LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 50

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50 SYNOD REPORTS

¢ For the 2007 National Youth Gathering, approved Theological
Practices, Procedures, and Policies; and Financial Practices and
Policies; to ensure the finest theological and financial support to
our youth.

¢ Approved a pilot National Adult Gathering in conjunction with
the 2007 National Youth Gathering.

¢ Established a task force to study the future of the National Youth
Gathering to ensure the best possible support for our youth in the
future.

¢ Authorized an internal audit of DCS to ensure optimum use of
the resources entrusted by Synod.

V. Ministry Area Triennium Report

Each District and Congregational Services’ Ministry Area Trien-
nium Activity Report will be grouped under the Four DCS Statements
of Direction:

+ Proclaim the Saving Gospel of Jesus Christ +
+ Nurture Children, Youth, and Adults +
+ Develop Leaders +
+ Cultivate Stewards +

Child Mini

In dynamic pursuit of God’s Mission to children and their fam-
ilies, LCMS Children’s Ministry champions Lutheran early child-
hood programs and other congregational, school, infant-toddler
programs, and services by serving as the national voice for needs
and interests; advocating excellence; linking relevant resources and
services; building collaborative systems of service and support; and
by providing timely responses to needs and issues. Children’s Min-
istry refers specifically and equally to early childhood centers/pro-
grams (child care and preschools) and all other areas of
congregational ministry with children (birth to grade 5). The latter
includes, but is not limited to, Sunday School, VBS, midweek pro-
grams, school-age care, day camps, and infant-toddler programs
such as the church nursery. The work of the ministry area addresses
the needs of district, early childhood program, and congregational
leaders—both volunteer and professional—who serve in the vari-
ous areas of Children’s Ministry.

Proclaim the Saving Gospel of Jesus Christ

¢ Three Web forums enable district early childhood consultants,
district Children’s Ministry associates, and congregations’
children’s ministry leaders to exchange ideas and information.
Children’s Ministry staff gathered formally with district and na-
tional leaders representing various entities at least seven times an-
nually for information sharing, problem solving, and joint
professional development.

¢ Annually organized District Early Childhood Consultant Confer-
ences.

¢ Multiple grant proposals were submitted to various entities for fi-
nancial support of various new initiatives.

* A resolution to establish an endowment for Children’s Ministry
was forwarded to LCMS Board of Directors.

¢ Monthly meetings with individuals and small groups of district
and national leadership in the LCMS and applicable entities in
conjunction with other activities, visits, meetings, or events.

Nurture Children, Youth and Adults

¢ The number of individuals reported as “Directors of Children’s
Ministry” has grown to more than 500 during the triennium.

¢ The number of Concordia Universities adding specializations in
Children’s Ministry or additional courses focused on effective
ministries for children is increasing.

¢ A reported average of 30,000 downloads of articles comprising

the Web magazine Children’s Ministry (CM) Connections per
month.

2007 Convention Workbook

¢ The Children’s Ministry Advisory Team was established and con-
ferences by phone quarterly.

¢ An average of 750 early childhood programs subscribed annually
to the monthly Early Childhood Mailing, which is comprised of
eight professional publications.

* Approximately 2,200 early childhood programs receive the new
quarterly resource Touchpoints for directors, teachers and staff of
Lutheran early childhood centers.

¢ More than 5,700 subscribers to the e-bulletin Children’sMin-
istry.net are benefiting from current literature and research rela-
tive to ministry with children.

* Twenty district teams participated in facilitator training to better
assist congregations in strengthening their children’s ministries.

Develop Leaders

¢ The director of Children’s Ministry completed her doctoral stud-
ies in educational leadership and administration, which included
national research of LCMS early childhood programs.

* Fifty early childhood center directors report greater effectiveness
as a result of DIRECTed e-training program.

¢ Thirty future and “new” early childhood program directors report
greater effectiveness as a result of Administrator Candidate
Training (A.C.T.).

* Established a national network (District Children’s Ministry As-
sociates) for the support of leaders in “‘nonschool” Children’s
Ministries areas.

¢ The Children’s Ministry Leadership e-training program, opera-
tional in January 2006, trained 35 leaders in Children’s Ministry
in the first month.

Cultivate Stewards

* More than 10,000 early childhood educators, directors, DCEs,
DCMs, and volunteers have advanced their skills to effectively

. work with children through retreats, seminars, and workshops
conducted by Children’s Ministry staff at events sponsored by
districts and other LCMS entities during the triennium.

¢ Enrollment in LCMS early childhood programs (full-day child
care and preschool) has risen to more than 139,626 children
(05-06 report)—an increase of 15,274 children during a three-
year period.

¢ Children enrolled in the more than 2,200 early childhood pro-
grams are benefiting from new initiatives as a result of findings of
the 2004 national study of leadership characteristics of LCMS
early childhood program directors.

¢ Children are benefiting from articles authored by Children’s Min-
istry staff, most notably the commentary “Where Are The Chil-
dren?” published in the March 2006 Reporter.

chool Mini

School Ministry assists, equips, and uplifts school educators,
district staff, especially education executives and congregational
leaders, so that through them children may be equipped as disci-
ples of Jesus Christ. In dynamic pursuit of Christ’s mission to chil-
dren and their families, the Promise of LCMS School Ministry is to
champion Lutheran schools; serve as the national voice for need
and interests; advocate professional excellence; link to relevant re-
sources and services; build collaborative systems of service and
support; and to provide a timely response to needs and issues.

Proclaim the Saving Gospel of Jesus Christ

¢ In the past three years, 11,483 children who attended a Lutheran
school were baptized.

¢ In the past three years, 9,707 parents of children attending a
Lutheran school have been baptized and/or confirmed.

* A total of 2,523 Lutheran schools are serving 290,453 total stu-
dents (early childhood through grade 12).