The first Global Mission Event (GME or event) was held at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 1975, sponsored by the Division for World Mission and Ecumenism (DWME) of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA). In 1976 the Division for Mission in North America (DMNA) joined the DWME to provide resources and leadership for the events. Leadership for the events was provided by DWME and DMNA staff, prominent mission speakers, and missionaries on and off the field. Planning was done by staff and a steering or planning committee. Leadership and some funding also came from the synods surrounding the location of the events. DWME administrative responsibility was provided by Arthur O.F. Bauer, director for interpretation. These records come from Bauer's office. They are arranged by year, with further arrangement within years by program, planning, and evaluation. Even when only one folder is provided for a year, this arrangement holds within that folder. Program folders include an information book for each event, printed programs for communion, and sometimes daily news sheets produced at the event. The newsletters for 1977 are in a separate folder because they are on newsprint. The information book contains the theme song, a list of steering committee members, a prologue that states the purpose, information about facilities and special events, the daily schedule, speaker biographies, descriptions of Free University sessions, resource listings, and song sheets. Planning folders contain steering committee minutes, promotional posters, brochures, and registration forms, and correspondence to steering committee members, speakers, bookstores, and participants. There are no planning materials for 1987. The evaluation folders include a compilation of reports, evaluations, and letters written following the events. They also contain handwritten notes that Bauer made during the events, letters of appreciation to participants, reports to the DWME, summaries of bookstore sales, and financial reports. A summary of the reasons for establishing the GMEs, a full explanation of their format, and lists of places, speakers, and attendance is found at the beginning of the records. A description of the jobs involved in planning and carrying out a GME can be found at the end of the records. The latter was prepared as information for the Division for Global Mission (DGM) of the ELCA. The DGM continues to conduct Global Mission Events.
