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[LCMSNews] 'Laborers' program offers new services


From "LCMS e-News" <LCMSENEWS@lcms.org>
Date Wed, 31 Mar 2004 19:02:29 -0600

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	March 31, 2004 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 35

	Laborers For Christ program expands services

	By Paula Schlueter Ross

	In the face of fewer projects and fewer available workers,
Laborers For Christ (LFC) is offering additional services to make its
program more useful and "relevant" to today's changing congregations.

	The Synod's LFC program, which began in the Rocky Mountain
District but has operated nationally since 1985, uses volunteers --
mostly retired Lutherans -- to help congregations and others build and
remodel churches, schools and other structures at cost savings.

	The program moved in July from LCMS World Mission to the
Lutheran Church Extension Fund.

	The number of building projects completed by LFC has been
falling for the past decade or so -- from a high of 48 in 1990, to 33 in
2002, and 22 in 2003.

	Also down is the number of people willing to serve as "Laborers"
-- from a high of 500-plus in 1998, to about 330 today.

	Curt Connolly, who directs the LFC program, says the group has
completed 661 projects to date -- about 8 percent of the buildings used
by LCMS congregations and institutions.

	Connolly says he believes the decrease in the number of LFC
projects -- and workers -- isn't due simply to the poor economy. While
that may play a minor role, he points to what he calls "challenges and
generational changes" -- basically, the ways in which congregations and
retirees have changed over the years.

	Those challenges and changes, which Connolly shared during a
meeting of LFC project managers March 2-4 in St. Louis, have made
Laborers For Christ "irrelevant" to many of today's congregations, he
said.

	For example, many of today's "baby boom" congregational leaders
are too busy to give their time to an LFC project. They would rather
give money than time, Connolly says, which creates difficulties since
congregations are required to provide volunteers to assist Laborers on
projects.

	Moreover, those who choose to serve as Laborers with LFC are
less flexible about when they can serve, according to Connolly, and are
more committed to their own retirement plans than the needs of the
organization. Whereas Laborers in the past have worked on several
projects a year, making their LFC service a priority, many younger
Laborers view LFC as only one of a number of activities, he said. So
their service to LFC is very limited.

	At the same time, the size and complexity of LFC projects has
increased, requiring a longer commitment of time from Laborers and
members of the congregations they are serving. Likewise, meeting
government regulations pertaining to land use, building requirements and
the environment has become more time-consuming, Connolly says, and often
causes delays.

	As a result, he says, Laborers For Christ is trying to "reinvent
itself" to become more "user-friendly" to today's congregations,
providing the services that they really want.

	For example, some congregations that are unable to secure enough
volunteers have asked if LFC project managers are available to work with
local subcontractors -- instead of an LFC crew and volunteers from the
congregation. So that service is now being offered on a trial basis.

	Also new are short-term maintenance and renovation projects,
which involve a small LFC crew that stays on site for three to four
weeks -- rather than the three to six months required for a large-scale
construction project -- painting, installing windows and doors, or
whatever needs to be done.

	Another service, one that Connolly hopes will be offered on a
trial basis by 2005, would be to provide an LFC coordinator who would
work with the congregation from start to finish, providing advice on
aspects such as building design, raising money and securing loans --
duties that now fall to congregations alone, he said.

	Said Connolly: "Our objective is to become a more flexible and
usable resource for congregations that will enable them to build the
facilities they need."

	****************************************

	If you have questions or comments about this LCMSNews release,
contact Joe Isenhower Jr. at joe.isenhower@lcms.org or (314) 996-1231,
or Paula Schlueter Ross at paula.ross@lcms.org or (314) 996-1230.

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