LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 52

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52 SYNODICAL REPORTS

counselors and new partnerships resulting in significant new re-
sources for ministry.

A focus on the life of the Christian steward drives this new ap-
proach. Applying and building on the LCMS Stewardship Princi-
ples approved by the 1998 convention, the Foundation is growing,
building, and serving stewards from birth to beyond death.

President Mark Stuenkel, in this reorganizational year, has di-
rected the development and implementation of a strategic plan to
serve the church. The plan begins with nine goals:

1. Manage $4 billion in investments by 2010

2. Function as a team, each unit getting what it needs from the
others

. Establish expense controls and increase the revenue stream

. Provide excellent customer service

. Flatten the organization, with less layers of bureaucracy

. Be proactive in contacting customers

. Communicate the Foundation as a ministry in itself

. Become the stewardship arm of the church

. Strengthen relationships among congregations, Districts, and
the national office
Each unit has pledged its contribution to meet each goal or a

portion of the goal. Each unit has defined activities to fulfill its

pledge, created a calendar based on defined activities, and consid-

ered how resources wil] be shared among other units to complete its

pledge.

Evaluation of the Foundation’s service to the church will in-
clude a significant emphasis on performance. Individuals and or-
ganizations using the services of the Foundation expect a return on
investment on behalf of the ministry served. Therefore, results of
the work of each unit will be tracked and evaluated.

The Foundation, long known by its trademark “Linking Chris-
tians with Giving Opportunities”®, will also begin to introduce a
service mark: “Stewards for Life.”*“ The services available under
this new banner will be broken down into three components:

Growing—Stewards for Life™

Under this component, Christians will be instructed and nurtured in
biblical stewardship principles and their application in life, from
birth to beyond death. This will be done through the production and
distribution of stewardship education and nurture materials. (2 Tim-
othy 3:16-17)

Building—Stewards for Life™

Under this component, individuals, agencies, and organizations of
the Synod will be directed to and instructed in the use of various in-
struments in planning a sleward’s life. (1 Corinthians 3:11-14)
Serving—Stewards for Life™

Under this component, individuals, agencies, and organizations of
the Synod will be provided personal counseling in eslablishing a
God-pleasing stewardship plan for life and beyond. (Matthew
6:19-20)

Our biblical stewardship principles tell us that the LIFE of a
steward is multidimensional, extending through time and eternity
and includes everything physical and spiritual. The mission of the
steward is to share LIFE with the world through stewardship of the
Gospel (John 6:57~58). Consequently, we are all “Stewards for
Life” in many ways, all of which are expressed in the new focus
of the Foundation.

The Foundation’s performance report with supplemental in-
vestment information, updated financials, and distributions appears
on the Foundation’s Web site at http://www.lcmsfoundation.org.
The Foundation’s audited financial statements are also available in
print upon request.

OOrATNN RW

Mark Stuenkel, President

2001 Convention Workbook

R4-02

Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri
Synod Board for Church Extension (CEF)

Mission Statement

The mission of the Church Extension Fund is to provide oppor-
tunity to make funds and services available in support of the Great
Commission through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Objective

To provide financing and services for the acquisition of sites;
the construction of facilities; the purchase of buildings and equip-
ment; operating expenses; professional church worker education;
the residential housing needs of professional church workers; and
other purposes approved by its governing board consistent with the
ministry and mission of the Synod under policies approved by the
Board of Directors of the Synod.

LCMS Handbook, Bylaw 3.503a

Board Specified Outcomes and Expectations

« LCEF mission and ministry are inseparable.

¢ With God’s grace, LCEF will continue to meet the qualified cap-
ital requirements of the LCMS now and in the future.

* Present and future participants have confidence in LCEF.

¢ LCEF will operate successfully as a not-for-profit organization
with necessary investment in technology, training, etc., to grow
the ministry, maintain God-pleasing stewardship, and sustain the
organization into the future.

* Employees will continue to recognize LCEF as a ministry mak-
ing a difference and a great place to work.

¢ LCEF will monitor CEF Districts’ performance to fulfill Board
oversight requirement for LCMS.

Guiding Attributes

¢ Church Extension is a ministry.

¢ LCEF is a partnership between investors and borrowers with the
focus on congregations.

* Church Extension is positioned to help specialized ministries.
i.e., urban and ethnic ministries.

* Investors are fellow Christians who support the ministry.
* God has richly blessed LCEF through the ministry of volunteers.

¢ LCEF is guided by “Will this decision make a difference and fur-
ther the Great Commission?”

Operational Summary—1998 to Present
Narrative

LCEF is currently supporting a significant building increase in
the LCMS. Across the nation building in congregations and other
LCMS entities is proceeding at an unprecedented rate. The three-
year Capital Needs Survey (FY 02-04) indicates a continuation of
the building increases seen during the prior three years (FY 99-01).
Annual loan approvals have increased by $90 million per year over
the last four years ($100M, $130M, $150M, $193M).

LCEF has expanded the services provided to its customers
through the addition of Capital Funding Services. The “Arch of
Services” shown below depicts the relationship of services avail-
able to every customer ot LCEF. It allows the customer to contact
LCEF for virtually all the services needed from concept to com-
pletion.