LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 44

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44

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

today. Critical in setting a firm foundation are the early years in a
pastor’s ministry.
Pastors and congregations are mutually benefitted when pastors
stay longer in their call. The PALS program was established specifically to give all pastors and their families the best start possible and
continues to aid in the transition to life in the parish today.
Therefore, as mandated by delegates to the Synod’s 2013 convention (ref. 2013 Res. 5-02A, “To Support and Encourage Participation
in Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support Initiative”), the
LCMS should continue to improve, expand, and support the PALS
Initiative. In addition, districts and congregations receiving new seminary graduates should continue their support for the program and
encourage new pastors to participate.
Since the 2013 convention, the PALS office was honored to welcome Rev. Dr. Gary Zieroth as Interim Director of the PALS Program.
He has brought a wealth of pastoral experience and Synod service
to the program.
Also since the 2013 convention, several more districts have
returned to or joined the PALS program, bringing the total number
of participating districts to 33 out of 35.
The PALS program continues to provide new curriculum and
resources for its participants. In the past triennium, new courses have
been created on topics from pastoral leadership and parish administration to pastoral care at life’s end.
Other PE Accomplishments
Highlights of the past triennium include the following:
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Provided for distribution of grants from the Synod (unrestricted and
restricted) to the seminaries
Continued publication of a quarterly Pastoral Education insert for the
Reporter
Arranged an LCMS Theology Professors Convocation (May 2014 and
2016) comprised of all Concordia University System school professors who teach theology, all seminary professors, and pre-seminary
directors for the purpose of theological discussion and joint work on
theological issues for the benefit of the church
July 2013–June 2014, worked with the COP to develop a list of qualified continuing education resources and activities. Worked with several
district presidents and key individuals from both seminaries to design
a process for continuing education to be utilized by pastors following
seminary graduation (ref. 2013 Res. 5-08B, “To Establish a Standard
for Continuing Education of Pastors”);
Worked with key individuals to reach consensus on the procedures for
the seminary faculty prior approval process
July 2013–June 2014, chaired task force to conduct a study of the nonMDiv routes to the pastoral office
Held a two-day conference in July 2013 for pre-seminary program
directors—significant issues here involved pre-seminary formation
at the university level and a more seamless partnership between the
CUS schools and seminaries

MISSION ADVANCEMENT
What God Supplied for the Work of His Church: 2013–16

For the 2013–16 triennium period, MA worked collaboratively
alongside Synod Accounting and COMM to improve public transparency and accountability regarding what God supplied in donations
to the Synod. Reports on charitable gifts received were presented in
three special “State of the Synod” issues of The Lutheran Witness.
Each of the annual issues presented a year-to-year comparison of data
regarding amounts, number of donors and number of gifts in the broad
categories of district pledges (unrestricted), additional unrestricted
donations, contributions restricted in their use by donor intent, and
bequests. MA will continue this reporting practice into the foreseeable future.
2016 Convention Workbook

For the three fiscal years preceding this convention, corporate
Synod’s cost for MA efforts averaged 9.449 percent of all contributions expended, with a low of 8.403 percent (fiscal year 2014) and a
high of 10.650 percent (fiscal year 2015).
Updates on Special Synod Campaigns and Initiatives
Fan into Flame

For all intents and purposes, the Synod’s unique Fan into Flame
campaign is concluded, with fewer than two dozen active pledges still
open to receiving gifts. While the campaign fell short of its ambitious
goal of raising $100 million, Fan into Flame did stimulate a wave
of significant giving beyond normal levels to fund increased local,
regional, national, and international witness efforts. Due to forces
beyond the campaign’s control—notably, the Great Recession which
began in 2008 and the complete restructuring of corporate Synod
approved in 2010—an atypically high percentage of outstanding campaign pledges were ultimately written off as uncollectable.
Lutheran Malaria Initiative (ref. 2013 Res. 2-06, “To Encourage
a Strong Finish for the Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI) and Give
Thanks for the Effect LMI Has Had on the Global Fight to End
Malaria-Related Deaths in Africa”)
As a campaign, the Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI) concluded
active fund-raising efforts April 30, 2014, and shifted into its passive
pledge-collection period on May 1. In June 2014, the LCMS and
Lutheran World Relief agreed on steps to close down shared fundraising activities, the mutual sharing of fund-raising information,
and joint donor communication and accountability efforts. In July
2015, the LCMS closed down its promotion of LMI and continues
to encourage gifts under the name “LCMS Malaria Project.” Despite
the transition away from LMI, Synod households, congregations,
and schools continue to financially support the fight against malariatriggered deaths. At the official close of the LMI campaign, cash and
pledges totaled just shy of $7 million dollars, well short of the joint
LCMS/LWR goal of $45 million. Through Dec. 31, 2015, the portion
of LMI gifts and pledges sent through the LCMS International Center
totaled $3,741,568 ($3,683,912 in cash; $57,656 in active pledges).
Close to $700,000 in pledged support was written off as uncollectable.
Support for LMI came from all 35 districts, a first for any Synod campaign. More important, the frequency of deaths attributable to malaria
in sub-Sahara dropped from one every 30 seconds to one death every
two minutes, according to the World Health Organization. The Synod
enters the new triennium with just over $500,000 in available LMI/
LCMS Malaria Project funding to use in malaria-prevention work
leading to Lutheran Gospel outreach.
The Wittenberg Project (ref. 2013 Res. 1-07B, “To Support the
Wittenberg Project for the Quincentennial Celebration of the Lutheran
Reformation”)
The dedication and opening of the Old Latin School in Wittenberg,
Germany, did not bring an end to fund-raising efforts intended to
fully fund its renovation costs with restricted gifts. Due to flooding
along the Elbe River and increased competition for labor and materials by other Reformation anniversary renovation projects, the LCMS
began the renovation earlier than planned to lock in lower labor and
materials rates. The International Lutheran Society of Wittenberg,
which includes the LCMS as a partner, was blessed to be granted
a two million dollar line of credit from Lutheran Church Extension
Fund to cover any gaps between cash received and necessary renovation expenditures. Gifts and pledges through Dec. 31, 2015, total
$3,782,992, including a gift to purchase the building and feasibility
funding to prepare and evaluate various renovation plans. By God’s
grace, the amount borrowed from LCEF as of Jan. 15, 2016, was less
than $600,000 after all renovation-related invoices were paid. Fundraising efforts, involving a dedicated group of volunteers supported