LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 80

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80 SYNODICAL REPORTS

demographic and statistical information on LCMS congregations
and schools. All activities are done in compliance with the Synod-
ical Handbook. \nformation is available from the Rosters and Sta-
tistics database to all congregations, schools, Districts, and boards
as well as other approved organizations. Data is also provided to
Concordia Publishing House for a number of purposes including
its production of the Lutheran Annual. Staff interfaces regularly
with people at all !evels within the LCMS in order to collect and
disseminate this data. In January of 2000. the department migrated
trom the Congregational Ministry Database (CMDB) to the LCMS
Rosters Statistical System (LRSS). Phase If of this conversion is
scheduled to be completed in spring 2001.

The Editorial Services staff provides creative writing. editorial.
proofreading, layout and design services for all units, Districts, and
congregations of the Synod, at their request. Staff is available to
answer style and grammar usage questions. In addition, this unit
creates and publishes the weckly International Center newsletter.
“Crossroads.” The unit also contracts with outside vendors to pro-
duce printed materials for various units of the Synod.

The Purchasing unit works with International Center organi-
zations and on behalf of the 8000+ corporate organizations of the
LCMS to develop purchasing requirements and bid specifications
for the procurement of goods and services. The National Contract
Program. a service of the Purchasing unit, is designed to give
LCMS congregations and schools access to pre-selected vendors
and pricing. This pricing is negotiated based on the potential vol-
ume from the LCMS and allows congregations and schools to take
advantage of the buying power of 8,000+ organizations. A com-
plete list of vendors, including Worldcom, Office Depot, Sharp.
and Riso, as wel] as six moving van lines, is available on the LCMS
Web site at http://www.lcms.org/gens/contract.html.

The IC Food Service provides cafeteria, vending, and catering
services to the IC properties. This unit, staffed with LCMS em-
ployees, makes available breakfast and lunch to the 450 on-site em-
ployees at 1333. In addition, vending and soft drink machines are
maintained in each of the buildings. Finally, catering services—
primarily mecting food and beverage service—are provided for the
numerous mectings coordinated through the Travel and Meeting
Planning unit.

The Central Library is a resource library that exists primarily
to support the International Center staff and the work and mission
of the church-at-large. The library has more than 37,000 books,
hundreds of periodicals, and many other resources. It provides ref-
erence, interlibrary loan, and other research support services. An
online catalogue provides access to the collection.

Ron Schultz, Executive Director

R7-04-02
Office of Information Systems

Fifteen years ago, the LCMS Board of Directors authorized the
establishment of the Office of Information Systems (OIS) to “fa-
cilitate effective and efficient management of LCMS information
resources by coordinating and managing the use of information
systems technology. including equipment, personnel and systems.”

Today. organizations that make up the OTS partnership are (1)
Concordia Publishing House, (2) Concordia University
System/Board for Higher Education, (3) LCMS District Offices.
(4) LCMS Corporate Synod—boards, commissions, departments,
and offices, (5) LCMS Foundation, (6) Lutheran Church Extension
Fund, (7) International Lutheran Laymen’s League, and (8) Worker
Benefit Plans.

2001 Convention Workbook

OIS services include data processing, network administration
and security management, software development and maintenance,
internet access and Web site hosting, office automation, help desk
and PC support, and business analysis.
OIS’s St. Louis-based data processing network supports more
than 1,000 users at four sites and is the location of all the LCMS
Web sites (www.lcms.org). This STL network is linked to the Con-
cordia Administrative Information Systems higher education data
center located on the campus of Concordia University, River For-
est, IL, as well as the Church Extension Fund offices of the Texas
and Cal-Nevada-Hawaii Districts.
Technological innovation continues to rapidly reshape how so-
ciety and the church make use of information systems.
New technologies, and especially the Internet, provide the
LCMS with powertul 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 | Sth cen-
tury. In the same way that Martin Luther used the printing press to
put the Bible 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.
Major initiatives that OIS has lead over the past three years in-
clude
* selection of SCT Banner as a new enterprise administrative sys-
tem for LCMS higher cducation institutions.

* deployment of Peachtree as a new standard accounting system for
District Offices.

* successful Y2K preparation and remediation of all OIS supported
systems.

* deployment of new finance and human resources systems for the
LCMS national offices.

* development and deployment of network security policy.

* development of various Internet-based e-business applications.

Alan Meyer, Executive Director

R7-04-03
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 supportive to enhance effective service to the Lord and the
Synod. The department, guided by the Board for Human Re-
sources, which includes the chiet executive officers of the corpo-
rate Synod, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund, The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod Foundation, the Worker Benefit Plans,
Concordia Publishing House, Concordia Historical Institute, Con-
cordia University System, and the President, First Vice-President,
and Secretary of the Synod, administers uniform personnel policies
and salary administration. An updated employee handbook and a
personnel policy manual have been developed. An affirmative ac-
tion program is maintained, and the department works with vari-
ous boards and departments toward maintaining minority employ-
ment ratios consistent with the population of the St. Louis area.

Barbara Ryan, Executive Director