Mission & Vision

Engaging the world with the gospel of hope

About the Atlantic District

The mission and history of the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod(LCMS) has been one of welcoming and embracing each wave of immigrants and newcomers from around the world. Covering metropolitan New York, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and the Capital Region, the Atlantic District is set in one of the most diversely populated areas on earth.

With over 100 congregations and missions, the work of the Atlantic District is boundless, bringing God's Word and Love to people from all walks of life. Whether it's setting up new churches, or ministering to existing congregations, the Atlantic District also reaches out to the many ethnic and religious groups in New York so they may know Jesus Christ! Among the many Atlantic District missions are ministries to Hispanic, African immigrant, Asian and Deaf communities.

Mission

“Engaging the World with the Gospel of Hope”


The Great Commission tells us to, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching.” The Atlantic District of the LCMS seeks to fulfill this command by reaching out into the neighborhoods around us, because all nations reside there. The mission and history of the Atlantic District has been one of welcoming and embracing each wave of immigrants and newcomers from around the world by boat, plane or foot.

The Atlantic District seeks to reach out with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the midst of one of the most densely populated, ethnically diverse areas of the country. The Atlantic District is the eastern half of New York State including the Adirondacks, Capital Region, Hudson Valley, Westchester County, the five Burroughs of New York City, Nassau and Suffolk counties of Long Island.

There are nearly 100 churches, 34 schools, including 4 high schools and Concordia College – NY, and a number of other social service ministries. The Gospel is proclaimed in at least 12 languages including: American Sign Language, Bangla, Cantonese, English, French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish, Tamil, and Urdu. There are also more than 50 different cultures represented in our congregations from 5 continents around the world like: African American, Caribbean, Central American, Dominican, Ghanaian, Guyana, Jamaica, Liberian, Malagasy, Tobago, Trinidad ...

There are 11 missionaries to various cultural groups directly supported by funds from the Atlantic District Mission Society. These missionaries and our parishes baptize adults, youth and babies from no faith and other faiths like Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and others. Together we seek to serve those around us with the gospel in word and deed. Christ sends us out from His altar, pulpit and font, to serve the community and neighborhoods around us with the love and forgiveness that Christ has given us.

Thousands of people come to know the love of Jesus through the service of our Lutheran Schools and Social Ministries like: Concordia College – NY; Martin Luther High School; Long Island Lutheran High School; Lutheran Counseling Center; Lutheran Friends for the Deaf; Lutheran Services NY Alliance; Lutheran Social Services NY; Our Savior High School, Centereach; Our Saviour High School, The Bronx; The Lutheran Care Network; The Wartburg and many many others.

The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. As we look toward the future, the Atlantic District recognizes that times are changing and yet the message remains the same. The same Jesus that died for the sins of the world, died for the sins of the people today. As we strive to serve the needs today, we look at redeveloping properties to provide: affordable housing; partnerships with schools; senior housing; and community meeting areas. These are opportunities to share the hope of Jesus Christ into the lives of people.

The Atlantic District seeks to encourage, equip and empower all of our servants: ordained, commissioned and laity by raising up leaders from all the communities in our midst that they might share the Hope of Jesus Christ

Mission Statement to the Atlantic District Convention

The Atlantic District's congregations, workers and agencies share God's grace in Christ Jesus to nurture Christians and reach out to others.

Vision Statement

The Atlantic District is "Engaging the World with the Gospel of Hope" through:
  • vitalized congregations that grow in the grace and work of the Body of the Christ through Word and Sacraments while reaching their neighborhoods and the world with the life and love of Christ;
  • sanctified workers who are supported so that they love, teach and lead the baptized while seeking the lost and sharing the Gospel with all people; and
  • dynamic agencies that are committed to partnerships in the Gospel that edify the faithful while transforming our society.
  • Passed at the September 29, 2011 Board of Directors Meeting of The Atlantic District, LCMS.

