LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 91

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OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
LCMS. We have gathered input from our board, our leadership team,
our staff, and outside experts to identify areas where we can improve
our work in this support of ministry. The result of this effort has been
to identify six key areas we will focus on over the next several years:
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Offer best-in-class service, staff talent, and infrastructure.
Develop and maintain mutually beneficial partnerships within the
church.
Increase retention and realization of future planned gifts.
Increase awareness of and preference for the Foundation’s abilities to
support ministries.
Increase the usage and effectiveness of data and analytics in operations and decision-making.
Explore the potential for supporting church worker debt relief.

Transfer the Blessings, the Foundation’s gift planning ministry
to LCMS organizations, continues to demonstrate its value in assisting LCMS donors in creating their Lifetime Plan for GivingTM. This
ministry pairs a Foundation gift planning counselor with a congregation’s stewardship or endowment committee to identify, qualify,
and work directly with congregation members in establishing their
charitable Christian estate plans. Transfer the Blessings builds upon
the relationship the member has with the congregation and produces
an approach to giving that provides resources to the church beyond
weekly offerings.
The Foundation’s annual Ministry Report with supplemental
information, updated financials, and distributions appears on the
Foundation’s website at www.lcmsfoundation.org. The Foundation’s
audited financial statements are also located on the website. Please
contact us anytime at 800-325-7912.
As it enters the next triennium, the Foundation rejoices in the enormous blessings of the past and looks forward confidently by God’s
grace to the future.
David Fiedler, President
R18

LCMS National Housing Support Corporation
As a wholly owned subsidiary corporation of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod, LCMS National Housing Support
Corporation (NHSC) is a faith-based not-for-profit organization that
incorporated in the state of Missouri in 2004 and launched its first year
of operations in 2007. NHSC functions under the registered trademark of Lutheran Housing Support. The primary function of NHSC
is to seek, secure, and leverage funding from public, private, and
corporate sources. These sources are used to assist LCMS congregations, districts, and social ministries to develop capacity and engage
in community development initiatives. NHSC continues the Synod’s
rich legacy of serving our neighbors’ bodily needs through housing
and community development services.
NHSC’s vision is for restored and revitalized neighborhoods that
are anchored by LCMS congregations actively engage in collaborative mercy.
To bring that vision into reality, our mission is to provide access to
capital and customized consulting services for underserved neighborhoods in order to transform them into thriving communities.

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Christ-centered: our work is grace-filled and a grateful response to
the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Commitment: we are committed to the personal, spiritual, and
professional growth of our employees and to the well-being of the
congregations and neighborhoods we serve.
Collaborative: we seek to work with other like-minded individuals,
congregations, and organizations to accomplish our mission.

Mercy: the mercy that we show others is a reflection of God’s mercy
to us.

Since its inception, NHSC has grown to provide a variety of services to LCMS entities and their partners. NHSC’s current services
include
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networking with, training, and supporting communities, LCMS entities, and their partners engaged in community-based projects to
successfully seek and secure private and public financial investments
for redevelopment and revitalization activities;
developing models for successful neighborhood revitalization in
blighted and economically challenged communities;
providing financial and technical support designed to strengthen the
capacity and sustainability of organizations engaged in housing and
neighborhood revitalization activities in economically challenged
communities; and
establishing locally-based, sustainable and financially stable
collaboration vehicles that support and promote promising, innovative approaches to revitalize communities and help prevent future
deterioration.

NHSC’s notable achievements over the last three years include the
following:
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NHSC’s Value Statements are as follows:
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Received more than $2.2 million in support to fund housing ministry
and community development projects across the United States
Allocated 25 grants, totaling $108,000, to LCMS entities to spur community development activities
Provided a wide variety of resources and consulting services to 80
unique LCMS entities located in 19 states and Chile
Provided training to over 185 pastors, lay people, and LCMS partners,
focused on various community development related topics
Created a fund-raising platform and guide that can be utilized as a
resource for LCMS entities
Expanded NHSC’s Board of Directors, broadening its depth, diversity, and skill sets
Retooled NHSC’s brand and launched a new website: http://www
.nationalhousingsupport.org/
Successfully developed and launched a lending business line
Launched NHSC’s first national pilot program in 2013, “Helping
Hand”; the Helping Hand program, in partnership with LCEF’s
Laborers for Christ and Emmanuel Lutheran and Redeemer Lutheran
in Fort Wayne, Indiana, provided health- and safety-related repairs.
Eight low-income owners received assistance, and one vacant and
abandoned unit adjacent to Emmanuel was rehabilitated. This project provided a new home for a young family with modest means who
worships at Emmanuel.
Received a grant award of $100,000 at the national LWML Convention
to implement another Helping Hand initiative in 2016 in partnership
with two additional LCMS congregations
Worked to develop or expand partnerships for the purposes of advancing the kingdom among LCMS departments and entities, such as
LCMS Urban and private and public financial investments for redevelopment and revitalization activities
Developed relationships with major national training, financial, and
service partners (e.g., NeighborWorks America; Lutheran Immigrant
Refugee Services; PNC; City of Fort Wayne, Indiana; City of St. Louis,
Missouri; US Department of Treasury; and Wells Fargo).
Completed owner-occupied rehabilitation in over 30 units in College
Hill, enabling elderly residents to age in place
Attracted more than $1.3 million in direct and indirect investment
in the Cottage Hill neighborhood and tens of thousands of volunteer
hours
Constructed three new homes in Cottage Hill; sold two and one
continues to serve as a model home. Two more units are slated for
construction.

Over the past three years, NHSC has achieved some tremendous
milestones! While NHSC is pressing forward, it is experiencing
some growing pains, which have placed some strain on the corporation’s financial and human resources. NHSC’s team continues to stay
2016 Convention Workbook