Delegates to the 48th convention of the LCMS Oklahoma District — meeting April 17-18 in Norman, Okla. — re-elected the Rev. Barrie E. Henke on the first ballot to his third term as district president.
In addition to his duties as district president, Henke continues to serve as senior pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Edmond, Okla.
The Rev. David R. Nehrenz, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Norman, was elected first vice-president and will serve as the regional vice president for the district’s Central Region. Previously, he served two terms as a regional and second vice-president.
Nominations for the district president and first vice-president came from district congregations. The second and third vice-presidents were elected in caucuses by the regions in which they reside and then were ranked by the convention.
The Rev. Kory B. Boster, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Sallisaw, Okla., was elected by the Eastern Region and ranked by the convention as second vice-president. The Rev. Gregory W. Brown, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Woodward, Okla., was elected by the Western Region and ranked as third vice-president. This is Boster’s first term and Brown’s second as district vice-presidents.
Also re-elected were the Rev. W.R. Rains, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Guthrie, Okla., to his third term as district secretary; and Brent England of Owasso, Okla., to his eighth term as the district’s treasurer and business manager.
Henke and others elected at the convention were installed April 18 as it came to a close.
The convention theme, “life together in the heartland,” was adapted from the Synod’s emphasis of “Witness, Mercy, Life Together.” Acts 2:42 served as the inspiration for the theme: “And they devoted themselves to the Apostle’s teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and the prayers.”
Synod First Vice-President Rev. Dr. Herbert C. Mueller Jr. was the preacher for the convention opening service and led a Bible study on Matt. 16:13-28.
The Rev. Daniel Preus, who is LCMS third vice-president, served as the convention essayist — using John 15:1-10 as the basis for his presentation on the convention’s theme.
Delegates adopted several resolutions, including some to be forwarded for consideration by the 2016 Synod convention.
One of those deals with granting voting rights to all congregations at district conventions, thereby allowing each congregation a vote for Synod president. The resolution is intended to clarify confusion regarding the words “congregation” and “parish” in the Synod Constitution and Bylaws.
Posted April 22, 2015 / Updated April 23, 2015
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