2025 Convention - Strategic Ministry Plan Report

At the 2022 district convention the following five strategic goals were established. Under each goal you will find the respective key results and progress made in the last triennium.

GOAL No. 1 = CONNECTION & COLLABORATION

Promote a culture of God’s people working together to better carry out Jesus’ mission.

Promote three collaborative projects or opportunities per year among District church workers and leaders (planting new ministries, school curriculum initiatives, circuit riders, etc.).

• Schools have worked together on sharing curriculum resources the past two years

• Schools have been encouraged to support a Tanzania school planting project with chapel offerings.

• Recently, Bethlehem Monterey and Faith Seaside have been combining efforts on confirmation.

• Circuit 14 met in January for a Clarity Workshop with leadership of Rev Aaron Putman and LINC.

District Executive Staff will physically visit all church and school ministries within the next triennium.

• This has become an intentional effort for the staff. We have developed a shared form that documents when visits take place by whom and for what purpose.

• Executive staff have now visited 148 out of 178 churches & schools during this triennium

Develop and implement a District Communication Plan that creates more effective communication avenues and tools.

• The district website www.cnh-lcms.org was re-designed in Feb 2024 to highlight dynamic content news/events in a blog style format.

• The weekly InTouch ( https://www.cnh-lcms.org/in-touch) newsletter was redesigned and optimized in Feb 2025 with the clear option to submit news and events.

Produce a catalog of members with training or skills that can be utilized throughout the District.

• A survey was conducted and an organized spreadsheet was developed to document and index specialized skills that might be available for those in need.

• A system was created to allow skills to be shared through the District Office. A general list of Professional Expertise & Skills is included on the website.

GOAL No. 2 = LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Foster effective leadership in the CNH District through recruitment, retention, and training of God’s people, both professional and lay.

Provide a training opportunity or other professional support materials for congregations and schools to systematically identify and mentor potential leaders (professional and lay) for local and District service.

• MTC - Mission Training Center (https://www.missiontrainingcenter.com/) that we operate together with the PSD and the NOW has allowed congregations to identify and train men and women for support of congregational ministries.

• We have piloted "Set Apart to Serve" and begun to introduce our CV's and leaders to the NOW District's tool kit: The Leadership Initiative Tool Kit: https://nowlcms.org/category/resources/presidents-office/leadership-initiative/

Create a list of existing leadership training programs and provide a pathway to connect emergent leaders in the District with these opportunities.

• We have developed a list of Leadership Training Programs available and recommended by the CNH District.

• We have also promoted certain leadership training and professional development programs as they are available.

• One of the most notable new program in our District was the Heart & Soul of Leadership, led by Joel Koerschen.

• Foundations of Lutheran Teaching (www.cnh-lcms.org/foundations-teaching) was developed and implemented for administrators as well as teachers.

• MAP West Coast has continued to develop as an ongoing training ground for our newest pastors.

• The Transitional Interim Ministry Conference is benefitting from the deliberate programming collaboration with the 2 other Districts and will be made more available as a continuing education for experienced pastors in the CNH (www.cnh-lcms.org/transitional-interim-ministry)

Develop multiple avenues for colloquy and other spiritual training for non-commissioned or non-Lutheran teachers and administrators.

• CNH has worked for 10 plus years to develop relationships at both of our seminaries for early identification of pastoral leaders and candidates. Our regular visits yearly to STL and at times CTSFW campus to meet and mix with students has born fruit for identifying and placing CNH leaders.

• Foundations of Lutheran Teaching was developed and implemented for non-Lutheran teachers, administrators, and directors. Making Jesus Real was offered to preschools.

Create a Ministry Training Program that will provide a variety of training opportunities for church workers and lay leaders (e.g. finances, leadership effectiveness, paths to ordination, etc.).

• HR workshops conducted for employment regulation updates and Workplace Violence Prevention Training.

• Paths to ordination in the LCMS include MDiv (residential), Hispanic Certificate (CHS), EIIT, Alternate Route (second career with church experience), SMP, and CMC (Cross-Cultural Ministry Center, MA in Theology). Continuing education or preparatory work for readiness offered through MTC.

• Provide scholarship to teachers for TEC21, Technology Enriched Classrooms Workshop program. It equips teachers serving in Lutheran Schools to use technology to engage, motivate and educate students for life.

• Provide scholarship to non-Lutheran teachers - Foundations of Lutheran Teaching by Mission Training Center. It equips educators in our Lutheran schools to be transformational teachers of the Lutheran faith, resulting in longevity at and employability across PSD, CNH, and NOW.

Develop a process of early identification and engagement of individuals in congregations or studying at seminaries and universities who potentially match ministry opportunities in the CNH District.

• The CNH has worked for 10 plus years to develop relationships at both of our seminaries for early identification of pastoral leaders and candidates. Our regular visits yearly to STL and at times CTSFW campus to meet and mix with students has born fruit for identifying and placing CNH leaders. Our intentional relationship with the CMC, working through Concordia University Irvine, allows for us to support our own students/candidates, but also to be in collaboration for other candidates there who may develop.

