# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S36
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

36

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
seminary was essentially a total loss and on the verge
of closing completely. After assessing the damage,
we quickly worked to put in place a multi-stage plan
that has included (to date) the rebuilding of the
kitchen, library, classrooms, chapel, and several other
structures. We also helped with putting into place
an effective mitigation system to lessen the impact
of future storms. Future stages include the dormitories and others. It has been a blessed relationship
that highlights the wonderful work that we’re able
to do when all parties work together for the sake of
the Gospel. To date, our response in India has been
roughly $343,000.
••

Other disasters that we responded to, in person,
include mudslides in Sierra Leone, earthquakes in
Mexico, fires in Chile, and a volcano in Guatemala.
Additionally, we responded to numerous other
disasters via our grant process and counsel provided
through email, Zoom, and other forms of communication.

Missionary Services—Mr. Kendall Cortright,
Director
Past Triennium Major Accomplishments
The Missionary Services department, comprised of three
full-time staff, provides care and support to LCMS missionaries
and their accompanying family members. With a smaller team
caring for over 100 missionaries, the department has striven for
effectiveness, efficiency, and fiscal responsibility. Some of the
major initiatives include the following:
••

Missionary Training. Missionary Services has drastically improved Missionary Orientation and Doxology
over the last three years by reducing costs significantly, adjusting content, and making even better use of
the time. This was accomplished through a number
of initiatives, especially in splitting orientation into
two separate weeks so that content was better absorbed and retained.

••

Implementation of New Technologies. With a smaller
Missionary Services team, the department has had to
look into ways to create more efficiency with less personnel. New technologies have recently been and still
are being implemented, such as Office 365, Zoom,
and Expensify. Implementing such technologies has
saved thousands of hours, to the point of even freeing up staffing positions to take on entirely new tasks
that were unable to be done previously.

••

Collaboration. More than ever before, because of new
technologies, the Missionary Services department has
been able to collaborate with our missionaries and
offices in the field. Such collaboration has drastically
improved the flow of information, allowing for both
to work more efficiently and effectively.

Plans for the Next Triennium
Training and preparedness (including theological education)
••

Over the next three years, we intend to host/lead
multiple yearly conferences on Disaster Preparedness
with the same goal as our previous conferences. In an
effort to efficiently use our resources, many of these
will be incorporated into other conferences as an additional day or two for attendees.

••

We do not currently have plans for another International Disaster Response Conference here in the
states. However, we plan on leading a yearly conference to be held in each of the regions. This will allow
a greater number of international church partners
to participate, as well as our missionary staff. This
will help foster relationships, allow a greater number
of local church leaders to attend, and provide for
an even more efficient response when a response is
necessary.
In response to natural and manmade disasters
••

Our goal over the next three years is to maintain a
rapid engagement of international partners (LCMS
and other Lutherans), regional staff, and missionaries
on the ground to deploy to regions if necessary. Our
ability to assist in the development and implementation of Disaster Response plans greatly increases
our efficiency and ultimately provides for a greater
stewardship of the resources available.

••

We also intend to continue providing grants to our
partner churches to help build their capacity and effectiveness ($400,000 budgeted)

••

Our response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
will also continue for an additional 2 years while
our response to the typhoon that hit the seminary in
Nagercoil India will continue for 1–2 years.

2019 Convention Workbook

Future Triennium Goals
The Missionary Services department aims to heavily build
upon its recent accomplishments. Here are some of the major
goals for the next triennium:
••

Mastery of New Technologies. With the recent implementation of new technologies, Missionary Services
hopes to continue to build upon these achievements
and implement these technologies to the fullest. Doing this will assist with streamlining and automate
processes. The hope is that additional time will be
saved so that staff can devote their efforts to caring
for missionaries even more than before.

••

Safety and Security. With positions being freed up
from handling manual processes, we hope to give
even more attention to the safety and security of our
missionaries and their families. This will begin with
hiring a full-time Director of Safety and Security,
who will be able to help in training and implementing
safety precautions for all of our field personnel.

••

Expanded Partnerships. As part of the overall goal of
caring for our missionaries and their families, Missionary Services hopes to develop and foster relationships with local top-of-the-line medical facilities that