wfn.org | [LCMSNews]World Mission's reorganization cuts

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	July 31, 2003 ....................... LCMSNews -- No. 84

	LCMS World Mission makes
	more reorganization staff cuts

	Three St. Louis office staff and four overseas missionary
positions have been eliminated as part of LCMS World Missions
reorganization that began last year.

	Spurred by a $6 million decrease in the mission boards 2003-04
fiscal-year budget as compared with last year, the reorganization is
intended to realign our resources with our current responsibilities,
according to Dr. Daniel Mattson, associate executive director of LCMS
World Mission.

	The board eliminated 17 St. Louis staff and 28 missionary
positions last December. Mattson said he doesnt expect any additional
significant changes in staffing after the latest cuts.

	Positions eliminated in St. Louis, effective July 31, were an
administrative assistant, Jerry Brasel; Nancy Reiter, coordinator for
recruitment; and Rev. John Mueller, director for missionary services.

	Four career missionary units, or families, also have been
eliminated  two in Russia and two in Venezuela. Those missionaries and
their families  Revs. Leif Camp, Jeffrey Thormodson, Arthur Boone and
Daniel Conrad  will be leaving the field Sept. 30.

	Work in those two countries will continue, however, through
other missionaries there, and national church workers who are capable
of taking over additional responsibilities, Mattson said.

	Four LCMS career missionary units will remain in Russia, and
four missionary units and a theological educator will continue work in
Venezuela. Missionary volunteers also serve both countries.

	When youve been through the fire, you cant help but come out
a little more refined, said Rev. Robert Roegner, executive director of
LCMS World Mission.

	Weve come through a tough 18 months, and we mourn the losses
incurred to our missions family, he said. But we read in Daniel 3
that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not alone in Nebuchadnezzars
fiery furnace, and the Lord has not abandoned us either.

	Twenty-five of the 35 full- and part-time LCMS World Mission
staff will work in teams in the areas of missionary personnel,
communications, finance, administration and information services. The
others will work in the areas of Ministry to the Armed Forces, LCMS
Blind Mission, North America and international mission administration.

	Innovations include:

	 the creation of information services positions, in which
staff members will respond to inquiries in a customer-services capacity.

	 the appointment of a director to build a Mission Responders
Network involving hundreds of volunteers nationwide who will be trained
to promote mission education and involvement.

	We want to serve our church body by linking its members with
mission education and involvement opportunities so that their faith and
mission worldview will grow, and so that the LCMS can step up to the
plate and be ready for action, Roegner said.

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

	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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