wfn.org | LCMS Directors Adopt Record Budget of Nearly $100 million

[George Conklin <gconklin@igc.org>]

LCMSNews -- No. 47
June 12, 2001

Directors adopt
record budget

Input from district presidents and an effort to better control overhead
costs were part of the mix as The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod's Board of
Directors put together a 2001-2002 operating budget that keeps
"unrestricted" funding for program boards at current levels.

The Board May 25 adopted a national operating budget that approaches $100
million.  But only about a fourth of that is funded the "old-fashioned way,"
from Sunday-morning offerings.

The budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 totals $98.8 million, up
from just over $90 million in the current fiscal year.  In addition to $27
million in unrestricted funds -- $25 million of that from congregations
through the districts -- another $46.4 million will be provided by funds
earmarked for specific work by donors, and $25.6 million will be raised
through sales and services.

The new budget shows a $300,000 surplus.

Formalizing input from district presidents was a new feature this year.
Chief Administrative Officer Brad Hewitt said that three-fourths of the
presidents responded to a survey that asked their priorities and
perceptions.

"We asked if current allocations [from unrestricted funds] are properly
distributed," Hewitt said.  "We honored their input."

Another aspect of this year's budget preparation is a decision to move LCMS
Ministry Support -- the Synod's development arm -- back to the LCMS
Foundation, from which it was taken in 1992.  The Board of Directors, in
turn, will ask to become majority members of the Foundation.

Hewitt said that the move is part of an effort to end what some see as
competition between the national Synod and the districts when it comes to
raising funds for mission and ministry.

"We want to move to a more collaborative relationship in development efforts
between national and districts," Hewitt said.  "And the Foundation is the
linchpin."

Under the new arrangement, the Foundation's planned-giving activities and
LCMS Ministry Support's development work will be combined.

The Board of Directors also spent time making appointments to various
boards for the next three years.

Reappointed to the Board for Human Care Ministries are incumbents Rev. Juan
Gonzales, Lorain, Ohio; Rev. Stephen Wenk, Madison, Wis.; Dr. Debra Grime,
Ballwin, Mo.; and Diane Thompson, Watertown, Wis.  Appointed to a first term
is Dr. John Schuelke, Woodland Park, Colo.

The directors reappointed the following incumbents to the Board for
Communication Services (BCS): Rev. Bertram Lewis, Richmond Heights, Ohio;
Todd Boettcher, Mequon, Wis.; Jocelyn King, Chicago; and Michael Smith,
Macon, Ill.  A former BCS member, Dr. Martin Schramm of Laguna Hills,
Calif., was returned to the board after a break in service.

Appointed to new three-year terms on the Board of Managers--Worker Benefit
Plans are incumbents Rev. Philip Esala, Centerville, Ohio; Rev. Fred Gersch,
Austin, Texas; Dr. LuJuana Butts, River Forest, Ill.; Lyle Meyer,
Chesterfield, Mo.; Roland Strickert, Nashville, Tenn.; Ken Willis,
Brookfield, Wis.; and Joel Wilson, Weston, Conn.  New members will be Rich
Beumer, St. Louis; Fred Kuhlmann, St. Louis; and Carol Reineck, Fort Sam
Houston, Texas.

The directors also filled a vacancy on the Board for Mission Services by
electing Rev. Terrence Chan of San Francisco to complete the unexpired term
of Rev. Matthew Harrison, the new executive director of the Board for Human
Care Ministries.

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LCMSNews is published by the News and Information Division, Board for
Communication Services, of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
   For more information,
contact Joe Isenhower Jr. via e-mail at joe.isenhower@lcms.org, or by phone
at (314) 996-1231.

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