A  District of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC)

AugustanaDistrict@centurytel.net

Preamble

                A theological and confessional crisis continues to plague North American Lutheranism.  The center of traditional and classic Lutheranism has been vacated.  The evidence of this is clear from the actions of the last several ELCA Churchwide Assemblies.  Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) provides the most viable option for Lutheran churches seeking to be faithful to the Reformation heritage.  LCMC welcomes the formation of new districts.  The time is right to form the Augustana District which we anticipate will attract interested, traditionally grounded Lutheran churches from WordAlone, the ELCA, and unaffiliated LCMC churches.

We Believe

• Sinners are made right with God by grace alone through faith alone on account of Christ alone.  This is the article of faith by which the church stands or falls.
• The Word of God is Jesus Christ, the proclamation about him, and the Holy Scriptures.  This Word functions as both law and gospel, which need to be distinguished, but not separated.  The law orders society and convicts us of sin, showing us our need for a Savior.  The gospel is the power of God that liberates us from sin, death, and the power of the devil, and brings us, by grace, from death to life.
• God elects sinners for salvation through the proclamation of the Word by which the Holy Spirit gives faith.
• The church is the assembly of saints in which the Gospel is taught purely and the sacraments are administered rightly.  It is not necessary that human traditions or rites and ceremonies, instituted by men, should be alike everywhere. (CA VII)  Churches band together in fellowship and mission to strengthen their ministries.

We Therefore Commit To

• Work together with all who share these theological convictions to begin a process to form a new Lutheran district.
• This district will be a non-geographic district within Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC).
• The proposed name of this district shall be Augustana District.
• This district will exist to serve congregations.  We envision that this service to congregations will focus on five central objectives.
  • To assist congregations, call committees, and pastors in the call process and pastor/parish relations.
  • To establish and/or support a publishing house for educational materials and worship resources.
  • To endorse and support the Institute of Lutheran Theology.
  • To engage in world mission and evangelism.
  • To maintain and promote the theological commitments of the District.
• This district intends to hold its constituting convention in June 2010.

We, the undersigned, pledge our support for this endeavor and commit to participating in a process to establish the Augustana District.

 

Signatories:

Pastor Randy Freund, Faith Lutheran, Hutchinson, MN - WordAlone, LCMC, ELCA

Pastor Scott Grorud, Faith Lutheran, Hutchinson, MN - WordAlone, LCMC, ELCA

Pastor Martha Hanson, Trinity Lutheran, Boyd, MN – WordAlone, ELCA

Pastor Michael Hanson, Clarkfield Lutheran, Clarkfield, MN – WordAlone, ELCA

Pastor Jon Lindekugel, Christ the King Lutheran, Hutchinson, MN - WordAlone, LCMC, ELCA

Pastor Norm Olsen, Starbuck, MN - WordAlone, ELCA

Pastor Mark Richardson, Bethesda Lutheran, Dresser, WI - LCMC

Julie Smith, Bock, MN - FCLC, ELCA

Pastor Tony Stoutenburg, Grace Lutheran, Hayward, WI - LCMC

Pastor Joel Swedberg, St. John’s Lutheran, Howard Lake, MN -  ELCA, LCMC, WordAlone

 

Supportive / Advisory:

G. Barry Anderson, St. Paul, MN

Prof. Dennis Bielfeldt, President, Institute of Lutheran Theology, Brookings, SD

Prof. James Nestingen, Institute of Lutheran Theology, St. Paul, MN

Pastor Kip Tyler, Lutheran Church of the Master, Omaha, NE, Heartland District, LCMC