Harman Patil (Editor)

Southern District (LCMS)

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Founded
  
8 February 1882

Southern District (LCMS)

Headquarters
  
Slidell, Louisiana, United States

The Southern District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), and encompasses the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as the western portion of the Florida Panhandle; the rest of Florida is part of the Florida-Georgia District. The Southern District includes approximately 170 congregations and missions, subdivided into 15 circuits, as well as 14 preschools, 17 elementary schools and 1 high school. Baptized membership in Southern District congregations is approximately 29,391. [1]

Contents

The Southern District was formed on February 8, 1882 out of the Western District; portions of the district were separated into the Texas District and the Florida-Georgia District in 1906 and 1948 respectively. In 1963, 54 black congregations which were part of the Synodical Conference's Mission Program were merged into the Southern District; 33 such congregations in central Alabama were consolidated into 10 congregations shortly thereafter. About 40 existing congregations are historically black congregations, and most of the black pastors and teachers in the LCMS originated in this area [2].

District offices are located in Slidell, Louisiana. Delegates from each congregation meet in convention every three years to elect the district president, vice presidents, circuit counselors, a board of directors, and other officers. The Rev. Kurtis Schultz has been the district president since 2003, and was re-elected to a third term in 2009. The 72nd Regular Convention was held June 18-20, 2009 in Baton Rouge with the theme "Spirit Kindle," based on Acts 1:8. [3] The 73rd Regular Convention will be held June 14-16, 2012 in Metairie, Louisiana with the theme "It's Time That They May Know Jesus". [4]

Concordia College Alabama in Selma, founded in 1922 as part of the Synodical Conference Mission Program and now part of the LCMS Concordia University System, is located within the district.

Presidents

  • Rev. Timotheus Stiemke, 1882–88
  • Rev. Gotthilf Heinrich Wilhelm Birkmann, 1888–91
  • Rev. Gottfried Johann Wegener, 1891–1927
  • Rev. Martin W. H. Holls, 1927–54
  • Rev. Paul W. Streufert, 1954–57
  • Rev. Edgar W. Homrighausen, 1957-69
  • Rev. Lothar Kleinhans, 1969–70
  • Rev. John E. Ellermann, 1970-78
  • Rev. Richard H. Meyer, 1978-88
  • Rev. Orval D. Mueller, 1988-2003
  • Rev. Kurtis D. Schultz, 2003-present

    • Oldest congregations

  • 1840 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Bywater, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • 1847 - Zion Lutheran Church, Lower Garden District, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • 1852 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Mid-City, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • 1867 - Grace Lutheran Church, Mobile, Alabama
  • 1871 - Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, Louisiana
  • 1875 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Algiers Point, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • 1878 - Mount Zion Lutheran Church, Central City, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • 1881 - Saint Paul NE Lutheran Church, Seventh Ward, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • 1885 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Pensacola, Florida
  • 1885 - Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Cullman, Alabama
  • 1885 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Hanceville, Alabama
  • 1887 - First Lutheran Church, Birmingham, Alabama
  • 1888 - Christ Lutheran Church, Pascagoula, Mississippi
  • 1888 - First English Lutheran Church, Metairie, Louisiana
  • 1888 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Lake Charles, Louisiana
  • 1892 - Zion Lutheran Church, Clinton, Louisiana
  • 1893 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Hammond, Louisiana
  • 1894 - First Lutheran Church, Crowley, Louisiana
  • 1895 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Jennings, Louisiana
  • 1898 - St. Paul Lutheran Church, Decatur, Alabama
  • 1898 - St. Paul Lutheran Church, Mansura, Louisiana

    • Largest congregations

    Membership totals are c. 2006.
  • 1255 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • 1035 - Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Covington, Louisiana
  • 1013 - Atonement Lutheran Church, Metairie, Louisiana
  • 1005 - Bethany Lutheran Church, Slidell, Louisiana
  • 965 - Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Cullman, Alabama
  • 751 - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Callaway, Florida
  • 721 - Grace Lutheran Church, Destin, Florida
  • 703 - St. Paul Lutheran Church, Decatur, Alabama
  • 640 - St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Elberta, Alabama
  • 550 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans, Louisiana

    • Largest in Mississippi: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Clinton, Mississippi, 343

    References

    Southern District (LCMS) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA