LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 108

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108 SYNODICAL REPORTS

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The Process Review unit of Business Services provides assis-
tance to departments and program boards of the LCMS in docu-
menting, analyzing, recommending, and implementing business-
process improvements. The reviews include technology systems,
business processes, workflow, and organizational practices.

Research Services provides a full range of research design and
analysis. This staff can conduct original research, including writ-
ten surveys, telephone interviews, or focus groups (in-depth inter-
views), and secondary analysis of existing data, such as congrega-
tion information collected by Rosters and Statistics or public data
collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. They also assist in designing
surveys and will select samples and collect data to prepare analysis
and reports. Beginning in 2003, Research Services began publish-
ing the quarterly LCMS Insights newsletter. LCMS Insights is a
quarterly review of recent research that focuses on important in-
sights for congregation leaders and those who resource them.
Drawing on nearly 30 years of experience and personal relation-
ships with some of today’s top religious research professionals,
John O’ Hara seeks out those studies that provide answers to criti-
cal, strategic questions for today’s congregations.

Facility Services provides support services within the Interna-
tional Center. The Synod’s International Center consists of two
buildings. The original building, located at 1333 S. Kirkwood
Road, Kirkwood, MO, houses the offices and operations of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod Foundation, and Worker Benefit Plans. The second
building, located at 10733 Sunset Office Drive, Sunset Hills, MO,
houses the offices of The Lutheran Church Extension Fund.

The Building Operations unit of Facilities provides an array
of services, including security services, business-continuity sup-
port, maintenance services, floor-plan design, telephone services,
data- and telephone-infrastructure support, voice mail, and overall
building and grounds maintenance. Facility Services is responsible
for all electrical, plumbing, life safety, and structural systems
within the buildings. This group also interfaces with facility main-
tenance and other contracted service providers. In addition, this
staff schedules and maintains the Video Conference and Technol-
ogy Center and provides audiovisual equipment to the IC.

CrossRoads Café is operated by Facility Services and provides
cafeteria, vending, and catering services to the IC properties. This
unit, staffed with LCMS employees, makes available breakfast and
lunch to the 400 on-site employees at 1333. In addition, vending
and soft-drink machines are maintained in each of the buildings.
Finally, catering services (primarily food and beverage service for
meetings) are provided for the numerous meetings coordinated
through the Travel and Meeting Planning unit.

The Information Services unit is a consolidation of the Church
Information Center, Electronic Media, Central Library, and Edito-
nial Services. Support services are provided to the church at large as
well as to International Center entities.

The Church Information Center is the contact center that pro-
vides information in response to inquiries from professional church
workers, laity, and the general public. It provides direct response and
connects individuals with those that can provide assistance in St.
Louis, District offices, or other affiliated organizations. The staff also
responds to e-mail directed to them at infocenter@Icms.org and the
Synod’s Web site. The LCMS FaxBack service at 1-888-LCMSFAX
(888-526-7329) is also supported. Frequently asked questions are in-
tegrated into the LCMS Web site on an ongoing basis.

Electronic Media provides leadership, coordination, design ser-
vices, project management, and policy administration of the LCMS
Internet presence and the International Center Intranet. During the
past triennium, significant teamwork efforts resulted in the devel-
opment and release of the LCMS eNews system and a complete
overhaul of the Synod’s Web site. The team focused on develop-

2004 Convention Workbook

ment of acommon look and feel for the more than 20 ministry areas
within the LCMS. The new systems enable ministry areas to easily
enter content without advanced technical skills, resulting in the
availability of more information at reduced staff costs.

During the last triennium, the Facilities Services Management
Board made some difficult decisions towards reducing operating
costs. These decisions included the closing of the International
Center Central Library. Operations ceased as of the end of June
2003. The 40,000+ assets of the library were redistributed to Con-
cordia Historical Institute, Concordia Seminary Library, Concor-
dia Publishing House, various International Center Department ref-
erence collections, and a book sale.

The Editorial Services staff provides creative writing, editorial
proofreading, print media layout, and design services for all Inter-
national Center units, Districts, and congregations of the Synod, at
their request. Crossroads, the International Center weekly em-
ployee newsletter is created and published. Coordination with out-
side vendors for print media production is also provided for various
Synod units.

Purchasing Services works with International Center organi-
zations and on behalf of the 8,000+ 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 preselected 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 is available on the LCMS Web site.

Travel and Meeting Planning provides event-planning services,
including travel, housing, transportation, and conference needs for
LCMS-IC organizations. These services are provided for events
across the country, including the Synod convention. Since the 2001
LCMS convention this department planned or assisted with over 900
events, accommodating an estimated 200,000 people. In addition,
Travel and Meeting coordinates the dozens of weekly meetings and
activities planned in the International Center buildings.

Ron Schultz, Executive Director

R7-04-02
Concordia Technologies

Concordia Technologies (formerly the Office of Information
Systems) facilitates the effective and efficient management of
LCMS information technology resources, including networks, In-
ternet presence, data processing, software development, and sup-
port for users.

Go to www.concordiatechnologies.org Web site for a compre-
hensive view of all the products, services, and support activities of
Concordia Technologies.

The following LCMS entities make use of various Concordia
Technologies services: Concordia Publishing House, District Of-
fices, LCMS Corporate Synod (boards, commissions, departments,
and offices), LCMS Foundation, Lutheran Church Extension Fund,
Lutheran Hour Ministries, and Worker Benefit Plans.

Services include network administration, data processing and
application hosting, network security management, software de-
velopment and maintenance, e-mail, Internet access and Web site
hosting, office automation, help desk and microcomputer support,
business process analysis, and project management.

The St. Louis-based network supports 1,000 business users at
four locations: Concordia Publishing House, Lutheran Hour Min-
istries, LCMS International Center, and LCEF—Sunset Hills. In
addition, Concordia Technologies provides hosting services for