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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 9

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
under supervision and with corporate Synod’s other units
working from the LCMS International Center.
Development and implementation of an effective planning/
reporting template used in strategic planning, operational,
and budgeting efforts with the BNM, BIM, and Board of Directors (BOD).

•

Management of all units under supervision within annually
established operating expenditure budgets.

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Recruitment to fill key vacancies and provide interim management consequent to executive director leadership changes in the ONM, OIM, and COMMS units.
Formation of a Ministry Support Team within the LCMS
International Center, pooling, cross-training, and leveraging
administrative assistant and project coordinator resources
under a single manager to provide crucial services in support
of ONM, OIM, PED, MADV, and COMMS regular work,
special events, and assignments.

•

Most notable CMO overarching objectives (among others) for
the coming triennium fall under the following categories:
Expand the Synod’s mission and ministry to proclaim the
Gospel of Christ and further the kingdom of God, making
most effective use of all available resources to tell more
people about Jesus:

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BNM and BIM—Increased integration of mission board
policy-making with mission office strategic and operational plans and budgets, and expansion of mission boards’ and
offices’ working connections with districts;

o ONM—Church and school planting in U.S. mission field,
expansion of the Synod’s work among ethnic immigrant
groups, and growing momentum in mercy work, especially
in human care, ministerial support, and disaster response;
o

OIM—Recruitment and deployment of LCMS and alliance missionaries in close collaboration with international
church partners, and sustaining the Synod’s premier role in
global Lutheran theological education, especially through
overseas seminaries in all four of the Synod’s international
regions;

o PED—Set Apart to Serve church worker recruitment initiative;
o MADV—Informing and fully engaging current and new
contributors who find fulfillment, gratitude, and joy in their
participation in the Synod’s mission and ministry; and
o

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COMMS—Increased reach into and engagement of stakeholder audiences and a major transition into a new and improved, multifaceted digital platform.
Foster outstanding working relationships between units
under CMO supervision, and BNM and BIM with congregations, districts, other agencies, Recognized Service Organizations, and auxiliaries of the Synod.

•

Fully support and contribute to efforts by the Office of the
President, Operations Team, BNM, BIM, and BOD to significantly extend the Synod’s planning horizon.

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Facilitate—through PED, Pastoral Formation Committee,
and other Synod agencies—ongoing study, rigorous analysis, and the issuance of appropriate recommendations and
guidelines pertaining to beneficial adjustments and/or reaf-

firmation of LCMS pastoral formation programs and routes
to ordination (including residential and non-residential
approaches), church worker recruitment, and continuing
education.
•

Address evolving challenges and opportunities among the
Synod’s international schools in Asia pertaining to Lutheran
identity and operational ethos and strategic alignment with
LCMS mission emphases and priorities.
Kevin D. Robson, Chief Mission Officer

R1.2.1

Office of National Mission
The Office of National Mission (ONM) implements the policies
of the Board for National Mission (BNM) under the supervision
of the Chief Mission Officer and is responsible for domestic ministries that especially serve congregations and schools through the
districts of the Synod.
In carrying out its mission responsibilities, the ONM receives
its primary focus from the mission and ministry emphases developed triennially by the national Synod in convention and from the
policies developed and determined by the BNM. Through the Chief
Mission Officer, it also receives direction from the President of the
Synod on all aspects of its responsibilities.

A. Human Care and Ministerial Support
The Human Care and Ministerial Support ministry area of the
ONM has prioritized responding to key challenges over the past
triennium. This ministry area is focused on providing support to
rostered church workers through the districts’ work with congregations as they preach Christ crucified.

A.1. Deaconess Ministry
LCMS Deaconess Ministry encourages and supports deaconess
formation and mercy work.
Accomplishments over the Past Triennium
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Coordination with the Synod deaconess training programs.

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Support of deaconess internship opportunities with grant
funds received from the Lutheran Women’s Missionary
League.

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Providing support and care for deaconesses through coordination and financial support of recognized service organization (RSO) programs.
Plans for the Next Triennium

•

Coordination of vocational awareness and recruitment
through the Set Apart to Serve initiative, and among RSOs
and the Synod deaconess training programs.

A.2. Family Ministry
The seventh current LCMS mission priority is to strengthen and
support the Lutheran family in living out God’s design. ONM created a new program area to focus on this mission priority. Family
Ministry has been aligned with Life Ministry to uphold and defend the link between marriage, life, and family (2019 Resolutions
1-06A; 11-02A).
Accomplishments over the Past Triennium
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Created a position for a director of Family Ministry.
2023 Convention Workbook