Iowa District West (LCMS)
The Iowa District West is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), and covers the western half of the state of Iowa including the state capital, Des Moines; the rest of the state forms the Iowa District East. The Iowa District West includes approximately 176 congregations and missions, subdivided into 19 circuits, as well as 42 preschools and 9 elementary schools. Baptized membership in district congregations is over 62,000.
The Iowa District West was formed in 1936 when the Iowa District (created in 1879) was divided in half. District offices are located in Fort Dodge, Iowa. 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. Paul Sieveking has been the district president since August 2000 and was reelected to a fourth term in 2009. The 37th Regular Convention was held June 21–24, 2009 at Camp Okoboji under the theme "Joy in Serving," based on Phil. 2:2. The 38th Regular Convention will be held in June 24–26, 2012 at Camp Okoboji.
Presidents
- Rev. Adolph Schwidder, 1936–45
- Rev. Herbert W. Berner, 1945–46
- Rev. John Theodore Martin Hoemann, 1946–48
- Rev. Gustav W. Lobeck, 1948–66
- Rev. A. Ellis Nieting, 1966–85
- Rev. Richard G. Kapfer, 1985–2000
- Rev. Paul G. Sieveking, 2000–present
Oldest congregations
- 1858 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Dayton, Iowa
- 1863 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Fort Dodge, Iowa
- 1866 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Boone, Iowa
- 1868 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Boone, Iowa
- 1869 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Clarinda, Iowa
- 1870 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Clarinda, Iowa
- 1870 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Marcus, Iowa
- 1871 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Spirit Lake, Iowa
- 1871 - Zion Lutheran Church, Dexter, Iowa
- 1871 - Zion Lutheran Church, Storm Lake, Iowa
- 1872 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Lidderdale, Iowa
- 1872 - Zion Lutheran Church, Denison, Iowa
- 1872 - Zion Lutheran Church, Ogden, Iowa
- 1873 - St. John's Lutheran Church, Hastings, Iowa
- 1873 - Zion Lutheran Church, Auburn, Iowa
- 1874 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Greenfield, Iowa
- 1874 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Webster City, Iowa
- 1875 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Lone Rock, Iowa
- 1875 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Adair, Iowa
- 1875 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Ireton, Iowa
- 1875 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Manson, Iowa
Largest congregations
- Membership totals include all baptized members and are according to the LCMS website.
- 2736 - Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Urbandale, Iowa
- 2194 - Zion Lutheran Church, Denison, Iowa
- 1613 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Fort Dodge, Iowa
- 1413 - Redeemer Lutheran Church, Sioux City, Iowa
- 1118 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Algona, Iowa
- 1066 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Ida Grove, Iowa
- 1021 - Memorial Lutheran Church, Ames, Iowa
- 990 - Zion Lutheran Church, Humboldt, Iowa
- 977 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Sioux City, Iowa
- 962 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Ankeny, Iowa
- 896 - First English Lutheran Church, Spencer, Iowa
- 885 - Calvary Lutheran Church, Sioux City, Iowa
- 865 - Our Savior Lutheran Church, Denison, Iowa
- 803 - St Paul Lutheran Church, Garner, Iowa
- 789 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Spirit Lake, Iowa
- 786 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Boone, Iowa