LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 15

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SYNOD REPORTS
ministries in support of the Synod’s mission and objectives. These
RSOs are instrumental in meeting the needs of a variety of unique
and diverse ministries that enhance the Synod’s spiritual, emotional,
and physical well-being.
As ONM matures in its relationships among the Synod’s stakeholders, it will seek to assist as mission and mercy emerge in an
ever-changing culture. ONM is posturing to engage the world with
God’s grace and mercy.
Office of International Mission (OIM)—Unit Executive Director, Rev.
Randall Golter

The Office of International Mission has a vast area of responsibility—the world. More than 7 billion people now inhabit planet Earth,
and approximately one-third identify themselves as Christians. Of that
one-third, about 70 million identify themselves as Lutherans. Of those
70 million, approximately 2.3 million identify themselves as LCMS
members. How can so few make a difference in such a large world?
When Synod restructured, it created the Office of International
Mission. This new organization has the responsibility to make that
difference on behalf of the Synod in the international arena with
domestic and international partners. In order to accomplish this
most effectively, OIM divides the world into five regions: Eurasia,
Latin America, Southern Asia and Oceania, Africa, and Asia Pacific.
Regional directors oversee the Synod’s mission work in their assigned
regions of responsibility.
Currently, 63 career missionaries and 46 Globally Engaged for
Outreach (GEO) men and women serve on the mission field. They
are funded through networks of donors—districts, congregations,
and individual donors—and are referred to as Network Supported
Missionaries (NSM). This funding paradigm has been remarkably
successful and continues to grow a network of mission partners dedicated to sharing their time, talents, and treasure.
Mission work incorporates witness, mercy, and life together activities. These activities include preaching, teaching, pastoral care, human
care, church worker advocacy, church planting, theological instruction, partner church relations, mission advancement, and a variety
of oversight responsibilities such as strategic planning and budget
preparation.
Opportunities await our Synod’s mission efforts. These gifted
workers toiling in the fields faithfully proclaim the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. They covet your prayers and support. May God grant a bountiful harvest.
Pastoral Education (PE)—Unit Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Glen Thomas

The scope of pastoral education addresses the development of
candidates and pastors from enrollment in one of Synod’s universities, through seminary education, to post-seminary graduation into
the parish. The Synod’s seminaries continue to provide outstanding
instruction for men preparing for the ministry, and they bear the burden of recruiting, teaching, and mentoring qualified candidates. This
is an enormous responsibility as the cost of education continues to
rise and as congregations expect to receive talented candidates fully
prepared for ministry in a variety of different venues.
As the number of candidates declines within our Concordia
University System, more candidates are seeking admission from less
traditional pre-seminary venues. Furthermore, undergraduate costs
continue to rise, creating a net effect of greater graduate indebtedness. The Synod and the seminaries are well aware of these challenges
and the necessary requirements to prepare the next generation for
ministry. Together, the Synod can and will continue to prepare wellqualified men for ministry.

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Mission Advancement (MA)—Unit Executive Director, Mr. Mark
Hofman

Mission Advancement (MA) is charged with fund development on
behalf of the Synod, and following restructuring was consolidated into
a single department in order to accomplish this task more effectively
and efficiently. As a result, advancement personnel from various program areas were assigned to MA. The consolidation prompted internal
reorganization and assigning roles, duties, and responsibilities within
four functional areas: major donor and district relationships, direct
response (mail, telephone, e-mail and web giving), campaigns and
special projects, and missionary support (including Mission Central
in Mapleton, Iowa).
MA’s responsibilities include a wide variety of development activities in support of International and National Missions, the Office of
the President, and a variety of projects in support of Synod’s congregations, districts, schools, and other development activities and
campaigns as directed by the Synod in convention. MA incorporates
all available methods, resources, and venues to connect donors with
appropriate ministry opportunities designed to help the donor accomplish his or her own charitable goals and objectives (a symmetrical
fund-raising paradigm).
MA’s incorporation of proven fund-raising techniques and methodologies is improving relationships with donors, the church, and
gift recipients, contributing to more favorable outcomes for all stakeholders. As an example, MA began publishing Lutherans Engage the
World in order to tell the mission and mercy stories about the work
that donors support. This, along with numerous other innovations,
will enhance the Synod’s ability to make known the love of Christ
throughout the world.
Communications (COMM)—Unit Executive Director, Mr. David Strand

Communications (COMM) also went through reorganization as a
result of restructuring. Communications personnel from various program areas consolidated into one entity under a unit executive director
and are responsible for the official publications of the Synod—
Reporter and The Lutheran Witness.
COMM continues to develop various platforms by which to
engage the church. These platforms include print, video, social media,
digital publications, and web-based tools. Communications methods,
technology, and means rapidly evolve, and COMM must engage the
Synod and the public through innovative change and adaptation to
the information evolution. This, in itself, requires significant skills,
imagination, funding, and work, and is absolutely necessary to keep
the Synod informed and aware.
In order to accomplish their tasks, COMM is divided into four
divisions: News and Information, comprising the Synod’s official
periodicals, the news bureau and e-news delivery systems, graphic
design and layout, and an array of other print material; Integrated
Communications, comprising public and media relations, social
media, advertising and marketing, business plans and rollouts, ministry promotion, special events, and the Church Information Center;
Internet, comprising the look, feel, content, and functionality of the
LCMS Web site and many other sites and blogs within the Synod;
and Digital Media, comprising video and photography.
COMM will meet future challenges through collaboration and
innovation. Constrained resources—time, talent, and treasure—are
the constant adversaries of communications successes; yet, these
same adversaries can, and do, motivate the communications team.
They continue to “up their game” with The Lutheran Witness and
Reporter, and they will do likewise as they tackle the ever-changing
domains and technologies of communications. God has given the
Church the responsibility to nurture the faithful and reach those yet
2013 Convention Workbook