Looking Forward

From LifeDate - Winter 2004.

Looking Forward

by Diane E. Schroeder, President, National Lutherans For Life

Members of Lutherans For Life gathered in Cincinnati the second week in November to join in thanking God for 25 years of blessing to Lutherans for Life (LFL). Although the mission of LFL has not changed, the world in which we witness, and the organization we love, has changed—and LFL has been growing to meet these changes (and challenges!).

From small beginnings with a volunteer staff to a paid executive director and seven staff members.
From rented “closet” space on a college campus to owning our own building—the Life Center—in Nevada, Iowa (north of Des Moines).
God has blessed LFL with resources to grow. From a 1988 budget of $130,539 to $519,000 for 2004.
Use of LFL materials continues to grow across the board, including Life Sunday materials. In 1997 we had 931 bulletin insert orders, in 2004 we had 1473.

This past year the Board of Directors of LFL took time to obtain and analyze information from the people we serve. From this process we have outlined critical issues and strategic goals to address these issues. Management plans were then added to give “bone and muscle” to these very important goals. Here are a few highlights:

Encourage and motivate more grassroots activity – We recognized that we need to continue to encourage and equip our grass roots. The new position of Director of Outreach (Ed Szeto) and the continued promotion of our Leadership/Speaker Training Seminars are good ways to begin implementing this goal.

Produce and distribute resources for use in schools and churches at all levels – In 2005, LFL will begin developing a comprehensive curriculum on life issues that can be adapted for various programs within congregational and school life.

Increase use of LFL resources by educators and pastors – Although our Life Sunday materials are used extensively, we need to find more ways to implement the life message within congregational life. Plans include a special mailing of LifeDate to Lutheran educators, additional materials to share the life message at other times during the church year (i.e. our new Christmas insert on page 11), and more downloadable materials.

Make national conferences family-friendly – The goal is to increase “whole-family” participation.

Work toward a witness to the sanctity of human life to and by all Lutherans – We will continue to actively seek opportunities to share the life message—and the mission and vision of LFL—in all Lutheran publications, seminaries, and institutions of higher learning.

Create a greater awareness within all Lutheran congregations – LFL enjoys a good reputation within many Lutheran circles, particularly for our materials, but we need to do more. We plan to encourage LFL chapters to reach out to all the Lutheran congregations in their areas, recruit pastors from the numerous Lutheran bodies to share the life message and represent LFL, and create new materials to help pastors consistently present the pro-life message within their congregations.

Expand giving opportunities and seek out new funding options – Karen Frohwein, Director of Development, has been added to the staff.

For 25 years LFL and its supporters have made a positive difference in the lives of Lutherans by witnessing to the value of life based on the Word of God, speaking the truth in love (watching the Holy Spirit change hearts and minds), and through education. We have been the hand of Christ as we worked with caring pregnancy centers, reaching out to those involved in a crisis pregnancy. We have shown compassion to thousands of men and women burdened with grief who bought the lie that abortion is a quick and easy fix.

Life issues will not disappear. Satan is still working over time to destroy God’s greatest creation—human life. Warriors are still needed. Let us pledge to redouble our efforts until all life is accorded the dignity given it by God.