Official Workbook report source text
Official Workbook source-navigation report record. No analysis has been added.
- Report number/id
- R15
- Report title
- R15 Concordia Historical Institute
- Workbook start page
- 95
- Workbook end page
- 97
- Source pages
- 95, 96, 97
- Source status
- source_checked
- Committee
- Not available
R15 Concordia Historical Institute The Department of Archives and History of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod concordiahistoricalinstitute.org Treasuring and Trumpeting the Redeeming Work of Christ in the Faith and Life of the Missouri Synod Under our three-year convention theme, Christ Is Risen Indeed (1 Cor. 15:20–22), Concordia Historical Institute (CHI) reminds the Synod that its history is a sacred trust—one we are called not only to preserve, but to joyfully proclaim. Our Lord Jesus Christ has re- deemed not only His people, but our history as well. Because of this, CHI staff and board continue to steward the resources entrusted to us so that the Institute may continue to serve as the premier provider of Lutheran historical resources for Synod leadership, districts, con- gregations, and families. Soli Deo gloria. A. Our Charge: Active Stewardship of Luther- an Historical and Archival Resources The roots of CHI reach back to the founding of the LCMS 179 years ago, when the Synod Secretary was tasked with recording the church’s history and preserving documents and artifacts of lasting historical value. Officially incorporated as a nonprofit institution in 1927, CHI has continued this mission—retrieving, organizing, pre- serving, and sharing historical treasures for the benefit of church and community. Today, CHI serves as a resource for Synod, district, university, and congregational archives, giving fresh opportunities for us to rediscover Christ’s merciful hand as we recall major anni- versaries related to the Missouri Synod. As the Synod’s official department of archives and history (By- law 3.6.2), CHI curates the largest Lutheran archival collection in North America. This collection includes documents, publications, rare books, photographs, audiovisual materials, artifacts, numis- matics, and fine art connected to the Reformation and the Luther - an Church in North America. CHI’s primary area of collection en- compasses all materials directly related to the history of the Synod, while its secondary scope includes materials that provide essential historical context for understanding that 179-year history. Through these efforts, CHI documents the life of a church body that, by the mercy and grace of Christ and His Word, has endured crises, navigated conflict, and continued to grow and flourish in dif- ficult and threatening times. Currently, CHI actively manages the following: • Over 20,000 linear feet of archival materials—nearly 67 foot- ball fields in length—preserved in climate-controlled facil - ities • A rapidly expanding collection of historic photographs, film, audio and video recordings, artifacts (many originating from the mission field), numismatic pieces, and fine art • Professional archival and research services that organize, catalog, digitize, and provide access to more than 4 million individual items • Two high-quality museums: o A permanent Reformation and LCMS history exhibit at the LCMS International Center in Kirkwood, Missouri 2026 Convention Workbook 96 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS directly impacted CHI’s ability to preserve and proclaim our shared history. We gratefully acknowledge the support of Synod leadership, districts, congregations, and individuals whose generosity has strengthened CHI’s capacity to preserve, protect, and share Luther- an history for decades to come. B.7. 2023 Res. 6-09, “To Recognize and Honor the Pastor’s Wife” At the 2023 Synod convention, CHI was charged with consid- ering the commissioning of a commemorative medal that could be used by LCMS districts, institutions, congregations, and individ - uals. CHI has now struck a large copper-nickel medal highlighting Katharina von Bora as “loving wife, devoted mother, and a faithful servant of Christ and His Church.” These attractive memorials are now available for use in recognizing and honoring the faithfulness of women in the Church, especially the faithfulness of the pastor’s wife. C. Strategic Priorities for the Next Triennium By the grace of God and with the prayers and financial support from Synod and CHI members, over the next three years, CHI is positioned to • strengthen long-term financial sustainability amid rising operational costs, ensuring stable staffing and adequate re- sources; • process and make discoverable 50 historically significant collections (over 1,100 linear feet) that are currently unorga- nized and not adequately discoverable; • produce resources marking upcoming anniversaries, includ - ing o the 150th anniversary of Black Lutheran Ministry (July 2027), o the 500th anniversary of the Augsbur