The Mid-South District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod started operating officially as an independent district on January 1, 1967. Unofficially, it began a little earlier—June 17, 1966—when the delegates to the final convention of the Western District voted to divide into two new districts: the Missouri and the Mid-South. Rev. Dr. Wilbert E. Griesse, a member of the Western District’s mission board and pastor of First Lutheran Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas, was elected the Mid-South’s first President. The District was new, but on “day one” it already included 77 congregations in Arkansas, Tennessee and southwestern Kentucky, comprised of 16,933 baptized members (11,460 communicant members), and served by 60 pastors.
Prior to the formation of the Mid-South District, the Western District had been involved in a large-scale and successful mission effort, primarily in the states of Arkansas, Tennessee and southwestern Kentucky—where there were fewer Lutherans. Between 1957 and 1966, 32 new congregations had been established in those states. So the newly-formed Mid-South District was characterized by a “mission-mentality” from its earliest days, driven by the momentum of the huge burst in church-planting activity just before its formation. After being launched on its own in 1966, it was up to the brand new Mid-South District to continue to the trend. Next month, we’ll take a closer look at the District’s early mission growth.
Watch for more District history in the April Encourager—and information on a 60th Anniversary Oktoberfest celebration for all to enjoy!
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