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from the executive chair ...

Lenae Rasmussen

The Augsburg Lutheran District is organized and governed in a new, confessional way: Free in Christ crucified. Its day-to-day operations are handled by an Executive Committee, which consists of the district presiding pastor (analogous to the congregational pastor), the district executive chair (analogous to the congregational president), the district secretary (who manages membership and clergy records, the district constitution and by-laws, district archives, and records and maintains the minutes of Ex. Comm and Joint Council meetings), and the district treasurer (who is the chief financial officer of the district). The Board of Trustees oversees the property and financial operations of the district. Standing committees on Doctrine and Church Relations, Ministry, Membership, Communications, Education and Worship, and Stewardship and Mission Starts are the “working arms” of the district that help to shape and guide the district's ministry and mission.

Representatives of these three entities (Executive Committee, Board of Trustees, Standing Committees) make up the Joint Council, which takes the place of a “board of directors” or a “church council.” The Joint Council is the organizational entity that enables the district to have a flat structure (a horizontal governance utilizing checks and balances) instead of a hierarchical structure. This keeps us from being a “top-down” organization and inherently supports our organizational principles, and our mission to be a true fellowship of churches uniting to serve and support fellow Christians who seek to proclaim the truth of the gospel.

The Joint Council consists of the Executive Committee (in its entirety), the Board of Trustees (in its entirety), and the chair and assistant chair of each Standing Committee. Standing Committees will consist of three clergy and three lay people. Each Standing Committee will elect a chair and an assistant chair (one clergy and one layperson) who will also serve on the Joint Council.

This is a new concept. Although some elements of this organizational concept can be found in other denominations and Lutheran church bodies, we are trying something new—actually trusting that the Holy Spirit and his priesthood of all believers will do the work of Christ and his Church.

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