Lutheran Laymen s Movement / Lutheran Laity Movement (1959-2001) Lutheran Organizations Collection Record Group: ELCA Churchwide Organization Kristen Wall May 2018 Seminary Archives A.R. Wentz Library United Lutheran Seminary Gettysburg + Philadelphia 66 Seminary Ridge Gettysburg, PA 17325 717-339-1317
ORGANIZATIONAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION When the organization was formed in 1907 it was called the Laymen s Missionary Movement. It invited individuals to contribute a minimum of $100 per year toward the eradication of deficits in the benevolence programs of the church. It never tried to become a men s brotherhood or social organization but focused on improving the giving methods of congregations. The narrower focus became clear when its name was changed to Lutheran Laymen s Movement for Stewardship. The LLM reached its greatest strength and influence during the 1950s, when it was given responsibility for supporting and managing the stewardship programs of the United Lutheran Church in America. In addition to stewardship education it developed a fund-raising service that assisted hundreds of congregations in their building programs. Mergers in 1962 and 1988 that formed, respectively, the Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, profoundly affected the work of LLM. Social changes prompted the inclusion of women in its membership and the eventual alteration of its name to Lutheran Laity Movement. It now envisions a future in which it can continue to help congregations and institutions in fund-raising while stimulating creative ways to see all of life as an opportunity for faithful stewardship (ELCA Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson s May 1997 Preface to Avery s Empowered Laity). LLM was based out of the ELCA s Chicago headquarters until it disbanded on May 31, 2003. The Stewardship of Life Institute continues to operate out of the United Lutheran Seminary- Gettysburg campus. Featured in this collection are Walter Jensen and Larry Wingard. Walter Jensen (b. 1917) became an LLM staff member in 1957, assisting executive director Henry Endress with administration and stewardship presentations (Avery 101-102). Jensen then succeeded Endress as executive director from 1963 to 1967. He remained active in the organization throughout his life, including serving as the Metro New York Synod Representative in the 1980s. Larry Wingard appears to have succeeded Jensen in the role of Metro New York Synod Representative circa 1990. He assisted many Lutheran congregations and institutions with capital campaigns and was one of four stewardship specialists on the ELCA Salt: Seasoning Faith and Generosity team. Sources Consulted: Lutheran Laity Movement to Cease Operations May 31. April 17, 2003. Accessed May 11, 2018. http://www.elca.org/news-and-events/4896. Avery, William O. Empowered Laity: The Story of the Lutheran Laity Movement for Stewardship. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1997.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE This collection contains the papers of Walter Jensen and Larry Wingard related to the Lutheran Laity Movement for Stewardship. The date ranges from 1959 to 2001 features the organization under the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA), Lutheran Church in America (LCA), and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) umbrellas. Jensen s papers include documents and photographs from Stewardship of Life conferences and a variety of correspondence, especially congratulatory letters at his acceptance of a position at the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A in 1967. Wingard s papers feature congregational stewardship campaigns that he helped facilitate as well as LLM and Salt publications. All documents are in English and most are based out of New York City. Audio-visual media is also included. PROCESSING NOTE Mr. Wingard s original folder names and order have been maintained. titles created and/or clarified by the processor are denoted by square brackets. CONTAINER LIST Series 1: LCA Years, Walter Jensen Papers Walter Jensen was active with LLM for many decades. Most notably, he served as Executive Director from 1963-1967 and Metro New York Synod Representative in the 1980s. 1 1 Letters of Congratulations, 1963 1 2 Miscellaneous Letters, 1959-1966 1 3 Clare Schmidt [Stories and Obituary, LLM Secretary,?