Objectives

To accomplish its mission, the AD:
  • Identifies, trains and supports key leaders including clergy, commissioned minsters (Lutheran Teachers, Director of Christian Education (DCE), Deaconesses, etc)
  • Offers faith-based programs and resources
  • Provides "best practice" models: evangelism, governance, stewardship, financial



Your Congregational Support Dollars at Work in the Atlantic District

The Atlantic District organizes resources to provide support to its clergy and member congregations, schools, missions, ministries and service agencies in the following areas. This is accomplished primarily by the work of AD staff and task forces implementing the vision and goals set forth by the President and Board of Directors of the District:



1. Support to Congregations

  • Crisis Resolution
  • Call process assistance/ordinations/installations
  • Strategic Planning
  • Student Scholarships – attending LCMS college or seminary
  • Properties Assessment
  • Finance Assistance
  • Salary Guidelines
  • Worship Committee
  • Task Forces – Missions, Transforming Congregations and Leadership, Parish Support and Financial Management, Lutheran Schools, Parish Education and Youth, Communications, and Health and Human Care
  • Demographic Studies and Mapping Analysis
  • LCEF (Investments, Loans, Services)
  • Upcoming Transformation Consultations
2. Missions
  • Mission Society — raising up prayer and money for missions.
  • Supervision of Field Developers (Chinese, Bengali, African Immigrant, Caribbean)
  • New Hispanic and Mosaic Missions
  • Resource for Mission Congregations/Revitalization/Church Planting
  • Salary and Benefit Subsidizing of Missionaries
  • South Asian Disaster Response – ongoing support
  • Witness in the Public Square Benefit Luncheon – October 19, 2010
3. District Youth Initiatives
  • Youth Leader Networking Opportunities
  • SonRise Outdoor Ministry
4. Training
  • Deacon Training and Deacon Retreat
  • SMP (Specific Ministry Pastor) and EIIT (Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology) programs leading to ordination for pastors
  • DELTO (Distance Education Leading to Ordination)
  • Transforming Congregations Network (TCN): Consultants and Coaches
  • Learning Communities
  • Leadership Retreat
  • New Worker Orientation
5. Workshops, Conferences & Conventions
  • Hispanic Conference
  • Small Groups Ablaze
  • Daughtering Church Seminar
  • Consecrated Stewards
  • New Worship Supplement
  • Health and Wellness seminars
  • Festival of Workshops—Save the Date March 6, 2010
  • Regional Workshops
    • Congregational Check Up
    • Congregational Resource Sharing
    • Secretary's Workshop and Luncheon
  • New Worker Orientation
  • District Convention
6. Worship & Praise/District Celebrations
  • Regional Concerts of Praise
  • Reformation Service – West Point
  • Anniversary Celebration Events (e.g., 100th Anniversary, etc.)
7. Lutheran Schools
  • Support of LSA – conferences, workshops, administrative networking, 9/11 scholarships
  • Provide IT Start Up Support for schools
  • Intervention Assistance
  • Concordia College – New York
  • Scholarships – for those preparing for ordination or commissioned fulltime church work
8. Communicating across the District
  • Monthly Email Communiqué
  • AD Web Site
  • Engage Mission Newsletter
    • Stop, Drop and Pray weekly E-letter
  • Supports the Mission of the Communications Task Force—TF#6—which is available to advise and assist congregations with web page design, marketing skills and commonly used church software.
9. Administrative Structure relating to the LCMS
  • AD Board of Directors
  • Roster maintenance for ordained and commissioned workers
  • File Maintenance for all church workers
  • Host District Convention
  • Coordination for Synodical convention
  • District Archives & Archivist
  • Colloquy
  • Call process and Vicars
  • Circuit Counselor's Retreat
10. Health & Human Care
  • Chaplains
  • Professional Church Worker Wellness
  • LSS liaison
  • Disaster Response (Haiti, Hurricane, Tsunami)
  • Regionally trained disaster responders
  • Immigration & Naturalization support
  • Nehemiah Housing
  • Support for Parish Health Ministries
11. District Operations
  • District Staff Salaries
  • Office Rent
  • Overhead (utilities, insurance, etc.)