LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 102

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102 SYNODICAL REPORTS

ness. This is true in every major business area in which OIS works,
including, evangelism, missions, media, communication, insurance,
banking, publishing, higher education, and fund-raising.

The LCMS needs to invest in training programs and the devel-
opment of standards in order to encourage and motivate church
workers and employees to learn how to effectively make use of
new technology, including desktop computing tools and the Inter-
net.

The LCMS entities need to become learning organizations
where employees work together in teams to share knowledge and
expertise in order to get things done effectively and efficiently.

3. The explosion of the Internet along with desktop and
portable computers challenges the ability of organizations to
make effective use of these tools.

New technologies, and especially the Internet, provide the
LCMS with powerful communication tools to deliver and exchange
information resources with professional church workers, support
staff, lay leaders, and the public at large.

The Internet is analogous to the printing press of the 15th cen-
tury. In the same way that Martin Luther used the printing press to
put the Word into the hands of the people, the Internet has the po-
tential to extend the reach of the church to further spread the Good
News.

The LutherNet plan, first proposed in 1986, has been converted
to the Internet. Partnerships and alliances are key to maintaining
even communication and access to information. In some instances,
multiple communication media will be required (e.g., electronic
and paper) until electronic communication becomes pervasive.

The LCMS has made significant progress in the last several
years establishing excellent Internet-based information resources
including the following:

LCMS web site—attracting more than 1,000 visitors per day as a
focal point with links to many LCMS resources

Lutheran Hour Ministries web site—Internet-based outreach ef-
fort

Ministry Profile Search—teacher call information for District of-
fices

Congregation and Schoo! Locators—finding a nearby congrega-
tion or school

* Congregational Statistics—tables and graphs for the past 10
years

E-mail list conferences—processing more than 200,000 mes-
sages a month on a wide variety of ministry topics

In February 1997 the LCMS web site (www.lcms.org) was rec-
ognized by ComputerWorld magazine as one of the premier 100
organizations who are “leveraging the World Wide Web and re-
lated technologies in ways that significantly advance their core or-
ganization objectives.”

Much of this work has been accomplished through LCMS elec-
tronic media organizations and units (e.g., Concordia Publishing

House, Communication Services, Electronic Media/Church Infor- *

mation Center, Congregational Services School Department, the
District Information Systems Advisory Committee, Lutheran Hour
Ministries, CUENet, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund, the
LCMS Foundation).

There are many additional opportunities to better serve church
workers, staff, and lay leaders in the field that should be planned
and implemented:

* Collection of congregation statistical information online

* Assist Districts and congregations to develop a presence on the
Internet

Concordia Publishing House electronic catalog

Electronic interface of Lutheran Church Extension Fund infor-
mation

Electronic filing and status of Concordia Health Plan claims
Electronic catalog of Mission and Ministry Projects

Electronic access to products and services from LCMS national
contract partners

It is my prayer that God will bless this work and continue to en-
able the church to make effective use of technology to spread the
Good News of His love and salvation for the world.

Alan Meyer, Acting Executive Director

R7-04-04
Department of Human Resources

The Department of Human Resources has a direct relationship
to the synodical Board of Directors. It continues to provide leader-
ship to the Human Resources function in service to church workers
throughout the Synod. It coordinates the development and admin-
istration of personnel policies, procedures, and supporting systems
within and between all synodwide corporations, boards, commis-
sions, departments, and agencies of the Synod. In addition to the
concern for attracting and retaining high-quality people for service
within all units, it strives to create an environment that is caring
and supporting to enhance effective service to the Lord and the
Synod. The department, guided by the Human Resources Commit-
tee, which includes the chief executive officers of corporate Synod,
the Lutheran Church Extension Fund, the Lutheran Church—-Mis-
souri Synod Foundation, the Worker Benefit Plans, and the full-
time officers of the Synod, administers uniform personnel policies
and salary administration, including regular review of both posi-
tion descriptions and performance evaluations. The department
conducts annual compensation surveys and was instrumental in the
board’s decision to establish salary ranges of the middle and upper-
level executives based on the 25 highest paid parish pastors and 25
highest paid institutional executives (other than CPH or Interna-
tional Center employees) enrolled in the Concordia Plans while es-
tablishing other salaries based on the competitive St. Louis mar-
ket. An updated employee handbook and a new personnel policy
manual have been developed. An affirmative action program is
maintained and the department works with various boards and de-
partments toward maintaining minority employment ratios consis-
tent with the population of the St. Louis area.

Barbara Ryan, Director

R7-05-01
Atlantic District

Our location: The Atlantic District extends from the Adiron-
dack Mountains on the north,.southward on both sides of the Hud-
son River, through the capitol district of Albany, down through the
five boroughs of New York City, and eastward to the tip of Long
Island. Its borders touch Canada. New Jersey, the New England
states, and the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and a strip just west of
the Hudson River.

Our character: The character of the Atlantic District is best seen
in its diversity. In His grace, God brings the whole world to our
doorstep, and a rich variety of cultures dominate our cities and sub-
urbs. We minister to wealthy people, poor people, farm people,
suburban people, university and college people, and small town
people. Students from al] over the world attend our Lutheran
schools and state universities. Patients from every corner of the
globe come to our hospitals in search of healing. It is not unusual
for a Sunday morning visitor to have come to one of our churches
from Africa, Eastern Europe, India, or South America. On each
Lord’s Day, our congregations proclaim and celebrate the Gospel
through Word and Eucharist in eight different languages, repre-
senting at least 25 cultures and countries.

Our diverse character raises formidable challenges to our
proclamation of the Gospel, including cultural, ethnic, and racial
differences, critical social needs and lifestyles which must be
changed by the Gospel. However, our diverse character also en-
ables us to experience the excitement of our Savior’s Gospel
changing lives in time and unto eternity. We believe that each bap-
tized person in an Atlantic District congregation has Spirit-given
gifts to contribute to the body of Christ in our midst.

Our ministry: To a large degree, the character of the Atlantic
District determines its approach to ministry. We recognize as a fun-