Southeastern District (LCMS)
Encyclopedia
The Southeastern District is one of the 35 districts
of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
(LCMS). It encompasses Washington, D.C.
and the states of Delaware
, North Carolina
, South Carolina
and Virginia
, as well as York
and Lancaster Counties
in Pennsylvania
, and Maryland
with the exception of Garrett County
at its western end. Garrett County and the rest of Pennsylvania are part of the Eastern District
; also, one Virginia congregation is in the non-geographic English District
, and two of the state's congregations are in the SELC District
. The Southeastern District includes approximately 205 congregations and missions, subdivided into 19 circuits
, as well as 59 preschools, 29 elementary schools
and 2 high schools. Baptized
membership in district congregations is over 70,000.
The Southeastern District was formed in 1939 out of the Eastern District, and also incorporated a number of congregations which had previously been in the English District – including those in the Carolinas and part of Georgia
; the Georgia areas were separated into the Florida-Georgia District
in 1948. District offices are located in Alexandria, Virginia
; the Rev. Dr. Jon Diefenthaler has been the district president since 2003, and was reelected in 2006 and 2009. 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 2012 convention will be held May 31-June 2 in Virginia Beach, VA.
Oldest in Delaware: Saint John Lutheran Church, Dover, Delaware
, 1923
Oldest in South Carolina: Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Columbia, South Carolina
, 1930
Oldest in Washington, D.C.: Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Logan Circle, Washington, D.C., 1933
Largest in Washington, D.C.: Peace Lutheran Church, Marshall Heights, Washington, D.C., 281
Largest in Delaware: Saint John Lutheran Church, Dover, Delaware
, 659
Largest in South Carolina: Calvary Lutheran Church, Charleston, South Carolina
, 131
Districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is organized into 35 districts, 33 of which are defined along geographic lines. Each district has a president who oversees the congregations in his district, which are further subdivided into local circuits...
of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 2.3 million members, it is both the eighth largest Protestant denomination and the second-largest Lutheran body in the U.S. after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Synod...
(LCMS). It encompasses Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and the states of Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, as well as York
York County, Pennsylvania
York County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 434,972. It is in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania....
and Lancaster Counties
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
with the exception of Garrett County
Garrett County, Maryland
Garrett County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. Created from Allegany County, Maryland in 1872 it was the last Maryland county to be formed. It was named for John Work Garrett , railroad executive, industrialist, and financier. Garrett served as president of the Baltimore...
at its western end. Garrett County and the rest of Pennsylvania are part of the Eastern District
Eastern District (LCMS)
The Eastern District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod , and covers: most of upstate New York; Pennsylvania, with the exception of York and Lancaster Counties; and Garrett County at the western corner of the Maryland panhandle...
; also, one Virginia congregation is in the non-geographic English District
English District (LCMS)
The English District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod . It is one of the Synod's two non-geographical districts, along with the SELC District, and has its origins in the congregations of the former English Evangelical Lutheran Synod, which merged with the LCMS in...
, and two of the state's congregations are in the SELC District
SELC District (LCMS)
The SELC District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod . It is one of the Synod's two non-geographical districts, along with the English District, and has its origins in the congregations of the former Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church, which merged with the LCMS in...
. The Southeastern District includes approximately 205 congregations and missions, subdivided into 19 circuits
Circuit (LCMS)
A circuit, in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod , is a local grouping of congregations within one of the Synod's 35 districts. Circuits typically include 8 to 12 congregations...
, as well as 59 preschools, 29 elementary schools
Lutheran school
Lutheran schools and education were a priority for Lutherans who emigrated to the United States and Australia from Germany and Scandinavia. One of the first things they did was to create schools for their children. This strong educational tradition was handed down from Martin Luther himself. The...
and 2 high schools. Baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
membership in district congregations is over 70,000.
The Southeastern District was formed in 1939 out of the Eastern District, and also incorporated a number of congregations which had previously been in the English District – including those in the Carolinas and part of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
; the Georgia areas were separated into the Florida-Georgia District
Florida-Georgia District (LCMS)
The Florida-Georgia District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod , and encompasses the states of Georgia and Florida, with the exception of the Florida Panhandle which is part of the Southern District; in addition, four Florida congregations and three Georgia...
in 1948. District offices are located in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
; the Rev. Dr. Jon Diefenthaler has been the district president since 2003, and was reelected in 2006 and 2009. 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 2012 convention will be held May 31-June 2 in Virginia Beach, VA.
