LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 92

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92 SYNOD REPORTS

* Through intentional linking of our diakonic ministry with “One
Message: Christ,” developed stronger partnership with LCMS
World Mission.

* Under new paradigm, continued to share “One Message: Christ”
through service to the poor and needy with relief and develop-
ment programs and grants. Over the last three years, LCMS
World Relief made a total of 263 international grants worth more
than $8 million, 37 percent of which went for disaster relief and
63 percent for development.

* Responded directly and with unprecedented speed to disasters, in-
cluding the devastating 2004 tsunami in Asia, which launched us
into the international sector of relief with real capacity to act, and
the 2006 earthquake in central Java, Indonesia. (Within hours of
that disaster, LCMS World Relief and Human Care was on the
scene, delivering emergency supplies in partnership with local
Lutheran churches well before the arrival of many large relief or-
ganizations.)

Next Triennium Goals:

* Remain committed to continuing international missions of mercy
in proximity to “One Message: Christ,” and to building opera-
tional capacity and the capacity of Lutheran partners.

* Continue to investigate the possibility, and, where appropriate,
establish local legal entities and offices overseas, to facilitate
ever-growing programs.

* Continue to investigate the possibility, where appropriate, to es-
tablish a network of overseas offices to support uniquely Lutheran
ministries.

* Facilitate efficient responses to emergencies, responding in
mercy.

The Inter-Lutheran Work

Through LCMS World Relief and Human Care, the LCMS has
extensive cooperative work with the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America. That work has and continues to bring blessings, chal-
lenges, and opportunities.

Blessings: The four major cooperative ministries are (1)
Lutheran Services in America—LSA; (2) Lutheran Immigration
and Refugee Services—LIRS; (3) Lutheran World Relief, Balti-
more—LWR; and (4) Lutheran Disaster Response—LDR. LSA is
an umbrella organization for some 300 social ministry organiza-
tions of the ELCA and the LCMS. Together, these 300 agencies
receive some $8 billion in government funding and, last year,
served one in every fifty Americans! Approximately 100 of these
agencies are recognized by both the LCMS and the ELCA. Some
20 are LCMS-only. They do outstanding work at a very difficult
cultural, governmental, and ecclesial intersection. LSA provides
many helpful services to Lutheran agencies and has become the re-
spected collective voice for these agencies in the government and
other arenas. LIRS is the nation’s second largest refugee resettle-
ment agency and receives significant federal funding to place in-
dividuals fleeing ethnic or religious persecution around the world.
Many LIRS clients are resettled in the United States through
Lutheran social ministry institutions. LWR works in international
relief and development, supplies millions in material aid (quilts!) to
those in need, and well represents the ELCA and LCMS among the
panoply of international humanitarian organizations. LDR is a col-
laborative domestic relief ministry of the ELCA and LCMS
through Lutheran social ministry organizations serving as LDR af-
filiates, providing hardship grants, spiritual and emotional care,
volunteer coordination, and long-term recovery. LWR, LIRS, and
LDR are not mission organizations. LWR, LIRS, and LDR do not
evangelize. The LCMS participates in them according to its doc-
trine of “cooperation in externals,” the ability of the church to co-
operate with those who do not necessarily share the same
confession, in matters which do not involve or require joint wor-
ship and proclamation. Through these organizations, the LCMS is

2007 Convention Workbook

pulled outside of itself and participates as a good world citizen to-
ward worthy humanitarian ends. Thousands upon thousands have
been assisted. LCMS World Relief provides some $200,000 in core
support each for LSA and LIRS, and $1,250,000 to LWR, Balti-
more. These funds—as do all LCMS World Relief and Human
Care funds—come from generous donors of the LCMS.

Challenges and Opportunities: The involvement of LCMS
World Relief and Human Care at the inter-Lutheran intersection
has always held challenges that continue to be addressed through
open and honest conversation. The differences between the ELCA
and the LCMS are not insignificant. This joint work has also pre-
sented continuous opportunities to clarify the mission, vision, and
values of LCMS World Relief and Human Care, and how we may
join Lutheran partners in diakonic ministry while remaining faithful
to the Lutheran confession of the faith. LCMS World Relief and
Human Care will continue to concentrate upon developing the in-
creased ability of the LCMS to carry out ministrations of mercy,
and where we work together at the inter-Lutheran nexus, we will
come with more than financial support. We will come with capac-
ity and request that we be respected as full partners. The LCMS
support via LCMS World Relief and Human Care should continue
to provide some core budget support for LWR and LIRS as these
agencies respond to human suffering, motivated by the mercy of
God through Christ Jesus. In addition, LCMS World Relief and
Human Care will look for ways to provide support for the work of
LWR and LIRS through specific projects that develop the capacity
of LCMS partner churches, districts, and congregations to provide
works of mercy to their neighborhoods and communities in the
context of their Word and Sacrament ministry. Recent discussions
with national and field staff of both LWR and LCMS World Re-
lief and Human Care are moving more positively, and new leader-
ship is opening opportunities to revisit more collaborative work.
The greatest portion of our joint, inter-Lutheran work in LWR,
LIRS, LSA, and LDR does not involve controversial areas. Disas-
ter response (volunteering, cleanup, etc.) has been an area of joyous
celebration. Most of the difficult situations that social ministry or-
ganizations address (the elderly, the disabled, the poor, and the vast
majority of adoptions) are carried out without offense to LCMS
doctrine and practice. The Board for Human Care Ministries and
the staff of LCMS World Relief and Human Care heartily solicit
the prayers of the church, so that we carry out our responsibilities at
this intersection with charity and fidelity to Christ.

Disaster Response

As the Synod’s disaster response arm, LCMS World Relief and
Human Care works through a broad network of diverse partners to
alleviate human suffering and enable people to build or regain self-
sufficiency after natural and man-made disasters. In keeping with
“One Message: Christ,” the church’s response to a disaster is a
commitment and witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to assist
those who are impacted. LCMS World Relief and Human Care
provides funding and direction to districts and congregations as
they reach out to their communities with solid spiritual care and
timely disaster relief. Key partners include Lutheran World Relief,
Lutheran Disaster Response, and Recognized Services Organiza-
tions, as well as agencies like the Federal Emergency Management
Agency and the Red Cross.

Past Triennium Major Accomplishments:

¢ Worked with grants administration to facilitate and oversee the
disbursement of more than $13 million in generous donations
from LCMS World Relief and Human Care supporters for recov-
ery aid after Hurricane Katrina. (Those donations followed the $6
million from donors after the 2005 Asian tsunami. The people of
the LCMS responded to this triennium’s unprecedented disasters
with unparalleled support.)