“The English District is one of 35 districts of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. At one time the English District was an independent Lutheran Synod in North America, organized in 1888 as the “English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri.” Its history goes back to colonial times.

In the early days of Lutheranism in the United States, the Henkels, a prominent Lutheran family, provided pastoral leadership for the church in Virginia. The family was concerned about Lutheran confessional teaching. In 1851, the Henkel family published the first English edition of the Book of Concord, the Lutheran Confessions. Members of the family were responsible for establishing several synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. One of those synods, the Tennessee Synod, was organized in 1820 by Pastor Paul Henkel. The Tennessee Synod believed firmly in the authority of God’s Word. It insisted on strong catechetical training within the congregations.

Immediately after the American Civil War, Pastor Polycarp Henkel, grandson of founding patriarch Paul Henkel, served as pastor of Zion Church, Gravelton, Missouri. The leaders of the Tennessee Synod learned of the existence of the Missouri Synod, a strong confessional synod headed by Dr. Carl F. W. Walther, with headquarters in St. Louis. Tennessee Synod pastors and laymen in Missouri invited Dr. Walther to meet with them. In August of 1872, representatives of the “German Missouri Synod” met with the pastors and congregations of the Tennessee Synod at Zion in Gravelton. Dr. Walther presented sixteen theses that expressed the confession of the Missouri Synod. While the theses were in English, the discussions were conducted both in German and English since the Tennessee Synod members did not speak German. As a result of the meeting “The English Evangelical Lutheran Conference of Missouri” was organized. In 1888 the English Conference of the Tennessee Synod in Missouri was organized as a separate synod, the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri. However, the new English Synod continued attempts to become one organically with “The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States.”

Finally in 1911, the English Synod was accepted into the “German Missouri Synod” as a non-geographic synodical district. The “English Synod of Missouri” did not want amalgamation, but it did want to be part of the Missouri Synod because of its confessional and scriptural Lutheran stance.

When the union of the two synods was effected, the sainted Dr. Harry Eckhardt, then President of the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, said, “We come here to join ranks with you and march with you, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, bearing farther and farther, into the world of lost sinners the one saving Gospel, whether it be by means of the German language or the English or any tongue, just so it be the old Gospel. We have been one in faith. Now we are one in organization. May we ever be one and inseparable.”

In 1911, there were fifty-three congregations. However, during the life of the English District over five hundred congregations have been members of the Conference/Synod/District. Today, the District numbers 155 congregations, mission starts, and social ministries.

The English District sees itself in the role of the servant. It is a servant to the congregations, servant to other districts, and servant to the entire Synod. The English District seeks to help in situations and circumstances where other districts cannot carry out their goals and need help. For the Synod, we promote our mutual faith, one in purpose and in organization. Where others will not, or can not, we are ready to serve.”