LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 139

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ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION 139

Overview

The Department of Stewardship and Financial Support
accepts responsibility for implementing and coordinating a
stewardship program that enables members of congregations
to understand more clearly the Scriptural concept of steward-
ship. The department provides management and helps for
thorough study of the Word so that moved by it, and it alone,
members will prayerfully employ their time, talent, and treas-
ure in a God-pleasing manner. This includes assistance in
stewardship and development to Districts, congregations, and
individuals as well as to all commissions, boards, committees,
colleges, and seminaries listed in the Lutheran Annual. It also
involves the solicitation of deferred and special gifts for
mission and ministry, coordination of development activities
throughout the Synod, and special assistance to seminaries
and colleges in their development programs.

1. Stewardship Section

This section of the department is responsible for developing
and implementing Gospel-based stewardship programs to
increase the stewardship consciousness of God’s people. This
includes preparation, distribution and coordination of plans,
programs, and materials. It will also review all planned giving,
special giving, and other programs of the department to ensure
proper stewardship theology in all programs and materials.

Currently, the new department is in the initial stages of
developing new Gospel-based stewardship materials for use by
Districts and congregations. Regarding material preparation,
the philosophy of the department will be to draw upon the skills
and writing talents of District stewardship executives and
other District and congregation leaders. It is believed the
department can best serve by being a broker and distributor of
materials—with the developing and writing accomplished by
others. Bible class and other study materials will be an
important aspect of the work.

Through all these efforts members, congregations, Districts,
and the Synod will be encouraged to be responsible stewards of
the time, talents, and treasures the Lord has provided.

Rev. Roy Bleick heads the stewardship section as steward-
ship counselor. He is assisted by Rev. Arnold Soeldner, Rev.
Vince Larson, Mr. David Strand, Mr. Gerhard Kamprath, and
Mr. Mark Marshall. Others will soon be joining the steward-
ship staff.

Other functions performed by the stewardship section
include:

—Stewardship Field Staff, who are deployed on a regional
basis. At the request of and in coordination with District
leadership, these men will implement stewardship nur-
ture efforts and programs to benefit congregations and
their members. The corporate stewardship program, semi-
nars, and training events will beimportant aspects of this
activity. These men will be involved in the District: Synod
Joint Planning Session meetings and also serve as
liaison between Districts and the Synod.

—Project Coordinators, who at the request of Districts plan,
implement, and conduct the special Districtwide steward-
ship program—an intensive 12-month educational pro-
gram designed to lead God’s people into a study of His
Word, increase their stewardship consciousness, provide
the motive force to enable them to respond to His bless-
ings, and increase the resources available for congre-
gations, Districts, and the Synod.

The project coordinator relates closely to District
leadership, such as the District President and steward-
ship executive, and works with them in developing an
emphasis consistent with the traditions and stewardship
level of the District to ensure that its special requirements
and needs are met.

The Nebraska District conducted this special effort as

1 a pilot program during 1982. Approximately 55 percent of
the congregations participated and reported encouraging
results and increases in Sunday worship, at the Lord's

i table, and in a clearer understanding of how to use all His

i material blessings to advance the Kingdom.

; In 1983 three additional Districts are involved: Texas,

Mid-South, and Southern Illinois. Other Districts intend
to implement the program in 1984.

—Mission Education activity has as its function the com-
munication of the Synod’s activity in missions to Dis-
tricts, congregations, and their people. This includes
North American missions as well as overseas. This effort
is coordinated with the Districts, the Board for Com-
munication Services, and the Board for Mission Services.

—The District/Synod Joint Planning Sessions seek to
develop a closer working relationship and to improve the
spirit of ‘walking together” between District and Synod.
Personal visits are made to each District to learn its short-
and long-term priorities, the process of establishing its
work program and District budget, and its plans to lead
God’s people into the Word. The Synod’s representative
shares similar information and plans.

(These meetings are jointly sponsored by the Depart-
ment of Stewardship and Financial Support and the
Executive Coordinating Committee (ECC). For a narra-
tive report regarding the 1982 series of District meetings,
please read the ECC report in this convention workbook).

2. Planned Giving

This section of the department is responsible for organizing
and implementing a planned giving (deferred) program to
serve God’s people in the stewardship of their material bless-
ings, including promotion of the planned giving instruments
and trust services available through the LCMS Foundation.
Activity includes prospect identification, cultivation, visita-
tion, and solicitation as well as developing and implementing a
public information program regarding the services of the
LCMS Foundation. In effect, the department serves as the
development arm of the Foundation.

During calendar year 1982 more than 1,100 people were
served by planned giving staff. Many worked through a
charitable estate plan and intend to remember their congre-
gation or other LCMS entities in their will or through a
revocable type of agreement. In one District alone more than $8
million in expectancies was achieved in one year by a de-
velopment officer; in another District nearly $4.2 million in one
year was reported. Also 173 of God’s people entered into an
irrevocable plan with the LCMS Foundation, and these agree-
ments totaled $2.9 million. These funds will eventually be used
for mission and ministry among all levels and entities of the
Synod when the donor is called to his or her true home. The
LCMS Foundation as of Jan. 1, 1983, was managing more than
$62 million.

Through activities and advertisements during 1982, more
than 900 individuals requested printed information regarding
charitable estate planning and the services of the LCMS
Foundation.

Through field staff deployed on a District or regional basis
under partnership agreements with the Districts, the depart-
ment works directly with District leadership and with colleges,
seminaries, and other agencies and institutions in soliciting
planned gifts to benefit entities of the LCMS.

Associate Planned Giving Counselors are located on the St.
Louis staff. These men assist in the technical matters of
finalizing deferred giving instruments, working with the
Synod’s legal counsel and the foundation’s trust service staff
as appropriate, and providing counsel to other LCMS develop-
ment officers.

The planned giving section also develops and sponsors
periodic seminars and provides resource materials regarding
charitable estate planning.

A major will awareness program is currently being devel-
oped by the department for use by congregations. Materials
and information will be provided to congregations for mem-
ber’s usein their Christian stewardship and estate planning. A
will is one of the most important documents a person will ever
prepare, since it not only provides for family members and
disposition of an estate according to personal wishes, but it
also enables a person to express for one final time the love they
have in their heart for their Lord and Savior who loved them
and gave Himself for them (Gal. 2:20).

Serving God’s people in the stewardship of their material
blessings are the St. Louis based staff of Dr. Otto Dorn, Rev.
Richard Maddox, Mr. Philip Esala, Mr. Richard Heinrich, and
Mr. Robert Shafis.