LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 39

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SYNOD REPORTS
R2-1

Board for District and Congregational Services
Introduction
The LCMS Board for District and Congregational Services (DCS)
“serves with districts in assisting congregations to develop and foster vibrant ministries to bring the saving, life-giving Gospel of Jesus
Christ to the sinful, dying world” (Bylaw 3.8.6.2). The strategic direction of the DCS continues to support the three foundational pillars of
the Synod: “One Mission, One Message, One People. ”
Strategic Direction and Initiatives
The strategic direction of DCS is defined by a vision of what it
wants to be by the year 2011: (1) a collaborative, integrated, ministry
network driven by a shared commitment to responsiveness, service,
and quality for all districts, congregations, and schools; (2) a leader
in promoting accountability through the use of strong measurement
tools within the ministry units; (3) an innovator in the advancement of
technology to connect districts, congregations, and schools, thereby
enhancing LCMS mission and ministry; and (4) a catalyst in supporting new and proven ways of advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Elements of the aforementioned LCMS foundational pillars are
present in each of the six DCS strategic direction initiatives. This
shared focus strengthens the relationship between the pillars and the
strategic initiatives, whether (1) empowering leaders for mission,
(2) equipping congregations for outreach, (3) fostering faith development in children and adults, (4) encouraging biblical stewardship,
(5) strengthening churches and schools for ministry, or (6) responding innovatively to twenty-first century issues.
Ministry Area Triennium Report
(1) Empowering Leaders for Mission
Children’s Ministry

• Approximately 2,200 LCMS early childhood program directors
benefited from the quarterly resource Touchpoints.
• The staff of the Children’s Ministry Department continued to provide a unifying vision, voice, and physical presence for ministry
with children and families through publications, presentations,
visits to schools and congregations, and consultations and collaboration with districts and congregational leaders. These activities by
the staff in their role as administrative leaders of the Synod helped
people regain a vision of God’s kingdom and reflect upon their fundamental role in Christ’s mission as it applies to and is carried out
with children and families (next generation ministry).
• Two administrative systems, Children’s Ministry Action Team and
Early Childhood Consultants, carried out national goals and objectives for children’s ministry.
• The National Network of Early Childhood Consultants was
expanded in number and met annually for its consultants’ conferences. Participants expressed high regard for these conferences
which offered leadership training, challenged thinking, and provided opportunity for joint problem-solving and district sharing.
Monthly conference calls were also used to address key issues.

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• Visits from Family Ministry Department staff supported district
and regional family ministry leaders.
• Synodwide goals supporting a national vision for family ministry
were developed and circulated.
• The 2010 Family Ministry Visioning Summit in Phoenix brought
together actual families with 20 leaders with known expertise in
ministry for discussion of the future direction of family ministry.
• A Family Ministry Conference attended by 40 regional leaders provided opportunity for mutual sharing and initiated the development
of a regional network of support for intentional congregational family ministry.
School Ministry

• The “National Funding Academy” was established to help Lutheran
school administrators understand their roles as financial leaders.
More than 900 administrators, pastors, and lay people attended one
of these academies.
• 125 potential Lutheran school administrators were trained and
equipped through the School Leadership and Development (SLED)
program. More than 600 persons have now received this training,
45 percent of whom currently serve as administrators of Lutheran
schools.
Stewardship Ministry

• A Stewardship Ministry Leadership Team was established to implement a vision and goals for intentional year-round stewardship
emphasis in the LCMS. The team has met quarterly to plan stewardship training opportunities, evaluate resources, and provide overall
direction for stewardship ministry.
• Stewardship counselors were engaged to assist districts in establishing and implementing stewardship goals. Consultants visited
district leaders to listen to stewardship needs and encourage networking and the sharing of resources.
• Annual national training conferences provided resources and training for district stewardship leaders, informing and inspiring them
for service as advocates for intentional stewardship education.
Youth Ministry

• National Lutheran youth workers conferences provided volunteer
youth workers and lay persons from throughout the Synod with
training, encouragement, inspiration, and networking opportunities.
• Youth ministry symposiums challenged professional youth workers, especially pastors, regarding major youth ministry issues and
topics such as young adult ministry, adolescent spirituality, and
Christian/biblical worldviews.
• The Lutheran Youth Fellowship Teen Leadership Initiative targeted high school teenagers with training that focused on building
intergenerational youth ministry in congregations, developing individuals’ gifts, team building, and outreach to unchurched youth.
• The 2007 National LCMS Youth Gathering provided venues for
teens to help them understand and be equipped for a variety of
issues, topics, and ministries.

Family Ministry

(2) Equipping Congregations for Outreach

• The development of the Family Ministry Action Team increased
opportunities for collaboration with the Concordia University
System (CUS), districts, and congregations.
• Visits with five CUS family ministry classes provided positive
interaction with students and faculty.

• The National Children’s Ministry Conference offered several
workshops which focused on outreach and urgently challenged
participants to take the Gospel outside the walls of church and
home.

Children’s Ministry

2010 Convention Workbook

2010 Convention.indb 39

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