910 Minnesota and Dakota The district was divided into the North Dakota and the Montana districts in 1944/1945.
English 1911 English Synod Originally the district contained the congregations of the old English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri and Other States, which merged into the LC-MS in 1911, and was recognized / continued by the Synod as one of its few non-geographic districts.
Minnesota 1912 Minnesota and Dakota Renamed. The Alberta and British Columbia and the Manitoba and Saskatchewan districts were split of in 1920.
North Wisconsin 1916 Wisconsin
South Wisconsin 1916 Wisconsin
Colorado 1920/1921 Kansas Initially included congregations in the states of Colorado and Utah. Congregations in Page, Arizona, Venango, Nebraska, and El Paso County, Texas were added later. New Mexico congregations of the Texas and other districts were added in 1941/1942. Renamed to the Rocky Mountain district in 1983.
Alberta and British Columbia 1920 Minnesota The district was one of three that were released from the LC-MS in 1988 to form the independent separate denomination of the Lutheran Church-Canada.
Manitoba and Saskatchewan 1920 Minnesota The district was one of three that were released from the LC-MS in 1988 to form the independent separate denomination of the Lutheran Church-Canada.
Northern Nebraska 1922 Nebraska The Wyoming district was split off and the Northern Nebraska district merged with the Southern Nebraska district, both actions in 1970 to form a new single Nebraska district.
Southern Nebraska 1922 Nebraska The district merged with the Northern Nebraska district in 1970 to form a new single Nebraska district.
Ontario 1923 Canada Renamed. The district was one of three districts that were released from the LC-MS in 1988 to join with and form the independent separate denomination of the Lutheran Church-Canada.
Oklahoma 1923/1924 Kansas
Argentina 1926/1927 Brazil The Argentina district of the LC-MS after 39 years became the separate independent Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina (Iglesia Evangelica Luterana Argentina) on August 1, 1986.
Southern California 1929/1930 California and Nevada Renamed to the Pacific Southwest district in 1989.
Iowa East 1936 Iowa
Iowa West 1936 Iowa
Southeastern 1938/1939 Eastern, English Initially included congregations in the states of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, part of Georgia, along with Washington, D.C., and York and Adams counties in south-central Pennsylvania.
Montana 1944/1945 North Dakota and Montana Besides the state of Montana, includes one congregation each in neighboring Idaho to the west and North Dakota to the east.
North Dakota 1944/1945 North Dakota and Montana Consists of the state of North Dakota (except for one congregation} and one congregation in South Dakota.
Florida-Georgia 1947/1948 Southern Consists of the states of Florida (except for the western Florida Panhandle) and Georgia.
Northwest 1948 Oregon and Washington Renamed. Consists of the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska.
Indiana 1962/1963 Central Includes the state of Indiana and most of western / northwestern Kentucky to the south, across the Ohio River.
Minnesota North 1962/1963 Minnesota
Minnesota South 1962/1963 Minnesota
Ohio 1962/1963 Central Includes the states of Ohio and to the southeast across the Ohio River of the states of West Virginia and the eastern part of Kentucky.
Missouri 1965/1966 Western
Mid-South 1965/1966 Western Includes the states of Arkansas, Tennessee, and the southwestern part of Kentucky.
Wyoming 1970 Northern Nebraska Includes the state of Wyoming and the western Nebraska Panhandle, as well as one congregation in neighboring northwestern Colorado.
SELC 1971 Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches Originally the district contained the oring congregations of the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, which merged into the LC-MS in 1971, and was recognized and continued by the Synod as one of the few non-geographic districts.
New England 1971/1972 Atlantic
New Jersey 1971/1972 Atlantic
California–Nevada–Hawaii 1977[3] California and Nevada Renamed. Consists of the states of California (except for the southernmost eight counties), Nevada (except for Clark County), and Hawaii.
Rocky Mountain 1983[4] Colorado Renamed. Includes the states of Colorado (except for one congregation in northwestern corner of the state entered into the Wyoming district), Utah, and New Mexico, and also El Paso County, Texas, in the far western corner of Texas.
Pacific Southwest 1989[5] Southern California Renamed. Includes the state of Arizona, the southernmost eight counties of California, and Clark County, Nevada.

References

  1. ^ Suelflow 1964, pp. 148–149.
  2. ^ Christian Cyclopedia (2000).
  3. ^ Forty Years (2013), p. C-4.
  4. ^ Forty Years (2013), p. iv.
  5. ^ Forty Years (2013), p. C-52.
  • Lueker, Erwin L.; Poellot, Luther; Jackson, Paul, eds. (2000). "Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Districts of The". Christian Cyclopedia (Online ed.). St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  • LCMS Research Services (March 25, 2013). "Forty Years of LCMS District Statistics" (PDF). Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  • Suelflow, August R. (1964). "IV The Missouri Synod Organized". In Meyer, Carl S. (ed.). Moving Frontiers. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House.