North Wisconsin District (LCMS)
Encyclopedia
The North Wisconsin District is one of the 35 districts
of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
(LCMS), and covers the northern two-thirds of Wisconsin
as well as the western half of Michigan
's Upper Peninsula
. In addition, one congregation in the district's area is in the non-geographic SELC District
. The southern third of Wisconsin makes up the South Wisconsin District
, and the remainder of Michigan constitutes the Michigan District
; there are also two Wisconsin congregations in the Minnesota North District
. The North Wisconsin District includes approximately 221 congregations and missions, subdivided into 20 circuits
, as well as 44 preschools, 22 elementary schools
and 3 high schools. Baptized
membership in district congregations is approximately 105,000.
The North Wisconsin District was formed in 1916 when the Wisconsin District was divided. District offices are located in Wausau, Wisconsin
. The Rev. Paul Weber assumed the duties of district president in June 2011, due to the resignation of Rev. Joel Hoelter. 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 in 2009, and the next will be held June 10-11, 2012 in Rothschild, WI.
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), and covers the northern two-thirds of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
as well as the western half of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's Upper Peninsula
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
. In addition, one congregation in the district's area is in the non-geographic 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 southern third of Wisconsin makes up the South Wisconsin District
South Wisconsin District (LCMS)
The South Wisconsin District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod , and covers the southern third of the state of Wisconsin. The northern two-thirds are in the North Wisconsin District; there are also two Wisconsin congregations in the Minnesota North District...
, and the remainder of Michigan constitutes the Michigan District
Michigan District (LCMS)
The Michigan District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod , and comprises the U.S. state of Michigan with the exception of the western half of the Upper Peninsula, which is in the North Wisconsin District. In addition, eighteen Michigan congregations are in the...
; there are also two Wisconsin congregations in the Minnesota North District
Minnesota North District (LCMS)
The Minnesota North District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod , and covers the northern two-thirds of the state of Minnesota; it also includes two congregations in Wisconsin. The southern third of Minnesota constitutes the Minnesota South District, and the rest of...
. The North Wisconsin District includes approximately 221 congregations and missions, subdivided into 20 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 44 preschools, 22 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 3 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 approximately 105,000.
The North Wisconsin District was formed in 1916 when the Wisconsin District was divided. District offices are located in Wausau, Wisconsin
Wausau, Wisconsin
Wausau is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city. The city is adjacent to the town of Wausau.According to the 2000 census, Wausau had a population of 38,426 people...
. The Rev. Paul Weber assumed the duties of district president in June 2011, due to the resignation of Rev. Joel Hoelter. 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 in 2009, and the next will be held June 10-11, 2012 in Rothschild, WI.
Presidents
- Rev. Johann Gotthilf Schliepsiek, 1916–18
- Rev. Samuel William Herman Daib, 1918–36
- Rev. William Louis Kohn, 1936–54
- Rev. Lloyd H. Goetz, 1954–74
- Rev. Henry E. Simon, 1974–85
- Rev. Arleigh L. Lutz, Jr., 1985-2006
- Rev. Joel A. Hoelter, 2006-2011
- Rev. Paul Weber, 2011-present (interim president)
Oldest congregations
- 1860 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Amherst, WisconsinAmherst, WisconsinAmherst is a village in Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. As of 2009 the population was 1052 people. Amherst creates the core of the Tomorrow valley area.-History:...
- 1861 - Zion Lutheran Church, Fremont, WisconsinFremont, WisconsinFremont is a village in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States, within the town of Fremont. The population was 666 at the 2000 census. Fremont is often referred to as the "White Bass Capital of the World."-Geography:...
- 1863 - Saint Martin Lutheran Church, Clintonville, WisconsinClintonville, WisconsinClintonville is a city in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,736 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Clintonville is located at 44°37'27" North, 88°45'29" West ....
- 1863 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Bonduel, WisconsinBonduel, WisconsinBonduel is a village in Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,416 at the 2000 census.-History:The village is named after a Jesuit missionary, the Rev...
- 1863 - Zion Lutheran Church, Granton, WisconsinGranton, WisconsinGranton is a village in Clark County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 406 at the 2000 census.-History:The early history of our area before permanent settlers arrived was one of Indians and the fur trade under the French first, then the English, and finally the U. S. after 1815....
