LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1992, Page 128

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128 : RESOLUTIONS

from Synod to meet on a timely basis their unique needs.
And, they want to influence the design of those services
by being listened to in personal visits. They then expect
cooperation and integration of the services by boards and
staffs.empowered to serve. Great strides have been made
in these directions throughout the Synod, but some struc-
tural elements need to be streamlined for maximal
effectiveness.

Both the Board of Directors and the Commission on
Structure recommend that to meet these expectations of
congregations, Districts redefine the roles of their boards
and staffs to provide to congregations “Mission Enablers”
who can help congregations plan their local ministry, as
well as their expanded ministries, through District and
national Synod. These “Mission Enablers” would also lis-
ten to the needs of congregations and share those needs
with District and national boards and staffs and share with
congregations the vision for the future of the LCMS de-
veloped by the Mission and Ministry Council. They would
invite wide input and review to help further shape that
vision. This would be a continuing cycle whereby congre-
gations would have considerably more impact upon. the
mission and ministry of the Synod. The “Mission Enablers”

- would be equipped to share with congregations the names
of other congregations or persons with special experience
and expertise who could help in talent pools, who could
help them in the functional areas such as worship, witness,
education, service, fellowship, stewardship, and others, as
well as help them find available material resources in these
areas. ‘

The Board of Directors and Commission on Structure
believe that congregations in the 1990s can best be served
and serve others through balanced, integrated, and coor-
dinated “Congregational Ministries” units at both the Dis-

trict and national levels. As previously mentioned, the .

District staffs should serve largely as “Miasion Enablers,”
who can assist congregations as generalists in the planning
and communication process and can help them get spe-
cialized assistance as needed. The national offices of the
Synod would have departments for each functional area
who would, in turn, define a pool of specialists and field-
service personnel in each functional area who could be
made available to congregations upon request and at their
expense. It is anticipated that many of these would not be
on District or national staffs. The Board of Directors and
the Commission on Structure also believe that it is desir-
able to first make changes at the national level, to provide
a model for Districts, which will result in more compatible
structures.

Presently, at the national level, there are separate
boards, commissions or councils for worship, evangelism,
parish services, youth, social ministry, and stewardship.
While these staffs meet jointly each month to provide some
coordination, there is no provision for coordination at the
board level. To eliminate duplication and provide efficient
and effective support to the ministries of congregations,
someone, both at the national and District levels, needs to
be placed in charge of the congregational ministries staffs
and be accountable to a single Board for Congregational
Services. The Board of Directors and Commission on Struc-
ture recommend that the 1992 synodical convention au-

thorize such a national board and combined staff, effective
with the 1995 convention, and that all Districts be en-
couraged to provide for a Board for Congregational Ser-
vices and staff at their 1994 conventions.

As an initial step during the 1992-95 triennium, the
Board of Directors and Commiasion on Structure recom-
mend the creation of a Conference of Congregational Ser-
vices, comprised of the members of the present boards,
commissions, and councils of worship, evangelism, parish
services, youth, and stewardship, together with one board
person from each District selected by the District board of
directors to represent its congregational services interests.
This conference should also include representatives from
CPH, social ministry, black, Hispanic, Asian, and other
ethnic commissions or committees. This conference, meet-
ing semiannually, would study and define the functional
areas and departments, approve the congregational min-
istries programs proposed by the respective units, allocate
the congregational ministries budget to such units, and
approve staffing levels for these units. The conference

. would operate on a pilot basis and would propose to the

1995 convention the size and composition of a smaller con-
ference. It would also propose the size and composition of
the new Board for Congregational Services, such board
however is not to exceed more than one person from each
area of function. It is extremely important that the con-
ference also recommend how to maintain the visibility of
the various congregational ministries functions, and the
District and national responsibilities in carrying out those
functions. This initial conference will assist both Districts
and national Synod to meet new challenges which do not
clearly fit into a single unit in the present structure. These
may include involving all units in cooperative efforts on

« helping congregations operate as the mission base of the
Synod in approaching their local communities, the
United States, and the rest of the world as mission fields;

+ helping congregations stimulate the spiritual growth of

their members, as evidenced by improved attendance at

worship, reception of Holy Communion, Bible study, and
involvement in ministries;

helping meet the diverse needs and opportunities of

congregations,

helping congregations meet the many needs of families;

helping enrich the worship life of congregations and the

lives of families through private devotional materials;

helping individuals approach biblical stewardship as a

way of life;

helping integrate youth into the total ministry of the

congregation,

helping create and employing networks of people and ma-

terials to support congregations;

helping create and communicating integrative and bal-

anced congregational ministries support;

* helping congregations be aware of their history and the
history of the Synod and maintain appropriate archives.

The current Congregational Ministries Coordinating
Committee staff is commended for defining these needed
cooperative efforts and for the progress they are making