The 98th Regular Convention of the Eastern District
of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
Proclaim Him from the Rooftops
Matthew 10:27
Daemen College, Amherst, New York
June 19 – 20, 2015
Friday, June 19th
Delegate Orientation [Including Electronic Voting Tutorial]
Opening welcome, introductions, and remarks by President Chris Wicher. Mr. Mike Carr, Chairman of the Convention Committee, welcomed the delegates, gave a brief recap of the decorum of recent Eastern District coventions, and materials needed at the tables during the convention proceedings. Rev. Chris Crume, Chairman of the Elections Committee explained the voting process for this convention and led the voting delegates through the voting tutorial. Mr. Carl Fretthold, Convention Floor Manager, addressed the delegates and explained the process of distributing material on the convention and making nominations for candidates from the floor (Floor Nominations). President Wicher, Chairman of the convention, concluded the Delegate Orientation as follows: He briefly explained the basics of the who, what and why of the Eastern District, our gathering in Convention, offered a reminder of our upcoming Circuit Forums, explained LCEF’s financial assistance for the evening activities, referenced greetings and welcomes from former presidents of the Eastern District, offered a joyous welcome to our Synod President, Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, shared regrets from our Synod Vice-President, Rev. Robert Kuhn, unable to attend due to health issues, plans for Bible study, and introduced our convention Chaplain, Rev. Carl Prostka, and Music Director, Karen Foote.
EDMO Presentation #1: Northeast PA Mission Partnership (NEPA)
President Wicher reiterated our convention theme and calling as baptized children of God. He also advised the delegates that we have four regional mission partnership organizations in our district and that each would make a presentation to the convention. Rev. Kris Bjornstadt of Peace Lutheran Church, Scranton presented on behalf of NEPA.
Opening Worship Celebration
The Opening Worship Celebration, accompanied by Tim Amor and the First Trinity worship team, was led by the district’s four Vice-Presidents: Rev. Howard Alexander, Rev. David Bernard, Rev. Karl Haeussler, and Rev. Daniel Strussenberg.
Credentials Report - #1: [Claire Carlson]
At the invitation of President Wicher, Claire Carlson, Chair of the Credentials Committee gave the following report: Voting Pastors – 80. Voting Lay Delegates – 94. Total Voting Delegates – 174. Advisory Pastors – 8. Commissioned Ministers – 8. Guests – 31. Total Non-Voting Attendance – 48.
Opening Gavel: Introductions, Orders of the Day, Acceptance of Committees, Standing Rules [President Wicher]
In view of the reported quorum, President Chris Wicher declared the 98th Regular Convention of the Eastern District, The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod to be opened and now in session, in the Name of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thereafter, he introduced with thanksgiving the Convention Planning Committee, followed by introductions of the Secretary, Parliamentarian, Board of Directors, and District Staff. President Wicher also introduced former District President, Rev. Dr. John Brunner and his wife, Karen, and former District President, Rev. Dr. David Belasic and his wife, Joy. President Wicher also introduced his wife, Beverly, followed by Synod President, Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, and President Harrison’s Assistant, Rev. John Vieker. Following the introductions, President Wicher asked all workers new to the Eastern District since the last convention to stand to be recognized. Retired workers were also invited to stand for recognition. St. Peter’s & Paul Lutheran Church of Central City Pennsylvania was recognized.
M/2 to adopt the schedule as the Orders of the Day, passed on voice vote.
M/2 to accept and recognize the Committees and appointments of the Convention Workbook, passed by voice vote.
M/2 to adopt the standing rules on section 1, page 6, of the workbook, passed on voice vote.
Bible Study 1: iPray [Rev. Jim Buckman]
Vice-President David Bernard introduced the Convention Bible study leader, Rev. Jim Buckman of the New Jersey District. In doing so, Pastor Bernard also gave a brief recap of the recent fire at Grace, Vestal where he is currently serving as vacancy pastor…asking as well for our prayers.
Rev. Buckman began our study with prayer. During the course of the study, Rev. Richard Mokry led the convention in prayer of healing and strength for pastors Kuhn and Weeks, unable to attend the convention due to health problems. Rev. Buckman based his teaching of prayer on God’s Word and also wove into his exposition of scripture and prayer selected quotes from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther. Rev. Buckman emphasized the question: How can we pray for you? Followed by another question: How can we provide for the needs for whom we pray? He described the prayer app that he was able to build and develop by God’s grace.
At the conclusion of Rev. Buckman’s first Bible study session, Vice-President Bernard addressed the convention, requesting those named to go to the credentials table. Convention Chaplain Carl Prostka led the convention in prayer, including God’s blessings of thanksgiving for President Wicher and for the presentation of his report.
