Pacific Southwest District (Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod)
The Pacific Southwest District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (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 9 high schools. Baptized membership of Pacific Southwest congregations is approximately 91,682. [1]
The reminder 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, 6 in the San Diego area and 5 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. Larry Stoterau has been the district president since September 2000, and was re-elected to a fourth term in 2009. The 42nd Regular Convention was held June 28–30, 2009 in Irvine, CA with the theme "Inviting Conversations -- Empowering Words," from John 17:20. [2] The 43rd Regular Convention was held June 27–29, 2012 in Irvine, CA with the theme "Proclaiming the Mysteries of God". [3]
Concordia University, Irvine, 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–present
Oldest congregations
- 1882 - Saint John's Lutheran Church, Orange, California
- 1882 - Trinity Central Lutheran Church, Wilshire Park, Los Angeles, California
- 1892 - First Lutheran Church of Pasadena, Pasadena, California
- 1895 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Encanto, San Diego, California
- 1897 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Oxnard, California
- 1903 - Zion Lutheran Church, Anaheim, California
- 1905 - Christ Lutheran Church, Vermont Square, Los Angeles, California
- 1905 - First Lutheran Church, Long Beach, California
- 1906 - Grace Lutheran Church, Vermont Square, Los Angeles, California
- 1906 - St. John's Lutheran Church, Montebello, California
- 1906 - Trinity Lutheran Church, San Bernardino, California
- 1907 - Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Orange, California
- 1908 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Whittier, California
- 1909 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Riverside, California
- 1909 - Trinity Cristo Rey Lutheran Church, Santa Ana, California
- 1911 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Covina, California
- 1912 - Grace Lutheran Church, Hillcrest, San Diego, California
- 1913 - Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Santa Monica, California
- 1915 - Emanuel Lutheran Church, Santa Barbara, California
- 1919 - Grace Lutheran Church, Escondido, California
Oldest in Arizona: Calvary Lutheran Church, Yuma, Arizona, 1931
Oldest in Nevada: First Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1940
Largest congregations
- Membership totals are c. 2012.
- 5434 - St. John's Lutheran Church, Orange, California
- 2965 - Christ Church-Lutheran, Phoenix, Arizona
- 2680 - Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, Lake Forest, California
- 1999 - Christ's Greenfield Lutheran Church, Gilbert, Arizona
- 1871 - Bethany Lutheran Church, Long Beach, California
- 1721 - Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Orange, California
- 1646 - Risen Savior Lutheran Church, Chandler, Arizona
- 1626 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Oxnard, California
- 1600 - Our Savior Lutheran Church, Arcadia, California
- 1426 - Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church, Scottsdale, Arizona
- 1387 - Grace Lutheran Church, Escondido, California
- 1380 - Faith Lutheran Church, Vista, California
- 1261 - Christ Lutheran Church, La Mesa, California
- 1232 - Faith Community Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, Nevada
- 1203 - Christ Lutheran Church, Brea, California
- 1125 - Community Lutheran Church, Escondido, California
- 1046 - Zion Lutheran Church, Anaheim, California
