Office of National Mission

The Office of National Mission (ONM) implements the policies of the Board for National Mission (BNM) under the supervision of the Chief Mission Officer and is responsible for domestic ministries that especially serve congregations and schools through the districts of the Synod. In carrying out its mission responsibilities, the ONM receives its primary focus from the mission and ministry emphases developed triennially by the national Synod in convention and from the policies developed and determined by the BNM. Through the Chief Mission Officer, it also receives direction from the President of the Synod on all aspects of its responsibilities.

A. Human Care and Ministerial Support

The Human Care and Ministerial Support ministry area of the ONM has prioritized responding to key challenges over the past triennium. This ministry area is focused on providing support to roster ed church workers through the districts’ work with congregations as they preach Christ crucified.

A.1. Deaconess Ministry LCMS Deaconess Ministry encourages and supports deaconess formation and mercy work. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Coordination with the Synod deaconess training programs.

• Support of deaconess internship opportunities with grant funds received from the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.
• Providing support and care for deaconesses through coordination and financial support of recognized service organization (RSO) programs. Plans for the Next Triennium
• Coordination of vocational awareness and recruitment through the Set Apart to Serve initiative, and among RSOs and the Synod deaconess training programs.

A.2. Family Ministry

The seventh current LCMS mission priority is to strengthen and support the Lutheran family in living out God’s design. ONM created a new program area to focus on this mission priority. Family Ministry has been aligned with Life Ministry to uphold and defend the link between marriage, life, and family (2019 Resolutions 1-06A; 11-02A). Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Created a position for a director of Family Ministry.

• Making Disciples for Life Conferences hosted by ONM have offered sessions on marriage, life, and family. The Making Disciples for Life resource center, with print and video resources, can be found at making disciples.lcms.org.
• In response to 2019 Res. 11-03A, ONM formed an ad hoc task force in order to study, summarize, and articulate the current state of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) resources available to the Synod’s people and institutions.
• Through the work of the ad hoc task force, ONM established an initiative titled Created Male and Female. The initiative offers resources for the church body to confess and uphold God’s design for marriage and the family while preaching Christ crucified and proclaiming the Gospel to all who struggle with a myriad of sexual sins and identity confusion.

Esther 4:14 grants supported congregational use of technology to proclaim the Gospel in new and creative ways when gathering for worship was restricted or prohibited. Awarded grants totaling about $1.5 million for clergy and commissioned minister “Take Heart!” respite retreats. Awarded 976 Soldiers of the Cross-Amplified grants in 28 districts for direct, emergency financial assistance to church, RSO, and district called and lay workers, totaling over $1.6 million. Awarded 15 district pandemic resiliency grants totaling $29,000 in support of district-led pandemic care for non clergy workers. • Awarded 72 national grants totaling $713,576 to benefit projects throughout the U.S.

• Awarded 71 national disaster response grants totaling $2,035,660 for work in 18 districts. These grants aided LCMS districts, congregations, and church workers involved in recovery work related to Hurricane Ida, Hurricane Laura, and Hurricane Ian. Assistance was also given in response to the Texas freeze event of 2021, various floods, and tornadoes in Alabama, Illinois, Tennessee, and Missouri.
• Awarded eight Global Seminary Initiative grants totaling $1,573,317 supporting Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.
• Awarded nine core support and scholarship grants totaling $740,000 in support of church-worker wellness.
• Provided core budget support to pan-Lutheran partner Lutheran Services in America (LSA), $140,000.

Plans for the Next Triennium • Equip congregations for Family Ministry through the districts.

• Create resources to support the family in collaboration with LCMS School Ministry, Youth Ministry, CPH, and RSOs.

A.3. Health Ministry LCMS Health Ministry works to support and promote Christ centered health and wellness of body, mind, and spirit through congregational health ministries. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • ONM collaborated with the LCMS Parish Nurse Council, which coordinates the districts’ parish nurse leaders and health initiatives.

• Supported the annual meeting of district parish nurse representatives.
• Created a mental health resource page: lcms.org/social -issues/mental-health.

In response to 2019 Res. 3-04A, ONM formed an ad hoc task force that explored the encouragement of continuing education on mental illness, health, and wellness for church workers. Plans for the Next Triennium • Encourage congregational health ministries and parish nurses through the districts.

• Create resources to increase awareness and understanding about mental illness. Create training opportunities and professional development so that church workers are equipped for compassionate and supportive care to those in need.

A.4. National Grant Administration

A.5. Life Ministry Through LCMS Life Ministry, the Body of Christ comes together to value all human life—from conception to natural death. LCMS Life Ministry speaks up for life, cares for people in body and soul, and teaches about the sanctity of human life. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Held Life Conferences in 2021 and 2023, and a Life seminar in 2022, with free participation offered to campus and youth ministries (2019 Res. 3-02A; 11-01A).

• Collaborated with ONM Youth Ministry and School Ministry to provide recommended policies and strategies for continued vigilance in child protection (2019 Res. 1-07A) by identifying resources and supporting districts’ efforts as they encourage training in congregations, schools, and RSOs.
• Facilitated LCMS participation in 4 national Marches for Life, and 12 state marches (2019 Res. 3-02A).
• Published over 200 new video, print, and audio resources with new authors and presenters on a new resource website with advanced search functionality, lcmslife.org. Created Friends for Life podcast kfuo.org/friends for life (2019 Res. 3-02A; 11-01A).
• Called and installed Deaconess Dr. Tiffany Manor as the Director of Life Ministry in 2020 (2019 Res. 11-01A).
• Created new resources and strategies to engage and educate children and teens on beginning-of-life issues (2019 Res. 1101A). Curriculum and resources were funded in part by a grant from the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.
• Published domestic violence educational modules in an online Learning Management System.

Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Implemented a grant-making software solution in fall 2019.

• Transitioned from a paper-driven, manual system to a cloud based computer system designed for efficiency, collaboration, and insight.
• In all, nearly 1,500 national grants, totaling more than $9 million and supporting various mission priorities of the Synod, were awarded during this extended triennium.
• Pandemic response: Awarded 221 Esther 4:14 national grants totaling $244,767 to congregations in 35 districts. The
• Published educational resources on physician-assisted suicide (2019 Res. 11-06A).
• Created a new volunteer portal, lcms-life.org, to share opportunities for Lutherans to participate in advocacy events such as marches for life, human-care efforts, and education events. Trained district coordinators to utilize the volunteer portal for district events offered to congregations.
• •

In collaboration with the Office of International Mission (OIM) Latin America Caribbean (LAC) region, developed print and video resources in Spanish that have been freely shared in the LAC region and through ONM Hispanic Ministry. Administered the Million Dollar Life Match grant program, which has awarded 85 grants across 28 districts, totaling $533,736, during phases 1 and 2. This grant program supports local pro-life efforts with emphasis on beginning-oflife needs.

and inclusion employee policies that are in conflict with Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

A.7. Stewardship Ministry By working with the districts of the Synod, LCMS Stewardship Ministry helps pastors and congregations teach the Word of God regarding one aspect of Christian sanctification: imitating God in sacrificial generosity. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Held stewardship workshops. Pastors and lay leaders gathered at the circuit, bi-circuit, or regional level to learn the theological foundations and the practical implementation of faithful stewardship.

• Held Generational Generosity workshops. Many of our congregations serve in demographically challenging areas that have a real impact on the financial health of the churches. Our Generational Generosity workshops help pastors and lay leaders understand the demographic landscape around them and how to make faithful stewardship plans in response.
• Provide online resources. We maintain a curated collection of stewardship resources at our website (lcms.org/stewardship) for the entire Synod to utilize. All resources are provided free of charge, and we are continually looking for new resources.

Plans for the Next Triennium Assist the districts in mobilizing congregations for expanded mercy efforts performed in close proximity to Word and Sacrament ministry to support families experiencing life challenges.

• •

Create new educational modules on the Making Disciples for Life online Learning Management System.

• Create suicide-prevention resources and training for roster ed church workers and congregational lay leaders.

A.6. Specialized Pastoral Ministry Specialized Pastoral Ministry (SPM) provides ecclesiastical endorsement and professional support for LCMS roster ed church workers who bring the love of Christ through compassionate spiritual care to individuals in hospitals and health-care facilities; long-term-care facilities; prisons; law-enforcement, fire, and rescue agencies; disaster response; and workplaces. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Offered two conferences for church workers.

• Provided a prison ministry outreach program to distribute Lutheran print materials to inmates in collaboration with the Southern Illinois District and RSOs.
• Provided training scholarships for roster ed church workers to participate in clinical pastoral education.
• Offered ecclesiastical endorsements for roster ed church workers.
• Gave out the Henry Wind Award in 2023 for outstanding leadership in SPM to the Rev. Derek Wolter, the Rev. David Ficken, and Mr. Don Sundene. Plans for the Next Triennium
• Expand the pilot program of Lutheran Spiritual Care Training.
• Facilitate opportunities for faithful service within RSOs and organizations where policies and practice support church workers’ confession of Holy Scripture and their Lutheran identity. LCMS roster ed church workers serving in SPM who are employed by independent health-care institutions and other government- or private-funded organizations are increasingly being pressured to commit to diversity, equity,

Plans for the Next Triennium

A.8. Worker Well-Being The fifth mission priority of the LCMS is to promote and nurture the spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical well-being of pastors and professional church workers. ONM staff collaborated with Concordia Plan Services, RSOs, and LCEF through provision of special pandemic funds. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the worker well-being efforts to focus on crisis care. In spring 2020, programs were developed by ONM and the districts to provide care via phone calls and Zoom.

• Worker pandemic respite retreats were started in the summer of 2020. Online supportive small groups were offered during the summer and fall of 2020. ONM also provided financial support for district-worker wellness programs.
• ONM and Concordia Plan Services provide leadership for the Ministerial Care Coalition, made up of district-appointed representatives to exchange information and further best practices to care for church workers. Plans for the Next Triennium
• ONM will further develop a Worker Well-Being Alliance group that will collaborate to determine strategies and resources for the Synod, her entities, and districts to care for workers and increase their spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical well-being, allowing them to continue serving in the Church’s ministry.

Finally, within Worker Well-Being, two ONM programs work through the districts to provide emergency financial support and pastoral care for LCMS church workers.

A.8.a. Soldiers of the Cross Soldiers of the Cross provides assistance to roster ed church workers facing specific financial challenges. The program was quickly mobilized with an enhanced programmatic function in March 2020 to meet the needs of church workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ongoing Soldiers of the Cross program continued simultaneously alongside the pandemic efforts. Over the past triennium, care and financial support was given to 95 roster ed church workers. ONM provided $150,049 as of Jan. 31, 2023, with districts offering matching funds.

• Train the trainer resources: As the LERT program has grown from just a few to hundreds of congregations, a formalizing of processes was required. We’ve established regular protocols for the raising up of trainers in our active districts. The result has been an exponential growth in the number of LERT trainers. We have 57 LERT trainers, a 10-fold increase from five years ago.
• After years of requests from our volunteers, we were able to produce a formal training curriculum for chainsaw use in the LERT program. To date, we have certified 14 trainers from various districts.
• As a result of the additional trainers, our staff has been able to shift their focus to more strategic training. Rather than providing LERT trainings for congregations, we’ve been able to lead a number of districts (staff and circuit visitors) through the training, coupled with strategic conversation to help each district identify methods of communication before and after disasters and to encourage district-wide participation in disaster preparedness and response.

A.8.b. Veterans of the Cross Veterans of the Cross provides assistance to retired roster ed church workers facing specific financial challenges. Over the past triennium, financial support of $712,587 as of Jan. 31, 2023 was provided by ONM via Concordia Plan Services administration.

B. Congregations and Districts

The Congregations and Districts ministry area of the ONM is focused on providing resources and support to congregations and districts as they preach Christ crucified.

B.1. Disaster Training LCMS Disaster Training seeks to provide guidance, counsel, and resources to congregations, districts, and RSOs through a variety of ways. We have engaged in a number of projects to formalize the Synod’s training processes and volunteer coordination. These include the following: • •

• Conferences: We hosted National Disaster Response Conferences in St. Louis (2019, 2021) and Fort Wayne (2022), with an average of 80 participants and over 20 districts represented at each event. They covered a variety of topics and best practices, including practical sessions, case studies, and encouragement. We also engaged leaders for smaller leadership training exercises in first aid/trauma and specialized chainsaw training. In light of the many challenges that COVID-19 presented for many in-person volunteer agencies, we took the opportunity to build a volunteer management platform: LCMS-LERT.org. Interested volunteers receive automatic notifications about trainings and deployment opportunities; the platform allows them to register to participate, tracks their responses, and runs background checks for certain types of deployments. Since the rollout of this software in fall 2020, we have registered nearly 6,500 users, run 209 trainings and deployments, and logged over 29,500 hours. This tool is multiplying our capacity and integrates our volunteer efforts with others in ONM as well, including Youth, Life Ministry, and Campus Ministry. In spring 2022, we purchased an enclosed trailer and outfitted it with basic disaster-response supplies and equipment. This trailer serves as a sign of the work our volunteers engage in as they serve their neighbor and share the Gospel. It was displayed at the 2022 Youth Gathering, highlighting our change to open Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) to high school–age youth. We will use it as a display for future gatherings as well. It is available for districts and congregations to use on a short-term basis.

Future focuses for LCMS Disaster Training will be the support of regional practicum gatherings for our volunteers. A final goal for our program is to help our congregations and districts engender a robust desire among their members to love and serve the neighbor in both body and soul. LERT teams have an incredible capacity in between disasters to perform works of mercy and connect their churches with their respective communities.

