Mission boards hold last meetings of quadrennium

(LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

As The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) prepared for convention earlier this year, the LCMS Board for International Mission (BIM) and Board for National Mission (BNM) met in St. Louis for their final meetings of the 2019–2023 quadrennium.

BIM (May 4–5, St. Louis)

During this meeting, the board approved calls and solemn appointments for several missionaries:

Deborah J. Dyjak, appointed career missionary, Africa region;

Rev. Sergio Fritzler, called career missionary, Latin America and the Caribbean region;

Melanie Algrim, appointed GEO missionary, Africa region; and

Owen Klenda, appointed GEO missionary, Latin America and the Caribbean region.

The board also reported that the Rev. Samuel Bobby has accepted a call to serve as a career missionary in the Eurasia region.

LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison updated the board on confessional Lutheranism around the world, including fellowship with new partner churches in South Sudan/Sudan, Finland, Uganda and Ukraine (pending their approval at the convention, which has now happened) and the increasing international requests the LCMS is receiving for theological education.

Christian Boehlke, interim executive director of the LCMS Office of International Mission (OIM), spoke to the board on the work of the OIM, including the increasing numbers of alliance missionaries serving around the world (22 in 15 countries), a growing pool of recruitment candidates and the OIM’s strategic plan for the coming fiscal year.

The board heard a presentation from the Rev. Charles Ferry, director of the LCMS Asia region, on the work of 23 missionaries in eight countries within his region. He updated the board on the success of the Taiwan seminary, the first Indonesian Lutheran hymnal and more.

The other three OIM regional directors — the Rev. Ted Krey, Latin America and the Caribbean; the Rev. Shauen Trump, Africa; and the Rev. Dr. Cory Rajek, Eurasia — joined the meeting virtually to give brief updates on the work in their regions.

The BIM’s next meeting is set for Sept. 14–15 in St. Louis.

BNM (June 15–16, St. Louis)

During its meeting, the board approved several policy changes, heard reports and recognized departing board members.

The board heard a report from LCMS Chief Mission Officer Rev. Kevin Robson, who gave updates on the work of the LCMS Office of National Mission (ONM) and its priorities going forward, including an emphasis on worker wellness, church and school planting, expanded working relationships with LCMS districts, and a refocusing of the ONM’s ministries to maximize mission impact.

Robson also introduced new ONM Executive Director Rev. Dan Galchutt to the board. Galchutt, who was installed at the LCMS International Center in April, previously served for six years as assistant for mission and stewardship to the LCMS Kansas District president.

The board also heard from Harrison, who gave updates on a tighter budget year in FY24 and discussed the fallout from the Concordia University Texas (CTX), Austin, Texas, Board of Regents vote in late 2022 to attempt to remove CTX from the governance of the LCMS. Harrison also discussed the work of the church in America: “Why are we here? We’re here for the Gospel, for Christ. We’re not going to straighten out America. … There is a God for that. We’re here for the Gospel, to share that Gospel with the people around us.”

The Rev. Dr. Donald Ray presented to the board the results of his recent dissertation research on trauma and recovery among LCMS clergy. His dissertation, the largest-known study ever conducted on trauma, coping and post-traumatic growth among clergy, is available at donalderay.com/papers.

The board took time out of its meeting for a special recognition of departing board chairman Rev. Dr. Steven C. Briel, who has served on the board since its inception in 2010. Briel has served on LCMS boards for a total of three decades, including 12 years as a member of the LCMS Board for Higher Education; three years as a member of the Concordia College New York, Bronxville, N.Y., Board of Regents; and two years as a member of the LCMS Board for Pastoral Ministry.

The BNM’s next meeting is set for Sept. 14–15 in St. Louis.

Posted Sept. 7, 2023