Published March 6, 2020
On Saturday, February 29, 2020, pastors and lay leaders from ten congregations in Circuit 18 met with District staff members at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Kankakee for a leadership conference. The purpose of the conference was to provide congregational leadership with the opportunity for learning, fellowship, and mutual edification.
President Allan R. Buss opened the morning with devotions. Assistant to the President for Mission and Ministry, Rev. Kris Whitby, presented information to the participants regarding the state of Christianity in America. The presentation included demographic information from Pew Research Center and Barna studies, demonstrating how cultural and demographic factors present a challenge for churches today. This includes declining household size, trends toward declining group affiliation in younger generations, and aging clergy.
After this, attendees broke into groups to discuss how congregations in Circuit 18 could work together to meet the challenges they face and to take advantages of the strengths they share. District leaders listened carefully, asking for ways that they could be of assistance to the congregations.
“[The attendees] felt like this was a productive, useful morning for them because it allowed all the congregations to be together to commonly discuss their challenges… and to build each other up. The meeting together itself was an encouragement,” said Rev. Kris Whitby.”
LeeAnn Acosta, Business Manager of the Northern Illinois District, gave the final presentation of the day, providing attendees with information on business considerations relevant for congregations in Illinois. This included information on tax exemptions, regulations, and insurance. Information on the structure and resource offerings of Synod at both the district and national level was also provided.
Pastor Whitby said of the experience, “It was an opportunity as a district officer to connect to many new people and to be a source of encouragement that these churches on the far southern end of our district are cared for and are important to us as an entire church body. The plan is that we would do more events like this and bring them to other circuits so they can do the same thing.”