Convention Business: Report of the District President [Rev. Dr. Chris Wicher]
President Wicher gave an oral summary of his written reports (1 & 2). Part 1 of his written report is included in its entirety in the Convention Workbook, which is part of these Convention Minutes and binder. Part 2 of President Wicher’s report is embodied in these minutes at the end of this section.
President Wicher noted that while we are not the biggest or richest district in the LCMS, we are the oldest. Three of the 10 oldest day schools are in the Eastern District. We have a charter congregation in our District, First Trinity, North Tonawanda. President Wicher commended our District Staff. We have healthy congregations as evidenced by the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, the administration of His Sacraments, and many and various acts of service and outreach. We are called by God’s grace to proclaim Jesus from the rooftops, based on Matthew 10:27. He read and discussed this text…what that text meant then…what it means for us now. He recapped his last roof top gutter cleaning experience at faculty row, Concordia, Bronxville many years ago. Roof top proclaimers are risk takers. President Wicher gave many examples of roof top proclaiming going on in our district and elsewhere.
Led by Pastor Kim Bode, the Convention prayed in response to the church shooting incident in Charleston, South Carolina.
President Wicher returned to his report, using a leaky roof as a metaphor to describe the leaky roofs of the congregations and schools of the Eastern District, sharing statistical data of our District from 1995 in comparison to 2014. He also gave general church data of the northeastern part of the United States. In addition, he reported on the general state of the church at large and current trends, especially of the younger generations. He also described the cultural diversity of many communities and the problem of original sin and how this is shown in faith and practice.
President Wicher continued by stating that proclaiming Jesus from the rooftops calls for courageous leadership. Innovative leadership deserves our support and prayers. As an example of innovative leadership and collaboration,President Wicher shared the example of the partnership of Rev.Paul Yanke of Trinity Lutheran, Glen Savage and Rev. Reholma McCants of Unity Lutheran, Pittsburgh. Regional mission organizations and their roof top work were commended. Diaconal ministry was encouraged. Words from St. Paul were read as encouragement. President Wicher urged us all to continue to proclaim Jesus from the rooftops.
Part 2 of President Wicher’s report fully incorporated as follows:
“Proclaim HIM from the Rooftops”
The Eastern District LCMS in Convention 2015
THE REPORT OF THE DISTRICT PRESIDENT, Part 2
Sisters and brothers in Christ.
FROM THE ROOFTOPS, INTRODUCTION
Our place among the 35Your staff
Our congregations, by and large
Proclaim HIM from the rooftops
What does this mean?
What does this mean, to us, today?
Risky places
Sanctified risk-takers
What does this mean, to us, today?
The roof is leaking
By the numbers
Is it really leaking?
What does this mean, to us, today?
Roofs can be fun
Courageous leaders
Imaginative leaders
Formidable partnerships
On the horizon
Do you see what I see
Now, it’s our time / Part One of my report to this convention is in written form and has been included in the Workbook made available to every person in attendance. I hope by now you have taken the time to read the material. In it you will find a summary statement about the state of the Eastern District including highlights of the business that has transpired over the past three years and a summary of the new and ongoing ministries we’ve had the joy of conducting in the name of Jesus Christ.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We are far from being the largest district of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, in fact we are one of the smaller districts. We’re not the richest district but we’re not skimpy either. So, we’re neither here nor there, but this I can tell you with certainty, we are the oldest district. We were here first, before the others and in this distinction we stand alone. We are one of the original four districts organized in 1854. This District has survived many changes through the years; a new name for Synod (watch it now), not to mention a language change and numerous Districts that have disappeared or have been reshaped out of existence, and yet here we are, the Eastern District. Although today we are much smaller in geographic size than originally, nevertheless we have not been dissolved, [laugh] not yet at least. We’re still around and this is our 98th convention. Add to that bit of “local pride” the fact that of the ten oldest and continuously operating day schools in the Synod, three are found right here in the Eastern District and each within ten miles of where we are gathered: Holy Ghost, Bergholtz; St. John, North Tonawanda; and Trinity, West Seneca. We also have a charter congregation of the LCMS, First Trinity, Tonawanda. And “what does this mean?” Good Lutheran question. It means we know how to do Lutheran in the Eastern District. To say we don’t know Lutheran is like telling grandma she doesn’t know apple pie.
Since I’m speaking in general terms, allow me also make a few brief preliminary comments because I believe you need to hear such things. The Eastern District staff is at a good point. True, we can always be better. We have our problems. We can always do more. We can even serve with more zeal from time to time. Still, we are at a good point and serving with this District staff is for me a blessing.
Let me also point out that by and large our congregations are healthy places. Congregations can always be better, for that matter life can be better. We can always have more congregations. They can always worship more than they do. Their contributions to the work we do together can always be more generous. Still, all things considered, our congregations are healthy places, and I give thanks to God for each and every one of them.