Presidents
- Rev. J. George Spilman, 1939–45
- Rev. Oscar Adelbert Saner, 1945–48
- Rev. Rudolph Stang Ressmeyer, 1948–54
- Rev. William H. Kohn, 1954–59
- Rev. Leslie F. Frerking, 1959–63
- Rev. William H. Kohn, 1963–67
- Rev. Martin C. Poch, 1967–70
- Rev. Charles S. Mueller, 1970–78
- Rev. Richard T. Hinz, 1978–94
- Rev. Roy A. Maack, 1994–97
- Rev. Arthur W. Scherer, 1997–2003
- Rev. Jon T. Diefenthaler, 2003–present
Oldest congregations
- 1772 - Bethany-Trinity Lutheran Church, Waynesboro, VirginiaWaynesboro, VirginiaWaynesboro, deriving its name from General Anthony Wayne, is an independent city surrounded by Augusta County in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 21,006 in 2010.....
- 1798 - Saint John's Lutheran ChurchSt. John's Lutheran Church (Conover, North Carolina)St. John's Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod located in Conover, North Carolina, and a member of the LCMS' Southeastern District. Officially formed in 1798, the church has a rich German history.- History :...
, Conover, North CarolinaConover, North CarolinaConover is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,180 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area... - 1825 - Saint Peter Lutheran Church, Conover, North CarolinaConover, North CarolinaConover is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,180 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- 1849 - St. John's Lutheran Church of Blenheim, Glen Arm, MarylandGlen Arm, MarylandGlen Arm is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States.Ravenshurst was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978....
- 1850 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Kingsville, MarylandKingsville, MarylandKingsville is a semi-rural, unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It is a close-knit and rustic community bounded by the Little Gunpowder Falls river and the Big Gunpowder Falls river which join to form the Gunpowder...
- 1852 - Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
- 1853 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Cumberland, MarylandCumberland, MarylandCumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
- 1854 - Salem Lutheran Church, Taylorsville, North CarolinaTaylorsville, North CarolinaTaylorsville is a town in Alexander County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,799 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alexander County.Taylorsville is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- 1862 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Columbia, PennsylvaniaColumbia, PennsylvaniaColumbia, once colonial Wright's Ferry, is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles southeast of Harrisburg on the left bank Susquehanna River across from Wrightsville and York County. Originally, the area may have been called Conejohela Flats, for the many islands and islets in the...
- 1864 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Ramblewood, Baltimore, MarylandRamblewood, BaltimoreRamblewood is a small community located in northeast Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Ramblewood is located south of Northern Parkway with The Alameda serving as its western boundary and Loch Raven Blvd. as its eastern boundary and north of Belvedere Ave...
- 1866 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Catonsville, MarylandCatonsville, MarylandAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:In 2010 Catonsville had a population of 41,567...
- 1867 - Martini Lutheran Church, Federal Hill, Baltimore, Maryland
- 1869 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Charlottesville, VirginiaCharlottesville, VirginiaCharlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
- 1870 - Bethel Lutheran Church, Claremont, North CarolinaClaremont, North CarolinaClaremont is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,355 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- 1870 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, VirginiaAlexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
- 1874 - First St. John Lutheran Church, York, PennsylvaniaYork, PennsylvaniaYork, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
- 1874 - Saint John Lutheran Church, York, PennsylvaniaYork, PennsylvaniaYork, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
- 1878 - Concordia Lutheran Church, Conover, North CarolinaConover, North CarolinaConover is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,180 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- 1883 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Meherrin, VirginiaMeherrin, VirginiaMeherrin is a small unincorporated community in Lunenburg and Prince Edward counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is approximately 18.6 miles by road south of Farmville....
- 1887 - Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Cedonia, Baltimore, MarylandCedonia, BaltimoreCedonia is a region of Northeastern Baltimore, Maryland consisting of the neighborhoods of Cedmont, Cedonia, and Frankford. It is located east of Belair Road, above Herring Run Park, and west of the Baltimore City/County Line. It is a predominantly residential area with neighborhoods that range...
- 1888 - Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Catonsville, MarylandCatonsville, MarylandAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:In 2010 Catonsville had a population of 41,567...
