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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 51

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
We also engaged in relatively significant responses to flooding in Baton Rouge, LA, fires in CA, and responded to dozens
of other disasters throughout the United States and abroad. Between July of 2017 and January of 2019, we have spent more
than $7.19 million in response to natural and man-made disasters throughout the world as well as for preparedness.
In addition to our work in response, we have also had
the privilege of leading dozens of different Lutheran Early
Response Team (LERT) preparedness trainings throughout
multiple LCMS districts. We also led sectionals at numerous
church worker conferences, and other conferences, throughout
a number of districts. Each year, we host a National Disaster
Response Conference. It is an opportunity for all our partners
to gather in one place (over 100 in attendance each year!) and
learn best practices from each other, and it helps to make each
response more efficient than the last.
To assist in our ongoing provision of training, we updated
our training materials. We are also in the beginning stages of
utilizing a new software program called Volunteer Hub. The
software should make it easier for all of our trained trainers and
District Disaster Response Coordinators to input and access
information from the trainings. This integration will allow for
a closer connection between training and response and should
further our capacity beyond what it is today.
Many of our other resources continue to “fly off the
shelves” as we send them out to individuals and congregations requesting them. New resources since the last convention
include a 40 Day Devotional Guide for those going through a
disaster, The Mercy of God in the Cross of Christ (a volume of
essays on mercy for use by small groups, pastors, and teachers in the classroom), a Spiritual Care Companion for Time of
Disaster, and Bringing God’s Comfort and Peace for caregivers,
along with a number of other smaller resources like bookmarks
and brochures.
All of these great resources (and more) are currently available in English. Moreover, many of these resources have recently been translated into Spanish for use in the United States and
across Latin America, and particularly for use by our Spanishspeaking congregations here in the States. Each year, the number of our resources available in Spanish continues to grow.

Plans for the Next Triennium
Over the next three years, we intend to continue hosting
yearly National Disaster Response Conferences on disaster preparedness, with the same goal as our previous conferences. We
also intend on leading 8–12 LERT (and other) trainings each
year and expect our district coordinators to lead approximately
30 additional LERT trainings each year. But training is only a
means to an end. The goal is for more and more of our trained
volunteers to actually volunteer after a disaster and engage their
communities, provide care for others in body and soul, and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus to those who are hurting. We also
remain available to teach at church worker conferences and in
various other ways at the district/circuit level.
Finally, we will endeavor over the next three years to maintain a rapid engagement of all district and congregational partners throughout the United States (and internationally) on the
ground and deploy in-person to disaster sites whenever necessary. Ultimately, our ability to assist in the development and
implementation of Disaster Response plans greatly increases

our efficiency and ultimately provides for a greater stewardship
of the resources available.

Scouting Task Force
Following is the report of the Scouting Task Force, established under the oversight of the ONM by 2016 Convention
Resolution 16–06, “To Encourage CTCR and Scouting Task
Force to Move Quickly in Providing Guidance Concerning
Scouting.”
Many families and individuals have been blessed by participating in scouting programs, which help young people develop
confidence, leadership skills, appreciation of God’s creation,
and an understanding of being a citizen, and provide family-focused activities. LCMS congregations have been blessed to welcome new families by chartering scouting troops or supporting
scout activities. However, culture and legal pressures have had
negative effects on scouting organizations and religious organizations which encourage support of young people.
The conversation around scouting generally revolves
around these areas:
••

LCMS Congregations which promote, invest in, and
support scout troops/groups, most strongly seen with
scouting programs (e.g., BSA, American Heritage
Girls) that create “charters” with churches, schools,
and other organizations and allow for them to exert
influence or authority in the local program.

••

LCMS Congregations which host scouting troops or
groups on their property, but may have little connection with the volunteer and participants of the group
or troop.

••

Individual LCMS Lutherans who participate in a
scouting program, regardless if their group is chartered or run by an LCMS organization.

Specific Considerations for Boy Scouts of America
An extended history of the LCMS’ relationship with scouting, specifically Boy Scouts of America (BSA), can be found at
the following web locations:
https://www.lcms.org/social-issues/free-to-be-faithful

(see “Youth Development”)
https://www.lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&id=2582

The BSA has dominated the scouting conversation in the
last numbers of years. Decreasing number of Scouts, multiple
changes to their membership policies, allowing female participants, a name change, lawsuits, and possible bankruptcy have
often put them in the news. Although they are not the only
scouting organization an LCMS member or congregation may
have contact with, they are the most prevalent. We thought it
was appropriate to provide an update on BSA and the LCMS.
On July 27, 2015, BSA made the decision to allow for homosexual leaders and staff people. The LCMS rescinded its
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Boy Scouts
and no longer could be in a formal, supportive relationship. The
LCMS provided guidance on the matter and suggested congregations review their relationship with chartered BSA troops and
seek legal counsel. Simply stated, nothing has changed in BSA’s
stance or the LCMS’s relationship with the organization.
2019 Convention Workbook