President’s Office
The office of the District president performs the duties laid out by Synod. He is to serve the congregations of his District by providing the mission and vision for the District’s ministry. His work is to be carried out in a brotherly and evangelical manner of visitation with the congregations and rostered workers. This office is also responsible for maintaining accurate records for both congregations and workers who are members of the LCMS.
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Featured Paper : “What Does This Mean? Responding to Social Justice & Critical Race Theory”
President Lucas V. Woodford
Rev. Dr. Lucas V. Woodford began serving as president of the Minnesota South District, LCMS, in the summer of 2018. Prior to serving as president, Rev. Woodford was a circuit visitor, served on the continuing education committee and the ministerial health committee, and served as a District Vice President. He has also served as part of the board of regents for Concordia University, St. Paul and as part of the board of directors for Mayer Lutheran High School.
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He is a 1998 graduate of Concordia University, St. Paul and a 2002 (M.Div.) / 2003 (S.T.M.) graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He also holds the D.Min. in Christian outreach from Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne (2011). His project dissertation was published as Great Commission, Great Confusion, or Great Confession?: The Mission of the Holy Christian Church (Wipf & Stock, 2012). Most recently, he published another book coauthored with good friend Harold Senkbeil, Church Leadership & Strategy: For the Care of Souls (Lexham Press, 2019).
President Woodford and his wife, Rebecca, have seven children: Isabella (2003), Thaddeus (2007), Aletheia (2009), Ekklacia (“Klaci,” 2011), Soteria (2014), Titus (2017), and Basileia (2022).
“I consider it a great honor and privilege to serve the Lord and our MN South District. There are tremendous opportunities for us to go about loving the Lord, loving people, and loving our Lutheran theology here in our District. Read my vision for our District by clicking here.”
Contact info
Rev. Dr. Lucas Woodford
President
952-223-2165
lucas.woodford@mnsdistrict.org
Rev. Stefan Wismar
Executive Assistant to the President
952-223-2154
stefan.wismar@mnsdistrict.org
Debbie Borchardt
Administrative Assistant
952-223-2158
debbie.borchardt@mnsdistrict.org
President’s Blog
Pastoral letters
Click on any given date and title to read the full letter from President Woodford.
April 10, 2024 | An Invitation to the Theological Convocations
Easter greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life!
As we bask in the resurrection triumph of our Lord over sin and death, I write to offer a brief word of encouragement to attend the forthcoming theological convocations.
February 14, 2024 | Beware of the Wild Beast
Ash Wednesday greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Once again, we begin the journey of following Jesus on His way to the cross of Calvary. Mark’s Gospel gets us right into the action and movement of Jesus’ ministry:
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him (Mark 1:12-13).
This brief temptation account differs from the more familiar versions in Matthew and Luke. Yet it offers one tidbit the other two synoptics leave out: “he was with the wild animals.”
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10b). The Apostle John heard these words of Jesus to the Church of Smyrna in His heavenly vision. They are a call to faithfulness amid a culture hostile to faith. They are fitting words for Christians of all times, but certainly for us. At all times we are called to discipleship—to repent of our sins and to live out our faith according to our daily stations of life.