LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 35

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SYNOD REPORTS

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of January 2013) stands at 138,000. Also, thanks to an app developed
by Concordia Publishing House (CPH), the Witness became available
via digital subscription in 2012.
The digital edition provides readers with many new features and benefits. Its format functions on most devices, including smart phones,
tablets, laptops, and desktop computers.
The Witness team plans to further enhance the digital format by adding
bonus content such as videos and motion graphics. The digital version
is available as an add-on to a current print subscription or as a standalone product.
Published several special issues of the Witness, most of them made
possible by financial assistance from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans:
Synod’s “Blessings, Gifts, and Challenges” (May 2011); “C. F. W.
Walther: A Man for the Ages” (October 2011); “The Blessings of
Children” (and the many opportunities for serving as foster or adoptive parents; November 2011); “Our Vocation as Citizens” (and our
life, duties, and rights as Lutheran Christians in the public square; April
2012); “Standing Ready” (the church’s service to the Armed Forces as
well as the chaplains and congregations that make our efforts possible;
August. 2012); and “The State of the Synod” (the Synod’s financial
status; September 2012).
Won 27 national awards from the Associated Church Press and the
Evangelical Press Association for excellence in The Lutheran Witness
and Reporter.
Continued partnering with and supporting CPH’s efforts to market and
promote the Witness, including Lutheran Witness/Portals of Prayer
combination offers.
Unveiled, in conjunction with LCMS Mission Advancement, a new
donor-focused magazine called Lutherans Engage the World. The
maiden issue (September 2012) of this bi-monthly was sent to some
98,000 LCMS donors, rostered members, and missionaries past and
present.
Lutherans Engage the World combines the content of three former
newsletters—Sharing, Caring, and Harvest News—into one informative and inspiring magazine for LCMS supporters and stakeholders.
It provides a detailed picture of how gifts and offerings to the LCMS,
through its varied ministries, are being used to reach the world with
the Gospel of Jesus Christ through works of witness and mercy.
In another partnership with CPH, Engage soon will be available as
a newsstand-style mobile app for iPhones, iPod Touch, and iPads.
Additional digital versions of each issue can be found at www.lcms.
org/lutheransengage.
Strengthened the cooperative relationship (a key goal of restructuring)
between LCMS Communications and LCMS Mission Advancement
(formerly Fund Development). Prominent examples of this are the
case-document prepared for the Office of National Mission, the
“Together as Synod” and “Global Seminary Initiative” case documents, and “The Wittenberg Project” materials.
Increasingly, going forward, major donors who want to change a life
or help to change the world will have attractively designed case documents to help them review the facts, goals, and opportunities for
supporting various aspects of LCMS work throughout America and
the world.

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Integrated Communications
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Worked with the Office of the President’s leadership team to develop
the Witness, Mercy, Life Together logo, design the emphasis’s Web
pages, produce collateral materials, and develop a communications
plan for rolling out the emphasis to key church audiences.
Launched a “refreshed brand” for the Synod in April 2012. Again, the
rebranding stemmed from the restructuring mandated by the 2010 convention to reorganize, consolidate, and streamline the ministries of the
LCMS home office. The Communications Department worked with
the Office of the President, consultants, and an array of LCMS leaders to outline the goals for rebranding and settle on a comprehensive
strategy for reaching those goals.

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Information to the church on the refreshed-branding effort would come
in the form of a brand manual, reference guide, brochures, and FAQs;
a video, articles and advertisements; internal and external e-blasts,
social-media messaging, a refitted Web site; presentations to the LCMS
Board of Directors and Council of Presidents; a rollout (using retrofitted exhibit displays) at district conventions; and sundry other means.
Served as a vital partner in providing communication-leadership skills
to new missionaries at the annual new-missionary orientations. “Tech
tips” involved branding, navigation of the Synod’s Web site, LCMS
publications, corporate and personal social media, communication
security, using technology effectively to connect with supporters, and
providing newsletter and PowerPoint templates.
A helpful accomplishment prior to the most recent missionary orientation was the preparation and launch of the new LCMS International
Google Apps/Intranet site—a central place for overseas missionaries
to find resources, receive messages, and share information.
Worked continually (and the work goes on) with Lutheran World Relief
(LWR) and the United Nations Foundation on the Lutheran Malaria
Initiative (LMI). The public launch of this $45 million campaign came
in June 2011. Congregations and schools across the country, using
starter kits, hosted special offerings, recognitions, and other activities.
District campaigns followed, as did major-donor events. Ongoing publicity stoked awareness of LMI and drove traffic to the LMI Web site
and social-media channels.
LCMS Communications helped promote “World Malaria Day”
through the use of strategic messaging and publicizing CPH’s efforts
benefiting LMI. We created social media, video, employee messages,
Web updates, e-blasts, and press releases on the day’s special events,
including a chapel service at the International Center.
Last, we helped organize (1) a visit to Tanzania, where U.S.
Congressional staff took part in a bed-net distribution, and (2) a day
of appointments on Capitol Hill, where LWR, LCMS, and LCMS
partner-church officials advocated for LMI and the ongoing funding
of anti-malaria programming in Africa.
Helped create, in concert with the Office of the President, Concordia
Plan Services, and others, the Synod’s “Free to Be Faithful” campaign, an effort to educate and inspire LCMS constituents to take
informed action to safeguard religious freedoms. Two major factors
spurring this effort were President Harrison’s appearance on Capitol
Hill testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform
Committee’s hearings on the so-called HHS contraceptive mandate,
and later, President Harrison’s (and the Synod’s) reaction to the U.S.
Supreme Court ruling on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act.
Managed the logistics (and handled the accompanying media relations
and social media duties) for LCMS appointments with members of
Congress on “Lutheran Services in America Day” at the White House
(October 2011).
Played a major role in the C. F. W. Walther bicentennial celebration:
special Web site, logo, and Web buttons; tours of historic sites in St.
Louis and Perry County, Mo.; e-blasts and social media posts; releases
and print ads; and securing St. Louis County and State of Missouri
proclamations recognizing Walther’s contributions.
Sent out 142 press releases (July 2010 through September 2012) garnering some 580 confirmed media placements. On the very day this
report was drafted, Integrated Communications secured an interview
between LCMS Life Ministries Director Maggie Karner and The New
York Times on the subject of the “March for Life” in Washington DC,
Jan. 25, 2013.
Grew our social media tallies to 39,000 LCMS Facebook and 6,300
LCMS Twitter followers.
Handled, via the LCMS Church Information Center, 31,000 phone
and email inquiries.

Internet
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Launched, after more than two-and-a-half years of conceptualization,
design, and development, the new lcms.org Web site (April 2011). The

2013 Convention Workbook