LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 106

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106

SYNOD REPORTS

same populations of people—the aged, disabled, homeless, orphaned,
and hungry—and are motivated to reach out with aid motivated by
the mercy we have received from God through Jesus Christ. This
work has been done in recent years and over many, many decades
in the past.
Past Triennium Major Accomplishments

• Worked to revise the guidelines and instructions for service organizations to be recognized by the LCMS and/or affiliated with the
ELCA and have worked to develop and publish BHCM document
for recognition procedures that can be posted online with links to
the ELCA document outlining steps toward ELCA affiliation.
• Developed an RSO database that is able to generate detailed information about 121 RSOs and their 1,544 service locations. This
information allows for strengthened knowledge within the Synod
about service organizations granted status and facilitates communication to the RSOs.
• Advocated for RSOs to strengthen their Lutheran identity not only
in governance but throughout their organization, which has resulted
in a greater awareness among the RSOs about the mission of the
LCMS and its doctrines and practices.
• Intentionally worked to enhance the partnership with Lutheran
Services in America, which continues to be a strong and important partner to the BHCM in serving the many RSOs granted status
through the BHCM.
• Barb Below, director of Social Ministry Organizations, has served
on the RSO Standing Committee formed by the LCMS Board of
Directors in 2008 and actively worked to develop and implement
the new RSO granting process in the Synod. Because of the many
improvements, we now have established greater clarity and consistency in requirements that RSOs must meet prior to granting of
status, which thus provides increased protection to the Synod and
fairness to service organizations.
• Granted status to five service organizations not previously affiliated
with the LCMS through recognition: The International Lutheran
Wittenberg Society, The Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care,
DOXOLOGY, Cross Connections, and Acts 1:8 Mission Society.
In addition, the division has completed reviews of eight RSOs and
granted continued status to them and revoked RSO status to two
RSOs that either closed or dissolved.
• Requested 32 RSOs make reapplication for status as part of the
transition to the new RSO granting process.
• Enhanced RSO Web page that provides information about RSOs
granted status through the BHCM, offering detailed information
about the RSO, links to their Web pages, resources, application
information, and RSO news stories highlighting their work and
accomplishments.
Next Triennium Major Goals

• Request all remaining RSOs make reapplication for RSO status to
complete the transition to the new RSO granting process.
• Develop projects to assist RSOs to strengthen their Lutheran identity expressed throughout the agency and programs.
• Strengthen connections of RSOs to the LCMS by providing
Lutheran accompaniment to RSOs in times of disaster, crisis, and
challenges.

Grant Administration
The grant program offered by LCMS Word Relief and Human
Care is interwoven through all the ministry’s individual programs.
Grants are awarded to congregations, districts, Recognized Service
Organizations, other agencies, mission fields, and national churches
to develop or expand projects that reach out in communities and
address unmet human needs, while sharing the Gospel message and
proclaiming Jesus Christ as the world’s Savior.
Past Triennium Major Accomplishments

• Awarded 242 international grants totaling more than $7.6 million
for projects in partnership with LCMS World Mission and national
church partners in 39 countries. These grants helped a variety of
projects, including agricultural training, livestock distribution and
training, literacy and other educational programs, orphan care, lifeskills training, refugee resettlement assistance, vocational skills
training, medical care, HIV/AIDS care, counseling, and water
projects. Construction projects provided church roofs (Guinea,
India, Kenya, and Tanzania), assisted with building renovations
(Gambia, Kenya, and Nicaragua), and built a hospital pediatric
wing in Madagascar and four rescue centers in Kenya.
• Partnered with Central Illinois, Iowa East, and Rocky Mountain districts for projects with national church partners in Latvia, Lithuania,
and South Africa.
• First-time grants were awarded to Democratic Republic of Congo
for food distribution to internally displaced people; Peru for construction of an irrigation channel; Chile for life-skills training;
Georgia for refugee relief; and Paraguay to complete building renovations needed to relocate HIV/AIDS orphans facing eviction.
• Awarded 287 domestic grants totaling $2.4 million to benefit projects in 31 districts throughout the U.S. These grants assisted food
pantries, after-school programs, immigrant assistance programs,
community development, health and wellness programs, church
worker care, counseling, chaplaincy, elder care programs, and transitional care, among others.
• Awarded 53 international disaster grants in 28 countries totaling
almost $2 million. Half this amount continued relief and recovery
work in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand following the
Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami. Additional grants assisted survivors of
hurricanes (Bangladesh, Cuba, Haiti, Mexico, Myanmar, and the
Philippines); earthquakes (China, Haiti, and Indonesia); political
crisis (Kenya); and other less publicized emergencies.
• Awarded a total of 210 domestic disaster grants totaling almost $6.3
million for work in 27 districts. The majority of these grants helped
continue recovery work from Hurricane Katrina and assisted new
recovery work from hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Disaster grants
also helped those affected by tornadoes (Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri,
New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas);
floods (Alaska, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South
Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin); fires in California; and other
local disasters.
• Over the past 10 years, provided $15,537,000 for Lutheran World
Relief Baltimore (LWR); $2,077,072 for Lutheran Services in
America (LSA); $2,635,850 for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee
Services (LIRS); and $7,142,329 for Lutheran Disaster Response
(LDR)—a total of $27,392,251 to pan-Lutheran organizations.

2010 Convention Workbook

2010 Convention.indb 106

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