LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 13

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OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
helped in 9 LCMS pastors’ homes, and removed 430
trees. Our teams worked a total 2,970 volunteer hours.
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2021 Hurricane Ida was a deadly and extremely destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane. We developed
three disaster-response centers, in Slidell, Metairie, and
Houma, La. LERT teams worked in 157 homes, providing over 3,254 hours of service.

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North Alabama spring 2021 tornadoes resulted in volunteers working in 48 homes and 1 pastor’s home; we cut
492 trees. Our volunteers worked a total of 2,725 hours.

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2022 Hurricane Ian continues to prompt an ongoing
response. Our LERT volunteers completed 311 jobs, cut
545 trees, and worked 3,846 volunteer hours. There were
91 LCMS church workers who received $7,000 each in
financial assistance, and 12 LCMS churches were granted $20,000 toward hurricane damage repair.

B.3. Recognized Service Organizations
“The granting of recognized service organization status by the
Synod signifies that a service organization, while independent of
the Synod, fosters the mission and ministry of the church, engages
in program activity that extends the mission and ministry of the
Synod, is in harmony with the programs of the boards of the Synod,
and respects and does not act contrary to the doctrine and practice
of the Synod.” (LCMS Bylaw 6.2.1)
We currently have 184 RSOs providing a diversity of programs
and services, from conception to end of life. These organizations
serve nationally and internationally as they extend the mission,
ministry, and outreach of the LCMS. The 184 RSOs previously
were listed under six categories; however, with the 2019 Synod
RSO resolution, they currently fall into the following three categories: Mercy, Witness, and Educational. Since the 2019 Synod
convention, 16 new organizations have been granted RSO status
and 35 have had their status renewed. Also, 27 RSOs were either
terminated or denied, or asked to withdraw their applications for
RSO status.
Currently, 139 association and independent schools also sit under RSO status. Three new schools have been granted RSO status
and 6 schools have had their status renewed. At the 2019 Synod
convention, the RSO resolution was passed to develop a plan to
transition many of the current RSO schools back to their district
or congregations. We are currently in the process of working with
each district to notify each school directly regarding its RSO status.
Grants continue to be provided to RSOs for leadership training,
board development, strategic planning, and conference attendance
related to the above. Resource items, including Bibles, devotional
material, children’s Bible story books, and such are purchased for
use by RSOs in their ministry areas, with 279 boxes or bags being
distributed. During COVID-19, all RSOs were mailed devotional
material and 28 RSOs received masks from the RSO unit.
RSOs strive to live out their Lutheran identity as they show the
mercy and compassion of Christ to the least of these, who are often
seen as the undesired among us. RSOs provide a diversity of opportunities for LCMS members to express their love, compassion,
and gifts in meeting the needs of their neighbors.

B.4. Youth Ministry
LCMS Youth Ministry hosted two LCMS Youth Gatherings. On
July 11–15, 2019, over 1,500 congregations and over 20,000 youth

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and adults gathered in Minneapolis, Minn., under the theme “Real.
Present. God.” On July 9–13, 2022, over 1,200 congregations and
over 18,000 youth and adults met in Houston, Texas, under the
theme “In All Things.”
The five-day events provided opportunities to learn more about
the Lutheran Christian faith along with emphasis on current and
future vocational roles. Both gatherings closed with the Divine Service on the final morning. The 2022 gathering was planned through
the pandemic with much uncertainty and many changes to the planning process and arrangements in Houston.
Roughly 2,000 program planners, volunteers, exhibitors, speakers, and special guests provided planning and support for each
event. The events showcased Concordia University System institutions, LCMS ministries, RSOs, and other LCMS-related ministries.
Using the 2017–18 research on youth retention, LCMS Youth
Ministry published with CPH Relationships Count. The book continues to be available in digital format. LCMS Youth Ministry developed the platform of “Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry.” Resources have been developed on youthesource.com, and
presentations given in various settings, including LCMS district
church-worker conferences and LCMS events.
In spring 2020, participants in the Lutheran Young Adult Corps
program returned home due to the pandemic, and the program permanently ended. Through three 3-month summer terms and three
10-month “gap year” terms, 36 young adults participated and contributed 40,800 hours of service in the name of Christ. Participants
lived and served in six cities. Of the 36 total participants, 4 participants are currently called church workers and another 6 are in programs at CUS institutions or the seminaries, pursuing professional
church-work careers. Three participants have gone on to serve in
positions at KFUO, the LCMS Office of International Mission, and
an LCMS district office.
LCMS Servant Events hosted 38 events in 2019. COVID-19
has impacted events since 2020, when only one agency was able to
host youth at its outdoor event. Hosts, especially camps, welcomed
youth and their adult leaders in 2021. The summer of 2022 provided over 225 youth and leaders 22 service opportunities. Leaders
for 2023 events gathered in November 2022 for training on the new
digital platform designed to increase partnership with other mercy
initiatives of the Synod.
Lutheran Youth Fellowship went through an evaluation and rebranding as “YouthLead” and focused on the annual youth leadership training event, usually held in March in St. Louis. The 2021
event was held in July in conjunction with the National Lutheran
Youth Workers Conference in Houston. The 2022 event returned to
St. Louis in March. Through three years, 211 participants attended.
In 2022, a new executive team was elected to a three-year term.
This team will facilitate the trainings in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Leadership training for adults included the 2021 National Lutheran Youth Workers Conference in July in Houston, Texas, with
340 adults participating. This conference was geared to prepare for
the 2022 LCMS Youth Gathering. Resources and training were provided for adult leaders who attended the LCMS Youth Gathering.
Resource development included new resources added to
YouthESource (youthesource.com). Bible studies, devotions, articles, and other supports for youth, college student, and young adult
ministry are available. In July 2022, a year’s worth of resources
2023 Convention Workbook