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Concordia Plan Services “walks together” with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) ministries and Recognized Service Organizations. Through these partnerships, Concordia Plan Services can offer support by helping to communicate each organization’s mission and message.
The Commission on Ministerial Growth and Support (CMGS)is the primary organization of the LCMS to strengthen and enrich Synod church workers throughout their ministry journey with a passion to uplift, equip, encourage, and support them in the name of Christ. As the principle advocate for more than 20,000 professional church workers of the LCMS, the CMGS is dedicated to nurturing hope and encouraging excellence among all who serve. Concordia Plan Services partners with the CMGS by providing financial and wellness education for church workers and their families. Together as a part of the Inter-Lutheran Coordinating Committee on Ministerial Health and Wellness they have helped develop health and wellness components (i.e. the Wholeness Wheel) to support and encourage healthier living.
Concordia University System (CUS) is dedicated to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to preparing students for lives of meaning and service. The colleges and universities of the CUS provide a Christ-centered environment for students to develop in value-based communities of learning. Located across the United States, they represent the LCMS regionally. Through annual presentations on the campuses, Concordia Plan Services provides financial education and guidance to church workers about to enter the work force. Concordia Plan Services also provides retirement workshops for CUS staff members nearing the end of their service.
DOXOLOGY, the Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel, offers an innovative program of advanced study retreats to strengthen pastors for the task of faithfully shepherding the souls entrusted to their care. The primary purpose of this organization is to provide training, mentoring, and consultation services for pastors who desire to enhance their ability to help people struggling with the ever-increasing personal, family, and social complexities of contemporary life. At these retreats, Concordia Plan Services provides experienced staff in the area of financial planning to be available for financial counseling and retirement planning.
Grace Place Lutheran Retreats offer preventative wellness skills and resources to Lutheran professional church workers, leaders, and their families, so they can carry forth the Gospel message of salvation in Christ, and live and serve His people abundantly in body, mind, and spirit. Grace Place is a wellness program, keeping healthy church workers healthy. The goals of Grace Place are to reduce burnout for professional church workers and increase their longevity of service, to enrich the vibrancy of their ministry, and to improve the integrated health practices of congregational members and other people within the community. Concordia Plan Services partners with Grace Place Retreats by providing resources to help educate and enlighten attendees about the health and financial benefits available through the Plans.
LCMS World Relief & Human Care (WR-HC) is the mercy arm of the LCMS. It reaches out to those in need by providing funding for national and worldwide disaster response and awarding grants to partners for projects that benefit communities in need. While the organization is part of the LCMS, it receives minimal synodical funding. LCMS WR-HC relies on financial gifts from generous individuals, congregations, and groups. The organization is comprised of ministries including Life Ministries, Health Ministries, Social Ministry Organizations, Institutional Chaplaincy, Deaconess Ministry, Disability Ministry, Older Adult Ministry, Disaster Response, Mercy Medical Team, Lutheran Housing Support, and Districts and Congregational Program Assistance. Concordia Plan Services is able to help members and their communities dealing with disasters by referring them to resources made available through our benefit vendors, such as CIGNA Behavioral Health’s Employee Assistance Program and CareAllies.
In addition, through the Veterans of the Cross program, LCMS WR-HC and Concordia Plan Services, provide small, periodic stipends for impoverished, aged pastors, teachers, and their families. This assistance is provided so these former church workers can pay for necessities like gas, electricity, and food. Today's recipients are not all from the old benefits program, but they all meet the same criteria.
Lutheran Education Association (LEA) is a professional organization linking, equipping, and affirming educators in Lutheran ministries. It provides practical resources and visionary leadership to educators in Lutheran ministries. LEA serves more than 3,000 professionals involved in many education ministries. Staff members of Concordia Plan Services have been frequent presenters at the national LEA conferences and at the LEA administrators’ conferences sharing with Lutheran educators and principals the benefits of the Concordia Plans as well as how to lead healthier lifestyles. Concordia Plan Services serves as an advisory partner to the LEA.
What a Way has a dual focus — to rebuild active recruitment and retention of church workers as an integrated part of the LCMS culture and lifestyle at the local congregation level. What a Way makes available resources designed to facilitate deliberate activity, dialogue, and support of church workers. Concordia Plan Services continues that support by providing quality benefits and services designed to provide for the physical and financial health of church workers and their families.
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