LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 100

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100 SYNODICAL REPORTS

In addition, the Board, in view of the impending retirement of
its Executive Director, prepared a succession plan for filling the
position. This also entailed review and revision of the position de-
scription for the Executive Director or Administrative Officer. Call
for nominations for the position appeared in the January official
periodicals and the Board intends to issue a call in May, with the
successor to assume the office in September 1998.

Other policy matters with which the Board dealt were the revi-
sion of a Recognized Service Organization policy, the approval of
changes proposed by Worker Benefit Plans in the various plans of-
fered, and a policy relating to the appointment of interim staff when
a position of executive director becomes vacant.

Conclusion

The Board of Directors considers it a privilege to have served
the Synod during this past triennium. In all that it has done, it has
sincerely sought to remember that it is not only to be about busi-
ness in the usual sense of the term, but to recognize that its deci-
sions and actions are in relation to the “business” of our Lord, His
mission, and the ministry which He carries out through His church.
Trusting in the promises of our gracious triune God, the Board
commits itself and its work into His hands, knowing that He will
use whatever has been done to achieve the goal of bringing the
Good News of His grace in Christ Jesus to the ends of the earth.

Richard Thompson, Chairman

R7-04-01
Council on Mission and Ministry

Introduction

Since its introduction into the structure of the Synod in 1992,
the Council on Mission and Ministry has been in the process of at-
tempting to implement the functions designated for it. This has
been an extremely difficult task, since the specific relationships be-
tween members of the council have not been clear vis-a-vis the
boards which are represented on the council. This is complicated
by the diversity of activity and type of responsibility which is re-
flected particularly between the program boards and the financial
boards. Given this condition, questions arose as to whether under
the circumstances, the council was really in a position to develop a
“long-range. synodwide strategic mission and ministry plan” as re-
quired by Bylaw 3.940 or, for that matter, many of the other func-
tions specified there. In view of this, much attention was given in
the first meeting of the triennium to efforts designed to clarify the
council’s purpose and functions. Already in the prior triennium the
council had agreed that all it could accomplish toward a strategic
plan was to assist the President in developing a common vision.

Council Activity

In the course of the triennium an effort was made to focus the
attention of the council on specific matters related to the President’s
vision for the church body. In February 1996 emphasis was placed
on the matter of catechesis and the efforts of various units to carry
out this important function. Discussions were led by Dr. Robert
Kolb on the matter of being strongly in the Word through catech-
esis, thus incorporating the first of five vision statements proposed
by the President and adopted by the Synod in convention. At the
same meeting Dr. Peter Becker provided the council with demo-
graphic and environmental snapshots of trends in church and soci-
ety. Dr. Peter Benson led the group through a study entitled “Con-
gregations at the Crossroads,” a national study of youth and adults,
which revealed that for achievement of the vision statements an
emphasis on the family was necessary, including the matter of par-
ents sharing their faith with children; a caring community must be
developed in the congregation; and there must be a transformation
of the way in which education is done. with more emphasis on the
experiential and the actional.

Based on discussions which had occurred, it became apparent
that the Council on Mission and Ministry should be viewed more as
a forum for development of vision and leadership and a vehicle for
exchange of information. Under the leadership of the President and

with a view to realizing the vision of the Synod as being a church
that is people-centered and people-sensitive, the emphasis in the
meetings of August 1996 and February 1997 was centered on the
family. At this meeting the members were provided with informa-
tion from each of the units represented regarding the manner in
which they were seeking to minister to families in the present con-
text. Parish workers made presentations on adult, child, and youth
ministry in their congregations and the support they need from the
church at large. District Presidents who were also present shared
their reflections on the changing needs of the family today and to
efforts which are being made to minister to families and assist them
in carrying out their ministry. The theme of the family was contin-
ued in the next meeting under the leadership of Shelby Andress of
the Search Institute. Among those issues highlighted was the need
for intergenerational conversation, as well as the need to minister to
families of varied composition.

Beginning in August 1997 the emphasis of the Council on Mis-
sion and Ministry meeting was on the matter of ethnic ministry in
relation to the vision of reaching out boldly with the Gospel. Issues
to be addressed were identified and presentations were made by
leaders of various ethnic groups, including Asian, Hispanic, and
Black ministries. Also involved were presentations relating to min-
istry among Jewish people, Muslims, and in the inner city. This
emphasis on ethnic ministries will continue in the March Council
meeting, which will have taken place, God willing, by the time this
report appears.

During the course of the meetings, efforts were made to arrive
at a mission statement for the Synod. Suggestions were solicited
and a selection of these was presented to the council which, while
expressing appreciation for different aspects of the proposed mis-
sion statements, was unable to agree upon one to be submitted to
the Synod for approval.

Future

The future of the council is uncertain. While the more recent
meetings elicited expressions of support and appreciation for what
had occurred, many questions still remained about the value of the
council and its direction. Instead of mandated regular meetings, it
has been suggested that meetings relating to specific issues could
be held at the call of the President and that the makeup of those at-
tending these ad hoc meetings would be varied, depending on the
issues involved. It should be noted that the President’s “Blue Rib-
bon” Committee on Structure has agreed with this approach and is
recommending that Bylaws relating to the Council on Mission and
Ministry be deleted from the Handbook. Under this approach,
while recognizing the need for and value of meetings such as were
being held, the meetings would not be mandated, the focus would
be on an issue or area, and the configuration of those meetings
would vary depending on the issue or area under consideration.

A. L. Barry, Chairman
John P. Schuelke, Administrative Officer

R7-04-02
Department of General Services

The Department of General Services, under the authority of the
Facilities Management Board, is charged with “Developing and ad-
ministering building, office, information, and electronic support
services so Synod’s International Center boards and staffs are
equipped to more efficiently reach out and serve and, where feasi-
ble, offer such services to other entities throughout the Synod.” The
department consists of seven units: Building Operations, Travel
and Meeting Planning, Rosters and Statistics, Editorial Services.
Purchasing, LCMS Video, and Central Library Services.

The Synod’s International Center consists of two buildings. The
original building, located at 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood.
Mo., houses the offices and operations of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod and the Worker Benefit Plans. The second build-
ing, located at 10733 Sunset Office Drive, Sunset Hills, Mo.,
houses the offices of the LCMS Foundation and the Lutheran
Church Extension Fund.

Building Operations provides support services within the Inter-