# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S208 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 208 PROGRAM AND FINANCE Organizations, Social Ministry Organizations, etc.) and all its sources for funding (congregational offerings, individual donations, fees, sales, grants, bequests, endowment income, etc.); and be it further Resolved, That as part of this new system a Common Ministries Fund be established that will enable the operations of the ecclesi- astical, communications, and administrative activities currently re- quired by the Synod, as well as payment of the Concordia Univer- sity System debt until it is eliminated; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod’s new Common Ministries Fund be designated to apply to the following common-good functions: Administration President’s Office Vice President of Finance Board of Directors—Chief Administrative Office Office of Secretary Historical Institute Audit Convention Legal Tax Concordia University System National Debt Ecclesiastical Commission on Constitution Matters Council of Presidents Commission on Ministerial Growth and Support Commission on Theology and Church Relations Doctrinal Review Structure Worship Dispute Resolution Rosters and Statistics Communications Witness and REPORTER Web National Public Relations; and be it further Resolved, That these Common Ministries be funded by a fair- share assessment from all synodical entities and agencies according to a fair-share formula revised annually by the LCMS Board of Di- rectors in consultation and mutual concurrence with the Council of Presidents, and communicated at least six months in advance to all synodical entities; and be it further Resolved, The fair-share formula for congregational offerings from Districts to the Synod be calculated by the number of voting del- egates a District sends to the national convention; and be it further Resolved, That the national program boards of Missions, Higher Education, Human Care, Black Ministry, and District and Congre- gational Services, as well as District activities and those of the sem- inaries and universities (except for their national debt payments), and all other synodical entities and agencies shall be funded from the designated congregational and individual gifts, fees, grants, and other sources after the common ministry fair-share needs of each entity are met; and be it further Resolved, That all agencies of the Synod disclose in their donor solicitations and development activities that a portion of donor gifts will go to the Common Ministry Fund of the Synod (unless granted an exception by the LCMS Board of Directors); and be it further Resolved, That the following schedule be used to fully imple- ment this systemwide proposal: BY JANUARY 2005 ¢ Incorporate this proposal, including all necessary changes brought to bear on all synodical entities, into our Handbook, with revisions made through the Commission on Structure. ¢ Establish a Common Ministry Funding Task Force consisting of three people appointed by the LCMS Board of Directors, three people by the Council of Presidents, and a team leader appointed by the Synod President to manage the implementation of this proposal. * Have all Districts move towards full funding of their fair share, and that those Districts contributing already above their fair-share assess- ment be encouraged to designate some of these extra funds as they deem appropriate to assist other Districts who cannot meet their fair- share as quickly. * Have the Districts and the LCMS Foundation together develop a com- prehensive development plan to increase unrestricted and restricted income from both congregations and individuals for key and/or strate- gic ministry areas. * Begin assessing Recognized Service Organizations/Social Ministry Organizations for their annual fair-share fees. BY 2007 CONVENTION * The Common Ministry Funding team reports to the Synod with sug- gestions for improvement or adjustment. ¢ The Board of Directors and Council of Presidents report to the con- vention on the expected Common Ministry Fund needs of the Synod for the next triennium; and be it finally Resolved, That this resolution be sent as a memorial to the 2004 LCMS convention. Mid-South District 4-04 To Increase Percentage of Mission Funding WHEREAS, The LCMS in its Confessions has been blessed with purity and clarity regarding the Gospel of justification by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and has sought to share this message with the world, especially through North American and world mis- sions; and WHEREAS, The LCMS has historically been a leader in mission work; and WHEREAS, The LCMS has cut its support of world and North American missions by millions of dollars in recent years with the result that whole departments have been cut, missionaries recalled, and significant staff reductions have been made; and WHEREAS, There are increasing opportunities for mission work in North America and the world; therefore be it Resolved, That the LCMS, in convention, increase for the next triennium, on a yearly basis, the percentage of its unrestricted monies and gifts (given through Districts and by individuals) de- voted to the planting of new missions and the revitalizing and rein- stating of missions in North America and the world. Board of Directors English District 4-05 To Increase Percentage of District Receipts Sent to Synod Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has experi- enced large budget shortfalls in recent years, as evidenced by the elimination of all subsidy for synodical colleges in 2002 and the recalling of 28 missionaries from mission fields in 2003; and Wuereas, The Synod has divided itself into Districts in order to carry out its objectives more effectively; and WHEREAS, The percentage of District receipts from congrega- tions for missions which the Districts send on to the Synod has been declining for decades; and WHEREAS, The need to educate church workers and to send them into mission fields is as great as ever, even as the synodical funding for these ministries has been declining; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod request all its Districts to increase the percentage of their unrestricted gifts which they send to the Synod; and be it further