LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 101

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SYNODICAL REPORTS 101

Hunger Appeal, and LCMS World Relief and Human Care began
“Stand with Africa,” a three-year emphasis on AIDS/HIV, food
security, and peace and reconciliation. LCMS World Relief and
Human Care Communications assisted this inter-Lutheran cam-
paign with the development of three videos, the Stand with Africa
Web site and bulletin inserts. A closer connection of LWR and
the work of LCMS World Mission identified projects to promote
the Gospel in that part of the world.

Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) continues a
long-standing, thriving partnership with LCMS World Relief and
Human Care. At the LWML convention in Oklahoma City,
LCMS World Relief and Human Care presented a mini video on
the “Healthy Moms/Healthy Babies” project, funded by the
LWML through LCMS World Relief and Human Care. LWML
human care leaders received copies of Rev. Matthew Harrison’s
translation of Johann Gerhard’s “Meditations on Divine Mercy.”

Districts have been instrumental in partnering with the ministry
of LCMS World Relief and Human Care, sharing resources to
fund projects of mercy for people in need worldwide. Additional
opportunities for such partnership arrangements are being ex-
plored.

LCMS World Mission and LCMS World Relief and Human Care
continue to cooperate in holistic ministry. This “demonstration”
of the Gospel on the part of LCMS World Relief and Human Care
and “proclamation” of the Gospel by LCMS World Mission pro-
vides opportunity to share the love and grace of God to others
who might otherwise not hear or understand. The church as a
mercy place is who we are as Lutheran Christians and provides
opportunity, as Luther wrote, “that the evils of the present may
be somewhat lessened.”

Social Ministry Organizations

Past Triennium Major Accomplishments:

* There are 120 “Social Ministry Organizations” (SMOs) that are
officially recognized by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

* Twenty-five SMOs are specifically affiliated with The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod.

* Lutheran Services of America (LSA) was recently recognized by
The Not-For-Profit Times as the largest not-for-profit umbrella in
the United States. LSA institutions have a yearly combined bud-
get of $8 billion. One-in-three not-for-profit beds in the U.S. are
Lutheran. These institutions serve millions of people annually,
nationally and internationally.

Next Triennium Major Goals:

¢ Engage an 18-month study of 12 key components of social min-
istry in partnership with the Schwan Foundation.

¢ Strengthen partnerships with affiliated SMOs.

* Conduct the first regular retreat for SMO executives on the cam-
pus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Topics will include
“Lutheran Identity,” clarification of SMO expectations regarding
LCMS recognition, and Synod expectations of recognized agen-
cies.

Life Ministries

By encouraging confessional Lutheran leadership on pro-life is-
sues, this unit of LCMS World Relief and Human Care strives to
cooperate, assist, encourage, and educate clergy and laity toward

an effective pro-life witness to the world and a richer understanding
of the gift of true life found in the Gospel.

Past Triennium Major Accomplishments:

¢ To encourage the church (congregational, District, and national)
to assume a full measure of participation in the public square con-
cerning life issues, a part-time director of Life Ministries was
hired and a standing committee on sanctity-of-life issues devel-
oped. The committee includes LCMS members from diverse
areas of the pro-life movement.

* Life Ministries initiated contact in the areas of international and
domestic outreach to Russian- and Hispanic-ministry projects and
works in cooperation with registered service organizations to em-
phasize pro-life education.

* To engage and inform the church about issues of human need,
ethical awareness, and biblical teaching, Life Ministries is pro-
ducing printed educational and devotional materials in conjunc-
tion with Concordia Publishing House and developing an exten-
sive “Life Library” to be indexed and published on a new Web
site to debut in 2004.

¢ The Director of Life Ministries continued to educate youth
through chastity workshops and public speaking engagements.

Next Triennium Major Goals:

¢ Increased congregational outreach by providing speakers and re-
sources for education and outreach materials for pastoral and con-
gregational use.

¢ Developing “Youth Ambassadors for Life” in conjunction with
the LCMS World Relief and Human Care “Youth Corps” to pro-
mote increased awareness of life issues and abstinence education.

¢ Establish and coordinate housing for single mothers in situations
at risk for abuse and poverty and provide mentoring and life-skills
education.

¢ Coordinate with Lutheran Adoption Network on options to abor-
tion.

¢ Sponsor an LCMS National Sanctity-of-Life Conference with
prominent featured speakers on issues such as theology, bioethics,
ethnic outreach, government policy, end-of-life issues, abortion,
and youth education.

¢ Utilize LCMS World Relief and Human Care publications such as
Caring and LCMS periodicals such as The Lutheran Witness and
Reporter to communicate news and education on pro-life topics.

LCMS World Relief/Human Care Resources:

¢ Sharing, a full-color, tabloid-size newsletter with reporting on dis-
aster response, international development programs, and domestic
ministry/development programs (print and Web).

* Caring, a full-color, 12-page newsletter of news and notes on the
church’s work of diakonia (print and Web).

¢ MercyNotes, a public policy newsletter on governmental and
human-care issues of interest to Christian citizens, available elec-
tronically through LCMS e-News.

¢ Newly redesigned LCMS World Relief and Human Care Web
Site.

¢ Annual LCMS World Relief and Human Care Resource Catalog.
* Good News for the World, an annual newsletter for children.

¢ Making a World of Difference, a video profile of the ministry of
LCMS World Relief and Human Care.

¢ Making a World of Difference in Guatemala, a video on the work
of LCMS World Relief and Human Care with missionaries and
the national Lutheran church in Guatemala.

¢ The Church’s Role of Mercy in the Community by Rev. Matthew
C. Harrison.

¢ “Chemnitz on Almsgiving,” from Loci Communes, translated by
James Kellerman with a preface by Rev. Matthew C. Harrison.

¢ What Does It Mean to Be Lutheran in Social Ministry? by Rev.
Matthew C. Harrison.

¢ The Church Is a Mercy Place by Rev. Matthew C. Harrison.

¢ Theological and Personal Reflections on Confessional Lutheran
Involvement in Neighborhood Renewal by Matthew C. Harrison.

Districts and Congregations

¢ Human Care Ministry planning manual.

¢ Planting Gospel Seeds while Serving Human Care Needs, a
brochure and workshop manual.

* Congregation-Based Disaster Response, a brochure.

2004 Convention Workbook