To Affirm and Strengthen Set Apart to Serve in Word and Action

WHEREAS, Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:37–38); and

WHEREAS, Laborers are few and needed in every generation to the present for the millions of people, both domestic and international, who do not yet believe in Jesus Christ and confess Him as Lord and Savior, for new church starts in domestic communities, for the identified need for over 100 new international Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) missionaries within the next several years, and for the need for capable theological educators both here in the U.S. and abroad; and

WHEREAS, The 2019 Synod convention adopted Resolution 6-01, “To Support and Participate in the Comprehensive Church Worker Recruitment Initiative,” to: … commend, financially support, and directly participate in this comprehensive, multi-year church worker recruitment initiative with (but not limited to) the following objectives:

• identifying, catechizing, encouraging, and supporting young boys and girls for church worker vocations;

• instilling church worker vocations as sacred and joyful, a “calling from God,” vocations of integrity and fulfillment, grounded in Christ and baptismal salvation;

• developing the “whole person” throughout this formation process: spiritually, in character, confessionally, physically, emotionally, synodically, and intellectually;

• supporting, encouraging, and caring for existing church workers for the welfare of the workers, for the proclamation and witness of the Gospel, and for workers to be healthy advocates of next generation church workers (Proceedings, 158); and

WHEREAS, This initiative is known as Set Apart to Serve (SAS) and encompasses the initial youth phase (infant baptism–12th grade) and a second phase focusing on individuals who may be considering professional church work vocations as a second career; and

WHEREAS, SAS is being developed through the collaboration of key stakeholders, including the two LCMS seminaries (including their Vocatio and Christ Academy programs), Concordia university institutions, LCMS Youth Ministry, LCMS School Ministry, LCMS Mission Advancement, LCMS Communications, Concordia Publishing House (CPH), Concordia Plan Services (CPS), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Foundation, all 35 LCMS districts and district presidents, 36 pilot program participants, Higher Things, Wittenberg Academy, Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF), National Lutheran Outdoors Ministry Association (NLOMA), Lutheran Education Association, Association of Lutheran Secondary Schools, and the St. Louis- based marketing and communications firm, Standing Partnership, as well as others; and

WHEREAS, SAS has received the active attention of beloved Synod contributors who are firmly committed to and engaged in supporting the SAS pilot project, CPH curriculum, the second-career phase, and sustaining a long-term culture of church work formation and recruitment in the Synod; and

WHEREAS, SAS is currently in the midst of its pilot program involving a congregation and/or school from all 35 districts and one NLOMA camp, testing SAS church work recruitment strategies and resources, which will be made freely available synodwide by the end of calendar year 2023; and

WHEREAS, CPH, in partnership with SAS, is developing a four-part church work recruitment curriculum for all ages, which all Synod schools, missionaries, districts, universities, seminaries, and others will receive at no charge through the generosity of LCEF and our Concordia universities; and Committee 6 Chairman John E. Hill

WHEREAS, SAS is collaborating with the Office of National Mission, CPS, Concordia universities and seminaries, districts and congregations, Standing Partnership, and other key partners to address church worker wellness, which includes student debt, compensation and benefits, care and encouragement of church workers, worker appreciation, and spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being; therefore be it

Resolved, That Synod congregation members and families, church workers, congregations, schools, and recipients of the ministry of Synod church workers and institutions be encouraged intentionally to pray for more ordained and commissioned workers in the church, for the continued and increased proclamation of the Gospel of Christ; and be it further

Resolved, That everyone in the Synod, including key influential adults (pastors, parents, teachers, deaconesses, directors of Christian education, youth workers, congregation members, and other church workers) be urged to encourage youth and adults to consider full-time church work; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations, schools, missionaries, and all recipients of the forthcoming CPH curriculum be strongly encouraged to use SAS strategies, resources, and curriculum;

and be it finally

Resolved, That all primary agencies of the Synod (i.e., boards, commissions, councils and committees, seminaries and universities, districts, CPS, and each synodwide corporate entity) be requested to endorse, advocate, and engage with SAS as we strive together to accomplish one of the Synod’s crucial official objectives, to “Recruit and train pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers and provide opportunity for their continuing growth” (Constitution Article III 3) in our life together