B.2. Disaster Response

In the last four years, we responded to five major hurricanes (Category 4 or 5). We set up multiple disaster-response camps in the Southern District and the Florida/Georgia District. LERT volunteers prepared and distributed meals, “mucked out” flooded homes, and did significant amounts of chainsaw work with the assistance of skid steers and aerial lifts (provided via grants from LCMS Disaster Response). We facilitated responses to numerous tornadoes across Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, and other states; we also responded to floods, house fires, and a significant derecho in Iowa. Between July 1, 2019, and Dec. 1, 2022, we awarded $1,950,489.70 in 75 domestic grants for the work of response and building capacity. We are currently engaged in mapping equipment, available for use within the LCMS. Major responses: • 2019 Hurricane Dorian was the most intense tropical cyclone on record to strike the Bahamas. We gave a grant to help run a food pantry for the under served community on Nassau Island and collaborated with the Florida/Georgia District in rebuilding homes.

• 2020 Hurricane Laura was a deadly and destructive Category 4 hurricane. We set up disaster-response centers in Sulphur and Lake Charles, La. Our volunteer response assisted 2 LCMS Churches, 169 homes, and 1 pastor’s home. We cut up 515 trees and moved them to the street. Our volunteers worked 2,900 hours.
• 2020 Hurricane Sally led us to set up a disaster-response center at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fairhope, Ala. We assisted 6 LCMS churches, worked in 189 homes,helped in 9 LCMS pastors’ homes, and removed 430 trees. Our teams worked a total 2,970 volunteer hours. • 2021 Hurricane Ida was a deadly and extremely destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane. We developed three disaster-response centers, in Slidell, Metairie, and Houma, La. LERT teams worked in 157 homes, providing over 3,254 hours of service.
• North Alabama spring 2021 tornadoes resulted in volunteers working in 48 homes and 1 pastor’s home; we cut 492 trees. Our volunteers worked a total of 2,725 hours.
• 2022 Hurricane Ian continues to prompt an ongoing response. Our LERT volunteers completed 311 jobs, cut 545 trees, and worked 3,846 volunteer hours. There were 91 LCMS church workers who received $7,000 each in financial assistance, and 12 LCMS churches were granted $20,000 toward hurricane damage repair.

B.3. Recognized Service Organizations “The granting of recognized service organization status by the Synod signifies that a service organization, while independent of the Synod, fosters the mission and ministry of the church, engages in program activity that extends the mission and ministry of the Synod, is in harmony with the programs of the boards of the Synod, and respects and does not act contrary to the doctrine and practice of the Synod.” (LCMS Bylaw 6.2.1) We currently have 184 RSOs providing a diversity of programs and services, from conception to end of life. These organizations serve nationally and internationally as they extend the mission, ministry, and outreach of the LCMS. The 184 RSOs previously were listed under six categories; however, with the 2019 Synod RSO resolution, they currently fall into the following three categories: Mercy, Witness, and Educational. Since the 2019 Synod convention, 16 new organizations have been granted RSO status and 35 have had their status renewed. Also, 27 RSOs were either terminated or denied, or asked to withdraw their applications for RSO status. Currently, 139 association and independent schools also sit under RSO status. Three new schools have been granted RSO status and 6 schools have had their status renewed. At the 2019 Synod convention, the RSO resolution was passed to develop a plan to transition many of the current RSO schools back to their district or congregations. We are currently in the process of working with each district to notify each school directly regarding its RSO status. Grants continue to be provided to RSOs for leadership training, board development, strategic planning, and conference attendance related to the above. Resource items, including Bibles, devotional material, children’s Bible story books, and such are purchased for use by RSOs in their ministry areas, with 279 boxes or bags being distributed. During COVID-19, all RSOs were mailed devotional material and 28 RSOs received masks from the RSO unit. RSOs strive to live out their Lutheran identity as they show the mercy and compassion of Christ to the least of these, who are often seen as the undesired among us. RSOs provide a diversity of opportunities for LCMS members to express their love, compassion, and gifts in meeting the needs of their neighbors.

