Atlantic District (LCMS)
The Atlantic District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), and covers eastern New York state: New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and the Capital District. It comprises approximately 101 congregations and a number of mission stations, subdivided into 10 circuits, as well as 22 preschools, 16 elementary schools and 6 high schools. Baptized membership in Atlantic District congregations is approximately 35,700.[1] The rest of New York is included in the Eastern District; in addition, four congregations in the New York City area are in the non-geographic English District, and one congregation in Yonkers is in the SELC District.
The Atlantic District was formed in May 1906 out of the Eastern District; portions of the district were separated into the New England District and the New Jersey District in 1972. District offices are located in Bronxville, New York. 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. Rev. Derek Lecakes has been the district president since September 2015, after being elected at the 59th Regular Convention which was held June 4-6, 2015 at Concordia College-New York.
Concordia College-New York, part of the LCMS's Concordia University System, is located within the district.
Presidents
- Rev. Ernst C. L. Schulze, 1906-1918
- Rev. Philip H. L. Birkner, 1918-1930
- Rev. Arthur J. C. Brunn, 1930-1941
- Rev. George K. A. Koenig, 1941-1942
- Rev. Herman J. Rippe, 1942-1960
- Rev. Karl F. Graesser, 1960-1967
- Rev. Rudolph P. F. Ressmeyer, 1967-1976
- Rev. Henry L. Koepchen, 1976 (acting president)
- Rev. Ronald F. Fink, 1976-1989
- Rev. James Zwernemann, 1989-1991
- Rev. Dr. David H. Benke, 1991-2015
- Rev. Derek Lecakes, 2015-present
Ressmeyer was one of four district presidents who were removed from office by Synod President J. A. O. Preus on April 2, 1976 for non-compliance with synodical directives on the ordination and placement of improperly endorsed ministerial candidates from Seminex [2].
Oldest congregations
- 1664 - Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saint Matthew, Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York (oldest congregation in the Missouri Synod and in North America)
- 1838 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Albany, New York
- 1844 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Glendale, Queens, New York
- 1844 - Saint John the Evangelist Lutheran Church, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York
- 1850 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Hicksville, New York
- 1852 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York
- 1854 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Albany, New York
- 1857 - Saint John Lutheran Church, College Point, Queens, New York
- 1861 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
- 1868 - Saint Mark Lutheran Church, Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York
- 1869 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Hudson, New York
- 1870 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Stuyvesant, New York
- 1872 - Zion Lutheran Church, Schenectady, New York
- 1879 - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Canarsie, Brooklyn, New York
- 1886 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York
- 1887 - Emanuel Lutheran Church, Corona, Queens, New York
- 1887 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York
- 1893 - The Lutheran Church of St. John, Flushing, Queens, New York
- 1894 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Saratoga Springs, New York
- 1894 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Hawthorne, New York
Largest congregations
- Membership totals include baptized members and are according to the LCMS website.
- 2630 - Saint James Lutheran Church, St. James, New York
- 2130 - Saint John's Lutheran Church, Sayville, New York
- 1375 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Hicksville, New York
- 1315 - The Village Lutheran Church, Bronxville, New York
- 1277 - Zion Lutheran Church, Schenectady, New York
- 1240 - Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Middle Island, New York
- 1082 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Walden, New York
- 1010 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Saratoga Springs, New York
- 992 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Islip, New York
- 884 - Lutheran Church Of The Resurrection, Garden City, New York
- 876 - Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Delmar, New York
- 858 - Our Savior Lutheran Church, Fishkill, New York
- 838 - Our Savior Lutheran Church, Centereach, New York
- 783 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Monroe, New York
- 768 - Our Savior Lutheran Church, Dix Hills, New York
