Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2019 · 67th Convention, Tampa › Page 481
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 481

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

FINANCE
WHEREAS, The Synod has historically recognized its
responsibility of accountability and faithfulness in the handling of
the finances entrusted to it by its members, as is witnessed in Bylaw
1.5.4, “The Synod and each of its agencies shall fully disclose their
financial books and records to any member congregation of the
Synod”; and
WHEREAS, The Synod in previous conventions has expressed its
opinion that such accountability and faithfulness be found
additionally in regular reporting of such financial disclosure by
adopting 2010 Resolution 4-03, “To Broadly Communicate the
Statement of Financial Position of LCMS,” which reads in its
totality:
WHEREAS, It is helpful to understand the Synod’s financial
position and communicate it to the members of the congregations
of Synod; therefore be it
Resolved, That each November, the Vice-President–Finance—
Treasurer of the Synod use widely available means, (i.e., The
Lutheran Witness, Reporter, the LCMS Website) to state the
financial position of the Synod in a format easily understood by
persons unfamiliar with financial terminology (2010
Proceedings, 120);
and
WHEREAS, The members of the Synod expressed even further the
need for full transparency in all areas of financial disclosure by
adopting 2016 Res. 9-04A, “To Improve Disclosures Related to
Financial Gifts from God’s Stewards for Special Appeals,” which
stated in part:
WHEREAS, Monies for special appeals requested by corporate
Synod (e.g., following natural disasters) are reported only in part
in Synod publications (e.g., Reporter and The Lutheran Witness)
and sometimes only annually; and
WHEREAS, Donors and members of the Synod are interested in
the impact of funds raised for special appeals and will appreciate
improved disclosure of results; therefore be it
…
Resolved, That the financial offices of corporate Synod continue
to recognize the desire of donors and members of the Synod to
improve processes of reporting and work to provide clear,
timely, and transparent accounting for all funding and special
appeals, so that the Body of Christ may experience the joy of
Gospel-centered mission and ministry beyond the local context
or community… (2016 Proceedings, 189);
and
WHEREAS, It was reported to the 2013 Synod convention by the
Board of Directors in its “Report on the Disposition of Funding the
Mission Recommendations” that “The decline in the Synod’s
annual unrestricted revenue continues, … The board believes that
congregations will respond through better, open, and honest
communication about the great things God is able to accomplish for
His kingdom when we work together. Numerous conventions have
passed resolutions calling on congregations to maintain and
increase unrestricted support for district and Synod ministries, yet
the unrestricted support passed through our districts to the Synod
has continued to decline at the average rate of $1 million each year”
(2013 Convention Report R6-03-01, Workbook, 114–15); and
WHEREAS, In 2016, the Chief Financial Officer of the Synod, in
reporting to the Synod about offerings received, stated, “This
sharing from God’s bounty continues to decline. Although the

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amount of decline in the past three years has not been as severe as
the average decline of the previous 20 years, it is still trending
negatively. In the face of continued declining unrestricted revenues,
the ability of Synod, Inc. to respond quickly and nimbly to mission
and ministry opportunities and challenges laid before us by our Lord
also declines, as does our ability to ‘fill in the gap’ when restricted
revenues, needed to fund much of our mission and ministry
activities, fall short of their goals. The financial challenges facing
our beloved Synod persist. I believe that these challenges are of our
own making, a product of how we distribute the resources provided
by our loving Father” (Report of the Chief Financial Officer, 2016
Workbook, 61–62); and
WHEREAS, There have been few tangible reports about the
financial struggles of the Synod, such as the need to trim $4 million
dollars from the budget of the Synod ( “Boards and Business:
International, National Mission, Reporter Online, July 7, 2017,
blogs.lcms.org/2017/international-national-mission and Board of
Directors Minutes, May 19–20, 2017, ag. 87A, “Action Items:
Adoption of 2017–2018 (FY18) LCMS Mission and Ministry
Operating Budget,” p. 52, lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&
id=4769), and these reports are less than sufficient to keep the
members of the Synod regularly informed about the financial
condition of the Synod; and
WHEREAS, It has been widely reported, albeit not in the official
channels of the Synod communications, that the Synod has only
minimal days of operating capital in its cash reserves, which would
seemingly place the Synod in a precarious financial position (Board
of Directors Minutes, Feb, 17–18, 2017, ag. 45, “Financial Report,”
p. 29, lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&id=4659, which stated
that without funds held on behalf of the two seminaries, Synod had
only five days of cash available); and
WHEREAS, In the face of such challenging financial times,
transparency and regularity in reporting of the financial situation of
the Synod is of upmost importance to the members and constituency
of the Synod who have a vested interest in the financial viability of
the Synod and who merit clear, concise and timely reports; and
WHEREAS, The President of the Synod recommended in his
report to the Synod in 2016 that the Synod have “Uniform Financial
Reporting” (President’s Report, Part 2, 2016 Today’s Business, 28);
therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention direct the Chief
Financial Officer to report quarterly in the Synod’s official
publications about the financial position of the Synod in a format
easily understood by persons unfamiliar with financial terminology,
such reporting to include, but not limited to income and expenses,
budget versus spending, cash reserves and cash position, etc.; and
be it further
Resolved, That these quarterly reports include information about
the regular Synod budget and the reporting on special appeals as
stipulated in 2016 Res. 9-04A; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod be shrewd managers with the resources
God has given it; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod give thanks to God for the resources
He has entrusted to us, recognizing “That the earth is the Lord’s and
the fullness thereof” (Ps. 24:1).
Zion, Kalamazoo, MI; Pacific Southwest District;
Rocky Mountain District

2019 Convention Workbook