Pacific Southwest District (Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod)

The Pacific Southwest District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). It covers Southern California (the eight southernmost counties in California, including the Los Angeles metropolitan area), Arizona and the southern tip of Nevada, and includes approximately 291 congregations subdivided into 32 circuits, as well as 72 preschools, 65 elementary schools and nine high schools. Baptized membership of Pacific Southwest congregations is approximately 91,682.^[1]

The reminder of California and Nevada is included in the California-Nevada-Hawaii District; one Arizona congregation is in the Rocky Mountain District. In addition, 28 congregations in the Pacific Southwest District's area are in the non-geographic English District – 16 in Arizona, six in the San Diego area and five in the Los Angeles area.

The Pacific Southwest District was formed on July 2, 1930 as the Southern California District, separating it from the California and Nevada District. District offices are located in Irvine, California. 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 Rev. Dr. Larry Stoterau has been the district president since September 2000, and was re-elected to a fourth term in 2009. The 42nd Regular Convention was held June 28–30, 2009 in Irvine, CA with the theme "Inviting Conversations -- Empowering Words", from John 17:20.^[2] The 43rd Regular Convention was held June 27–29, 2012 in Irvine, CA with the theme "Proclaiming the Mysteries of God".^[3]

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

Presidents

Rev. Gotthold H. F. Smukal, 1930–42
Rev. Walter F. Troeger, 1942–48
Rev. Armand E. T. Mueller, 1948–55
Rev. Victor L. Behnken, 1955–69
Rev. Arnold G. Kuntz, 1969–85
Rev. Loren T. Kramer, 1985-2000
Rev. Larry A. Stoterau, 2000–present

Oldest congregations

1882 - Saint John's Lutheran Church, Orange, California
1882 - Trinity Central Lutheran Church, Wilshire Park, Los Angeles, California
1892 - First Lutheran Church of Pasadena, Pasadena, California
1895 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Encanto, San Diego, California
1897 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Oxnard, California
1903 - Zion Lutheran Church, Anaheim, California
1905 - Christ Lutheran Church, Vermont Square, Los Angeles, California
1905 - First Lutheran Church, Long Beach, California
1906 - Grace Lutheran Church, Vermont Square, Los Angeles, California
1906 - St. John's Lutheran Church, Montebello, California
1906 - Trinity Lutheran Church, San Bernardino, California
1907 - Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Orange, California
1908 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Whittier, California
1909 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Orange, California
1909 - Trinity Cristo Rey Lutheran Church, Santa Ana, California
1911 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Covina, California
1912 - Grace Lutheran Church, Hillcrest, San Diego, California
1913 - Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Santa Monica, California
1915 - Emanuel Lutheran Church, Santa Barbara, California
1919 - Grace Lutheran Church, Escondido, California

Oldest in Arizona: Calvary Lutheran Church, Yuma, Arizona, 1931
Oldest in Nevada: First Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1940

Largest congregations

Membership totals are c. 2012.

5434 - St. John's Lutheran Church, Orange, California
2965 - Christ Church-Lutheran, Phoenix, Arizona
2680 - Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, Lake Forest, California
1999 - Christ's Greenfield Lutheran Church, Gilbert, Arizona
1871 - Bethany Lutheran Church, Long Beach, California
1721 - Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Orange, California
1646 - Risen Savior Lutheran Church, Chandler, Arizona
1626 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Oxnard, California
1600 - Our Savior Lutheran Church, Arcadia, California
1426 - Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church, Scottsdale, Arizona
1387 - Grace Lutheran Church, Escondido, California
1380 - Faith Lutheran Church, Vista, California
1261 - Christ Lutheran Church, La Mesa, California
1232 - Faith Community Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, Nevada
1203 - Christ Lutheran Church, Brea, California
1125 - Community Lutheran Church, Escondido, California
1046 - Zion Lutheran Church, Anaheim, California

References

External links

Districts of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

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