B.4. Youth Ministry LCMS Youth Ministry hosted two LCMS Youth Gatherings. On July 11–15, 2019, over 1,500 congregations and over 20,000 youth

and adults gathered in Minneapolis, Minn., under the theme “Real. Present. God.” On July 9–13, 2022, over 1,200 congregations and over 18,000 youth and adults met in Houston, Texas, under the theme “In All Things.” The five-day events provided opportunities to learn more about the Lutheran Christian faith along with emphasis on current and future vocational roles. Both gatherings closed with the Divine Service on the final morning. The 2022 gathering was planned through the pandemic with much uncertainty and many changes to the planning process and arrangements in Houston. Roughly 2,000 program planners, volunteers, exhibitors, speakers, and special guests provided planning and support for each event. The events showcased Concordia University System institutions, LCMS ministries, RSOs, and other LCMS-related ministries. Using the 2017–18 research on youth retention, LCMS Youth Ministry published with CPH Relationships Count. The book continues to be available in digital format. LCMS Youth Ministry developed the platform of “Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry.” Resources have been developed on you the source.com, and presentations given in various settings, including LCMS district church-worker conferences and LCMS events. In spring 2020, participants in the Lutheran Young Adult Corps program returned home due to the pandemic, and the program permanently ended. Through three 3-month summer terms and three 10-month “gap year” terms, 36 young adults participated and contributed 40,800 hours of service in the name of Christ. Participants lived and served in six cities. Of the 36 total participants, 4 participants are currently called church workers and another 6 are in programs at CUS institutions or the seminaries, pursuing professional church-work careers. Three participants have gone on to serve in positions at KFUO, the LCMS Office of International Mission, and an LCMS district office. LCMS Servant Events hosted 38 events in 2019. COVID-19 has impacted events since 2020, when only one agency was able to host youth at its outdoor event. Hosts, especially camps, welcomed youth and their adult leaders in 2021. The summer of 2022 provided over 225 youth and leaders 22 service opportunities. Leaders for 2023 events gathered in November 2022 for training on the new digital platform designed to increase partnership with other mercy initiatives of the Synod. Lutheran Youth Fellowship went through an evaluation and rebranding as “Youth Lead” and focused on the annual youth leadership training event, usually held in March in St. Louis. The 2021 event was held in July in conjunction with the National Lutheran Youth Workers Conference in Houston. The 2022 event returned to St. Louis in March. Through three years, 211 participants attended. In 2022, a new executive team was elected to a three-year term. This team will facilitate the trainings in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Leadership training for adults included the 2021 National Lutheran Youth Workers Conference in July in Houston, Texas, with 340 adults participating. This conference was geared to prepare for the 2022 LCMS Youth Gathering. Resources and training were provided for adult leaders who attended the LCMS Youth Gathering. Resource development included new resources added to Youth ESource (you the source.com). Bible studies, devotions, articles, and other supports for youth, college student, and young adult ministry are available. In July 2022, a year’s worth of resources

for congregational youth ministry around the “40 End Goals” were released.

B.5. School Ministry To better serve more than 21,000 educators and the 180,000 students annually attending Lutheran schools, School Ministry has been involved in the management of ongoing programs, specialized projects, infrastructure, and implementing engagement strategies. Of the 1,855 Lutheran schools, 1,714 provide programs for early childhood children, 730 provide programs for elementary students, and 99 provide programs for high school students. We give thanks to God for the work of educators and administrators from early childhood through high school, and especially for their navigating school ministries through COVID-19. In spring 2020, over 93 percent of Lutheran schools (elementary and high school) halted in-person classes and pivoted to alternative methods of delivering their educational programs. Nearly half of all Early Childhood Centers provided online learning at some point, while another third completely suspended operations for at least several weeks. In fall 2020, 82 percent of Lutheran schools returned to in-person instruction. Early Childhood Centers saw in increase in enrollment, and nearly a third of Lutheran schools experienced an increase in enrollment. National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA) encourages, assists, and recognizes schools that provide quality Christian education and engage in continuous improvement. Currently, 643 schools are accredited through NLSA. There are currently NLSA committees to develop a high school accreditation protocol, an additional early childhood protocol, and an emerging schools protocol. Formal partnerships with regional accrediting agencies (Cognia, Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and Western Association of Schools and Colleges) provide opportunities for schools to obtain dual accreditation. In addition, recognition of the NLSA protocol by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) allows Lutheran schools, if they so desire, to apply for approval to accept international students. The School Shepherd Award was developed and awarded to four outstanding pastors. The School Leadership Development (SLED) project serves to recruit and prepare the next generation of administrative leaders to serve in Lutheran schools. The program includes face-to-face events with an online platform for communication and course structure and a curriculum to reflect practical topics and experiences. During the past triennium, 65 educators (16 in 2019, 0 in 2020 due to cancellation because of COVID-19, 15 in 2021, 34 in 2022) were prepared in the SLED program. Participants are offered the option to take SLED for course credit through Concordia University Wisconsin and Concordia University, Nebraska. Lutheran School Consulting Services (LSCS) provides diagnostic services designed to strengthen and revitalize Lutheran schools in order that the mission of sharing Christ with children and families is more effectively accomplished. Twelve schools have been served through the assessment and implementation of improvement plans. Along with elementary and high schools, School Ministry serves as an advocate to affirm, equip, and empower leaders and educators serving in Christ-centered Early Childhood Centers and schools. School Ministry continues to develop and distribute Chapel Talks, National Lutheran Schools Week (NLSW) materials, and

