LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 114

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114 SYNODICAL REPORTS

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. The national-level Board for Congregational Services could specialize in communication, leadership training (perhaps sharing this func-
tion), resource brokering, and national advocacy of important ministry areas such as evangelism, stewardship, or youth ministry. Its
executives would serve as national-level advocates and networkers for the areas in which they work.

3. The Board for Congregational Services could coordinate national events such as national youth gatherings.

4, Our Synod’s congregations operate over 2,000 Lutheran schools (early childhood, elementary, secondary), the largest parochial school
system in the country aside from that of the Roman Catholic Church. To sustain our Synod’s traditional strength in this vital area of
Lutheran education, a national schools department could continue to be maintained within Congregational Services.

5. Computers, e-mail, and similar technological advances make possible the availability of support services through a support staff “pool”
approach.

6. The Conference of Congregational Services, which has proven costly and cumbersome, should be discontinued.

District Consultation

It is natural for individual Districts and congregations to be most aware of mission and ministry challenges in their immediate area. It
is also quite natural for them to see these challenges as most urgent, requiring that priority be given to the use of resources in meeting them.
Districts and congregations should not be criticized for these perceptions; rather, they should be commended for being alert to opportuni-
ties to share the Gospel.

Since “with respect to the individual congregation’s right of self-government [the Synod] is but an advisory body” (Constitution, Art.
VID, the Synod at the national and District levels can only seek to persuade a congregation to abandon or delay implementation of strate-
gic plans it has adopted. However, at the national and District levels it can determine how to identify and prioritize ministry challenges and
allocate resources to meet them. Some Districts, especially those with similar conditions and concerns, are already involved in cooperative
efforts to carry out their ministries as effectively and efficiently as possible. They are to be highly commended. Districts that presently act
and plan on an individual basis with perhaps little awareness of what is being planned in neighboring Districts or in Districts with similar
conditions are encouraged to follow their example.

In order to accomplish this, it is suggested that representatives of Districts with similar conditions as noted above be encouraged to meet
annually for purposes of consultation regarding such things as shared vision, staff sharing, and similar issues. Bylaw 9.09 states that “Each
District may invite a synodical representative to meet for mutual assistance in budget planning for mission and ministry together.” In
order to improve the communication between Districts and between the District and national levels, reports of such meetings and their con-
tents might be included as a regular item on the agenda of the Council of Presidents.

Other Issues
Boards of Directors

The national Synod has a Board of Directors (see Bylaw 3.181), as do all the Synod’s Districts (see Bylaw 4.91). Each of these Boards
of Directors is responsible for the management of the business and legal affairs of the entity it represents. Even though Bylaw 4.91 calls for
District Boards of Directors to coordinate their work with the Synod, there is very little communication among or relationship between
these Boards of Directors—whether between the national Synod and a District or District to District. This lack of communication fosters
isolation and independence of each entity and severely limits the ability of the Synod to be the cohesive overall] unit that it could and
should be.

Those who work in various parts of our synodical organization would benefit from an understanding of the role played by each within
the whole. Such understanding requires improved communication, a sharing of information regarding programs, problems, and goals. The
TF urges such improved communication.

Recommendations regarding Boards of Directors

|. The Handbook of the Synod contains the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws, each of which was adopted by delegates of member con-
gregations in conventions of the national Synod. To help members of District Boards of Directors better to understand the role they ful-
fill within the Synod, each member of every District Board of Directors should be given a copy of the Synod’s current Handbook.

. Currently there is little or no direct communication from the Synod’s Board of Directors to the District Boards of Directors. Indeed,
members of District Boards of Directors told the TF that their agendas seldom, if ever, contain items related to the Synod as a whole. Ac-
cordingly, after each of its meetings the Synod’s Board of Directors should send a written communication to its District counterpart
boards advising them of actions of interest to the Districts or that could be helped by District-level action. These communications should
constitute an agenda item for the next meeting of each District Board of Directors. Likewise, communications from other national-level
boards. commissions, and Synodwide corporate entities to the various District Boards of Directors would improve the cohesiveness of
the Synod.

3. Conversely, District Boards of Directors should be encouraged to communicate their concerns and plans to the Synod’s Board of Di-
rectors in those matters where coordination and assistance of the national Synod would be of value.

4. Boards of Directors of adjacent Districts should be encouraged to meet and discuss issues of common concern where joint participation
would be beneficial. .

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5. Members of the Synod’s Board of Directors should be encouraged to attend meetings of District Boards of Directors as a confirmation
that both boards are part and parcel of the one Synod. For best results, a definite agenda for a District Board of Directors’ conversation
with a member of the synodical Board of Directors should be well established prior to the meeting.

6. The editors of The Lutheran Witness and Reporter should be encouraged to consider devoting a few paragraphs in each issue to what is
transpiring in various Districts.

7. Events transpiring in the Synod outside the activities of the synodical Board of Directors may be brought to the attention of the District
Presidents by communications or through their membership in the Council of Presidents. The District Presidents should be encouraged
to include such synodical matters in their reports to their respective Boards of Directors so that every meeting of each District Board of
Directors has an agenda item on national synodical matters.

2001 Convention Workbook