Planning for the mission
From the office of President Mark Schroeder
In every even year such as this, September and October are the months when all areas of ministry in the synod are busy planning for the future. Some would call this "budget" work. I would call it planning for the mission that our synod will carry out in the next two years.
In this process, every area of ministry has been asked to lay out its plans for the coming biennium, which begins in July 2009. All areas have been asked to remember several important guiding principles as they plan:
- Keep in mind the overall direction and priorities established by the last synod convention: expand our efforts to proclaim the gospel and to provide well-trained workers for God's harvest field.
- Remember to look beyond your own area of ministry and remember the broad picture of the work of the synod.
- Describe clearly and carefully the work that you propose to do and how it ties into the synod's overall mission.
- Be aggressive in your planning, but keep in mind the financial realities.
- Estimate the financial resources that will be required for you to carry out your plans.
- Discuss contingencies: What would we be ready to do if additional funding is available? Where would we need to scale back in the event that resources are not available?
All areas of ministry are already looking at ways in which they can best carry out the mission of the synod. They are looking both at the opportunities before us, as well as the options they have if difficult choices need to be made.
As the areas of ministry are planning their program of work, the fiscal office will be preparing what is called the "support forecast" for the next biennium. This forecast uses all available information to estimate how many dollars will be available—from all sources—to carry out the synod's work.
Once each area of ministry submits its plans and the support forecast is completed, it's my role to put together a comprehensive budget proposal. This proposal will be based on the plans of the areas of ministry and will take into consideration the financial resources that will be available. In other words, in keeping with our constitution, it will need to be a balanced budget. The proposal will be submitted to the Synodical Council in November. After making any amendments, council members will vote to adopt it in February. The entire plan will then be forwarded to the next synod convention.
Keep all of these boards and committees in your prayers. The planning that they do on your behalf will require a good measure of wisdom and faith.
Serving in Christ,
Mark Schroeder
Filed Under: , Budget, Finance, SC, support, Synodical Council
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