The Pacific Southwest District is one of the
35 districts of the
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), also known as the Missouri Synod, is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 1.8 million members, it is the second-largest Lutheran body in the United States. The LC ...
(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
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
.
Baptized
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...
membership of Pacific Southwest congregations is approximately 91,682.
The remainder 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. Michael E. Gibson has been the district president since September 2018.
Concordia University, Irvine
Concordia University Irvine is a private Lutheran university in Irvine, California, United States. It was established in 1976 to provide a Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod college to serve the Pacific Southwest and provide training for pastors, ...
, 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, 2000–18
* Rev. Michael E. Gibson, 2018–Present
References
External links
*
LCMS: Pacific Southwest DistrictLCMS Congregation Directory*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pacific Southwest District (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod)
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod districts
Lutheranism in Arizona
Lutheranism in California
Lutheranism in Nevada
Christian organizations established in 1930