LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 46

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46

SYNOD REPORTS

Christian Workplace award, given on the basis of confidential surveys of the organization’s employees.
CPH Partners with, and Supports,
LCMS Agencies and Entities
Concordia Publishing House enjoys excellent partnerships with
the national and district agencies and entities of the LCMS. It works
in close cooperation with the Synod’s major program boards and corporate entities, and it supports the work of the LCMS International
Center’s various administrative and communication units. CPH’s
Concordia Gospel Outreach ministry exists to help congregations
connect directly with various needs for resources around the world,
providing resources to a wide variety of mission activities.
CPH was pleased in the last triennium to expand the number of
its bookstores. It now operates bookstores on the campuses of both
LCMS seminaries as well as on the campuses of Concordia University
Chicago, Concordia University Nebraska, and Concordia University,
Ann Arbor. CPH also has a store in its St. Louis headquarters as well
as one in the LCMS International Center.
CPH Serves with New and Continually Improving Resources
A focus on quality and service is evident in the development of
resources and new initiatives. One of the significant developments by
CPH is its Emerging Products unit, a team focused on research and
development of new technology-based resources.
Among the many new resources and new initiatives at CPH, the
following warrant highlighting:
• The Lutheran Study Bible
• Lutheran Service Book, which has been adopted by nearly 70
percent of all LCMS congregations
• Lutheran Service Builder, which has been adopted by nearly
2,500 congregations
• An ever-growing line of DVD-based small-group Bible studies
• New Bible study resources for women
• The Concordia Organist, a complete organ recording of
Lutheran Service Book
• The debut of titles in Amazon Kindle format and other eBook
formats
• Music now available via Apple’s iTunes store
• A firm presence in social media, including Facebook and Twitter
• A new print-on-demand program offering access to out-of-print
resources
• A new and improved CPH.org Web site
• A redesigned new edition of the popular Learning about Sex
series
• New volumes of Luther’s Works: An American Edition
• Strong partnership with Lutheran World Relief and the Lutheran
Malaria Initiative
• Publication of a companion children’s book for the Lutheran
Malaria Initiative
• Continued growth of resources written by Hispanics for
Hispanics
• Publication and distribution of several Ablaze! initiative
resources from various LCMS entities
• Release of a special edition of Lutheran Service Builder for military chaplains
• Completion of the Concordia Curriculum Guide for faith integration in Lutheran schools

• Launch of a Canadian version of the CPH.org Web site and
direct service to Canada
• Launch of the “On Campus” effort to raise awareness of CPH
on CUS campuses
• Introduction of Sunday School Web-based enhancements for
students and teachers
• Continuing enhancements in CPH Vacation Bible School
resources
• Launch of the development process for a new Day School curriculum titled One in Christ
• Guitar edition of the hymns in Lutheran Service Book
Report on Synod Convention Action Taken in 2007
At the 2007 convention, the LCMS adopted two resolutions that
called for specific action on the part of Concordia Publishing House.
Res. 2-08, “To Celebrate Significant Synod Anniversaries,”
directed Concordia Publishing House “to consider the production of
an electronic (e-book) anniversary edition of Walther’s works, to be
published with computer CD-ROM technology, using all available
English translations as well as German printed texts and manuscripts
for materials not available in English.” Upon study and consideration, it was determined that, in light of the materials by Dr. C. F.
W. Walther already available in digital format and others available
in print editions and what would be required to gather all extant
German materials, this would not be feasible without a considerable
and ongoing amount of external grant monies, which are not available. However, in response to this resolution, Concordia Publishing
House has announced an annual Reformation Research Theology
Award, the first topic to be dealt with to be C. F. W. Walther, in honor
of the 200th anniversary of his birth. A juried contest is being held,
and the submission of scholarly papers, sermons, and hymns devoted
to the topic has been invited. As a result of this contest, a book of
essays will be published in 2011 on the significance of Dr. Walther.
Additionally, in late 2010, CPH will be releasing a new edition
of Dr. Walther’s The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel
in an updated and improved translation, prepared in a manner that
will make the book more accessible to laypersons. This reader’s edition will be titled Law & Gospel: How to Read and Apply the Bible.
Res. 3-10 “To Encourage Publication of Theological Literature”
calls on the President of the Synod to appoint “a task force, in consultation with the President and Chief Executive Officer of Concordia
Publishing House, to include professors from both seminaries and
the Concordia University System, to establish a new Committee
on Church Literature by June 2008, ‘for the purpose of providing
meaningful input to Concordia Publishing House in identifying, promoting, and facilitating the publication of theological literature’ (CW,
p. 66).” An advisory committee was appointed: Rev. Allen Doering,
Dr. Adam Francisco, Mrs. Janet George, Rev. Stephen Hower, Dr.
Jenny Mueller-Roebke, Dr. Leo Sanchez, and Rev. Larry Stojkovic.
The committee met six times during the triennium and has provided
valuable advice and input to CPH. It has reviewed present CPH
publications and has offered advice and counsel for possible future
publications. The committee has been encouraging and supportive,
offering ideas and suggestions for CPH’s focus on providing additional resources for the basic teaching of the Christian faith to adults,
with the goal of reaching out to an increasingly biblically illiterate population with resources that offer a faithful basic overview
of the Scriptures and the doctrines of the Lutheran Church. Several
resources are presently in production for release in 2010 and 2011,
including Web-based resources for teaching the faith to children and

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