the School Ministry Mailing. School Ministry started a series of Zoom events focusing on topics that are impacting the success of Lutheran schools. Topics include Finance, New Lutheran Teacher Support and Encouragement, and Communications. Future topics include Strategic Planning, Fundraising, and Enrollment. The Genesis Study and LSCS documents were updated. Most School Ministry material is available for congregations and schools free of charge on Luth Ed.org. The following resolutions were addressed: • Res. 1-07A: To Promote Adoption of Policies That Continue Vigilance in Child Protection. School Ministry has joined with ONM, HR, and Synod Legal to collaborate on the development of specific documentation and resources to share with LCMS schools and all LCMS ministries. We are also collaborating with Youth Ministry to identify exemplary child-protection programs. This includes working with Ministry Safe to provide on-demand child protection training for all church workers.

• Res. 4-06A: To Amend Bylaw Section 6.2 to Revitalize Synod’s Recognized Service Organization Program. School Ministry has worked with a task force as established by the Rev. Dr. John Sias and Deaconess Dorothy Krans.
• Res. 6-01: To Support and Participate in the Comprehensive Church Worker Recruitment Initiative. School Ministry has connected and collaborated with the Office of Pastoral Education for a focused inclusion of Commissioned ministers in the church-worker recruitment initiative.
• Res. 11-03A: To Encourage Synod to Develop Resources to Aid Congregations and Schools regarding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues. School Ministry is working with the task force on developing sexual-orientation and gender-identity resources for schools.
• Res. 12-01A: To Commend and Give Thanks for Our Lutheran Early Childhood Centers, Elementary Schools, and High Schools.
• Res. 12-02A: To exhort the Congregations of the LCMS to Actively Encourage Future Lutheran School Teachers.

An annual Lutheran Schools Week campaign provides celebratory resources to our Lutheran educators, highlights schools and workers, and celebrates the work of our 1,855 Lutheran schools. School Ministry is collaborating with the Set Apart to Serve initiative to communicate the need for Lutheran school educators, intentionality of recruiting future Lutheran school educators, and efforts to retain and encourage current Lutheran educators. Lutheran schools continue to help students grow in knowledge, skills, and love of Jesus, which prepares and equips students for life in this world and for eternity.

B.6. Campus Ministry

The last triennium marked the 100th anniversary of Campus Ministry in the LCMS (2020). We rejoice in the tremendous gift that our campus ministries have been to the life of the Church over the past century, and still are. There continue to be increasing opportunities and obstacles going forward.

God continues to open doors for outreach to international students (there are now over 1 million studying on our soil), as well as to those who have either lost the faith or are simply searching for truth. We are uniquely positioned to effect change in the academic square on campus, precisely by being who we are—joyful and faithful confessional Lutherans. That which is lacking on the collegiate quad is precisely what we have been given to confess. LCMS U is The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s official campus-ministry network. There are currently 256 LCMS U chapters with various levels of engagement; some are engaged in full-time work, while others simply recognize the importance of reaching out to this particular demographic in their communities and serving them with Bible studies and various other means.

• Publish findings from the Church Planting Study in a series of practical monographs.
• Distribute funds to the locally identified church-planting endeavors through CPI grants.

C.2. Revitalization

The Revitalization Initiative was launched in January 2015. The suite of resources developed in support of the Revitalization Initiative are distributed through the re:Vitality program. At present, re:Vitality resources are available to LCMS congregations at no cost to the congregation. The 2016 Res. 1-03 affirmed re:Vitality and encouraged the use of re:Vitality resources. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Developed and released the production versions of “Shepherding Our Strays: Actively Serving Our Inactive Members” and “Serving in God’s Mission: Strategic Planning for Congregations.”

In spring 2023, we have scheduled a Campus Ministry practitioners conference, with the goal of gathering our most active partners (and those who are not so active) in encouraging one another and learning best practices from one another. We’re hoping that this is something that we can replicate on an annual basis.

• Revised “Connect to Disciple: Engaging the Non-church ed People in Our Community.”
• Created and piloted “Beyond the Classroom,” a resource for outreach through Lutheran schools.

C. Church Planting, Renewal, and Support

• Developed “Members of One Body: Prospering in the Body of Christ,” the assimilation and incorporation module of re:Vitality.
• Implemented a major revision of the CADDS self-assessment tool.

