Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 50

2026 Convention Workbook
15
OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
5. In accordance with Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (b) (2), the Synod President rec-
ognized LCMS-ICEL altar and pulpit fellowship on May 4, 2025, after con-
sultation with the Praesidium and the CTCR’ s vote on Feb. 27, 2025, to 
recommend recognition of church fellowship between the Synod and ICEL. 
Fellowship recognition under this bylaw is subject to the endorsement of the 
subsequent Synod convention, the 69th Regular Convention of the LCMS, 
scheduled to take place in Phoenix.
6. In accordance with Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (b) (2), the CTCR voted on Oct. 
7, 2025, to recommend recognition of church fellowship between the LCMS 
and LM—A. The Synod President deferred action on the CTCR’ s fellowship 
recognition recommendation until the LM—A is formally constituted in con-
vention, scheduled for Aug. 28–30, 2026, and takes up this fellowship issue.
7. At the 68th Regular Convention of the LCMS, in Milwaukee, the Syn-
od passed 2023 Res. 5-07, “To Recognize That the Synod Is Not in Altar and 
Pulpit Fellowship with the Japan Lutheran Church.” Within the resolution, 
the Synod committed to JLC discussions, should the JLC so desire, based on 
reconsidering its practices of WO, open Communion, etc.
R1.2
Chief Mission Officer
Working under Bylaws 3.4.3–3.4.3.8, the Chief Mission Offi-
cer (CMO) is responsible to the President for all mission, ministry, 
programmatic, and coordinative functions, implementing Board 
for National Mission (BNM) and Board for International Mis-
sion (BIM) policies. He supervises the Office of National Mission 
(ONM), Office of International Mission (OIM), Office of Pastoral 
Education (PED), and the Synod’s Mission Advancement (MADV) 
and Communications (COMMS) units, ensuring appropriate re-
sources, planning, and coordination within and across these teams. 
The CMO serves on the Operations and Administrative Teams, 
chairs the Pastoral Formation Committee (PFC), represents the 
Synod and/or its President on several LCMS established or affili-
ated entity boards (including the Concordia University System and 
others by appointment) and regularly interacts with various agency 
and auxiliary heads and church partners of the Synod to further 
LCMS mission objectives.
For the sake of our common unity and mission in the Gospel, the 
CMO and units reporting to the CMO strive to serve the Synod’s 
members in full accord with and fulfillment of the direction provid-
ed by our congregations and church workers (i.e., as occurs at the 
Synod’s national and district conventions), such service and fulfill-
ment often functionally accomplished through district offices and 
staffs (Bylaw 4.1.1: “The Synod is not merely an advisory body … 
but establishes districts in order more effectively to achieve its ob-
jectives and carry on its activities”). Over the past triennium, units 
reporting to the CMO have worked to advance the Synod’s current 
mission and ministry emphasis, adopted under 2023 Resolution 
4-02: Making Disciples for Life (Proceedings, 135–36).
For a summary of accomplishments within the ONM, OIM, 
PED, MADV , and COMMS units, see Reports R1.2.1–5 imme-
diately following in this convention workbook. Significant items 
specific to the CMO’s office over the past few years include:
•	 Rev. Kevin Robson faithfully served as CMO for the first 
two years of the triennium (through August 2025), just as he 
had served in this role for the past decade. We give thanks 
to God for Rev. Robson and his commitment to and diligent 
work on behalf of the LCMS and in our Lord’s mission.
•	 Rev. Daniel Galchutt began working as interim CMO in Sep-
tember 2025.
•	 The office created a new strategic planning process and for-
Mission Province in Sweden, MPS
39.
 Confessional Lutheran Church in Switzerland, CLCS 
South East of Lake V
ictoria Diocese, SELVD-ELCT (Tan-
zania)
40. Lutheran Church of East Africa, LCEA
 (Tanzania) 
Istanbul Lutheran Church, ILK (Turkey)
41. The Lutheran Ministerium and Synod, LMSUSA (U.S.)
Other Churches, Working toward Faithful 
Ecumenism (22)
42. Evangelical Lutheran Synod, ELS (U.S.) 
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, 
WELS (U.S.)
43. Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church, 
BNELC 
Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belarus, 
IELCB
44.
 Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church in Burundi, HELCB 
Confessional Lutheran Church of Colombia, ICC
45. Church of Faithful Confessing Lutherans in Congo, CFCL-
CO 
Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane 
Yesus, EECMY
46. Gambella Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ethiopia, 
GELCE 
Evangelical Lutheran Conference and Ministerium of 
Kenya, ELCMK 
47.
 Himalayan Evangelical Lutheran Fellowship, HELF (Ne-
pal) 
Evangelical Lutheran Church Society
, DELK (Norway)
48. Norwegian Lutheran Mission, NLM 
Lutheran Church of Rwanda, LCR
49.
 Lutheran Church in Singapore, LCS  
Lutheran Church of the Republic of China, LCROC
50. Lutheran Church of Australia, LCA 
Japan Lutheran Church, JLC7
51. North American Lutheran Church, NALC (U.S.) 
Anglican Church in North 
America, ACNA (U.S.)
52. Anglican Catholic Church, ACC (U.S.)
 
Anglican Province of America, APA (U.S.)
Jonathan E. Shaw, Director
Endnotes
1. ICRC 2023, resources.lcms.org/multimedia/international-church-
relations-conference-2023-video-presentations/. 
ICRC 2024, resources.lcms.org/multimedia/international-church-
relations-conference-2024-video-presentations/.
2. The Lutheran World Federation, “Study Guide,” LWF Thirteenth As-
sembly, Kraków, Poland, September 13–19, 2023, p. 21.
3. Jonathan E. Shaw, “The Lutheran World Federation Today: Missio 
Dei, Imago Dei and the Ongoing Reformation” (LCMS, 2024), resources.
lcms.org/reading-study/church-relations-the-lutheran-world-federation-  
today/.
4. Jonathan E. Shaw, ed., Women’ s Ordination through the Lens of 
the Apostles’ Creed: A Fraternal Dialogue of the Lutheran Church in Ko-
rea and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, rev. ed. (LCMS, 2024),  
resources.lcms.org/reading-study/lcms-church-relations-booklet-womens-
ordination-through-the-lens-of-the-apostles-creed/. This book is available 
in English, Korean, Japanese, Russian, and German.