I attended the 69th Convention of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as the pastoral delegate for the Seward Circuit. One of the hot-button issues going into the Convention was a resolution on Lay Readers. The Seminary is to form a committee to study whether Scripture requires the pastor to do the readings of scripture during the Divine Worship. This will be brought back to 2029 Convention.
The other big topic was how we train pastors. The LCMS basically has two paths: the residential route (seminary, earning an M.Div. or going through an alternate route in person) and the Specific Ministry Program (SMP), which is mostly online and designed to raise up a pastor from within a congregation that otherwise couldn’t afford one. SMP pastors have restrictions on what they can do at the circuit, district, and synodical level.
The Convention passed resolution saying the Residential formation of Pastors is by far the preferred route for PASTORAL FORMATION. The delegates also affirmed some of the restrictions for SMP program: a congrega-tion can only use it if Word and Sacrament aren’t otherwise available, the man has to have been LCMS Lutheran for more than five years, and he has to be at least 40 years old.
Since 2010, our Synod President has been elected by congregational vote rather than on the Convention floor. President Harrison wanted to change that back, but the Convention said no. That was the only resolution that actually got defeated. Instead, they passed Res. 9-15, which just encourages more congregations to participate in the vote we already have.
Another resolution hits close to home for the Seward Circuit since it directly involves Concordia University, Nebraska. The Synod Board of Directors wanted to dissolve the Concordia University System as a separate entity and fold its duties into a commission, giving the Board more direct control. The floor committee pushed back and instead called for a study of what the best governance structure should look like going forward, which passed.
A big concern here is money. There was serious discussion that if the Board of Directors took direct control of the Concordias, they might no longer qualify to offer federal student loans. On top of that, the last convention already revamped the Concordias’ structure, and the universities are still working through those changes. Taking on another major restructure right now didn’t make sense to most delegates.
There was much more discussed and voted on, but many of them don’t affect us. I will be considered a delegate for Seward Circuit until 2029, but pray the Synod doesn’t have to go into a special convention before then. I look forward to another 19 years before I have to attend the convention again.
Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus! It is a joy and privilege to introduce myself as your interim pastor. My name is Rev. Shawn Kitzing, and I look forward to walking alongside you in faith and ministry during this time of transition. As we begin this journey together, I’m reminded of God’s comforting promise in Jeremiah 29:11 — “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”
Even in seasons of change, our Lord remains faithful, guiding His people with grace and purpose. This will be a journey we walk together—trusting that God’s hand is leading and providing every step of the way.
I recently met with your church leadership, and together we have set forth a timeline for the call process as you seek your next pastor. In the meantime, we are assembling a group of pastors who will lead worship each Sunday to ensure that Word and Sacrament ministry continues to be the heartbeat of St. John’s. It is truly a blessing to see the commitment of your congregation to remain rooted in the Gospel during this time of transition.
A little bit about me — I grew up in Lexington, Nebraska, and this year marks my eighth year at Our Redeemer, Staplehurst, my first year as your Circuit Visitor, and my 25th year in the ministry. Throughout those years, I’ve been blessed to serve in a variety of settings and have witnessed God’s faithfulness again and again.
I am excited to see how He is at work among you here in Cordova as well. Please know that my door (and phone) is always open. I welcome the opportunity to get to know each of you, hear your stories, and share in the work God is doing through His Word and people at St. John’s.
In Christ’s service, Rev. Shawn Kitzing Interim Pastor St. John’s Lutheran Church, Cordova