# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S69
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Further, we have amplified, through compelling imagery,
our disaster, mercy, and international ministry work centered
on the mission priorities of the LCMS; created a robust infrastructure of archived photography; and continued to teach new
missionaries visual literacy for their ongoing work in the mission field.
Over the past two triennia, we have photographically documented several hundred stories from America and around the
world in our multiple publications. Today, our photo archive
contains more than 20,000 color-corrected, high-resolution,
curated photographs for our publications and other purposes.

Video Services (videos now available on the
Global Content Feed, YouTube and Vimeo—
https://blogs.lcms.org/category/resources/multimedia/
video/)
As alluded to earlier, by producing stunning mini-documentaries, we celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in ways that enhanced national and global awareness
of Martin Luther and the Reformation and helped the LCMS
expand its audience. Using museum pieces from “Martin Luther: Art and the Reformation,” President Harrison shared
thought-provoking and important facts about the Reformation
contained within 20 video episodes.
In addition, our two-person video team produced a twopart documentary titled “The Luther Mile,” in which President
Harrison narrated a tour of historic Reformation sites. Along
with historical facts, he provided informative anecdotes during
this fascinating walking tour of Lutherstadt, Wittenberg, Germany.
Our Reformation video content garnered more than
300,000 individual views.
On multiple occasions, our video team provided disaster
video news coverage that included the use of our 4K aerial drone
flown by our FAA-certified remote pilot/cinematographer.
Working with ministry leaders and in collaboration with
the department’s Production Unit and others, Video Services
wrote, edited, designed, and produced comprehensive video
content involving video modules, printed and digital manuals,
and PowerPoint slides. Examples include “Preach the Word,”
PALS, and exclusive video content for the online edition of
Lutherans Engage the World. Further, the team prepared the
monthly video content for the “Life Together Digest.”

Expanded Video Archive—video.lcms.org
Since 2016, our video team, led by an experienced broadcast television producer/director, has gathered video footage
from across the globe to produce all manner of videos—documentaries, live-streaming, webinars, missionary biographies,
disaster response, marketing, curriculum, training, interviews,
and news—that help to shape and tell the stories of our collective work, making a strong case for its support.
••

141 video productions, exceeding 3,000 minutes, or
50-plus hours, have been produced and uploaded to
our YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook channels since
July 2016.

••

Combined “viewing time” exceeds 10,000 hours.

••

Our strongest demographic is men aged 25–34, an
encouraging and desirable core of young viewership.

••

69

Our top five viewing countries: United States, United
Kingdom, Canada, India, Germany.

New resource development: In mid-2018, the video team
moved into a larger and much more efficient studio space in the
International Center.

Support for MADV, Donors, and Disaster
Response
The COMMS department, while not housing a distinct
area (like Video or Editorial, for example) for the support of
MADV, donors, and disaster response, nevertheless contributes
importantly to the fundraising and disaster-response efforts of
the church.
In terms of donor support, we, in collaboration with
MADV:
••

Encourage positive donor responses and relationships, not least through the publication of Lutherans
Engage the World, which highlights witness and
mercy projects accomplished through the generosity
of donor gifts.

••

Assist in the writing and editing of appeal letters and
e-blasts.

••

Create materials (brochures, fliers, bulletin inserts,
case statements, photos, videos, infographics, posters,
social media postings) that promote special projects.

As for disaster response—helping to raise mercy dollars for
those stricken by calamities—we work with LCMS Disaster Response and MADV to:
••

Tell the stories of the Synod’s response to these catastrophes, which were legion during the past triennium:
floods, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes,
volcanoes, mudslides, church fires, and roof collapses.

••

Send members of our staff to disaster zones and
debris fields to gather assets for our reporting: story
content, interviews, photos, videos, audio, and live
postings on social media.

Future Plans
Build a network of LCMS communicators
In an era of fast-evolving communication technologies
and the growing challenge of being heard amid the cacophony
of other media stimuli, we aim to intentionally connect with
communicators in LCMS districts, colleges and universities,
seminaries, and partner church bodies to foster a network that
shares and encourages best practices through:
••

Direct and regular contact and consultation, the
exchange of story ideas and, if financially feasible,
by …

••

Hosting a biennial communicators’ conference for
district, schools, and partner church communicators to collectively strengthen and sharpen our skills
and effectiveness. It makes sense for communicators
throughout the Synod to work more collaboratively.

Multimedia-shareable stories
No longer is it enough, in many cases, to provide a single
2019 Convention Workbook