- 1889 - Saint Thomas Lutheran Church, Pratt Monroe, Baltimore, Maryland
Oldest in Delaware: Saint John Lutheran Church, Dover, Delaware
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
, 1923
Oldest in South Carolina: Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, 1930
Oldest in Washington, D.C.: Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Logan Circle, Washington, D.C., 1933
Largest congregations
- Membership totals are c. 2009.
- 2031 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Glen Burnie, MarylandGlen Burnie, MarylandGlen Burnie is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, and is a suburb of Baltimore. The population was 67,639 at the 2010 census...
- 2021 - Saint Stephen's Lutheran Church, Hickory, North CarolinaHickory, North CarolinaHickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was 37,222...
- 1863 - Resurrection Lutheran Church, Cary, North CarolinaCary, North CarolinaCary is a large town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located almost entirely in Wake County, it is the second largest municipality in that county and the third largest municipality in The Triangle after Raleigh and Durham...
- 1300 - Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Springfield, VirginiaSpringfield, VirginiaSpringfield is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States and a suburb of Washington, D.C. The Springfield CDP is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 30,484 as of the 2010 census. Homes and businesses in bordering CDPs including North Springfield,...
- 1283 - Lutheran Church of St. Andrew, Silver Spring, MarylandSilver Spring, MarylandSilver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
- 1226 - Hope Lutheran Church, Wake Forest, North CarolinaWake Forest, North CarolinaWake Forest is a town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake County in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is located just north of the state capital, Raleigh. The population was 12,588 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the estimated population was 27,915...
- 1081 - Concordia Lutheran Church, Conover, North CarolinaConover, North CarolinaConover is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,180 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- 1020 - Resurrection Lutheran Church, Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
- 1011 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
- 1000 - Bethel Lutheran Church, Claremont, North CarolinaClaremont, North CarolinaClaremont is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,355 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- 903 - Saint John's Lutheran ChurchSt. John's Lutheran Church (Conover, North Carolina)St. John's Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod located in Conover, North Carolina, and a member of the LCMS' Southeastern District. Officially formed in 1798, the church has a rich German history.- History :...
, Conover, North CarolinaConover, North CarolinaConover is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,180 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area... - 902 - Redeemer Lutheran Church, Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
- 890 - Saint Peter Lutheran Church, Conover, North CarolinaConover, North CarolinaConover is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,180 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- 880 - Holy Nativity Lutheran Church, Arbutus, MarylandArbutus, MarylandAs of the 2010 Census Arbutus had a population of 20,583. The racial and ethnic compositon of the population was 76.6% non-Hispanic white, 9.5% non-Hispanic black, 0.2% Native American, 2.1% Asian Indian, 6.5% other Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% non-Hispanic from some other race, 2.3% from...
- 866 - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Herndon, VirginiaHerndon, VirginiaHerndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 21,655 at the 2000 census, which makes it the largest of three towns in the county.-History:...
- 845 - Hope Lutheran Church, Virginia Beach, VirginiaVirginia Beach, VirginiaVirginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
- 838 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Bel Air, MarylandBel Air, Harford County, MarylandThe town of Bel Air is the county seat of Harford County, Maryland, United States. According to the 2000 census the population of the town was 10,080. In 2009 the town's estimated population was 10,368...
- 820 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Winston-Salem, North CarolinaWinston-Salem, North CarolinaWinston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
- 779 - Grace Lutheran Church, La Plata, MarylandLa Plata, MarylandLa Plata is a town in Charles County, Maryland, United States. The population was 6,551 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Charles County.-History:...
- 763 - Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VirginiaFredericksburg, VirginiaFredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
- 752 - St. John's Lutheran Church, Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, VirginiaAlexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
- 735 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Kingsville, MarylandKingsville, MarylandKingsville is a semi-rural, unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It is a close-knit and rustic community bounded by the Little Gunpowder Falls river and the Big Gunpowder Falls river which join to form the Gunpowder...
- 2031 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Glen Burnie, Maryland
Largest in Washington, D.C.: Peace Lutheran Church, Marshall Heights, Washington, D.C., 281
Largest in Delaware: Saint John Lutheran Church, Dover, Delaware
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
, 659
Largest in South Carolina: Calvary Lutheran Church, Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, 131