# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2001_S13 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) SYNODICAL REPORTS 13 R1-8-01 Action Group for Recruitment and Retention of Professional Church Workers Recognizing a growing gap between the number of pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers needed in the Synod and those actually available, in the year 2000 President A. L. Barry appointed an Action Group for Recruitment and Retention of Professional Church Workers. His intention was not to establish a task force to study the problem and report on its dimensions, since recent research on this subject is available. Instead, the Pres- ident determined to gather people in a position to be links with boards, commissions, and others within the Synod whose potential impact on recruitment and retention would be optimized, with their efforts strategically drawn together in accord with overarching plans. The following are the members of the Action Group: ¢ The Rev. Dr. Kar] L. Barth, President Emeritus, Concordia Sem- inary, St. Louis, chairman * The Rev. Dr. Alan Borcherding, Director of University Educa- tion, Board for Higher Education ¢ Mrs. Judy Christian, Director of Child Ministry, Board for Con- gregational Services ¢ The Rev. Dr. Bryant Clancy, Executive Director, Board for Black Ministry ¢ The Rev. Terry Dittmer, Interim Director of Youth Ministry, Board for Congregational Services * The Rev. Roger Gallup, Pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, River Grove, IL, and Vice-Chairman of the Synod’s Commission for Ministerial Growth and Support ¢ The Rev. Dr. L. Dean Hempelmann, Director of Pastoral Educa- tion, Board for Higher Education ¢ Mr. Dan Leeman, J.D., Executive Director, Worker Benefit Plans * The Rev. Jeff Miller, Senior Vice-President, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri Synod ¢ The Rev. Dr. Arthur Scherer, President, Southeastern District * Dr. Ross Stueber, Interim Director of School Ministry, Board for Congregational Services President Barry and Chief Administrative Officer Brad Hewitt have also met with the Action Group. The Rev. Dr. Ken Schurb provides staff support. The Action Group met for the first time in August 2000. To date it has had three plenary meetings and one subcommittee meeting. The Action Group has concluded that it would be desirable to im- plement a process whereby potential church professionals could be identified within congregations on an annual basis in a high-pro- file synodical effort. In addition, it has received significant input on valuable work done by the Commission for Ministerial] Growth and Support (e.g., the PALS program) which is in dire need of fur- ther funding. It also heard reports on conversations within the Council of Presidents concerning retention-related subjects and var- ious recruitment efforts carried out around the Synod. At its February meeting, the Action Group observed that within the Synod at the national level, responsibility for recruitment falls mainly to the Board for Higher Education and the various institu- tions of higher education, the Board for Congregational Services, the Board for Black Ministry, and the Council of Presidents. Re- sponsibility for retention rests mainly with the Board for Congre- gational Services, the Board for Human Care Ministries, the Com- mission for Ministerial Growth and Support, Worker Benefit Plans, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri Synod, and the Council of Presidents. The Action Group’s tentative plans include an extensive effort at the congregational level, where recruitment must primarily take place; production of a video to assist congre- gations in their support of their professional church workers; and the preparation of materials for the workers’ devotional life and for strengthening peer relationships. The Action Group is moving to- ward an overall plan and funding proposal, which will probably be finalized prior to the convention in July 2001. Karl L. Barth, Chairman R1-8-02 Advisory Council on Retirement Planning and Financial Education Res. 4-03, adopted at the 1998 synodical convention, endorsed the report of the Financial Aid Task Force, which asked various synodical entities to implement plausible solutions to the inadequate funding of retirement benefits for individuals under the Synod’s Pension Plan for Pastors and Teachers (PPPT) and the increasing level of debt of many of our Synod’s professional church workers. These entities were also asked to report their efforts at implementation to the synodical President. Representatives from the following synodical entities have met several times and developed a comprehensive, nationwide retirement planning and financial education program for our Synod, which will provide a long-term resolution to these issues versus a short-term fix: Worker Benefit Plans; Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF); LCMS Foundation (Stewardship Ministry and Estate/Gift Planning); Board for Higher Education and Concordia University System; Board for Human Care Ministries; Commission on Ministerial Growth and Support; Institute for Christian Financial Management (Concordia University Wisconsin). The primary target outcome was identified as this: “Church workers will manage their finances in a God-pleasing way so that their lives are more joyful and they are freed for exemplary ministry and service.” Together this group is working to give a singular voice in collaborative development of retirement planning and financial education programs for church workers and church-work students, with an added congregational finances/stewardship education program being assembled for pastors and lay leaders of the LCMS. Therefore, in response to specific suggestions in Res. 4-03, together with the desired outcome to establish a long-term solution to financial concerns of our workers and retirees, the following have been or will be achieved by each of the above- referenced organizations: Worker Benefit Plans (WBP) * Letters were sent to all beneficiaries of the Pension Plan for Pas- tors and Teachers, making them aware of the Support Program that is available to assist retirees and surviving dependents who have demonstrated financial need but have minimal or no access to other assistance. ¢ Letters, together with a supply of Support Program brochures, were sent to each of the District Presidents, encouraging them to share with their Circuit Counselors, etc., in an effort to “market” this program quietly but effectively to needy LCMS retirees, their surviving spouses, or their disabled dependents. ¢ An article, explaining the details of the Support Program, was published in the quarterly newsletter “Benefit Plans Bulletin,” which reaches 28,000 enrolled workers and 9,000 retirees. ¢ Various avenues are currently being explored in order to estab- lish a benefit flow stream of money that will be required over the ensuing years to adequately fund and provide for the financial support of retirees or widowed spouses under the PPPT. 2001 Convention Workbook