g Confession and the 450th anniversary of the Book of Concord (June 25, 2030), and o the 100th anniversary of CHI (April 28, 2027); • implement innovative methods to capture and preserve Lu- theran historical materials that may otherwise be lost within the next three to five years; • develop new and engaging approaches—especially for youth and young adults—to rediscover Synod history within the broader context of Martin Luther and Book of Concord Lu- theranism; and • begin phase 1 of installing a fire suppression system to better protect archival areas within the CHI building. D. Summary As we look ahead to this coming triennium in light of the charge entrusted to CHI by the Synod, we do so with gratitude for God’s abundant blessings. By God’s grace, • our financial position continues to strengthen; • the CHI collection continues to deepen; • the population we provide with services and resources con- tinues to widen; and materials from Concordia College Alabama; Concordia University, Portland; and Concordia College—New York, as well as the com- pletion of a two-year project organizing the extensive files of Synod missionary and church planter Robert Gussick. These materials are now fully accessible to researchers. In addition, CHI has launched an initiative to conduct oral his- tory interviews with church leaders and missionaries on the Synod, district, and congregational level, preserving firsthand testimony of our Lutheran faith and life for future generations. B.3. Expanded Guidebooks with a Stronger Focus on Digitally Accessible Historical Resources In the wake of COVID-era research restrictions, demand for digital access to historical resources has grown significantly. This shift aligns with the increasing volume of historically valuable ma- terials that are now “born digital.” In response, CHI has developed three new and updated handbooks to help congregations, districts, and Synod entities responsibly steward their historical records. Revised in 2025, these handbooks—Collection Policies and Procedures, District Archivist Handbook, and Record and Archive Management Program (RAMP) Handbook—provide clear, practi - cal guidance for managing historical materials in both physical and digital formats. All are freely available on the CHI website and may be shared and printed at no cost, extending their impact across the Synod. B.4. Over 20,000 Historical Photographs Digitally Processed and Available CHI is home to a collection of over 200,000 photographs, many documenting LCMS mission work around the world. Beyond digi- tization alone, CHI carefully embeds detailed descriptive informa - tion into each digital image, making it easier to discover specific people, places, times, and events within LCMS history. As a result of this work, more than 16,200 photographs from In- dia are now accessible online, along with 2,400 images document - ing mission efforts in Japan and 1,400 from Brazil. These growing digital collections allow global audiences to engage more deeply with the story of Lutheran mission and ministry. B.5. Strengthened Global Partnerships That Inform and Inspire CHI continues to cultivate meaningful partnerships with Luther- an church bodies and archival institutions worldwide to advance the shared work of preserving and proclaiming Lutheran history. Memorandums of Understanding have been established with Book of Concord Lutheran church bodies in Brazil, South Korea, and India, as well as with historic archives in Neuendettelsau, Halle, and Gotha, Germany. These collaborations enrich research, expand access, and strengthen global connections. Additional partnerships are antici - pated in the coming months. B.6. Completed Renovations and Upgrades to More Efficiently Preserve and Proclaim Our Trea- sured History CHI gives thanks to the Lord of the Church for the successful 2024–25 capital campaign, For All the Saints. Through the gener - osity of CHI members and Synod entities, $1.6 million was raised to address critical building improvements and aging equipment that 2026 Convention Workbook 97 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS eighth grade religion curriculum, Enduring Faith, is now used by a vast majority of Synod schools. We continue to supplement this curriculum with online resources that provide additional value and meet unique needs. Our support of Lutheran schools is not limited to classroom curriculum. In this “golden era” of Lutheran education, a signifi- cant challenge to the growth of our schools is the lack of rostered teachers to fill the classrooms. We are excited for the April 2026 launch of Lutheran Educator Academy, a video-based resource for use by Lutheran school administrators as they navigate the reali - ty of nonrostered and often non-LCMS faculty and staff. We have designed this tool especially with those teachers in mind. It com- plements other efforts to serve those teachers who choose not to or have not yet completed colloquy by equipping