The Planning Council is an annual meeting at which the North Dakota District Board of Directors, the Circuit Visitors, and the Standing Committee Chairs gather to share reports and discuss plans for the district. At the meeting last May, I shared with the attendees my three emphases for the North Dakota District. They are: 1) catechesis, 2) rural ministry, and 3) preaching stations. I would like to share with you some brief thoughts on these three areas.

Catechesis

A couple of months ago, I wrote my Lutheran Witness article on the treasures of our Lutheran heritage, specifically the Book of Concord. I encouraged congregations and circuits to have Book of Concord studies so that as many as possible would learn from our forefathers the “faith once delivered to the saints.” To that end, several ND pastors will be recruited to prepare study guides for each document of the Book of Concord. The winkels (monthly circuit pastor gatherings) will be, then, be asked to use these study guides in their winkels for further study and conversation. The idea here is that, even though every pastor in North Dakota is more than qualified to teach our Lutheran Confessions, these study guides and conversations taking place in the winkels, pastors will feel even better equipped to teach the Book of Concord in their congregations and circuit Book of Concord studies. Second Vice President Jonathan Walla is heading up this project. If you would like to participate in this endeavor, please contact him.

Rural Ministry

Rural ministry is of great concern for our district, and it is a goal of mine to assist as many struggling congregations as possible. To that end, at the Planning Council Meeting, tasks were assigned to the Rural Task Force to complete: 1) Identify congregations that have the greatest need. 2) Develop a way to implement Resolution 2-06 “To Encourage Secular Vocational Training for Current and Potential Ordained and Commissioned Ministers.” 3) Develop a strategy to approach congregations to consider alternate service times. Please note, as well, that at the District Convention last January, there was a fund established to assist with acute needs that may arise, such as a furnace going out, a roof needing to be replaced, or plumbing issues, just to name a few. An application process has been established, and the district is eager to assist. If you would like more information to either apply for a grant or donate funds to this account, please contact the district office.

Another idea that is being talked about is a congregation adoption model. Perhaps there would be interest in larger congregations “adopting” smaller, struggling congregations. The working title for this is Collection for the Saints. As Paul gathered a collection from many of the congregations for the saints in Jerusalem, the idea would be that congregations would gather a collection for the saints in the North Dakota District. There are a number of other ideas that will be discussed by the Rural Ministry Task Force and, hopefully, implemented going into the future.

Preaching Stations

As we are thinking of ways to assist the rural congregations of the district, we also want to keep an eye on opportunities for church planting as well. I very much favor a grassroots, from-the-ground-up model for church planting. A good place to begin is with a preaching station.

Here is how preaching stations work: 1) an area is identified that is lacking an LCMS congregation, where there may be potential for growth. It may be that there are several members of a congregation who are traveling some distance to attend an LCMS congregation.

2) A location is identified and arrangements are made to meet there. 

3) The pastor or pastors travel at regular intervals to have Bible Studies or services that focus on the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, such as Matins or Vespers. If the Lord grants growth and it flourishes into a congregation, God be praised. If it doesn’t, then the seed of the Word has been spread, God be praised. 

There are two preaching stations currently active in the district. St. John - Oakes and Pastor Brademeyer have started a preaching station in Lamoure and Zion - Ellendale and Pastor Preus have started one in Valley City. If your congregation is interested in exploring the possibility of a preaching station, Pastors Brademeyer and Preus have written a “How To” guide to preaching stations, which can be found on the district website: https://www.nodaklcms.org/resources/preaching-station-guidebook/. If the North Dakota District can be of any assistance in this area, please let us know.

I pray that these emphases: catechesis, rural ministry, and preaching stations will bear fruit in our district. If your congregation or circuit doesn’t have a Book of Concord Study, kindly ask your pastor or Circuit Visitor about the possibility of starting one. If you are a struggling rural congregation, please know that you are in my prayers, and the Rural Task Force is discussing ways to help. If there is a location near you where it would make sense to start a preaching station, go for it. Now is not the time to retreat. Let us spread the precious Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified abroad: in our study, in our rural congregations, and into places that lack the pure confession of God’s Word.