- 1863 - Zion Lutheran Church, Wayside, WisconsinWayside, WisconsinWayside is an unincorporated community located in the town of Morrison, Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. Wayside is located along County Highway W near its junction with County Highway G, east-southeast of Wrightstown....
- 1864 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Caroline, WisconsinCaroline, WisconsinCaroline is an unincorporated census-designated place in the town of Grant in Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 270. The fire station for the town is located within the community. The community is located at the intersection of County Highways G & M...
- 1864 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Fall Creek, WisconsinFall Creek, WisconsinFall Creek is a village in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,236 at the 2000 census. The village is located within and entirely surrounded by the Town of Lincoln.-Geography:Fall Creek is located at ....
- 1865 - Saint John (Sigel) Lutheran Church, Wisconsin Rapids, WisconsinWisconsin Rapids, WisconsinWisconsin Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,435 at the 2000 census.According to the 2010 census, the Wisconsin Rapids micropolitan area was home to 54,362 people...
- 1865 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Wisconsin Rapids, WisconsinWisconsin Rapids, WisconsinWisconsin Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,435 at the 2000 census.According to the 2010 census, the Wisconsin Rapids micropolitan area was home to 54,362 people...
- 1865 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Luxemburg, WisconsinLuxemburg, WisconsinLuxemburg is a village in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,935 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- 1867 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Algoma, WisconsinAlgoma, WisconsinAlgoma is a city in Kewaunee County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 3,357 at the 2000 census. Algoma is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- 1867 - Saint John's Lutheran Church, Athens, WisconsinAthens, WisconsinAthens is a village in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Wausau, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,095 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- 1867 - SS. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church, Hancock, MichiganHancock, MichiganHancock is a city in Houghton County; the northernmost in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, or, depending on terminology, Copper Island. The population was 4,634 at the 2010 census...
- 1868 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Bonduel, WisconsinBonduel, WisconsinBonduel is a village in Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,416 at the 2000 census.-History:The village is named after a Jesuit missionary, the Rev...
(Cty Rd E) - 1868 - Zion Lutheran Church, Chippewa Falls, WisconsinChippewa Falls, WisconsinChippewa Falls is a city located on the Chippewa River in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 13,661 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1869, it is the county seat of Chippewa County....
- 1869 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Edgar, WisconsinEdgar, WisconsinEdgar is a village in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Wausau, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,386 at the 2000 census...
- 1870 - Grace Lutheran Church, Augusta, WisconsinAugusta, WisconsinAugusta is a city in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,550 at the 2010 census. The city is located entirely within the Town of Bridge Creek.-Geography:Augusta is located at ....
- 1870 - Saint John's Lutheran Church, Almond, WisconsinAlmond, WisconsinAlmond is a village in Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 459 in the 2000 census.-History:Incorporated in 1905, the town originated when Jacob Meyers from Mohawk Valley, New York, started a stagecoach and freight route between Berlin and Stevens Point...
- 1870 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, CantonCanton, WisconsinCanton is a town in Buffalo County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 304 at the 2000 census. The ghost town of Springdale was located in the town.-Geography:...
-Mondovi, WisconsinMondovi, WisconsinMondovi is a city in Buffalo County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, along the Buffalo River. The population was 2,634 at the 2000 census. The city is located mostly within the Town of Mondovi...
Largest congregations
- Membership totals are c. 2006.
- 3288 - Faith Lutheran Church, Appleton, WisconsinAppleton, WisconsinAppleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
- 3052 - Saint James Lutheran Church, Shawano, WisconsinShawano, WisconsinShawano is a city in Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,305 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Shawano County...
- 2802 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Wausau, WisconsinWausau, WisconsinWausau is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city. The city is adjacent to the town of Wausau.According to the 2000 census, Wausau had a population of 38,426 people...
(Stewart Ave.) - 2503 - Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Schofield, WisconsinSchofield, WisconsinSchofield is a city in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Wausau, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2117 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Schofield is located at ....