We are called by God’s grace to “Proclaim Jesus from the rooftops.” This, you know, is the theme for our convention.
“Proclaim HIM from the rooftops.” Him, is Jesus Christ. Together, as a community of believers, and on our own, let us proclaim Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Lord and the only Savior from sin, who alone brings us to the saving knowledge of God the Father.
This theme is based on Jesus’ own words to His disciples as they are found in Matthew chapter ten verse twenty-seven: “What I say to you in the dark tell in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the rooftops.”
JESUS SAID “FROM THE ROOFTOPS” What’s He talking about? That’s a fair question.
In Jesus’ day, as far as I can tell, the rooftop was a place of common and ordinary family and community gatherings. His was a flat-roofed culture. A place where casual conversation would take place. The family front porch or patio, where people would gather for discourse, tell stories, spread news. Certainly, there were other ways for news to get around. But, picture it, from rooftop to rooftop neighbor would shout to neighbor and word, whatever it was, would get around town.
That was then. In our day, the thought of climbing on a roof to have neighborly chat is outrageous. Who would do such a thing? After all, we live in a pitched-roof culture and that fact has made rooftops dangerous places to casually walk about compared to Jesus’ experience. The roof of your home and of your church has quite a slant. Can you imagine climbing up to the rooftop to preach a sermon, teach a class or tell someone about Jesus?
If you did, this is what that might look like [picture of someone actually on a roof talking and/or falling off a roof].
What do we know about rooftops? ROOFTOPS ARE RISKY PLACES
I’m always impressed by those who work on rooftops, because there is no way you would find me up on one anymore. The last time I was on a pitched roof was literally two weeks before my wedding in 1978 and four weeks before I entered the seminary as a new student. My task was the glamorous official-cleaning of the gutters of the homes on faculty row on the campus of Concordia, Bronxville. What a noble job. Figuring I could move quickly by reaching down from the rooftop rather than reaching up off a ladder, I climbed onto the roof. But did I ever come to my senses the moment I started to slip to the edge of the roof with no ability to stop the slide. The roof was not for me, a two story drop would spell my certain doom.
So, professional roofers get my attention and my respect.
Early Christians, if you will, climbed onto the rooftops.
In the book of Acts the first disciples were arrested and appeared before the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They were ordered to keep silent about Jesus. They were beaten and then again they were ordered to tell no one about what they had heard and seen. It was a gag order. But the first disciples would not be censured into silence. They announced to the leaders “we must tell what we have seen and believe to be true.” And when they were released they went right back doing what got them into trouble in the first place, proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, risen from the dead.
Rooftops remind me that present day disciples are sanctified risk-takers.
From the LifeTree Café on campus at the University at Buffalo launched by First Trinity, Tonawanda; to the LifeTree Café held on the premises of the community “watering hole” in Hamlin by St. John; to the mission house-church in Huntington, PA sponsored by Good Shepherd, State College; to the Natrona community mission initiative sponsored by St. Luke, Cabot with mission developer Dustin Paulson; to the church mission in Clarksburg, WV, the efforts of St. John, in the Cove, Accident, MD; to Pastor Art Zogar who returned to Liberia where he will work his mission dream of a church and a school; to countless congregations like Hope, Rochester and Trinity, West Seneca, and St. Paul, Batavia who send volunteers on mission trips to foreign countries; to the mission to the blind supported by First Trinity, in Pittsburgh; to Shepherd of the City project in north Philadelphia directed by Philadelphia Lutheran Ministries; to the newly purchased and dedicated Lutheran Ministry Center by Peace Lutheran congregation in Scranton, PA along with missionary Naveen Nischal; present day disciples of the Eastern District are sanctified risk-takers, they are climbing to the rooftops, they are proclaiming Jesus.
Indeed, the rooftop Jesus talked about, I take it, is an image of sanctified risk. A risk we are called to take for Him. By this I mean, proclaiming Him we do not retract, retreat, hide, or bunker down in fear. The basement is not for us! In our experience, it is becoming more and more difficult to proclaim one’s faith in public but that is no reason to be mum or censured into silence. The rooftop reminds me that in spite of social and even, if it comes to it, legal pressure to the contrary, we live in a time to proclaim the Good News.
What else do we know about rooftops? In my experience no one notices a roof until there is a problem. ROOFTOPS ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. EVERY BUILDING NEEDS ONE. A leaky roof is a problem because a leaky roof does not do what it was constructed to do.
You have heard it before though maybe not in these terms, the Eastern District is a building with a leaky roof. Our roof is leaking friends. Compared to 1995 here are what some of our number look like today: