Minnesota South District (LCMS)

The Minnesota South District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), and covers the southern third of the state of Minnesota including the Twin Cities area; it also includes two congregations in Wisconsin. The northern two thirds of Minnesota constitute the Minnesota North District, and the rest of Wisconsin is divided between the North Wisconsin and South Wisconsin Districts. In addition, two Minnesota congregations are in the non-geographic English District. The Minnesota South District includes approximately 242 congregations and missions, subdivided into 26 circuits, as well as 52 preschools, 51 elementary schools and 7 high schools. Baptized membership in district congregations is over 130,000.

The Minnesota South District was formed in 1963 when the Minnesota District was divided. District offices are located in Burnsville, Minnesota; the Rev. Dr. Lane Seitz has been the district president since 1991, and was reelected to a sixth term in 2006 [1]. 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 University, Saint Paul, part of the LCMS' Concordia University System, is located within the district.

Presidents

• Rev. Ernest H. Stahlke, 1963–66
• Rev. Martin W. Lieske, 1966–78
• Rev. O. H. Cloeter, 1978-91
• Rev. Lane R. Seitz, 1991-present

Oldest congregations

• 1854 - Zion Lutheran Church, Cologne, Minnesota
• 1855 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Gaylord, Minnesota
• 1856 - Emanuel Lutheran Church, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
• 1856 - Saint Martin Lutheran Church, Winona, Minnesota
• 1856 - Trinity First Lutheran Church, Ventura Village, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• 1857 - Emanuel Lutheran Church, Hamburg, Minnesota
• 1858 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hay Creek Township, Minnesota
• 1859 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Courtland, Minnesota
• 1859 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Arlington, Minnesota
• 1860 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Blue Earth, Minnesota
• 1862 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Lewiston, Minnesota
• 1862 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Rushford, Minnesota
• 1863 - Saint Peter Lutheran Church, Afton, Minnesota
• 1863 - Zion Lutheran Church, Thomas-Dale, Saint Paul, Minnesota
• 1864 - St. John's Lutheran Church, Maple Grove, Minnesota
• 1865 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Claremont, Minnesota
• 1865 - Saint John Lutheran Church, New Germany, Minnesota
• 1865 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Norwood Young America, Minnesota
• 1865 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Webster, Minnesota
• 1865 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Waconia, Minnesota

Oldest in Wisconsin: Trinity Lutheran Church, Hudson, Wisconsin, 1909

Largest congregations

Membership totals include all baptized members and are according to the LCMS website.

• 4109 - Hosanna Lutheran Church, Mankato, Minnesota
• 3956 - Woodbury Lutheran Church, Woodbury, Minnesota
• 2969 - Saint Michael Lutheran Church, Bloomington, Minnesota
• 2588 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Hudson, Wisconsin
• 2585 - Peace Lutheran Church, Hutchinson, Minnesota
• 2577 - Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Ham Lake, Minnesota
• 2289 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Waconia, Minnesota
• 2127 - First Lutheran Church, Glencoe, Minnesota
• 2073 - Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Plymouth, Minnesota
• 1870 - Saint Martin Lutheran Church, Winona, Minnesota
• 1824 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Buffalo, Minnesota
• 1701 - Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Anoka, Minnesota
• 1692 - St. John's Lutheran Church, Corcoran, Minnesota
• 1687 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Chaska, Minnesota
• 1673 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Janesville, Minnesota

External links

• Minnesota South District web site
• LCMS: Minnesota South District
• Synodal-Bericht des Minnesota und Dakota Distrikts der Deutschen Evang.-Luth. Synode von Missouri, Ohio und Andern Staaten (1882-1889)
• Synodal-Bericht des Minnesota und Dakota Distrikts der Deutschen Evang.-Luth. Synode von Missouri, Ohio und Andern Staaten (1891-1910)