- 2325 - Christ Lutheran Church, Marshfield, WisconsinMarshfield, WisconsinMarshfield is a city in Marathon and Wood counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the largest city in Wood County. The small portion of the city that extends into Marathon County is part of the Wausau Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 18,800 at the 2000 census. Marshfield is...
- 2292 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Merrill, WisconsinMerrill, WisconsinMerrill is a city in Lincoln County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,728 at the 2010 census. The city is located to the south of and adjacent to the Town of Merrill....
- 2100 - Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Green Bay, WisconsinGreen Bay, WisconsinGreen Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
- 1922 - Peace Lutheran Church, Eau Claire, WisconsinEau Claire, WisconsinEau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 65,883 as of the 2010 census, making it the largest municipality in the northwestern portion of the state, and the 9th largest in the state overall. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,...
- 1903 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Wisconsin Rapids, WisconsinWisconsin Rapids, WisconsinWisconsin Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,435 at the 2000 census.According to the 2010 census, the Wisconsin Rapids micropolitan area was home to 54,362 people...
- 1776 - Saint Luke Lutheran Church, Wisconsin Rapids, WisconsinWisconsin Rapids, WisconsinWisconsin Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,435 at the 2000 census.According to the 2010 census, the Wisconsin Rapids micropolitan area was home to 54,362 people...
- 1753 - Faith Lutheran Church, Green Bay, WisconsinGreen Bay, WisconsinGreen Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
- 1689 - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Appleton, WisconsinAppleton, WisconsinAppleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
- 1598 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Bonduel, WisconsinBonduel, WisconsinBonduel is a village in Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,416 at the 2000 census.-History:The village is named after a Jesuit missionary, the Rev...
- 1589 - Saint Martin Lutheran Church, Clintonville, WisconsinClintonville, WisconsinClintonville is a city in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,736 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Clintonville is located at 44°37'27" North, 88°45'29" West ....
- 1479 - Redeemer Lutheran Church, Marquette, MichiganMarquette, MichiganMarquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
- 1467 - Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Green Bay, WisconsinGreen Bay, WisconsinGreen Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
- 1415 - Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Greenville, WisconsinGreenville, WisconsinGreenville is a town located in south central Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States. It is one of 18 communities that form the basis of the Fox Cities, the third largest metropolitan area in Wisconsin. The population was 6,844 at the 2000 census, however 2008 estimates place the population at...
- 1386 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Merrill, WisconsinMerrill, WisconsinMerrill is a city in Lincoln County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,728 at the 2010 census. The city is located to the south of and adjacent to the Town of Merrill....
- 1343 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Stevens Point, WisconsinStevens Point, WisconsinStevens Point is the county seat of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. Located in the central part of the state, it is the largest city in the county, with a population of 24,551 at the 2000 census...
- 1331 - Peace Lutheran Church, Antigo, WisconsinAntigo, WisconsinAntigo is a city in and the county seat of Langlade County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 8,560 at the 2000 census. Antigo is the center of a farming and lumbering district, and its manufactures consist principally of lumber, chairs, furniture, sashes, doors and blinds, hubs and...
- 1164 - Bethany Lutheran Church, Kaukauna, WisconsinKaukauna, WisconsinKaukauna is a city in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States, on the Fox River, approximately 100 miles north of Milwaukee, with a population of 12,983. It is a part of the Appleton, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, Wisconsin Combined...
- 1154 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Marshfield, WisconsinMarshfield, WisconsinMarshfield is a city in Marathon and Wood counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the largest city in Wood County. The small portion of the city that extends into Marathon County is part of the Wausau Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 18,800 at the 2000 census. Marshfield is...
- 1154 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Manawa, WisconsinManawa, WisconsinManawa is a city in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,330 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Manawa is located at ....
- 1107 - Zion Lutheran Church, Wayside, WisconsinWayside, WisconsinWayside is an unincorporated community located in the town of Morrison, Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. Wayside is located along County Highway W near its junction with County Highway G, east-southeast of Wrightstown....
- 1009 - St. Luke's Lutheran Church, New Richmond, WisconsinNew Richmond, WisconsinNew Richmond is a city in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 8,375 as of the 2010 census.-History:New Richmond was founded in 1857. In August 2007, the town celebrated its sesquicentennial....
- 3288 - Faith Lutheran Church, Appleton, Wisconsin