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2026 Convention Workbook 41

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

liefs. These areas of study have been specified in the LCMS Bylaws or the CCCM policy manual since 1960. In addition to these six core courses, each of the seven colloquy programs also requires other coursework that is necessary for that particular type of commissioned ministry.

CUEnet is authorized to offer the six core courses online to colloquy students in any of the seven colloquy programs. As far as the remaining “program-specific” courses, CUEnet offers those only for teacher colloquy.

2 Colloquy students in the other six commissioned colloquy programs must take their program-specific coursework through one of the CUS colleges or universities.

CCCM Composition The general composition of the CCCM is stipulated in Bylaw 3.10.3.1. Specific members are listed in the Convention Workbook’s Directory—Officers, Boards, and Commissions of the Synod. This triennium, Concordia University, Nebraska, President Dr. Bernard Bull replaced Dr. John Nunes, who resigned in early 2021, and Concordia University, Irvine, Professor Dr. Cari Chittick was added as a third CUS university faculty member because of a 2023 change to Bylaw 3.10.3.1.

Work Performed The CCCM met 13 times since the writing of its last convention

report—10 times via internet conference, and the three most recent

in person. Going forward, the committee plans to meet in person at least half of the time. In 2025, the CCCM began using BoardEffect for its meeting dockets.

Most of our meeting time has consisted of discussion and decisions on policy revisions, though requests for policy exceptions (or clarifications) have also consumed a fair amount of time. These requests for exceptions and clarifications have resulted in continu - ing conversation on recent policy changes with an eye toward a relatively minor update in the next triennium.

Policy Update After almost five years of work, the CCCM adopted a significantly revised policy manual on Sept. 30, 2024. Significant features of this revision include • replacing the former pre-requisite for teacher colloquy: “past or present state certification, or an advanced degree in the field of education from a regionally accredited institution” with the following new language: “past completion of an education program from an accredited institution OR three years of experience in the field of education;” • removing, for the six non-teacher colloquy programs, the prerequisite that one had to be “trained to do the work of [that specific type of ministry, e.g., DCE] through an accredited institution that offers an equivalent degree” and replac - ing it with the prerequisite of “three years of experience in the field of [that specific type of ministry]” as one way of giving “evidence of being a competent worker in the field of [that specific type of ministry],” per Bylaw 3.10.3 (b);

• clarifying the length of LCMS membership required for colloquy, namely one year prior to application and two years prior to final interview and certification;

• requiring applicants and colloquy directors to forward applications to LCMS district offices at the beginning of colloquy coursework;

Statistics During the three years prior to this report, 295 colloquy applications were forwarded to the Office of First Vice-President (OFVP)

by the Concordia University Education Network (CUEnet) and the CUS colloquy directors. Two hundred seventy-two of these were for teacher colloquy. Teacher colloquy applications increased 67 percent during the third year of the triennium compared with the second year, with a similar percentage increase in comparison with the first year of the triennium. As far as the human component of this great blessing, this can likely be attributed to Set Apart to Serve efforts, the policy and application overhaul, and great work on the part of CUEnet and the CUS colloquy directors.

Table 1: Commissioned Colloquy Applications Received February 2023–January 2026 Colloquy Partners Though the CCCM “directs” the Synod’s activity in matters of colloquy (Bylaw 3.10.3.2), it cannot carry out the Synod’s commissioned colloquy programs by itself. Rather, the Synod’s colleges and universities, assisted by the CUS, are key partners in adminis - tering commissioned colloquy programs on behalf of the Synod as part of their bylaw responsibility for the “preparation of commis - sioned ministers for service in the Synod” (Bylaw 3.6.6). In doing so, the Synod’s colleges and universities, as well as the CCCM, rely on the valuable assistance of CUEnet.

CUEnet was founded in 1996 as a service organization of the CUS. In 2001, CUEnet began offering the Concordia Online Teacher Colloquy Program. The relationship between CUEnet, the colleges and universities of the Synod, the CCCM, and commissioned colloquy is explained further at lcms.org/colloquy-ministers-of- religion-commissioned#cuenet.

As of this writing, the full cost before scholarships for teacher colloquy through CUEnet is $8,014, which includes the following:

• $7,792 – tuition for eight courses ($974 per course)

• $172 – Concordia Electronic Theological Library • $50 – endorsement processing It is important to note, however, that tuition assistance is avail - able through a generous grant that CUEnet has received for the last several years—a gift that CUEnet anticipates will continue. Cur - rently, the tuition grant for students is just over 40 percent of tuition costs. In addition, most students also receive financial assistance from their congregation, school, and district.

A more detailed report from and about CUEnet can be found in the CUS report (Report R14).

Program of Study Common to all seven commissioned colloquy programs are six core courses—Old Testament, New Testament, History of Theology, Lutheran Confessions, Christian Doctrine, and Varieties of Be-