# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2023_S11 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS • Published educational resources on physician-assisted suicide (2019 Res. 11-06A). • Created a new volunteer portal, lcms-life.org, to share opportunities for Lutherans to participate in advocacy events such as marches for life, human-care efforts, and education events. Trained district coordinators to utilize the volunteer portal for district events offered to congregations. • • In collaboration with the Office of International Mission (OIM) Latin America Caribbean (LAC) region, developed print and video resources in Spanish that have been freely shared in the LAC region and through ONM Hispanic Ministry. Administered the Million Dollar Life Match grant program, which has awarded 85 grants across 28 districts, totaling $533,736, during phases 1 and 2. This grant program supports local pro-life efforts with emphasis on beginning-oflife needs. and inclusion employee policies that are in conflict with Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. A.7. Stewardship Ministry By working with the districts of the Synod, LCMS Stewardship Ministry helps pastors and congregations teach the Word of God regarding one aspect of Christian sanctification: imitating God in sacrificial generosity. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Held stewardship workshops. Pastors and lay leaders gathered at the circuit, bi-circuit, or regional level to learn the theological foundations and the practical implementation of faithful stewardship. • Held Generational Generosity workshops. Many of our congregations serve in demographically challenging areas that have a real impact on the financial health of the churches. Our Generational Generosity workshops help pastors and lay leaders understand the demographic landscape around them and how to make faithful stewardship plans in response. • Provide online resources. We maintain a curated collection of stewardship resources at our website (lcms.org/stewardship) for the entire Synod to utilize. All resources are provided free of charge, and we are continually looking for new resources. Plans for the Next Triennium Assist the districts in mobilizing congregations for expanded mercy efforts performed in close proximity to Word and Sacrament ministry to support families experiencing life challenges. • • Create new educational modules on the Making Disciples for Life online Learning Management System. • Create suicide-prevention resources and training for rostered church workers and congregational lay leaders. A.6. Specialized Pastoral Ministry Specialized Pastoral Ministry (SPM) provides ecclesiastical endorsement and professional support for LCMS rostered church workers who bring the love of Christ through compassionate spiritual care to individuals in hospitals and health-care facilities; long-term-care facilities; prisons; law-enforcement, fire, and rescue agencies; disaster response; and workplaces. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Offered two conferences for church workers. • Provided a prison ministry outreach program to distribute Lutheran print materials to inmates in collaboration with the Southern Illinois District and RSOs. • Provided training scholarships for rostered church workers to participate in clinical pastoral education. • Offered ecclesiastical endorsements for rostered church workers. • Gave out the Henry Wind Award in 2023 for outstanding leadership in SPM to the Rev. Derek Wolter, the Rev. David Ficken, and Mr. Don Sundene. Plans for the Next Triennium • Expand the pilot program of Lutheran Spiritual Care Training. • Facilitate opportunities for faithful service within RSOs and organizations where policies and practice support church workers’ confession of Holy Scripture and their Lutheran identity. LCMS rostered church workers serving in SPM who are employed by independent health-care institutions and other government- or private-funded organizations are increasingly being pressured to commit to diversity, equity, 11 Plans for the Next Triennium A.8. Worker Well-Being The fifth mission priority of the LCMS is to promote and nurture the spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical well-being of pastors and professional church workers. ONM staff collaborated with Concordia Plan Services, RSOs, and LCEF through provision of special pandemic funds. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the worker well-being efforts to focus on crisis care. In spring 2020, programs were developed by ONM and the districts to provide care via phone calls and Zoom. • Worker pandemic respite retreats were started in the summer of 2020. Online supportive small groups were offered during the summer and fall of 2020. ONM also provided financial support for district-worker wellness programs. • ONM and Concordia Plan Services provide leadership for the Ministerial Care Coalition, made up of district-appointed representatives to exchange information and further best practices to care for church workers. Plans for the Next Triennium • ONM will further develop a Worker Well-Being Alliance group that will collaborate to determine strategies and resources for the Synod, her entities, and districts to care for workers and increase their spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical well-being, allowing them to continue serving in the Church’s ministry. Finally, within Worker Well-Being, two ONM programs work through the districts to provide emergency financial support and pastoral care for LCMS church workers. 2023 Convention Workbook