# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S291 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) PARISH SERVICES 291 sentative; Dr. Ralph Reinke, president and chief executive officer. At this convention the terms of Enno Sauer, Rev. J. Barclay Brown, and Milton P. Koch will expire. Curriculum As the publisher of the Synod, Concordia maintains a close working relationship with the Board of Parish Education, cooperating in the editing, designing, and production of our many curriculum offerings. Our vacation Bible school and New Life in Christ curricula continue to receive wide accept- ance both in the LCMS and beyond. New for use this fall are two levels, seventh and eighth grades, in the new Eternal Word curriculum for day and weekday schools. Future plans call for the introduction of two levels each year until the Eternal Word curriculum is complete for all grade levels. Outreach and Availability Through catalogs, mailings, and space advertising CPH’s products are promoted, not only to the members of our church, but also to a vast audience of other Christians. The distribution and use of our Bible-based materials thus has an outreach and influence far beyond the membership of the congregations of the Synod. Concordia’s products are readily available to every pa- rishioner. The products can be purchased in 2,000 Christian book and supply stores in cities throughout the United States and Canada. These bookstores are serviced by eight full-time CPH salesmen. Our products are also available directly from our St. Louis headquarters, by mail, or by our speedy toll-free WATS line telephone ordering service. The Book Nook program for the sale of CPH material froma site in a congregation's facility is being used by 2,000 congre- gations. Concordia’s new Christian Book and Gift Party Program has helped to expose many more people to our complete line of Christ-centered materials for church. school, and home. Coming in 1981 The members of the Synod can look forward with antici- pation to CPH’s release in 1981 of two major projects: ¢ Thenew hymnal, Lutheran Worship, went into production upon receipt of the manuscript from Synod’s Commission on Worship in mid-December 1980. The publication of a hymnal is a complex and demanding task that Concordia is striving to complete by Advent 1981. ¢ The second major 1981 project is the publication of six volumes of the translated writings of Dr. C. F. W. Walther: —Law and Gospel —Selected Sermons —Convention Essays —Writings on the Church —Selected Letters —Selected Editorials We Look to the Future Under God’s blessing Concordia’s mission and ministry will continue to grow as we face the challenge of developing and producing new materials for the years ahead. Concordia’s product-delivery system is geared to meeting both the long-range and current needs of the Synod’s members. The 400 employees of Synod’s publishing unit are continually striving to effectively develop, produce, and market those products that will support the mission and ministry for the church. In pursuit of that goal, the Board of Directors, the management, and all the employees of Concordia Publishing House ask for your continued support and prayers imploring the Lord to sustain us in our task. Board of Directors Fred Kuhlmann, Chairman Enno Sauer, Secretary Ralph Reinke, President 7-06 Report of Editorial Commission for Official Periodicals This is a momentous year for the Lutheran Witness, which in 1981 celebrates its 100th year of continuous publication, not too common an achievement in the history of magazine publishing. As official periodicals of the Synod, the Witness and Reporter are the instruments of the Synod through which all official reports and notices are published. The editors are responsible to the Synod through the Editorial Commission for Official Periodicals, their editorial freedom bound only by the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. The Witness and Reporter represent the member congregations of the Synod by witnessing to the Gospel of Jesus Christ before the world. The Witness—with a monthly circulation of 440,000 and entering 59 percent of the homes of the Synod—has as its major thrust aiding the reader in leading a richer and fuller Christian life. Its objectives are (1) the nurturing of the reader’s faith through devotional articles, materials deepening the reader’s knowledge of the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, and articles giving examples of faith at work: (2) marshaling support and better understanding of congregation members for the work of the congregations, the Districts, and the Synod through information on these ministries: (3) informing the reader of the activities of other Lutherans and Christians; and (4) aiding the reader in interpretation and understanding of the contemporary world from a Christian perspective. The Reporter—mailed weekly to 61,000 professional church workers and key lay leaders in the congregations—has a twofold major thrust: (1) to develop support of synodical and District work by providing current and reliable information to congregation leaders; and (2) to provide proven programmatic ideas and resources that will assist these leaders in their elected offices and in fulfilling their responsibilities. In addi- tion, the Reporter has a minor thrust: to offer brief, objective information about the work of other Lutherans and informa- tion about the church at large in the world. In considering the content of the Witness and Reporter, the Editorial Commission has directed the staff that the official periodicals will reflect the official stance of the Synod in presenting an issue, while also indicating the existence of other views. The policy manual also notes that in stories presented as news, the periodicals will at times report events and views that do not reflect the Synod’s position. Such news is published because people in the church have the right to know and should have the opportunity to know whatis happening in the church at large and in the world. In asummary sentence, the editorial staff defines its task as a linking together of the people of the Synod in the congrega- tions and Districts as disciples of Christ in shared ministries and faith. The fulfillment by the staff of its responsibility is dependent on three factors: (1) its competency as individuals and as a staff; (2) the attractiveness of the publications (readability, thematic content, graphics, paper stock); and (3) the supportof District Presidents and staffs, of pastors and teachers, and of leaders of the congregations. The competency of the editorial staff may be measured by the churchmanship that guides it day by day as professional journalists who write and report credibly and fairly and satisfy readers’ needs. The skills employed and the editorial judgment expressed are in need of constant critique and honing. Improved content and graphics are also continuing efforts. Quality paper stock—an obvious need of the Witness—requires available funds and suffers in this inflationary time from spiraling costs. The Editorial Commission and staff have plans in progress that will permit the upgrading of the paper stock of the Witness as subscriptions continue to rise. Support of the mission of the Witness and Reporter by District Presidents and staffs and by pastors and teachers and members of congregations is in evidence when the official periodicals of the Synod are read, used in home and parish life, shared with others, and contributed to by individuals and congregations—who thus share information and faith with all members and congregations of the Synod.