Atlantic District (LCMS)

The Atlantic District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), and covers eastern New York state: New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and the Capital District. It comprises approximately 100 and a number of mission stations, subdivided into 12 circuits, as well as 47 preschools, 26 elementary schools and 4 high schools. The rest of New York is included in the Eastern District; in addition, four congregations in the New York City area are in the non-geographic English District, and one congregation in Yonkers is in the SELC District. Baptized membership in Atlantic District congregations is approximately 40,000.

The Atlantic District was formed in May 1906 out of the Eastern District; portions of the district were separated into the New England District and the New Jersey District in 1972. District offices are located in Bronxville, New York; the Rev. Dr. David Benke has been the district president since September 1991, and was reelected to a sixth term in 2006 [http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=10113] . Delegates from each congregation meet in convention every three years to elect the district president, vice presidents, circuit counselors, a board of directors, and other officers; the last convention was held on June 8-10, 2006, and the next will be held in 2009.

Concordia College, Bronxville, part of the LCMS' Concordia University System, is located within the district.

Presidents

*Rev. Ernst C. L. Schulze, 1906-18
*Rev. Philip H. L. Birkner, 1918-30
*Rev. Arthur J. C. Brunn, 1930-41
*Rev. George K. A. Koenig, 1941-42
*Rev. Herman J. Rippe, 1942-60
*Rev. Karl F. Graesser, 1960-67
*Rev. Rudolph P. F. Ressmeyer, 1967-76
*Rev. Henry L. Koepchen, 1976 (acting president)
*Rev. Ronald F. Fink, 1976-89
*Rev. James Zwernemann, 1989-91
*Rev. David H. Benke, 1991-present

Ressmeyer was one of four district presidents who were removed from office by Synod President J. A. O. Preus on April 2 1976 for non-compliance with synodical directives on the ordination and placement of improperly endorsed ministerial candidates from Seminex [http://chi.lcms.org/history/tih0402.htm] .

Oldest congregations

*1664 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York (oldest congregation in the Missouri Synod and in North America)
*1838 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Albany, New York
*1844 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Glendale, Queens, New York
*1844 - Saint John the Evangelist Lutheran Church, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York
*1850 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Hicksville, New York
*1852 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York
*1854 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Albany, New York
*1857 - Saint John Lutheran Church, College Point, Queens, New York
*1861 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
*1868 - Saint Mark Lutheran Church, Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York
*1869 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Hudson, New York
*1870 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Stuyvesant, New York
*1872 - Zion Lutheran Church, Schenectady, New York
*1879 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Canarsie, Brooklyn, New York
*1886 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York
*1887 - Emanuel Lutheran Church, Corona, Queens, New York
*1887 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York
*1893 - The Lutheran Church of St. John, Flushing, Queens, New York
*1894 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Saratoga Springs, New York
*1894 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Hawthorne, New York

Largest congregations

:"Membership totals are c. 2006."
*2480 - Saint James Lutheran Church, St. James, New York
*1969 - Saint John's Lutheran Church, Sayville, New York
*1422 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Hicksville, New York
*1251 - Zion Lutheran Church, Schenectady, New York
*1228 - The Village Lutheran Church, Bronxville, New York
*1168 - Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Middle Island, New York
*1029 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Saratoga Springs, New York
*1024 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Walden, New York
*915 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Monroe, New York
*904 - Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Delmar, New York

Congregations and missions

:"Congregations established prior to 1930, or having 600 or more members, are noted (membership figures are c. 2006); in the absence of one or both of these within a circuit, the oldest and/or largest congregation is noted."

Circuit 1 (Schenectady)
*Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Glens Falls, New York
*Immanuel Lutheran Church, Niskayuna, New York - est. 1902
*Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Colonie, New York - est. 1929
*Resurrection Lutheran Church, Latham, New York
*Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Saratoga Springs, New York - est. 1894; 1029 members
*SonRise Lutheran Church, Pottersville, New York
*Trinity Lutheran Church, Schenectady, New York - est. 1905
*Zion Lutheran Church, Schenectady, New York - est. 1872; 1251 members

Circuit 2 (Albany)
*Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Delmar, New York - 904 members
*Christ Lutheran Church, Albany, New York
*Love Lutheran Church, East Greenbush, New York
*Resurrection Lutheran Church, Cairo, New York - 712 members
*Saint John Lutheran Church, Stuyvesant, New York - est. 1870
*Saint Mark's Lutheran Church, Hudson, New York
*Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Albany, New York - est. 1854
*Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Hudson, New York - est. 1869
*Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Albany, New York - est. 1838
*Trinity Lutheran Church, Stamford, New York

Circuit 3 (Mid-Hudson)
*All Saints Lutheran Church, LaGrangeville, New York
*Atonement Lutheran Church, Stony Point, New York
*Beth El Messianic Lutheran Church, Rego Park, Queens, New York
*Family of Faith Lutheran Church, Middletown, New York
*Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Hurley, New York
*Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Warwick, New York
*The Lutheran Church of Christ the King, Pawling, New York
*Our Savior Lutheran Church, Fishkill, New York - 820 members
*Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Monroe, New York - 915 members
*Saint Peter Lutheran Church, Pine Island, New York - est. 1897
*Saint Timothy Lutheran Church, Hyde Park, New York
*Trinity Lutheran Church, Walden, New York - 1024 members

Circuit 4 (Westchester)
*Immanuel Lutheran Church, Mount Vernon, New York - est. 1897
*Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Peekskill, New York
*Saint Luke Lutheran Church, Putnam Valley, New York - 636 members
*St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Yonkers, New York - est. 1911
*Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York - est. 1861
*Trinity Lutheran Church, Hawthorne, New York - est. 1894
*The Village Lutheran Church, Bronxville, New York - est. 1916; 1228 members

Circuit 5 (Bronx)
*Church For All Nations Lutheran, Midtown Manhattan, New York
*Grace Lutheran Church, Bedford Park, The Bronx, New York - est. 1905
*Mount Zion Lutheran Church, Hamilton Heights, Manhattan, New York
*Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Morris Park, The Bronx, New York - est. 1927
*Redeemer Lutheran Church, Wakefield, The Bronx, New York - est. 1928; 402 members
*Saint Mark Deaf Lutheran Church, Hamilton Heights, Manhattan, New York
*Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York - est. 1664
*Saint Paul of Tremont Lutheran Church, East Tremont, The Bronx, New York - est. 1898
*Trinity Lutheran Church, Castle Hill, The Bronx, New York - est. 1913

Circuit 6 (Brooklyn)
*Christ Assembly Lutheran Church, Stapleton, Staten Island, New York - 438 members
*Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Flatlands, Brooklyn, New York - est. 1908
*Risen Christ Lutheran Church, Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York
*Saint John Lutheran Church, Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York - est. 1852
*Saint John the Evangelist Lutheran Church, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York - est. 1844
*Saint Mark Lutheran Church, Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York - est. 1868
*Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Canarsie, Brooklyn, New York - est. 1879
*Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Dongan Hills, Staten Island, New York - est. 1915
*Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York - est. 1887
*Saint Peter Lutheran Church, Highland Park, Brooklyn, New York - est. 1897
*Trinity Lutheran Church, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York - est. 1886

Circuit 7 (Queens, Central)
*Christ Lutheran Church, Woodside, Queens, New York - est. 1896
*Emmaus Lutheran Church, Ridgewood, Queens, New York - est. 1904
*Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Rego Park, Queens, New York - est. 1926; 350 members
*Redeemer Lutheran Church, Glendale, Queens, New York - est. 1909
*Saint John Lutheran Church, Glendale, Queens, New York - est. 1844
*Saint Matthew Deaf Lutheran Church, Elmhurst, Queens, New York - est. 1911
*True Light Lutheran Church, Chinatown, Manhattan, New York
*United Bengali Lutheran Church of America, Woodside, Queens, New York

Circuit 8 (Queens, North)
*Emanuel Lutheran Church, Corona, Queens, New York - est. 1887
*Immanuel Chinese Lutheran Church, Bayside, Queens, New York
*Immanuel Lutheran Church, Whitestone, Queens, New York - est. 1895
*The Lutheran Church of St. John, Flushing, Queens, New York - est. 1893
*Redeemer Lutheran Church, Bayside, Queens, New York - est. 1915
*Resurrection Lutheran Church, Flushing, Queens, New York
*Saint John Lutheran Church, College Point, Queens, New York - est. 1857; 238 members

Circuit 9 (Queens, South)
*Ascension Lutheran Church, Jamaica, Queens, New York
*Chapel of the Redeemer Lutheran Church, Flushing, Queens, New York
*Glory Korean Lutheran Church, Bayside, Queens, New York
*Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Laurelton, Queens, New York - est. 1927
*Grace Lutheran Church, Jamaica, Queens, New York - est. 1920
*Grace Lutheran Church, Queens Village, Queens, New York - est. 1916; 484 members
*Trinity Lutheran Church, Jamaica, Queens, New York

Circuit 10 (Nassau)
*Calvary Lutheran Church, East Meadow, New York - 652 members
*Holy Mountain Korean Lutheran Mission Congregation, Elmhurst, Queens, New York
*Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Garden City, New York - 754 members
*Redeemer Lutheran Church, Old Westbury, New York
*Saint John Lutheran Church, Williston Park, New York
*Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Bethpage, New York - est. 1923
*Trinity Lutheran Church, Glen Cove, New York - est. 1920
*Trinity Lutheran Church, Hicksville, New York - est. 1850; 1422 members
*Trinity Lutheran Church, New Hyde Park, New York

Circuit 11 (Suffolk, West)
*Grace Lutheran Church, Central Islip, New York
*Saint James Lutheran Church, St. James, New York - est. 1923; 2480 members
*Saint John Lutheran Church, Holbrook, New York - est. 1904; 702 members
*Saint John's Lutheran Church, Sayville, New York - est. 1897; 1969 members
*Saint Luke Lutheran Church, Dix Hills, New York - 820 members
*Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Amityville, New York
*Trinity Lutheran Church, Islip, New York - est. 1927; 725 members

Circuit 12 (Suffolk, East)
*Christ Lutheran Church, East Moriches, New York
*Christ Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Hampton Bays, New York
*Emanuel Lutheran Church, Patchogue, New York - est. 1912; 900 members
*Grace Lutheran Church, Mastic Beach, New York - 656 members
*Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Middle Island, New York - 1168 members
*Messiah Lutheran Church, East Setauket, New York
*Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Aquebogue, New York - est. 1918
*Our Savior Lutheran Church, Centereach, New York - 838 members

External links

* [http://www.ad-lcms.org Atlantic District web site]
* [http://www.lcmsdistricts.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=6784 LCMS: Atlantic District]