Convocation

At the November 5 Convocation, we will be discussing a number of items. 

1) Name of the Mission District.  Would you like a geographic name, such as "Illinois Mission District"?  Would something more poetic be beneficial, such as "Great Rivers Mission District" (Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, Wabash)? 

2) Election of Dean.  Do you prefer a nomination/election process or an ecclesiastical (pure or modified) ballot?

3) We will be electing other officers and board.  Be thinking of people who are interested in serving.

4) When is the best time of year to meet?  Do you prefer an October/November time?  Is February/March (remembering to dodge Holy Week) better?

Be sure to let me know how many to expect for lunch.  We need a solid number to give the caterer by Sunday, Oct. 30

God's blessings to you!

Pr. Jim Lehmann -- Provisional Dean

constitutions

Are you working on a new constitution for your congregation?  A model constitution has been developed that may be of assistance to you.  You will find it on the NALC website in the document library.  Last week the executive council accepted some changes to the model.  The new model is not yet on the website, though I expect it to be there soon.

The most extensive changes are in Paragraph 9.04.b which deals with how a call can be ended by the congregation.  If you are at work on your constitution and would like the wording for that paragraph, simply contact me at jtl611@hotmail.com and I will send it to you. 

Blessings to you!  See you at the mission district convocation.

Pr. Jim Lehmann -- Provisional Dean

Oromo Lutherans

Please pray for the largest Oromo Church in Minneapolis MN, voting on October 30th, on Reformation day. Their council is recommending that they vote to leave the ELCA and join the NALC. That is the largest immigrant church in the ELCA.

Pr. Jim Lehmann -- provisional dean

Time adjustment

Friends,

I just talked to Pastor Mark Chavez.  We need to make an adjustment on the time of our Mission District Convocation.  We will begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m.  He will be flying into Bloomington on Saturday morning.  On Friday he is meeting with the newly formed women's organization of the North American Lutheran Church.

I appreciate your understanding in the time adjustment.

Pr. Jim Lehmann -- Provisional Dean

Mission District Convocation

The Illinois Mission District will be holding its organizational convocation on Saturday, November 5, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.  First Lutheran Church, 301 S. College St., Paxton, will be our host.  Our General Secretary, Rev. Mark Chavez, will be with us.  Each congregation should be represented with the same number of representatives as they have for the North American Lutheran Church Convocation.  Please bring as many others as are interested.

Items of business include:  adoption of a constitution, election of officers, acceptance of a budget, and future planning.

Regarding the constitution, there is no official "model constitution" for mission districts.  There is one which has been developed by some of the deans and districts.  Rev. Jeffray Greene is working with that to propose for our district.  A question has come up regarding the election of the dean.  One option is to elect the dean from a list of nominees from the floor of the convocation.  A second option is to use a pure or modified ecclesiastical ballot.  In either case, at what point does an election take place?  Is an election whenever an individual reaches a majority or should we use a sliding scale (each successive ballot requiring a lower percent for election?

What are your thoughts?

Pr. Jim Lehmann -- Provisional Dean

Installation

Rev. Gary Burkhalter will be installed as pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, 308 Front Street, Danforth, on Sunday, October 23, at 2:00 p.m.  All are invited.  Clergy are invited to vest (green).  Let us celebrate the calling of another pastor in our Mission District.  If you are unable to attend in person, please join us in prayer.

Pr. Jim Lehmann -- Provisional Dean