-1977], 2001 1 4 Letters and Notes of Congratulations [1 of 3], 1967 1 5 LLM Resignation, 1967 1 6 Miscellaneous Photographs, c.1963-1970 1 7 LLM Manual of Procedure, 1966-1967 1 8 Letters and Notes of Congratulations [2 of 3], 1967 1 9 Letters and Notes of Congratulations [3 of 3], 1967 2 1 LLM Directory, Constitution, Minutes [1 of 2], 1963-1967 2 2 LLM Directory, Constitution, Minutes [2 of 2], 1963-1967 2 3 Penn. Min. District Stewardship Program, 1962-1963 2 4 [Henry] Endress, 1981 [and Latin America Trip, 1963; Helen Kneubel Funeral, 1992; Clare Endress Funeral, 1982] 2 5 Miscellaneous Correspondence [Especially CV and Performance Reviews],
1958-1967 2 6 Stewardship of Life Conferences, 1963 2 7 LLM Newsletter, 1959 2 8 St. Matthew s, Moorestown, NJ, 11/3/1970 2 9 LLM Stewardship of Life, 1967 2 10 Pending File-SOLC Re: Sept. 30 th Meeting, 1967 2 11 TC [Mostly Christmas Letters], 1961-1974 2 12 H [Correspondence with last names beginning with H ], 1963-1987 3 1 R [Correspondence with last names beginning in R ], 1958-1962 3 2 S [Correspondence with last names beginning in S ], 1966-1973, 2001 3 3 LLM History; Seminar on Stewardship of Life Style, 1991-1992 [Directory, 1992; Synod Representative Manual, 1991; Miscellaneous Publications and Correspondence] 3 4 Miscellaneous Photos, Newsletter Clippings, Correspondence, 1957-1995 3 5 Interview: Walter Jensen of LLM by Dick Sutcliffe, Unknown Year [Cassette Tape can be Found in the Media in 5] Series 2: ELCA Years, Larry Wingard Papers Larry Wingard served as Metro New York Synod Representative in the 1990s and 2000s. He oversaw dozens of capital campaigns and was a stewardship specialist on the ELCA Salt: Seasoning Faith and Generosity team. 3 6 Larry Wingard Business Card from Accession 3 7 Newsletter [Faith in Action], 1984-1993 3 8 Seminar on Stewardship and Lifestyle, c.1992 3 9 Campaign Book 1990 Capital Fund Campaign, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Westlake, Ohio, Director s Copy, Combined Campaign, 1990 3 10 Flipchart E. Canada Synod, c.1986 3 11 Flipchart Major Gifts, Synod Appeal, 1983-1984 3 12 Augsburg Lutheran Home Sample Materials, Institutional Campaign, 1989 3 13 Self-help manual and LLM PRCS, 1986-1988 4 1 Feasibility Survey Report: Looking Ahead to Living Appeal Florida Synod, Prepared by the LLM Fundraising and Counseling Service, 10/18/1983 4 2 One in Mission Follow-Up, 1987-1888 4 3 MNY Synodical Representatives, 1989 4 4 Synodical Rep MNY Synod, Larry A. Wingard, The Eger Foundation, Staten Island 4 5 1999 Record of Contribution to LLM, 1/21/2000 4 6 Miscellaneous Campaign Materials, c.1990? 4 7 Used in Preliminary Presentations, 1988 4 8 [SALT Introductory Documents], 1999 4 9 [SALT] Inf. Mtg. Packet, V or TW/4W, c.2000?
4 10 [Miscellaneous SALT-Ventures and TradeWinds Documents], c.2000? 4 11 [Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd Salt Winds Teams], 2000 4 12 Miscellaneous Materials, 2001-2002 4 13 Council Retreat, Option for TW/4W, Trip #3?, 2000, 2002 4 14 Salt 4 All Seasons Bible Studies and Newsletter Articles, Standard in V, TW/4W, 2001-2004 4 15 Retreat 4WTW, LC Good Shepherd, Bel Aire, MD, 2000 5 1 Response Methods Options Afterward V + TW/4W 5 2 Kids, Money, and Stuff, 2001-2003 5 3 Apple Tree, 1999 5 4 Faith, Money, and Security, 2000 5 5 Budget Committee Referred to us V/TW as Resource + Voices of Congregational Life, 2000-2002 [Plus Materials from 1995 and Earlier] 5 6 Asset Mapping 5 7 The Great Permission-Needs Book, 2002-2003 5 8 LCA and ELCA Publications, 1983, 1992, 2002 Series 3: Media and Objects Notes in Series 1 and 2 point to the original locations of media and objects in the LLM collection. Types of media include floppy disks, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, CDs, and DVDs. 5 9 [Media: Floppy Disks, VHS Tapes, Cassette Tapes, CDs, DVDs] 5 10 [Objects: Larry Wingard Business Card with 2 LLM pins]