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	November 29, 2003 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 141

	Directors adopt policy in principle
	to set districts' funding for Synod

	The Synod's Board of Directors has adopted in principle a policy
intended to increase the amount of contributions forwarded to the
Synod's national budget by its 35 districts.

	The Board plans to ask next summer's Synod convention to endorse
the policy, which would set an amount or percentage of contributions to
districts that would be forwarded to the Synod.

	Currently, districts receive funds from congregations and decide
themselves how much to forward to the national Synod. The new policy is
needed "so that the Synod may accomplish its objectives in funding
adequately higher education and missions," says a resolution adopted at
the Board's Nov. 19-22 meeting.

	Contributions from congregations to the districts have increased
149 percent over the last three decades, but the amount forwarded by the
districts to the national budget has increased by only 1 percent, the
Board says.

	"As a result, when taking the 30 years inflation rate into
consideration, the amount of congregational contributions that the
districts have forwarded on to the Synod has resulted in a shortfall of
nearly $57 million [annually]," the Board says.

	"This shortfall has had a significant adverse effect on the
Synod's ability to fund national ministries, in particular worldwide
missions and higher education for the preparation of professional church
workers," it continues. Even though some of the shortfall has been made
up by direct giving, the Board says a significant shortfall remains.

	Other funding models have been considered. A "Funding the
Mission" proposal developed by a joint committee of the Board of
Directors and the Council of Presidents (COP) would assess Synod
agencies to provide for basic administrative functions. Another model
would have all funds contributed by congregations sent to the national
Synod, then allocated to the districts and other ministries.

	But, says the Board, "At this time, the only funding method that
is both realistic and capable of providing the necessary increase in
funding for higher education and missions is a funding policy that will
establish a set amount or percentage of contributions received by the
districts to be forwarded to the Synod."

	Any adjustments to the amount of congregational contributions
forwarded by the districts to the national Synod likely will have to be
phased in over a number of years, the Board says.

	The Board directed Synod Vice President-Finance/Treasurer Thomas
Kuchta to further study the Synod's financial needs and gather input
from a variety of sources, including from members of the COP.

	The plan adopted in principle by the Board is expected to be the
major topic when the Board and the COP meet early next year to discuss
matters of common interest. A specific date for the meeting has not been
set but is expected to be in February.

	In other business at its Nov. 19-22 meeting, the Board:

	- approved a new nonprofit LCMS National Housing Support
Corporation to "seek and secure funding from government, private and
corporate sources to assist LCMS congregations, districts and social
ministry organizations to develop housing ministries in their
neighborhoods." The proposal for the corporation was made by the Board
for Human Care Ministries.

	- asked the Int'l Lutheran Laymen's League to re-evaluate its
policies concerning conflicts of interest for employees who also are
Synod officials and may have to deal with controversial matters; its
understanding of the call for pastors on its staff with responsibility
to publicly proclaim God's Word; and "its public statements regarding
its termination of Dr. Wallace Schulz as speaker of the ILLL and
publicly correct any misstatements or inaccuracies." Schulz, the Synod's
second vice president, was relieved of his duties with the league last
year after he suspended Atlantic District President David Benke over his
role in "A Prayer for America" at Yankee Stadium.

	- approved a bond financing plan of up to $26 million for
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, to purchase an adjacent former
high-school campus and do necessary renovation work. The property is
owned by the Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Foundation, which bought it for
the seminary's acquisition.

	- expressed consensus that the Synod's national staff should
remain at the International Center in Kirkwood, Mo. Vice
President-Finance/Treasurer Thomas Kuchta told the Board that after
investigating office-space costs in the St. Louis area, he concluded
that "we ought to stay right where we are." He said that with the
International Center, the Synod pays $15 per square foot for Class A
office space -- about the same it would pay for only Class C office
space elsewhere in the area. The Board urged continued efforts to get
maximum use from the Synod's office building.

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

	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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