Indiana District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

The Indiana District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), and encompasses the state of Indiana as well as most of western Kentucky; the remainder of Kentucky is divided between the Mid-South District and the Ohio District. In addition, one Kentucky congregation and eight Indiana congregations are in the non-geographic English District, and two congregations in Lake County are in the SELC District. The Indiana District is home to Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and includes approximately 236 congregations and missions, subdivided into 24 circuits, as well as 53 preschools, 49elementary schools and 3high schools. Baptized membership in district congregations is approximately 110,000. [1]

The Indiana District was formed in 1963 when the Central District was divided, also creating the Ohio District. District offices are located in Fort Wayne. 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. Daniel P. May has been the district president since 2003, and was re-elected to a third term in 2009. The 19th Regular Convention was held 19th, 2009 in Fort Wayne, IN under the theme "With One Heart," based on Rom. 15:5-6. [2] The 20th Regular Convention will be held June 28–29, 2012 in Fort Wayne, IN.

Presidents

Rev. Edgar C. Rakow, 1963–70
Rev. Elwood H. Zimmermann, 1970–88
Rev. Reuben Garber, 1988–91
Rev. Timothy E. Sims, 1991–2003
Rev. Daniel P. May, 2003–present

Oldest congregations

1837 - Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana
1838 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Seymour, Indiana
1838 - Zion-Friedheim Lutheran Church, Decatur, Indiana
1840 - Saint John's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Indiana
1841 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Evansville, Indiana
1842 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Evanston, Indiana
1842 - Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Indianapolis, Indiana
1843 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Farmers Retreat, Indiana
1844 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Avilla, Indiana
1845 - Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Wayne Trace, Adams Township, Indiana
1845 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Decatur, Indiana
1845 - Saint Peter Lutheran Church, Decatur, Indiana
1846 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Lanesville, Indiana
1846 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Bremen, Indiana
1846 - Zion Lutheran Church, Corunna, Indiana
1847 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Columbia City, Indiana
1847 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Monroeville, Indiana
1847 - Saint Peter Lutheran Church, Mishawaka, Indiana
1847 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Darmstadt, Indiana
1848 - Saint James Lutheran Church, Logansport, Indiana
1848 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Columbus, Indiana
1849 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Decatur, Indiana
1849 - Saint Peter Lutheran Church, Huntington, Indiana

Oldest in Kentucky: Concordia Lutheran Church, Louisville, Kentucky, 1878

Largest congregations

Membership totals include all baptized members and are according to the LCMS website (lcms.org).

3718- Saint Peter's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Indiana
3540- Immanuel Lutheran Church, Seymour, Indiana
3072- Saint James Lutheran Church, Lafayette, Indiana
3033- Carmel Lutheran Church, Carmel, Indiana
2661- Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana
2586- Immanuel Lutheran Church, Valparaiso, Indiana
2394- Concordia Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana
2190- Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Munster, Indiana
2016- Saint Peter Lutheran Church, Maplewood Park, Fort Wayne, Indiana
1915- Emmanuel Lutheran Church, West Central Fort Wayne, Indiana
1817- Saint John Lutheran Church, Indianapolis, Indiana
1580- Saint John Lutheran Church, Kendallville, Indiana
1535- Emanuel Lutheran Church, New Haven, Indiana
1459- Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana
1342- Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Geist, Indianapolis, Indiana

Largest in Kentucky - Our Savior Lutheran Church, Louisville, Kentucky - 549

External links