# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2010_S163
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

District and Congregational Services
Whereas, The LCMS has 2.3 million members and 270,000 students enrolled in 1,406 early childhood centers, 986 elementary
schools, and 108 high schools; and
Whereas, The church exists in a mission field with great opportunities to reach out to the unchurched students in our schools, with
approximately 3,000 unchurched children baptized every year as a
result of attending a Lutheran school; and
Whereas, While the future of our Lutheran schools is ultimately
in God’s hands, our schools need access to print and online resources,
training, conferences, workshops, and networking in the areas of
leadership development, accreditation, funding, and reaching the
unchurched (17 percent of students have no church membership) in
order that, through the school, all students are equipped as disciples
of Jesus Christ; and
Whereas, The School Ministry Department of District and
Congregational Services (DCS) currently functions at the national
level on behalf of the 35 districts, 6,123 congregations, and 2,500
schools to provide print and online resources, training, conferences, workshops, and networking, including the Lutheran School
Portal, National Lutheran School Accreditation, National Lutheran
Schools Week, Strengthening Schools and Congregations, and School
Leadership Development Project; and
Whereas, LCMS districts, congregations, and schools benefit
from the national advocacy and voice for the students in the schools
of our church that DCS School Ministry currently provides; therefore be it
Resolved, That DCS School Ministry be commended for the print
and online resources, training, conferences, workshops, and networking currently available to districts, congregations, and schools of the
Synod; and be it further
Resolved, That DCS School Ministry be adequately funded and
appropriately staffed at the national level in order that print and online
resources, training, conferences, workshops, and networking continue
to be available to districts, congregations, and schools of the Synod.
Board for District and Congregational Services
2-25

To Continue Stewardship Ministry for Districts
and Congregations
Whereas, God desires all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:3–4); and
Whereas, God has called upon His people to be Christian stewards (1 Peter 4:10; 1 Thess. 3:9–13; James 2:14–18); and

163

Whereas, The church is to assist God’s people in becoming
mature disciples by teaching biblical stewardship (Eph. 3:14–19;
Eph. 4:22–24; Col. 3:12–17); and
Whereas, The LCMS has 2.3 million members in 35 districts and
6,123 congregations; and
Whereas, The Blue Ribbon Task Force for Funding the Mission
identified a significant need in the Synod to “strengthen the areas of
stewardship in the life of every Christian within our church body”;
and
Whereas, “Enhanced focus on the stewardship of time, talent and
treasure” is one of the three critical targets of the Synod; and
Whereas, While the future of our districts and congregations
is ultimately in God’s hands, they need access to print and online
resources, training, conferences, workshops, and networking so that
every member of every congregation is helped to understand and live
out the fact that they are God’s stewards by His grace, free to live as
His disciples, and free to manage the gifts He entrusts to them with
joy and generosity, so that God’s purposes are accomplished and His
mission enhanced; and
W hereas , The Stewardship Department of District and
Congregational Services (DCS) functions at the national level on
behalf of the 35 districts and 6,123 congregations to provide print and
online resources, training, conferences, workshops, and networking
that embrace a “whole life” stewardship approach, including: Faith
Aflame: 360 Degrees, Consecrated Stewards (LCEF), Congregational
Stewardship Workbook, StewardCAST, video resources, stewardship
newsletters, bulletin resources, monthly newsletter articles, and stewardship materials for seminarians, as well as training and instructing
for pastors and vicars on implementing Faith Aflame: 360 Degrees
in their congregations; and
Whereas, The districts and congregations of the Synod benefit
from the national advocacy and voice for biblical stewardship in our
churches that DCS Stewardship Ministry currently provides; therefore be it
Resolved, That DCS Stewardship Ministry be commended for
the print and online resources, training, conferences, workshops, and
networking currently available to districts and congregations of the
Synod; and be it further
Resolved, That DCS Stewardship Ministry be adequately funded
and appropriately staffed at the national level in order that print and
online resources, training, conferences, workshops, and networking continue to be available to the districts and congregations of the
Synod.
Board for District and Congregational Services

2010 Convention Workbook

2010 Convention.indb 163

4/15/10 2:39 PM