# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S50 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 50 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS Rocky Mountain 0 3 2 SELC 1 2 1 South Dakota 0 0 0 South Wisconsin 10 11 10 Southern Eastern 5 5 6 Southern Illinois 2 3 2 Southern 1 1 2 Texas 6 10 10 Wyoming 0 0 0 TOTAL 163 171* 178** Notes: *Three deaconesses serving in two positions and four waiting for the call. **One deaconess serving in two positions and four waiting for a call Recognized Service Organizations—Deaconess Dorothy Krans, Director “The granting of recognized service organization status by the Synod signifies that a service organization, while independent of the Synod, fosters the mission and ministry of the church, engages in program activity that is in harmony with the programs of the boards of the Synod, and respects and does not act contrary to the doctrine and practice of the Synod” (LCMS Bylaw 6.2.1). Information and statistics were gathered for the RSO Task Force working in fulfillment of Resolution 4–03B. Research was conducted on the history of social ministry in the LCMS and the progression of a formal recognition status of organizations with the LCMS. We currently have 186 RSOs providing a diversity of services from conception to end of life. The 186 organizations holding RSO status fall into the following categories: 14 camps, 7 campus ministry, 2 communication, 39 mission agencies, 10 education, and 114 social ministries. These organizations serve nationally and internationally and extend the mission and ministry of the LCMS by providing acts of Mercy, Witness, and Life Together. Since the Synod’s 2016 convention, 85 RSOs have received status, of which 18 were new organizations applying for RSO status and 67 were renewing RSOs. These organizations have continued to build up LCMS board membership, and the relationship between the organizations continues to strengthen as we promote our resources. 38 RSOs were either terminated, denied, or were asked to withdraw their applications for RSO status. The services and programs of the RSOs are promoted during presentations and through the quarterly RSO e-newsletter and other LCMS publications. We continue to network the RSOs with other ONM and OIM ministry areas and between the RSOs and other LCMS entities. Grants have been given to RSOs to provide leadership training, board development, assisting with their program areas and purchasing resource material. Bibles, devotional material, and other resource items have been purchased for use in numerous RSOs’ ministry areas. 2019 Convention Workbook Association and independent schools sit under the RSO department. There are currently 140 schools holding RSO status, with 18 schools being independent, 6 pan-Lutheran, and 116 being association schools. Seventy-six schools have had their RSO status renewed, and 8 new schools were granted RSO status. Four RSO schools withdrew their RSO status, and 8 RSO schools were dissolved, resulting in the termination of RSO status. As faith-based organizations, RSOs continue to face challenges with changes in federal and state law. These changes have an impact upon their religious rights of freedom and have a large impact upon their funding of programs and services. RSOs working in aging services are concerned with proposed laws dealing with the legalization of self-assisted suicide and euthanasia. The continued cutting of funding from Medicare and Medicaid has resulted in challenges for the organizations, especially in the areas of aging and disability ministry. The RSOs continue to support aging residents and other clients through benevolent care. RSOs strive to live out their Lutheran identity showing the mercy and compassion of Christ to the least of these, who are often seen as the undesired among us. RSOs provide a diversity of opportunities for LCMS members to express their love, compassion, and concern in meeting the needs of their neighbors. Disaster Response—Rev. Ross Johnson, Director Accomplishments over the Past Triennium During the last three years, we have had the privilege of providing guidance and counsel to congregations and districts following a number of very significant disasters—the largest being Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. We were on the ground within days of landfall, delivering equipment and gift cards and laying the groundwork for what has been our largest response since Hurricane Sandy, and Katrina before that. Our partnership with the Texas District and numerous congregations along the Gulf Coast led to the establishment of volunteer camps in the Corpus Christi area, the Beaumont/Port Arthur area, and two in the greater Houston area. Thousands of volunteers have generously given of their time and talent to help rebuild hundreds of homes in these hard-hit areas. Through January 2019, we have received $3,458,596.73 in donations restricted for Hurricane Harvey—only use and have spent over $3.3 million on Harvey alone. LCMS Disaster Response awarded grants to congregations for volunteer coordinator support, equipment/ tool purchases and building supplies and furniture purchases, among other things. We plan to continue partnering with the Texas District and local congregations via additional grants through the summer of 2020 as the work continues. Other major hurricanes to hit the United States during this time included Irma (Florida, 2017), Florence (the Carolinas, 2018), and Michael (Florida Panhandle, 2018). After each of these disasters, we partnered with the respective districts for appropriate responses, including the coordination of volunteers, provision of equipment/tools, and the distribution of building materials. As of January 2019, our response for these three hurricanes has totaled more than $910,000, and we intend on providing even further support to congregations and districts in response to Florence and Michael.