R5.1.3 Operations Support Services

R5.1.3

Operations Support Services The overall mission of Operations Support Services (OSS) is to provide core services that support the mission and ministry of the LCMS. The following service units make up OSS: Operations Service Coordination, Technology Applications Group, Information Technology Desktop and Infrastructure Support Services, Mail and Print Services, Reception and Meeting Services, and Facilities Management Services. In addition, the LCMS Technology Steer - ing Committee (TSC), which is chaired by the Executive Director of Operations Support Services, reviews projects to assess their benefit to the organization, looks for potential collaboration across department, and evaluates resources available to support the work.

Other functions of the TSC include advising on proposed policy changes or additions, as well as fostering positive communications throughout the LCMS organization.

2026 Convention Workbook 51 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS Graph 1: Giving to Congregations for Work at Home and Work at Large, per Confirmed Member Thanks be to God for the generosity He bestows upon His people, and the generosity they show to the church! It is encouraging to see not only steady growth in nominal giving but also steadiness in the face of the pressures of inflation.

Even as giving by individuals has remained strong, the pressure on congregational budgets has increased. The average congrega - tional budget for work at home (in the congregation) plus work at large (district, Synod, etc.) increased from $103,017 in 1984 to $254,330 in 2024, a 147 percent increase. However, the purchasing power of that decreased by 18 percent over the same time.

Graph 2: Average Total Congregational Budget for Work at Home and Work at Large The downward trend in the purchasing power of the gifts received by congregations (the dotted line) is unmistakable. What drives this disconnect between the steady support of the people of the Synod and the decline in availability for the congregations?

Simply put, the decline in total confirmed members of LCMS congregations has outpaced the decline in the number of member congregations. Since 1984, the number of member congregations of the LCMS decreased by only 5 percent. Over the same period, the number of confirmed members decreased by 37 percent.

The impact of this on the work of the Synod is significant, both at the congregation and beyond. The following table shows the trend of giving to the Work at Large of the Synod, and the portion of that passed on to corporate Synod, since 1984.

F. Facilities Management Services (FMS)

The LCMS is continuing our facility management partnership with Cushman and Wakefield at the IC. Cushman’s expertise in property management will help ensure the LCMS is adhering to industry best practices. The mission of FMS is to ensure a safe, healthy, and Christian work environment for employees at the IC.

G. Significant Accomplishments (1) Completed major building capital projects to include: modernizing the IC’s three elevators, installing new building hot water boiler system, replacing large HV AC unit on the North wing, and cracking/filling/sealing/striping parking lots. (2) Installed new front entrance camera/intercom to vet visitors before entering the building and new all building paging/intercom system that inte - grates with our phone system. (3) Upgraded meeting room video conferencing hardware to better support Zoom and TEAMs meet - ings. (4) Upgraded all the Multi-Function Printers at the IC and moved to the cloud-based PaperCut solution, allowing more accurate and efficient tracking of prints to better control costs. (5)

Continuing a comprehensive cyber awareness training program for employees, moving from KnowBe4 to Microsoft Defender for an annual savings of over $5000. (6) Migrated most LCMS data and Enterprise applications from onsite servers to the LCMS cloud M365 SharePoint environment further reducing the reliance on the IC for business operations. (7) Upgraded the Print Center high volume printer and added a wide format and envelope printer. This has provided additional cost saving to the LCMS and allowed us to expand this service to local LCMS congregations and schools.

(8) Migrated from our Avaya IP phone system to Microsoft Teams V oice. This fully integrates our phone system within our Microsoft M365 environment. (9) Continue to work with Rosters and Statistics to expand the LCMS Information Support Network (LISN) to meet the needs of the LCMS.

Joel Rivers, Executive Director