The impact of COVID-19 continued to linger in our campus ministries. The second century of LCMS Campus Ministry has begun with many campus ministries seeking to get reestablished.

The Church Planting, Renewal, and Support ministry area of ONM is focused on the first mission priority of the LCMS: plant, sustain, and revitalize Lutheran churches. This ministry area is the primary ministry area for planning and executing activities in support of the Synod’s current triennial mission emphasis, Making Disciples for Life, with special attention to three of its four domestic themes: evangelizing the lost, strengthening congregations, and planting new churches and schools.

C.1. Church Planting Planting new churches is an essential activity of a church body in order to maintain or expand its presence. A study of LCMS church planting practices during the 20th century and first part of the 21st century showed that over the past 30 to 40 years, our church body’s planting pace has fallen far below the maintenance rate. In compliance with 2019 Res. 1-02, the Synod’s Church Planting Initiative (CPI) was launched during this triennium to address the rate of and approach to church planting. The initial focus of the CPI is evaluating past, current, and future church-planting practices to determine how we can, under God’s blessing, increase church planting activities and improve church-planting results across the Synod. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Completed the Church Planting Study.

• Developed and implemented training for church-planting teams.
• Created the grant-making process and protocols to financially support church-planting endeavors. Plans for the Next Triennium
• Expand the CPI to encourage local groups to identify church planting opportunities.
• Support the locally identified church-planting efforts with training and resources.

Plans for the Next Triennium • Complete production versions of in-process modules.

• Develop Creating Community Connections, a self-directed version of the former Gospel Seeds program.

C.3. Supporting Congregations

The ONM is chartered to support LCMS congregations through their districts. The support that ONM provides is primarily through the resources that the unit develops, distributes, and supports. Because congregations across the Synod vary in size, ethnicity, settings, and other contexts, Church Planting, Renewal, and Support is organized to provide support for various types of congregations.

C.3.a. Witness and Outreach Through promoting and enhancing Every One His Witness, the Witness & Outreach Ministry seeks to equip the priesthood of believers to be “3rd article witnesses, telling the 2nd article story, using their 1st article gifts.” Since its release in September 2017, Every One His Witness has been used to equip upward of 20,000 Lutherans for sharing the Word of God in their everyday lives. Every One His Witness core module resources are also available in Spanish. The program has been widely used in Latin America through the Office of International Mission (OIM). The 2019 Res. 1-01A encouraged LCMS congregations, districts, and other entities to make use of Every One His Witness to equip people for evangelism. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Created a self-study version of the core module workshop for use by individuals during the COVID-19 restrictions.

• Completed context modules for witnessing to people after an abortion, witnessing to the “nones,” witnessing to people influenced by critical theory, and witnessing to Jehovah’s Witnesses. Plans for the Next Triennium
• Create six to nine additional context modules.

develop resources that assist congregations in rural areas and small towns with developing partnerships with other congregations and, when advantageous, merging congregations. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Helped create resources for congregations considering mergers and/or partnerships. Plans for the Next Triennium

C.3.b. Black and African Immigrant Ministry

The LCMS has conducted and supported Black Ministry for over 140 years. The current focus of Black Ministry is the establishment and support of Rosa Young Academies. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Participation in and support of the Black Clergy Caucus.

• Participation in and support of the Black Ministry Family Convocation. Plans for the Next Triennium
• Promote Rosa Young Academies.
• Promote and support the planting of African immigrant churches.

C.3.c. Hispanic Ministry Hispanic people make up the largest and fastest-growing ethnic demographic in North America. As such, they also make up one of the largest mission fields in our context. The role of the Director of Hispanic Ministry is to work with districts, RSOs, and other LCMS entities to enhance our outreach to Hispanic people and support Hispanic congregations. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Established a full-time position in the ONM for the Director of Hispanic Ministry.

• C.4. Making Disciples for Life The 2019 Res. 4-03A commended Making Disciples for Life (MDFL) as the mission and ministry emphasis for the 2019–22 triennium. The resolution identified five areas of emphasis: 1. Evangelize and disciple the lost. 2. Retain the faithful. 3. Strengthen congregations and schools. 4. Plant new congregations and schools wherever possible, especially in urban and multicultural communities. 5. Engage in international mission in partnership with the OIM. The ONM is focused on the first four of these emphases and the corresponding mission and ministry priorities of the LCMS. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Developed the MDFL Resource Center (currently in its second version).
• Partnered with Concordia Publishing House to create a resource for equipping students and parents for responding to issues related to Contemporary Critical Thought (Prepared with a Reason).
• Identified and purchased a conference platform that supports virtual and hybrid conferencing (Cvent Event Management and Attendee Hub).
• Planned and conducted virtual and hybrid conferences in January 2021, January 2022, and October 2022.

