District Convention

Growing + Building + Reaching

Convention Videos

Building Together. In Christ. For Mission.

Growing + Building + Reaching: Campus Ministry

Growing + Building + Reaching: Leadership Learning Communities

Growing + Building + Reaching: Multi-Point Parishes

Growing + Building + Reaching: Lutheran Schools

District President’s Report

Saturday morning devotions

State of the Synod Report, LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison

Convention Keynotes

Keynote 1 video & slide deck

Keynote 2 video & slide deck

Keynote 3 video & slide deck

Other Materials

Summary Sheet for Delegates and Congregations

Press Release: as PDF document  /  as Word document  /  image of District President Rev. Richard Snow for publication

Treasurer’s Report slides

Registered Attendees

294 voting delegates, 72 advisory delegates, 92 guests and staff members

Keynote Speaker

Rev. Dr. David Coe, assistant professor of theology at Concordia University, Nebraska

Synod Representatives

Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, LCMS President; Rev. Nabil Nour, LCMS Fourth Vice-President

Offering

$4,421 designated to support of campus ministry in the Nebraska District

2022 Convention Workbook

District President: Rev. Richard Snow (third term)

Vice-Presidents: Rev. Michael Awe, Hope, South Sioux City, first vice-president (first term – previously appointed to serve a vacancy as third vice-president); Rev. James Moshier, Trinity, Arapahoe, second vice-president (first term); Rev. James Rasmussen, Divine Shepherd, Omaha, third vice-president (first term); Rev. Scott Bruick, St. John, Seward, fourth vice-president (first term – previously appointed to serve a vacancy as fourth vice-president)

District Secretary: Rev. B.J. Fouts, St. John, Battle Creek, (first term – previously appointed to serve a vacancy as Secretary)

Board of Directors:  Linda Ahrens (Grand Island), James Conner (Holstein), Ellen Lund (Fremont), Josh Moenning (Norfolk), and Paul Schudel (Omaha)

Holding current terms on the Board of Directors until 2025: James Kovac (Beaver Crossing), Deborah Sunderman (Norfolk), Bruce Wall (Schuyler), and Kevin Warneke (Omaha)

Completing terms on the Board of Directors: Paul Burger (Kearney), David Knorr (Humboldt), Rev. Craig Niemeier (Worms), Rev. David Ohlman (Polk), Rev. Jim Rasmussen (Omaha), Andrew Rohwer (Kearney), Virginia Von Seggern (Orchard), Steve Trusty (Council Bluffs), and Rev. Karl Ziegler (Papillion)

Nominations Committee: Harlan Anson (Staplehurst), Rev. Kenton Birtell (Holdrege), Rev. Jeff Bloom (Lincoln), Rev. Robert Kuefner (Lexington), Linda Reiser (Grand Island), Glenn Van Velson (North Platte), and Kent Warneke (Norfolk)

Constitution Committee: Kurth Brashear (Seward), Rev. Andrew Gerike (Omaha), Rev. Caleb Kruse (Elkhorn), and Matthew Stueber (Lincoln)

Board of Regents, Concordia University, Nebraska: Krista Barnhouse (Lincoln), Ryan Burger (Lincoln), Rev. Doug Gaunt (Kearney), and Dick Helms (Arapahoe)

Synod Committee for Convention Nominations: Byron Hansen (Kearney), with Kim Cornett (Wisner) to serve as alternate

Circuit Visitors:

Ainsworth, Leif Hasskarl (Immanuel/Immanuel/St. Paul, Atkinson/Butte/Chambers); Columbus, Pat Sparling (Immanuel, Columbus); Deshler, Brian Francik (St. Peter, Deshler); Falls City, Tim Llewellyn (Faith, Humboldt, and Zion, Pawnee City); Fremont, Bruce Schut (St. Peter, Scribner); Grand Island, Adam Snoberger (Trinity, Grand Island); Hastings, Micah Gaunt (Peace, Hastings); Holdrege, Brad Rick (St. John, Culbertson); Kearney, Robert Kuefner (Trinity, Lexington); Lincoln North, Jeff Scheich (Christ, Lincoln); Lincoln South, Adam Moline (Good Shepherd, Lincoln); Norfolk, Barry Williams (St. John, Madison, and St. Paul, Tilden); Omaha, Jeff Duncan (Mount Calvary, Omaha); Plainview, Ryan Janke (St. Peter, Orchard, and St. Paul, Venus); Sarpy, Ken Hessel (Our Redeemer, Springfield) Seward, David Palomaki (Redeemer, David City & Immanuel, Rising City); Wayne, Jeff Warner (Immanuel, Laurel); West Point, Nathan Henschen (St. Paul/St. John, Bancroft/Lyons); Western Sandhills, Robert Deardoff (Beautiful Savior, North Platte); York, Michael Neidow (Emmanuel, York)

1.01 To Update the Nebraska District LCMS Articles of Incorporation

1.02 To Update the Bylaws of the Nebraska District

1.04 To Realign Circuits

1.05 To Recognize Retiring District Staff

1.06 To Encourage The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s Mission and Ministry Emphasis of Making Disciples for Life

1.07 To Establish Term Limits for Elected Officers of Synod

1.08 To Reject All Forms of Racism and Affirm Our Witness to All People

1.09 To Address the Use of Aborted Babies in Creating Vaccines and Other Medications

Omnibus, Responsibility Assigned to Others

No Action Taken

Three of our pastoral delegates have shared concerns about the proposed standing rule that would call for polling the advisory delegates prior to Convention votes on resolutions and significant proposed amendments. I appreciated hearing from them and think this provides an excellent opportunity to address them.

Over the course of Synod’s history we have faced the frustration of our commissioned workers’ roster status which does not present them with the opportunity to serve as voting delegates to our conventions. That frustration came again to the 2019 Synod Convention. Resolution 9-17 requested a full study of this topic, with recommendations for the next convention. The full 9-17 report from the Committee on Voting Privilege in the LCMS is available on the Synod website.

The report notes the valuable aspect of our commissioned workers in our ministry together, but states that the foundation of our representation at conventions is congregational, with each congregation allotted two delegates: one clergy and one lay. Though the report does not open the possibility of voting for our commissioned workers, it does encourage several important venues for involvement:

• Active participation in submitting overtures and providing resolution feedback.
• Meeting with congregational delegates prior to conventions to discuss merits and challenges of proposed resolutions.
• Feedback to floor committees and addressing conventions during open floor debate.
• Allowing the polling of advisory delegates prior to resolution votes.

The first three have been encouraged in the past. This final recommendation has been the practice of the Northern Illinois District for at least the last 18 years. As the report mentions, this is one way to give a voice to our advisory members. At least two other districts, Pacific Southwest and Michigan, have included this in their standing rules this summer. North Wisconsin and Florida-Georgia have resolutions to implement the practice.

In the Nebraska District we have 219 active pastors and 235 congregations. We have 779 potential advisory delegates, but only 69 are currently registered to attend the District Convention. This group of advisory delegates includes ordained workers (CUNE staff, those with candidate and emeritus status, and pastors from congregations with multiple pastors on staff), commissioned workers (active, candidate, and emeritus), as well as non-voting lay delegates from multi-point parishes. In recent history we have averaged between 80-100 advisory delegates in attendance at our District Conventions. The proposed standing rule is designed to encourage greater participation and show the value of their opinion.

This advisory poll should not be seen as a directive to the voting delegates. The Word of God gives us primary direction and guidance. Floor committee rationale, floor debate, and advisory polling are all designed to help delegates make a reasonable decision.

It should be noted that this is proposed as an inclusion in our standing rules which can be debated and must be adopted by the Convention before it is enacted.

In Christ,
Rev. Richard Snow
Nebraska District LCMS District President

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Updated District Bylaws (2022)