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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 115

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

SYNOD REPORTS

115

that method. Recent changes in The Lutheran Witness, Reporter, and
the production of the new Lutherans Engage the World are merely
the first steps to reach our broad spectrum of members in meaningful
ways. Electronic media are being used more and more to communicate with our youth and young at heart.
Simply passing convention resolutions will not automatically
improve communication. It takes continual effort on the part of everyone, church professionals and laity alike, striving toward this goal.
As communication improves, trust should also improve. This does
not mean that open and honest communication guarantees unequivocal agreement (see Harmony, above); however, such communication
promotes an environment wherein differences of opinion can be discussed and worked through collegially and respectfully, allowing
mutual growth and edification. In fact, such communication will
likely encourage differences of opinion to be expressed. We are
grateful to our Lord and God that He has provided us with His Holy
Word (norma normans) to teach us His doctrines and to bring us the
saving Gospel of Christ. We are also grateful to God that we have
the Lutheran Confessions (norma normata) to help us defend those
doctrines as we faithfully proclaim the Gospel message. Finally, we
thank our good and gracious Lord for giving us one another to support, encourage, teach, and correct each of us as we continue to grow
in discipleship.

Higher Education Support

Structure Concerns

Synod/District Fiscal Conference

The study of district configuration is in progress and will be
reported to the 2013 convention by the Res. 8-07 Task Force charged
with examining that issue.

The Board of Directors supports the concept of a Synod/District
Fiscal Conference as another channel to provide better communication regarding the challenges and opportunities to be faced in carrying
out our common good activities, mandated by our Constitution and
Bylaws and convention actions. The board recommends that a triennial fiscal conference, attended by each district president and
treasurer/business manager, be held beginning in 2015.
The board believes that congregations will respond through better,
open, and honest communication about the great things God is able to
accomplish for His kingdom when we work together. Numerous conventions have passed resolutions calling on congregations to maintain
and increase unrestricted support for district and Synod ministries,
yet the unrestricted support passed through our districts to the Synod
has continued to decline at the average rate of $1 million each year.
An average support level of $10 to $15 per baptized member per year
would equally share the cost for providing for ministry and leadership
activities mandated by our Constitution and Bylaws and convention
actions, and allow us to maintain or increase the current level of program support at the Synod Inc. level. The board encourages each
congregation and district to meet or exceed that level of funding for
our common-good activities, in order that mission and ministry program activities may be better supported.
We pray that the Lord’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and
that our service will be pleasing to Him as we proclaim the Gospel
throughout all the world, witnessing through word and deed as we
live our lives together in His service. We are baptized for this moment.
LCMS Board of Directors

Management Efficiency

Internal structure concerns have largely been addressed, as
required by 2010 Res. 8-08A. All mission and ministry programs
have been grouped as national missions or international missions.
There are about 70 fewer employees of corporate Synod today than
there were two years ago. Some small number of adjustments may
still be needed as time goes on.
The Synod continues to look at ways to become more efficient in
its operations. As opportunities arise, it continues to work with the
synodwide corporate entities and others to coordinate activities in
order to avoid overlap and duplication of effort. The board worked
diligently to facilitate the affiliation of Concordia University—Ann
Arbor with Concordia University—Wisconsin. The board is also
reviewing its annual operating subsidies to support the Concordia
University System, Concordia Historical Institute, and the National
Housing Support Corporation (d/b/a Lutheran Housing Support
Corporation), encouraging each of them to begin to work toward
less dependence on Synod subsidies for their operations.

The task force recommendations related to expanding boards of
regents and specifying minimum qualifications for serving on them
were implemented by convention actions in 2007 and 2010. These
actions allow the colleges and universities of the CUS system and
each of the seminaries to assemble boards of regents with the necessary talents and abilities to manage these important institutions.
Support from Corporate Entities and RSOs

The BRTFFM recommended that recognized service organizations
and synodwide corporate entities be assessed an amount commensurate with the benefits they receive by being associated with Synod.
The board found that those synodwide corporate entities that are able
to generate their own resources do provide Synod with a share of
their incomes, as they are blessed. Those that depend upon Synod’s
unrestricted resources for their existence would have to ask for an
increase in that support in order to return support to Synod. Instead,
it is vital that these current synodwide corporate entities be encouraged to develop their own revenue sources to enable them to reduce
their dependence upon the Synod’s unrestricted resources. The board
also found that the Synod incurs significant costs in approving and
monitoring recognized service organizations, without any direct support other than the Synod’s unrestricted resources.

2013 Convention Workbook