Who We Are - LCMS Eastern District

Eastern District

WHO WE ARE

EASTERN DISTRICT VISION

We desire

HEALTHY LEADERS vigorously

EQUIPPING God’s people to

PROMOTE KINGDOM GROWTH

BREAKING NEW GROUND

The people of the Eastern District have accepted the challenge to “Break New Ground” for the Mission of Jesus Christ. This basic operating principles for Breaking New Ground includes:

ESTABLISHING a process for new ministry, mission and church starts;

HELPING with the training and development of lay leaders;

FORMING geographical clusters of pastors and congregations that will work together as we move into the future that God has ordained for us; and

IMPROVING communication and connections with local congregations.

EASTERN DISTRICT PROFILE AND FACTS

The Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod-Eastern District is one of the four original districts of the LCMS.

123 Congregations located in New York, Pennsylvania and the panhandle of Maryland (see map);
9 elementary and 48 preschools;
25,000 communicant members, 32,000 baptized members;

102 active pastors; over 200 educators (teachers, principals, Director of Christian Education, Deaconesses, Directors of

Christian Outreach, Directors of Family Life Ministry); 72 retired pastors and hundreds of lay people who lead and teach

in our congregations;
Four Regions (Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Rochester) represented by four Vice Presidents;
Sixteen Circuits cared for by Sixteen Circuit Visitors;
Regional Mission Initiatives located in Buffalo, Rochester, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia;

CONGREGATION LOCATOR MAP

To View a Google Map that includes the locations of the

congregations of the Eastern District, LCMS, CLICK HERE

EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Eastern District Board of Directors consists of the District President,

the Four Regional Vice Presidents, the District Secretary, the Commissioned Ministers Representative,

and eight Sectional Lay Directors. The Board operates under a Policy Based Governance model and structure.

2018-2021 EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jim Carr, Lay Director Section One

Carl Fretthold, Lay Director Section Two

Jon Allen, Lay Director Section Three

Mark Erbelding, Lay Director Section Four

Melissa Fultz, Lay Director Section Five

Terry Miller, Lay Director Section Six

Susan Bell, Lay Director Section Seven

Garrett Nash, Lay Director Section Eight

John Pingel, 1st Vice President, Buffalo Region

Carl Prostka, 2nd Vice President, Rochester Region

Dan Hahn, 3rd Vice President, Pittsburgh Region

Fred Hoover, 4th Vice President, Philadelphia Region

Cyndi Alviani, Commissioned Minister Representative

Brian Smith, Eastern District Secretary

Chris Wicher, President, Eastern District, LCMS

EASTERN DISTRICT VICE PRESIDENTS AND CIRCUIT VISITORS

EASTERN DISTRICT REGIONS

Buffalo

Rochester

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia

EASTERN DISTRICT, LCMS VICE PRESIDENTS

First Vice President:

Rev. John Pingel

Second Vice President:

Rev. Carl Prostka

Third Vice President:

Rev. Dan Hahn

Fourth Vice President:

Rev. Fred Hoover

EASTERN DISTRICT, LCMS CIRCUIT VISITORS:

BUFFALO NORTH 01: NICKEL, Jeffrey, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Clarence, NY

BUFFALO SOUTH 02: LETTIERI, Dominick, Redeemer & St. Martin Lutheran Churches, Colden, NY

CATTARAUGUS 03: GOODWIN, Eric, Salem Lutheran Church, Springville, NY

LAKESHORE 04: LUTZ, Thomas, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Eden, NY

NIAGARA EAST 05: BAUCH, Alan, Trinity Lutheran Church, Lockport, NY

NIAGARA WEST 06: GREEN, Ernest, St. Paul Lutheran Church, North Tonawanda, NY

CENTRAL NY NORTH 07: DOROW, Bill, Calvary Lutheran Church, Waterloo, NY

CENTRAL NY SOUTH 08: HAPP, Carl, Emeritus

ROCHESTER EAST 09: PAPE, Richard, Trinity Lutheran Church, Medina, NY (Vacancy Pastor)

ROCHESTER WEST 10: BROWN, Mark, St. Mark Lutheran Church, West Henrietta, NY

PITTSBURGH N/E 11: KEURULAINEN, Barry, St. Luke Lutheran Church, Cabot, PA

PITTSBURGH N/W 12: WALTERS, Sean, Christ Lutheran Church, New Castle, PA

PITTSBURGH S/E 13:

PITTSBURGH S/W 14: McCANLESS, Robert, Concordia Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh (Brentwood), PA

PHILADELPHIA 15: GREEN, Tim, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, PA

SUSQUEHANNA 16: RICHERT, Peter, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Mt. Pocono, PA

EASTERN DISTRICT MISSION ORGANIZATIONS

Congregations have not forgotten about the vitality exhibited when Christians and congregations join together in mission efforts beyond themselves yet is an effort close enough to call “our own”. That’s where our Eastern District Mission Organizations (EDMO) come in.

An EDMO is an organization of congregations that work to initiate, raise up, and support mission efforts in a given region. EDMO’s do mission work. They are proponents of mission education thereby seeding mission awareness among constituents. They are locally owned and operated. They are uniquely comprised and governed. No two EDMOs are alike. They exist because strong mission-minded individuals are interested in working with other Christians in other LCMS congregations. While they are self-governed they operate within applicable and appropriate supervision of the District President to ensure that the mission of the church and the teachings of the church are honored.

To date five EDMO’s exist in the Eastern District. They are:

Philadelphia Lutheran Ministries (PLM)

North East Pennsylvania (NEPA)

Lutheran Inter-City Network Coalition Rochester (LINC-Rochester)

Pittsburgh Area Lutheran Ministries (PALM)

“Angel Tear Ministries” is a self-funding ministry that operates through the auspices of Concordia Lutheran Homes in Cabot, PA. While Angel Tear Ministries generously supports mission work at home and around the world, it is not an Eastern District Mission Organization with a purpose of doing mission work directly in the community.

WHAT’S A DISTRICT FOR?

For a clearer understanding of what is The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and what is the Eastern District, LCMS, download the document, “What is a District For?” by CLICKING HERE.

For a copy of “What is a District For?” formatted as a bulletin insert CLICK HERE.

LCMS WEB CONTACT INFORMATION

EASTERN DISTRICT, LCMS

LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSIOURI SYNOD

OTHER LCMS AND RELATED MINISTRY RESOURCES

Ambassadors of Reconciliation
Bethesda Lutheran Communities

Center for United States Missions
Concordia Plan Services

Concordia University System

Eastern District LWML

LCMS Commission on Worship
LCMS Seminaries

     Concordia Seminary, Fort Wayne
     Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
     St. Catharines Seminary, Ontario

LCMS World Relief