LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Sheet 367

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358 PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

5, Aid congregations to develop processes of thorough Christian
education and nurture and to establish agencies of Christian
education such as elementary and secondary schools;

6. Aid congregations by providing a variety of resources and
opportunities for recognizing, promoting, expressing, conserving,
and defending their confessional unity in the true faith;

7. Encourage congregations to strive for uniformity in church
practice, but also to develop an appreciation of a variety of respon-
sible practices and customs which are in harmony with our common
profession of faith;

8. Provide evangelical supervision, counsel, and care for pastors,
teachers, and other professional church workers of the Synod in the
performance of their official duties;

9. Provide protection for congregations, pastors, teachers, and
other church workers in the performance of their official duties and
the maintenance of their rights;

10. Aid in providing for the welfare of pastors, teachers, and
other church workers and their families in the event of illness,
disability, retirement, special need, or death.

Whether we are members of a local congregation, leaders of
a District, or officers and board members of the Synod, we are
Christians who work together in Christ and work together to
fulfill His purpose for us. We are one church, helping one
another achieve the mission God gives us.

I. Purpose of the Master Plan

At its 1979 convention the Synod resolved to “commit itself
to developing new methods for joint planning of the work of the
Synod and its Districts, so that new work can begin on a
priority basis, that present programs that may not meet the
needs of the Synod can be revised or terminated, that duplica-
tion between the Synod and its Districts can be minimized, and
that resources can be shared in such a way that cutbacks of
needed programs will not be required and the Challenges for
the ’80s can be met” (Proceedings, p. 169).

It further resolved to ‘authorize the development of a long-
term (10-year) integrated master plan for the Synod and its
Districts to define and describe the impact of the Challenge for
the ’80s, including the program and resource requirements
(priorities and resources such as people, locations, facilities,
and finances) that shall be coordinated with, but not limited to,
plans and programs of Districts, synodical boards and com-
missions, and that will result in the identification of the
organizations responsible for and accountable for practical
program implementation” (Proceedings, p. 168).

The Synod also agreed ‘‘that responsibility for developing
the overall master plan be vested in a planning group com-
posed of the Board of Directors, the Council of Presidents,
and the Council of Administrators; and that an executive
planning group consisting of three members each from the
Council of Presidents, the Board of Directors, and the Council
of Administrators (to be appointed by the chairmen of the
respective groups) shall be responsible for facilitating this
effort; they shall prepare background material, call meetings,
prepare agenda, and conduct other activities necessary to
assure the preparation and reporting of the master plan prior
to the 54th convention” (Proceedings, p. 168).

To carry out its assignment, the Executive Planning Group
decided to review the major goals of synodical boards and
commissions, as well as local congregations. These goals had
to be viewed in relation to long-term trends, both within the
church and in the broader national and international context.
Finally, these goals had to be related to each other and the
overall ministry of the Synod.

Top priority was given to the task of developing long-range
plans. Time did not allow the planning group to establish
short-range priorities and address immediate findings regard-
ing current duplications or conflicts to the responsible boards,
commissions, or Districts of the Synod. Effort was devoted
primarily to the shaping of the master plan for the future.

Through its early deliberations the EPG settled on the
principal components of a master plan:

1. It should be a guide based on the most accurate informa-
tion available.

2. It should be flexible, to allow change as necessary.

3. It should promote a rational flow of planning activities
through:

a. A comprehensive framework through which one part
may properly relate to all others and the whole;

b. A disciplined framework through which to proceed with
precision and a proper regard for priorities;

c. A projective framwork through which to achieve a better
relationship between the goals of the LCMS and the
systems used to realize them.

4. It should invite a maximum number of elected leaders in
the congregations and Districts of the Synod to provide
responsible input into the decision-making process.

5. It should identify the program work of the Synod and its
Districts with related planning units in order that each such
unit may develop recommendations on program revisions and
priorities in its area.

6. It should enable the Council of Presidents, Board of
Directors, and Council of Administrators to:

a. Identify priority ministries for the Synod; and

b. Suggest those specific priorities and program changes
which will help the Synod in convention to meet the
challenges of the 1980s with a prudent use of resources
and a minimum of duplication of effort.

II. The Development of a Planning Process

The following related planning units were identified as an
effective way for the Synod to coordinate its planning:

1. World Missions

The Board for Missions through its staff assumes the lead
in establishing priorities, based on periodic world missions
planning consultations and protocol/operating agreements
negotiated with partner churches, as well as on consultations
with World Relief. Recommended priorities are discussed with
Districts.

2. North American Missions

The appropriate board in each District develops the mission
priorities of its District, including the work of local congrega-
tions that plan to help organize and fund daughter congrega-
tions. The priorities of Districts and the Synod are mutually
agreed upon by representatives of the appropriate District and
synodical boards in consultation with the Lutheran Council in
the U.S.A. and the Synod’s boards for evangelism, social
ministry, and church extension.

3. Higher Education

BHE through its staff will establish priorities based on
periodic individual and joint conferences with colleges and
seminaries.

4. Parish Services

Parish Services includes the five basic functions of the local
parish: worship, education, witness, service, and support. The
appropriate District boards establish goals on a priority basis
within the District. Combined District/Synod goals are
developed by a representative or staff member of each such
board working with staff members representing the Synod’s
Board of Parish Education, Board of Youth Ministry, Board for
Evangelism, Board of Social Ministry, Board of Stewardship,
Commission for Services to the Mentally Retarded, Commis-
sion on Worship, and Board for Public Relations.

5. Communications

Communications is here defined as the process by which the
LCMS speaks of the relevance of the Gospel for North America
and the world and relates the program news of the church body
both internally to its own members and externally to others in
our society. Board and/or staff representatives of the Board for
Public Relations, the Editorial Commission for Official Period-
icals (ECOP) (Witness/ Reporter), and KFUO, in cooperation
with other appropriate representatives of the Synod, its Dis-
tricts, and its auxiliaries, are to establish the combined
District/Synod communication priorities.

6. Program Administration, Finance,
and Support Services

The Synod’s Board of Directors and President establish