# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S198 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 198 STRUCTURE AND CONSTITUTION new Department of Stewardship and Financial Support de- velop specific programs, organizations, and staff for— 1. congregations and District stewardship plans and programs: 2. planned giving (deferred) on the Synod and District level: 3. special gift activities throughout the Synod: 4. college and seminary development activities. This study was presented to the Board of Directors. Council of Presidents, and Council of Administrators in a joint meeting in February 1982. Based on the study and input received at that meeting and a subsequent joint meeting in April, the board, at its May 1982 meeting, approved the following structure for the Department of Stewardship and Financial Support and authorized the director of the department to proceed with staffing: Stewardship Section This section, supervised by a Stewardship Counselor who shall bea pastor, is responsible for reviewing all materials and programs produced by the department to insure proper Chris- tian stewardship message and motivation. The section is also responsible, among other things. for developing and promot- ing the annual stewardship theme and emphasis, meeting with Districts in the budget-setting process, and developing and promoting various stewardship conferences and seminars. Through field staff deployed on a regional basis, it will work directly with District Presidents, District stewardship execu- tives and committees, and, at the request of the District, with pastors and committees of congregations in the implementa- tion of stewardship plans, programs, and techniques. The section will also, at the request of Districts, provide project coordinators to assist Districts in intensive Districtwide efforts to increase stewardship awareness—time, talent. and trea- sure—among pastors and other members. Planned Giving Section This section is responsible for the promotion of the various planned giving instruments and services offered by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Foundation, as well as the promotion of wills and other forms of deferred giving. Through field staff deployed on a regional or District basis under partnership agreements with the Districts, it will work directly with Districts, colleges and seminaries, and congregations in identifying, visiting, and cultivating planned gifts to support the mission and ministry to the church. Staff will also be located in St. Louis to assist in the technical matters of finalizing instruments of planned and deferred giving, work- ing with the Synod’s legal counsel and the Foundation’s Trust Service staff, as appropriate. The section will develop and sponsor periodic planned giving seminars and will provide various planned giving resource materials. Special Gift Section This section, initially staffed by one person, will seek cash gifts and pledges for specific projects of the Synod, Districts, colleges, and seminaries. It will develop lists of prospects, prepare appropniate materials for use in visits, train visitors in proper techniques, and coordinate, to the extent possible, visits to minimize competing requests to potential donors in any given time period. Colege and Seminary Resource Section The board has authorized the position of College and Seminary Resource Counselor and has asked that he work with representatives of each seminary to develop recommendations as to the organization and staffing needs of the section and the development departments of the seminaries, as well as propose policies and procedures necessary to implement the recom- mendations. The College and Seminary Resource Counselor is also responsible for coordinating and conducting all approved direct mail appeals for the U.S. seminaries. Open communi- cation will be maintained with college development officers and consulting services will be provided. Professional growth activities will be provided to college and seminary development staffs. * * x The Commission on Structure has reviewed the Continuity and Planning Study and the structure of the new Department of Stewardship and Financial Support. Although the study was thorough and the structure is responsive to the study and the convention action, the commission believes that the struc- ture should be refined. The Biblical principles of stewardship (the management of aChristian’s life and resources) must permeate al] programs of Christian giving. This can best be done if all stewardship and financial support activities are in one department. The com- mission has recommended to the Board of Directors that each of the key positions in this department should include the word “stewardship” in the title. This would help all to remember that the particular position must always work under the umbrella of total stewardship. The unit executive's title would then be changed from “Director of Stewardship and Financial Sup- port’ to “Stewardship Counselor.” Those directly responsible to him would carry the titles of Associate Stewardship Coun- selor. Possible titles would be Associate Stewardship Coun- selor—Education and Nurture, Associate Stewardship Coun- selor—Planned Giving. Associate Stewardship Counselor— Special Giving, and Associate Stewardship Counselor—Col- lege and Seminary Development. The commission recommends that a Council on Stew- ardship be created to advise the Board of Directors and the department in the area of financial support and to review for use by the department various stewardship education and nurture plans and materials developed by the department, Districts, or others. The Department of Stewardship and Financial Support is somewhat different than other units of theSynod. It isin some ways a program unit and in other ways a fundraising unit. It requires guidance in both of these areas. In areas of planned giving, special giving, and college and seminary development, this guidance must come from the Board of Directors. However, that board is not a program board, and its members are not elected for their program experience. The commission believes that a Council on Stewardship can best give the guidance required. The council would be comprised of a District Presi- dent and several pastors and laymen knowledgeable in the theology of stewardship and active in stewardship education and nurture activities. The unit executive of the department and his associate responsible for stewardship education and nurture together with one District stewardship executive would serve in an advisory capacity. The council itself would be advisory both to the Board of Directors and the Department of Stewardship and Financial Support. The following bylaw additions and changes are required to effect these recommendations: 2.721 Council on Stewardship a. There shall be a Council on Stewardship which shall assist the Board of Directors and the Depart- ment of Stewardship and Financial Support in devel- oping and approving programs, materials, and activities required in fulfilling their responsibilities as outlined in Chapter VII of these Bylaws. b. Membership. The Council on Stewardship shall consist of one District President selected by the Council of Presidents and two parish pastors and two laypersons knowledgeable in stewardship selected by the Board of Directors from a slate of candidates proposed by the President after consultation with the District Presidents. The unit executive of the De- partment of Stewardship and Financia] Support and his associate responsible for stewardship education and nurture, as well as one District stewardship executive selected by the Council of Presidents, shall serve in an advisory capacity. c. Functions. The Council on Stewardship shall— 1. review, evaluate, and recommend policies and