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	LCMSNews -- No. 129
	November 5, 2003

	Second 'Igniting' event targets
	recruiting, retaining workers

	By Joe Isenhower Jr.

	LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Dale Scheiderer, a member of St. John's
Lutheran Church, Marysville, Ohio, thought his neighbors might be
wondering why he wasn't harvesting his soybeans one weekend last month.

	"Sometimes you have to tend to a different kind of harvest,"
said Scheiderer, a lay leader at the Oct. 24-25 "Igniting Congregations"
event here, which concentrated on recruitment and retention of church
workers.

	"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few," read a
poster prepared for the event, quoting Jesus' words to His disciples.

	Pastors and key lay leaders from 22 congregations participated
in the Igniting Congregations event -- chosen because of their
congregations' record in recruiting and/or retaining church workers.

	Taking place at St. James Lutheran Church, Lafayette, it was the
second of eight events that are part of Synod President Gerald
Kieschnick's initiative to "move [the Synod] forward as a dynamic church
body that will reach many people for Christ."

	Kieschnick told the participants that, in the last 15 years, the
Synod has "lost 1,750 more pastors than gained, and 3,000 more teachers
than gained."

	"Are we going to be a church in mission or in remission?," he
asked. "This should be a church body of leaders leading our people with
the Gospel to share with their neighbors."

	"I believe that in order for our churches to go ahead with the
Gospel," Kieschnick said, "we need to refocus on the recruitment and
retention of church workers."

	Event participants shared "trade secrets" for recruiting and
retaining workers.

	St. John's Lutheran Church, Wheaton, Ill., uses summer interns
to help in its ministry -- 22 since 1998.

	"Not all have gone into church work," said Dr. Scott Bruzek,
pastor of St. John's, "but most have. We have been grateful to have
prompted them on their way by exposing them to a church that works well
in the way of the Gospel. We show them how to have joy in ministry."

	"Our staff works well as a team," Bruzek said, "all pulling on
the same end of the rope," which he said is "one key to retaining
workers."

	Among other recommendations listed for retention was for
congregations to intentionally pray for and give special recognition to
their professional workers.

	Rev. Mark Brandt, senior administrative pastor of St. Lorenz
Lutheran Church, Frankenmuth, Mich., said his congregation has a special
worship service each year when workers are prayed for and recognized
individually.

	The participants also prepared "covenants" for their
congregations to meet objectives over the next five years. They include
greater gains in recruiting and retaining church workers, mentoring
other congregations in those areas, posting "stories and resources" on
the Internet, and joining in projects with the congregations represented
at the retreat.

	The participants adopted two projects from those they suggested.

	To be funded with a $60,000 grant from Thrivent Financial for
Lutherans, they are to develop:

	 a "Finding the Way" DVD for distribution at next year's Synod
convention and National LCMS Youth Gathering that would concentrate on
"vocation" concepts. It also would be placed on a Web site being
developed for the Synod's "What A Way" initiative for recruiting and
retaining church workers; and

	 a mission-minded curriculum for Synod elementary and secondary
schools, as well as Sunday schools, to teach children how to share the
Gospel.

	The "What A Way" initiative, an effort to bolster recruitment
and retention of professional LCMS workers, figured prominently in
discussion during the event.

	Dr. L. Dean Hempelmann, chairman of the "What A Way" working
group, said he is "very excited about what happened in Lafayette. I
expected people to say, Yes, we should be about recruitment and
retention.' But they made it their commitment," which he said was
obvious in the choice of the two projects.

	Rev. Jon Braunersreuther, Kieschnick's senior assistant, said
that evaluation forms from the event show that "the response was very
positive. People felt affirmed and inspired, and said they left with a
great sense of urgency to recruit and retain professional church workers
back home in their respective congregations."

	The Lafayette event followed a pilot "Igniting Congregations"
event in St. Louis in September.

	The next "Igniting Congregations" event, set for Nov. 14-15 at
King of Kings Lutheran Church, Omaha, Neb., will bring together
representatives of LCMS congregations with the greatest increase in
worship attendance over the last five years.

	Braunersreuther said that although dates and locations are not
firm for later events, beginning next year, the one after Omaha will
concentrate on the average worship-attendance increase of congregations
in nonmetropolitan areas in the last five years.

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

	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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