GOAL No. 3 = GROWING MINISTRIES

Create and strengthen existing ministries to develop systems and practices that maximize effectiveness of churches, schools, and other mission organizations.

Establish a roster of preferred para-church vendors to assist District ministries to address specific needs.

• This was done by CNH staff and completed. (Needs regular maintenance and collaboration with our partner Districts and congregations.)

Provide and promote a governance review process for churches or schools, and provide board training and board effectiveness training, materials or tools.

• We continue to provide resources for boards that include various models of governance

• We developed a Board Review and Training Process for church/school boards that is available through the District and two churches have already taken advantage of this opportunity.

• Joel Wahlers is going through a training and certification program for Policy Governance, which will help provide more expertise to ministries.

Develop and implement a process or path to starting new ministries (e.g. church plants, new schools/preschools, etc.), identifying leaders and locations within the District.

• The "1 in Every One" campaign was launched in 2022 as a way to encourage and support new ministries: www.cnh-lcms.org/one-in-every-one

• Resources and expertise have been provided for new or expanding school developments, which included workshops on topics like Microschools."

Create and maintain a Skills Network of relevant and current video presentations and list of recommended facilitators/practitioners within and outside the District.

• Have recorded a number of COVID videos that are still relevant for our present work: https://www.cnh-lcms.org/video-library

GOAL No. 4 = WORKER WELLNESS

Finding ways to support our church worker health is essential for us to expect healthy ministries.

Develop a Worker Wellness Network utilizing circuit visitors and members of District leadership teams and committees to systematically check on the wellness of all pastors and other church workers.

• The District database was sorted so that lead workers in our churches would get two calls quarterly. Initial training was done and calls began. A Church Worker Care Team was established to help connect workers with colleagues for help and direction.

Provide a comprehensive program (using the Lutheran Wellness Wheel) featuring at least three worker wellness opportunities per year at existing conferences or as individual workshops/in-services.

• District events are planned with an eye towards wellness. The District's Human Care Committee is tasked with identifying regular wellness training events for workers.

• Grants are available for wellness events to be held on a local level. These grants for professional workers collaborating together on personal wellness outings and events are available on the website.

Develop a professional support and accountability network available to all workers within the CNH District, utilizing advocates, confessors, mentors, and other specialists.

• We have encouraged individuals in our pastoral corps to identify these people for themselves and have heard that there has been some success.

• We have developed a Church Worker Care Team (https://www.cnh-lcms.org/church-worker-care-team) provide workers in the District colleagues that they can contact to give a listening ear, prayer, and referrals if additional support is needed.

Launch a District coaching initiative to serve church and school leaders with the goal of identify and training to six new coaches per year, who then commit to being used within the District to coach others.

• An initial cohort of 6 coaches was trained and released for work in early 2022. These coaches have been used primarily for new pastoral leaders and new administrators in schools to assist new workers. Three of our executive staff have been trained as coaches.

GOAL No. 5 = RESOURCES

Establish and facilitate a trusted clearinghouse of people and resources that meet stated ministry needs and make them readily accessible.

Develop a monthly review and update (with a system of accountability) of resources on the District website by District office staff.

• When we redesigned the website in 2021, we set up a system by which staff members had responsibility for specific sections of the website to review and update.

• A time was set up at least monthly where we intentionally scheduled a "Communications Review" to discuss questions or concerns regarding the website.

• We have since completely redesigned our website and now a communications review is part of every staff meeting.

Produce an inventory of best practices and resources from churches and schools that can be utilized throughout the District.

• We developed and distributed a Best Practices Survey that was sent out to church and school leaders to have them share something that they think is a best practice and could be replicated at other ministries. Some of these best practices were shared through Social Media and other communications.

Develop a formal Advancement Plan to engage advancement strategies to increase and perpetuate giving to District and congregational missions (raising money, planned giving, etc.).

• Contracted with LCMS Foundation for planned giving services to promote awareness and increase support for District ministries

• The work of the foundation and some minimal fund-raising activities have consistently netted $100-150 K of donations for the past 4 years.

Host a two-day retreat to discuss ways that the Northwest, Pacific Southwest, and other similar-minded Districts to find the best ways/programs to maximize mission efforts and resources.

• No progress on this initiative as a group. District Presidents and District Mission Execs as well as Education Executives all interact regularly and professionally. Other staff positions do not interact as much to tackle specific joint work / ministry opportunities. DVP's work together. Joint connection PSD - CNH Real Estate Solutions. Joint TIM (Transitional Interim Ministry) retreat.

Conduct an evaluation of District resources to determine the most effective use of District Office staff, facilities, and finances to accomplish ministry goals and objectives.

• 2023: Task Force appointed by CNH BOD; provided evaluation and recommendation.

• 2024: LCEF RES reviewed Task Force recommendation and updated property sale/lease analysis.

• Implement staff evaluations to align roles with ministry goals, improve accountability, and support professional growth.

Set up a District Legacy Foundation and further develop a legacy process to assist congregations who are in danger of closing.

• Missio Dei West (https://missiodeiwest.org/) sent District donation to support different programs and Mission. MDW has made three years of disbursements totaling over @ $166K which went towards supporting our District or its partners directly.