Plans for the Next Triennium • Design and implement a strategic plan to promote and support Hispanic ministry.

C.3.d. All Nations Ministry

The population of North America continues to become more diverse. People from all nations, tribes, and languages have become our neighbors. However, the LCMS continues to be a largely homogenous church body. The role of the director of All Nations Ministry is to enhance outreach to ethnic and immigrant peoples and support ethnic, immigrant, and multi ethnic congregations in support of 2019 Res. 1-05A. Accomplishments over the Past Triennium • Established a full-time position in the ONM for the Director, All Nations Ministry. Plans for the Next Triennium

• Design and implement a strategic plan for engaging congregations, districts, and other LCMS entities to promote and support ethnic and immigrant ministry.

C.3.e. Rural and Small Town Mission Rural and Small Town Mission (RSTM) is focused on providing guidance and resources for congregations in communities of fewer than 15,000 residents. The decline of congregations over the past 40 years has disproportionately impacted these small communities. In cooperation with several districts, RSTM has been working to

Continue development of resources for congregations in rural areas and small towns, including assessment tools for guidance in making use of existing merger, partnership, and revitalization resources.

Plans for the Next Triennium • Complete and publish Prepared with a Reason.

• Maintain and enhance the MDFL Resource Center.
• Expand the use of Cvent Event Management and Attendee Hub to support virtual and hybrid conferences.

D. Worship Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col. 3:16) LCMS Worship supports and encourages the Synod’s congregations, pastors, and musicians with faithful resources, through teaching efforts, and by fostering opportunities for connection and growth among our church workers. We echo St. Paul’s exhortation, to the end that all Lutheran services may be faithful, honest, excellent, and devoted to the saving work of Christ crucified. The Rev. Sean Daenzer was installed as director in January

2020, just as the pandemic began. It must be remembered how greatly corporate worship and the Church’s boldness were hindered in that year, as much by human mitigation attempts as by disease. In hindsight, the director would have given more voice simply to this: Do not neglect to meet together (see Heb. 10:25). Lord, have mercy on us! Now, God be praised, our songs are again being heard.

model and support faithful Lutheran theological education and the church’s ecclesiastical offices in such endeavors.

The LCMS continues to call the director to serve also as chaplain for its International Center employees under the Office of the President, indicating the resolve that faith in Christ should enliven the work of corporate Synod. Chapel is now broadcast daily online and through KFUO, allowing the Synod to see if and how her servants pray for her and live also from the same Word of God. This capacity also serves our missionaries, especially as they prepare for deployment.

OIM ensures that this work can continue around the world in a manner that is consistent with the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions. Since the 2019 LCMS convention, the population of missionaries has remained stable, and currently there are 105 U.S. missionaries serving in 28 countries around the world. Half of these are pastors, and the other half are teachers, deaconesses, and lay workers. In addition to these, there are 20 alliance missionaries (roster ed church workers called and sent from other international church body partners) serving in 15 different countries alongside LCMS-roster ed OIM missionaries.

LCMS Worship produces a regular salvo of consistent guiding resources, including the calendar and hymn suggestions for both lect ion aries; seasonal midweek services with sermon helps; and the “Let Us Pray” series (by subscription and at lcms.org), highlighting prayers for home discipleship (2019 Res. 12–07B). Efforts of lasting, repeatable value are prioritized over projects of single or time-sensitive use. In 2022, we also saw publication of the long awaited LSB: Companion to the Services, begun under the former Commission on Worship. Celebrations were facilitated for LCMS’s 175th anniversary. Production of Thy Strong Word was returned to KFUO, freeing the director for other service, including radio and podcast appearances, visibility at church music conferences both prominent and emerging, and accessibility to the workers of the Synod. Rev. Daenzer also served as director of the worship team for the 2022 LCMS Youth Gathering. LCMS Worship will continue to make and gather faithful resources for pastors, musicians, and congregations, with an eye toward making them more easily accessible. A children’s coloring guide to the Easter Vigil and a new podcast serving church musicians are planned for release in spring 2023. The shift from a continuing commission to a director also signals the Synod’s desire for greater collaboration. It is the ongoing goal of LCMS Worship to bring together the many interested entities and people, especially the network of LCMS church musicians, for the good of the Church. Finally, we wish to invite pastors, musicians, and the whole Church to join us at Concordia University, Nebraska, in July 2024 for the return of the LCMS Institute on Liturgy, Preaching, and Church Music. Tiffany M. Manor, Michael W. Meyer, and Mark A. Wood Managing Directors