LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 28

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OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

and Pastoral Care of Victims,” and “The Formation of Father Confessor and the Penitent.” Other features of the conference included
sectionals, the two seminary faculties meeting together, CUS faculties meeting together, and professors meeting by theological discipline: exegetical, historical, practical, and systematics.

D. Life Together as Synod
“Life Together as Synod” is an informational video series on
our mutual commitment to confession, mission, and good order in
the LCMS. These short videos review LCMS history; the church’s
structure and governing documents; its boards, entities and institutions; how a rostered worker is called; and everything in between.
This series is written and produced by the Office of Pastoral Education. Each module includes a 5-minute video and talk sheet.
Each talk sheet includes Scripture study, practical application, and
suggested resources for further study. Intended audiences include
church-work students, current church workers, and laity. This is an
excellent resource for the classroom, pastor’s conferences, Bible
studies, church meetings, PALS groups, and personal learning.
The purpose of the LCMS is to join with one another to support
one another and to work together in carrying out our commonly
adopted objectives (Article III). We do this as a church body that
is committed to a common confession and mission. To accomplish
this, it is good to know who we are as a Synod and how we promise
to live together as we seek to serve our Lord Jesus Christ, the members of His body, and the world which stands in need of the Word
and the impact of His redeeming love (Bylaw 1.1).
There are currently ten completed modules located at resources
.lcms.org/life-together-as-synod-video-series/.

E. Preach the Word
St. Paul writes, “And how are they to hear without someone
preaching.… So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the
word of Christ (Rom. 10:14, 17). The Holy Spirit creates and sustains saving faith through the preaching of the Word. Preaching is
the primary task of the pastor.
Therefore, Preach the Word (PTW) was developed to help pastors work together to hone the craft of preaching through video
modules and accompanying resources. PTW also enables pastors
to interact with seminary professors and fellow preachers, the authors of these modules. PTW is designed for pastors to gather with
brother pastors to watch and discuss the modules and to learn with
and from one another.
Since 2017, 10 modules have been completed. There have been
several hundred plays and downloads. During the pandemic, downloads and plays decreased significantly. In 2022, the PTW steering
committee decided to pause the production of any new modules
and to reevaluate the project in 2024. During this pause, we encourage pastors to make use of the ten excellent completed modules,
which are available online at resources.lcms.org/preach-the-word/.
While PTW was developed for pastors, the videos can certainly
be viewed by anyone, including seminarians, laity, Bible class,
and individuals. Everyone can benefit through these excellent resources—what to listen for in a sermon, understanding the craft of
writing and preaching a sermon, or to gain new insights or fresh
approaches to preaching.
2023 Convention Workbook

F. Support of Our Seminaries through the
Synod
The people of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod cherish
our two seminaries, which supply the LCMS with faithful pastors.
Many of these people support the seminaries through their prayers
and gifts. Often, this support is given directly to the seminaries.
Significant support is also given to the seminaries through corporate Synod, or LCMS, Inc., which is headquartered at the LCMS
International Center in St. Louis.
One means of seminary support through the Synod is called
“Synod Subsidies.” This is that portion of congregational worship
offering passed on by districts to support national-level work, then
granted by the budgeting process as unrestricted support for seminary operations. Computed by an agreed-upon formula, based on
student graduations, Synod subsidies to the seminaries has consistently been $326,504 to CSL and $267,223 to CTSFW each year
for the last four years.
Donations and bequests restricted by contributors to support the
operation of both LCMS seminaries is given through the LCMS
Joint Seminary Fund (JSF). Over the past four years, these annual
amounts have averaged $1,236,364 to CSL and $1,052,068 to CTSFW. The Synod’s total JSF distributions to the seminaries overall
have been increasing since 2014. In FY22, JSF distributions totaled
$1,448,324 to CSL and $1,294,714 to CTSFW.
Donations and bequests restricted to a specific seminary identified by the contributor (not included in the JSF) annually averaged
$30,717 to CSL and $153,575 to CTSFW over the past four years.
The Global Seminary Initiative (GSI) provides donations voluntarily restricted for disbursement to both LCMS seminaries. It is
also used to bolster assistance to qualifying international students
and to send LCMS seminary faculty to teach overseas. An annual
average of $139,175 in GSI funds was given to each seminary over
the past four years.
Income earned on the investment of certain donations (endowment) given to the historic Forward in Remembrance fundraising
campaign were restricted by the contributors to the support of qualified international students studying at either of the Synod’s seminaries. In addition to GSI dollars, an annual average of $64,376
from FIR was given to each seminary over the past four years.
Certain donations were voluntarily given to the Synod that carried a donor-imposed restriction to be given as financial assistance
to students enrolled at either of the Synod’s seminaries. Over the
past four years, these annually averaged $245,676 to CSL and
$273,063 to CTSFW.
Over the past four years, other special and donor-funded grants
disbursed from the Synod to the seminaries annually averaged
$5,047 to CSL and $7,135 to CTSFW.
Seminary faculty services are undesignated or designated funds
paid to seminaries in return for services provided by seminary
faculty members (e.g., presentations, seminars, and short-term intensive teaching assignments). These amounts annually averaged
$40,685 to CSL and $75,802 to CTSFW over the past four years.
Taking into account the aforementioned funding categories,
total national Synod support to our seminaries over the past four
fiscal years is thus: