# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S197
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ADMINISTRATION 195

committee.
What does the Secretary of the Synod really do??

Herbert Mueller, Secretary

4-04
Report of Synod’s Board of Directors

I. Administration

During the past biennium the Board of Directors decided to
continue meeting quarterly instead of bimonthly in an effort to
cut costs.

Immediately following the 1979 convention the board
elected President J. A. O. Presus as chairman and Robert
Hirsch as vice-chairman. The Secretary of the Synod, Herbert
Mueller, serves by Bylaw provision also as secretary of the
Board of Directors.

The board decided to adopt the same internal committee
structure as in the past, with the following assignments:

1. Committee on Program and Project Evaluation: David
H. Goertz, William E. Ludwig, Walter A. Maier, George H.
Mohr, Robert C. Sauer, George F. Wollen burg

2. Committee on General Administration and Personnel:
Kenneth W. Behnken, Ervin R. Lemke, Gus Melde, Guido
Merkens, Herbert Mueller, Harold M. Olsen

3. Committee on Financial Management: Robert W. Hirsch,
Henry L. Koepchen, Edward S. Scott, Lester W. Schultz,
Norman Sell, Edwin C. Weber

4, Executive Committee: Robert Hirsch, Gus Melde, George
Mohr, Herbert Mueller, J. A. O. Preus, Edward S. Scott,
Norman Sell

The Board made, ratified, or concurred in, depending on
specific Handbook requirements, other appointments, which
are reported in Appendix A.

II. 1979 Convention Resolutions

The board took the following actions with respect to certain
resolutions adopted by the 1979 synodical convention.

A. Protocol Documents—Brazil (Res. 1-02A). The board
approved the protocol documents under which the Brazil
District now functions as a self-governing partner church in
South America.

B. Approval of Rubrics for Work Among Native Americans
(Res. 1-14). The board took appropriate action with reference to
the work among and in behalf of native Americans. This
involved continued participation in the Indian Desk of LCUSA.
However, in February 1981 the board, on recommendation of
the American Indian Advisory Council and the Board for
Missions, decided to recommend to the convention termination
of such participation. (See separate overture.)

C. Expansion of Evangelism Staff (Res. 1-28). The board
found itself unable to grant budget priority for this proposed
expansion.

D. Meeting with Ongoing Ambassadors for Christ to
Clarify Relationship (Res. 1-29). There have been several
meetings between representatives of the board and of the
OAFC in an effort to clarify this relationship. The organization
has applied for a ‘Listed Service Organization” status.

E. Funds for Task Force (Res. 2-04A). The board provided
these as instructed.

F. Evaluation of LCUSA Programs (Res. 3-07). The board
continued its standing policy of keeping these programs under
constant review.

G. Headquarters Site (Res. 4-08B). This item has received
extensive treatment in our official periodicals. After the city of
Clayton refused to grant the zoning variance to permit con-
struction of the headquarters on the western edge of the
campus of Concordia Seminary (St. Louis), the special com-
mittee investigated many additional sites in the St. Louis area.
It was finally decided to purchase a site and erect a building at
the intersection of Lindbergh Boulevard and Interstate 44 in
the suburb of Kirkwood. Estimated cost for the entire project is
approximately $10 million.

H. Funds for Faculty Salaries (Res. 4-14). The board re-

sorted to deficit spending in order to provide for increases in
salaries for our faculties in conformity with convention action.

I. Interest on College Funds Deposited with Treasurer (Res.
4-16A). Procedures required by this resolution have now become
operative.

J. Increased Youth Budget (Res. 4-17). The board was able
to comply with this request to a limited extent.

K. Rural Concerns Sunday (Res. 4-18A). This item was
included in an extended list of Sundays on which special
emphasis may be given to various phases of ministry.

L. Formula for Subsidizing Colleges (Res. 6-01A). This
formula is still in the process of being refined, with emphasis
on church workers.

M. Feasibility Study re Coordinating Communications
(Res. 7-01). The board developed recommendations in this area
for presentation to the convention, with copy to Task Force II.

N. Needs of Older Persons (Res. 8-01). The Board of Social
Ministry and World Relief has given increasing attention to
the needs of older persons and may have specific recommenda-
tions to present to the convention.

O. Ministerial Health (Res. 8-03). The board suggested that
the position be staffed by a qualified project director on a
sabbatical from one of the Synod’s schools to establish a
program which may not need full-time staff assistance.

P. Leadership in Fundraising Effort and Ongoing Support
(Res. 12-01A). The board has sought to provide such leadership
especially in connection with the Forward in Remembrance
program. In a separate overture it is also reporting on the
creation of anew Department of Financial Support, answerable
directly to the Board of Directors, and making additional
proposals.

Q. Long-Range Master Plan (Res. 12-04 and 1-12A). At the
time of writing the Executive Committee of the Planning
Group has not yet finalized its recommendations for presenta-
tion to the Planning Group.

R. New Method of Preparing Budget and Work Programs
(Res. 12-06). The board concluded that for the time being the
present Bylaws are adequate.

S. Special Financial Needs of Seminaries (Res. 12-08). The
board has tried to carry out this directive with the limited funds
at its disposal.

T. Faculty Salary Increases (Res. 12-13). See report on Res.
4-14 above.

U. Keys for Christ Housing Effort (Res. 12-10). The board
approved April 27, 1980, as the date for a special offering.

III. Other Business

It is interesting to note that for more than half ofits history
the Synod existed without a Board of Directors. The board was
called into being around 1920. Its constitutional responsibility
listed in Article XI, F, 2 is quite simple and direct:

The members of the Board of Directors are the legal representatives

of the Synod and the custodians of all property of the Synod and

upon them are incumbent the general management and supervision
of all the business affairs of the Synod.

Bylaw 2.77 reflects this with the words:

The Board of Directors shall be vested with the general management

and supervision of the Synod’s business and legal affairs.

In the course of time these responsibilities have been fleshed
out to cover such assignments as budgeting, accounting,
auditing, and personnel supervision of headquarters’ staff.
This will become apparent also from the report that follows.
The minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors are again
available to the floor committees for inspection. The following
lists some of the actions taken by the board since the last
convention of the Synod.

A. Budget. Among the many responsibilities of the Board
of Directors of the Synod is the Synod’s budget. After the
decision was made by the convention to begin the new fiscal
year on July 1 instead of Feb. 1, it was necessary to provide for
a short-year budget. The budgets approved for the 1980 short
year (five months) and the 1980—8] fiscal year are respectively
$12,775,000 and $30,750,000. The tentative budget for fiscal
1981—82; $29,850,000.