them to understand the Lutheran setting in which they are teaching and introducing them to its opportunities, ways of thinking, expectations, and com- mon language. An experienced mix of pastors and Lutheran educa- tors have contributed to this. During the COVID-19 era, our churches and schools recog- nized rapidly rising rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and other mental health issues among our youth. In response, CPH introduced Resilient Minds, a mental health curriculum for grades 5 through high school for use in our schools, and with additional support materials for the home. CPH is further serving families and children in an exciting way through the launch of Words of Worship, a new program funded through a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., within their Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. In partnership with the Missouri and Northern Illinois Districts, CPH has formed three cohorts of congregations to advise on and test out a suite of resources related to Lutheran Service Book (LSB). As LSB has been adopted by more than 90 percent of LCMS congregations, we are optimistic about providing the full set of resources to the whole Synod. The Words of Worship resources will be geared for passing along the faith to children ages 0–8 and will release in mul- tiple waves, beginning in 2027. Providing faithful and accessible resources for children, par - ents, and other caregivers is also otherwise a high priority at CPH. We are giving attention to the special needs of our time and the particular challenges that families face. Children’s picture books on the Nicene Creed and Baptism are recent releases, and an innova- tive new series called Bedtime Bible Journeys aims to help families dig deeply into the Scriptures and recognize both Law and Gospel as they do. Another major initiative launched this triennium has been the Arch ® Book food bank program. CPH sends the books to LCMS congregations and other organizations that sponsor food banks/pan- tries so that the families they serve can be fed both physically and spiritually. Currently, over 10,000 books are distributed each week through this initiative. Academic publishing is a further ongoing focus for CPH. We have published 50 volumes of the Concordia Commentary series. We have increased the frequency with which these are released and have also begun supplementing them for congregational us- age with the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Luther’ s Works volumes continue to release as well. In the spirit of offering resources by academics but not only for academics, contributions in our new Apropos series by the best scholars in the Synod address important but carefully defined topics with clarity and depth. Initial • our partnerships in advancing Book of Concord Lutheranism outside of North America continue to expand. At the same time, we remain mindful that these resources are not ends in themselves. In a world increasingly indifferent to the faithful preservation of history, the Church’s historical treasures must be actively placed in service of Christ’s work in our history and ongoing promises. Our prayer and purpose: that more within the Missouri Synod would come to treasure and trumpet Christ’ s redeeming work as it has been lived out in the life of the Lutheran Church. Every document preserved, every church record safeguarded, every photograph digitized, every exhibit opened, and every stu- dent whose Lutheran identity is clarified and strengthened through archival research bears witness to the faithfulness of our crucified and risen Lord—who has sustained His Church in the age of Luther and the age of Walther, Wyneken, and Pieper. These responsibilities call for sustained focus as we press on to increase value while reducing risk. With the continued support of the Synod and CHI’s membership, CHI is committed to • continuing the organization and cataloging of materials to improve discoverability; • further ensuring the long-term preservation and safekeeping of irreplaceable treasures; • expanding accessibility—both digitally and in person—for those engaged in historical research; • fostering deeper gratitude for our distinctive Lutheran heri- tage among the saints today—for the sake of the saints who will follow us; and • increasing long-term financial sustainability. We meet these opportunities and challenges confident in the steadfast promises of our crucified and risen Lord. As we treasure and trumpet His work in the faith and life of the Missouri Synod, we honor the saints who have gone before us, that we may inspire the saints now and into the future. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. (Heb. 12:1–2a) In thanksgiving for the blessings over the last three years, CHI asks for your continued prayers and financial support as we press on to further the redeemed history of our merciful Redeemer among us. Daniel N. Harmelink, Executive Director