Southern District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

The Southern District encompasses the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, as well as the western half of the Florida panhandle. The district office is located in Slidell, Louisiana.

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]

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

External links