# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S48
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

48

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

Please see www.lcms.org/spm for additional description. Operational highlights of the past triennium include the following:

Specialized Pastoral Ministry (SPM)
1.

Ecclesiastical Endorsements
•• 11 SPM (10 institutional chaplains; 1 pastoral
counselor)
•• 3 ESC
•• 7 time-limited (one-year)
•• Started conducting endorsements consultations
online via Zoom.

2.

SPM Educational Events
•• Six offered around the country with average attendance of 41

3.

Board for National Mission Calls

4.

Recruitment
•• Self-Assessment Inventory is on the unit’s web-

10. COP Policy 7.3.3, Endorsement and Specialization
Ministry (regarding roster status of workers in SPM):
worked with the Synod Secretary to obtain active
roster status for those in SPM recognized by district
presidents. Consequently, the Council of Presidents
has declared that the word “endorsement” as used in
Bylaw 2.11.1 (i) shall mean “an ecclesiastical statement acknowledging that the position to be filled is
a Word or Word and Sacrament ministry, in which
a member of the Synod can actively carry out the
ministry for which he (she) has been ordained (commissioned).”
11. Pastoral Care and Mentoring of many colleagues in
ministry
12. Informed Synod about ministry outside the walls
of the local parish and give examples of vocational
opportunities to serve outside of the parish providing
“human care in close proximity to Word and Sacrament.” See February 2019 issue of The Lutheran
Witness, “More Than a Nicety.”

Worker Wellness
1.

In 2017, gave a synodwide needs-assessment survey
of ordained and commissioned ministers, with 917
completed and returned surveys for a 95 percent reliability rating.

2.

Worker Wellness Action Group (WWAG) formed
with seven active partners: ONM, Council of Presidents (COP), Concordia Plan Services, LCEF, LCMS
PED, CUS, and Lutheran Federal Credit Union.

3.

New webpage launched with resources in eight categories of wellness: Spiritual, emotional, relational,
vocational, physical, intellectual, financial, and
congregational at www.lcms.org/wellness.

4.

Held focus groups (the focus being resources and
solutions to improving the care of workers and families) with a projected total of over 250 ordained and
commissioned ministers and spouses participating
from around the country and representing various
ministry contexts. The results will be shared with the
partners as well as Synod.

5.

Held focus groups with international missionaries
and spouses (anticipated participation: 30 missionaries and 30 spouses).

6.

COP met in seven break-out focus groups.

7.

52 devotions have been written to address wellness
concerns in all eight categories of wellness and have
been made available on the web and will be published
electronically and in paperback.

8.

A theology of well-being was written for each of
the eight categories of wellness, and plans are being
made for publication.

9.

Worker wellness has been promoted in The Reporter
as well as on Synod’s website and will be highlighted
on the 2019 Convention delegates’ lanyards.

page at www.lcms.org/spm
5.

Disaster Response Chaplaincy Deployment—upon
request by district president
•• March 2018—Wateska, IL, flood
•• February 2018—Marathon, FL, hurricane
•• November 2018—Panama City, FL, hurricane

6.

Training Scholarships
•• 4 grants in 2016, totaling $1,950
•• 5 grants in 2017, totaling $2,450
•• 5 grants in 2018, totaling $2,600

7.

Prison and Jail Ministry
•• District Coordinators’ Conference
•• Synod Prison and Jail Ministry Conference cosponsored with SID Prison and Jail Ministry Task
Force
•• Prison Ministry Handbook updated
•• Eight “jump started” grants were issued from SID
with support from Synod’s coordinator

8.

Electronic (Zoom) Clinical Pastoral Education (25
weeks) in conjunction with Lutheran Senior Services
CPE Center—three pastors; two deaconesses

9.

First Henry F. Wind Award given for outstanding
leadership in SPM—Rev. Milton Stohs

2019 Convention Workbook