# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S331 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 330 Paul C. Mueller * 1. My love for the Lord’s work and the variety of experiences I have enjoyed in Iowa District West and in the Minnesota District. 2. My greatest joy rests in our return to the solid foundations of Scripture and the Con- fessions and to the hermeneutical principal that Scripture interprets Scripture. This gives us the source for strength to move forward in the name of our Lord on all fronts. 3. Forward!" Both in internal strengthening and outreach. We need to grow inwardly because we cannot give away a faith we do not possess. As that faith relationship with our Lord grows, so will our restlessness to reach our world with the good news of what our God has done! Wilbert J. Sohns 1. The privilege and opportunities that God has given me to serve Him, such as parish pastor, evangelist, International LLL pastoral advisor. Synod’s Board for Missions member for eight years and a broad knowledge of the Synod, its nature and function coupled with a fervent desire for Synod’s ongoing faithfulness to Christ, His Word, and the Sacraments. 2. By God’s miraculous grace Synod continues to move, though slowly at times, to a stronger confessional stance based on His holy inerrant Word and is now beginning again to have an aggressive mission thrust in the world. Synod as a whole seems to want to go forward in remembrance of the Savior, His saving mercy and work, and His Great Commission. 3. Under the blessings of Christ we need to “run together” in faithful use of the means of grace individually and collectively, in confessional integrity, in responsible church relationships, in a more effective and efficient stewardship of all our resources, and in mission outreach in word and deed as a church empowered and directed not by men, nor money, nor admin- istrative structures, but only by the Word “that at the name of Jesus everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth should kneel and everyone should confess ‘Jesus Christ is Lord!’ and so glorify God the Father.” Walter D. Haas 1. My interest in missions is long standing, having been nurtured from childhood. My work in central-city ministries for nearly two decades has been directed to bringing the Gospel to the unchurched. My first term on the Board for Missions has been a broadening experience in providing new insights into God’s gracious dealings with us, His people. 2. The greatest joy is in seeing God providing many opportunites for evangelism, both in North America and abroad, and our Synod’s accepting these challenges as opportunities to be met responsibly while remaining true to Scripture and the confesssions. 3. (1) We must continue to emphasize the means of grace and prayer. (2) We must have aconcentrated recruitment effort. The harvest is ripe, the laborers are few. (3) We must emphasize stewardship—God is pro- viding abundant resources to His people. (4) We must work toward greater coordina- tion of effort in ministry between various synodical boards and between the District and synodical mission efforts. (5) We must not only recognize the priesthood of all believers but also equip them to be His witnesses or countless opportunities for mission work will be lost. Wilbert H. Rusch Sr. l1.— 2. — 3. — NOMINATIONS Richard W. Henningfield 1. My vocation is administration. I like work- ing with people. Have served eight years as a lay missionary in Taiwan and business manager/treasurer. Have understanding of missionary, his problems and concerns, needs of the national church. Firmly believe we should be moving ahead in getting the good news of the Gospel to the lost of the world. 2. Greatest joy is the positive steps we are taking to get reinvolved in missions on a worldwide basis. God is giving us many challenges and opportunities to do as He commanded in Matt. 28:19. 3. We must move with the strength and con- fidence of Phil. 4:13: “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.” Phl. 2:4: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” 2 Cor. 9:8: “And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work.” Take God at His word and move forward. William J. Jorns 1. For four years I was an agricultural missionary with the LCMS in Guatemala, C.A. and have maintained close contact with both national pastors and mission- aries in C.A. That experience supported now with a doctorate in adult education, professional experience in staff develop- ment, and my current administrative posi- tion as assistant director of international agricultural programs at Kansas State University provides me with an under- standing of the complexities of developing and sustaining international programs. 2. The reduction in mission programs, caused in part by financial problems, is limiting the potential impact which the LCMS could exert in this troubled world through pro- claiming the Good News of salvation. 3. As achurch we dare not ignore the Lord’s command to go into all the world. However, emerging nationalism in many countries makes North American missionary domination of programs a very sensitive issue. This plus the tremendous cost of maintaining missionaries and mission programs overseas makes it critical that the resources of the LCMS be used to prepare and send missionaries who can train and support national pastors and laymen to preach God’s Word. Dorothy Rosin 1. Having served on the Board for Missions since 1973, I have experience and back- ground which is both essential and helpful in making future decisions for the mission program of the church. I have been privi- leged to visit foreign mission fields through- out the world. Having been active on the international level of LWML since 1961, this additional experience is helpful in making important decisions. 2. Iam happy with the direction in which the Synod is moving. In addition to the present theological stance, Dr. Hyatt’s report at the recent Board for Missions meeting in which he indicated that the Forward in Remembrance effort is emphasizing world missions, North American missions and ministries, and the training of professional church workers seems to be an encouraging step forward. 3. In view of the fact that three out of four billion people in the world have not heard the message of salvation through Christ, I feel that the Synod should have as its first concern the opening of new mission fields, the recruitment of more professional church workers, and an intensified effort to bring Christ to the unreached people of the world. The members of the Synod must be serious about the Challenges for the ’80s, which were adopted at the 1979 convention of the Synod. H. David Thurston 1. After 12 years as professor of international agriculture at Cornell University and 11 years working in South America, with frequent travel to Asia and Africa, I believe I know well the problems, hopes, and aspirations of the multitudes overseas and the challenging mission opportunities as given in Matt. 28:19-20. 2. The 1979 statistics show that the decline in membership of Synod may have reversed, plus increases in Sunday school enrollment and infant Baptism. This strengthening of Synod is cause for joy. That support for overseas missions at this time of great opportunity is not increasing dramatically is cause for disappointment. 3. In keeping with Matt. 28:19-20, more educa- tion through the work of our membership on the challenge of effectively spreading Christ’s Word is needed. Synod should develop a coherent, unified policy on missions. Strong efforts to send more missionaries overseas are needed. Studies of Christ-pleasing means to multiply efforts to spread the Gospel must be found. Evangelism is foremost, but through medi- cine, agriculture, and teaching, genuine concern for not only spiritual but physical need should be shown. BOARD OF PARISH EDUCATION 2 pastors, 1 teacher, 2 laypersons to be elected. PASTORS Maynard H. Brandt, 52, Emma, MO: Holy Cross (MO); parish pastor. S. BPE 8; Cir. Cslr. 4; D. Chm. Educ. Com. 7. C. Pastor 26. O. Zone Yth. Adv. 2; Zone LLL Adv. 2; Zone SS Teachers Adv. 4. David V. Dissen, 47, Clearwater, FL: First (FG); parish pastor. D. Bd. Social Minis- try. C. Pastor 22. Raymond A. Mueller, 51, St. Louis, MO: Holy Cross (MO); pastor. S. BPE 4; Cir. Cslr.5. D. Bd. Stewp. 2. C. Pastor 26. O. Area Chm. Evang. Efforts 6. Allen W. Schade, 32, Mississauga, ON, Canada: Christ Our King (ON); pastor. S. Com. of Fellowship ELCC 2. D. BPE & Yth. 5: Com. of Adj.5. C. Pastor 7. O. Div. of Theology Luth. Council in Canada 4. TEACHERS H. Allen Herbst, 42, Springfield, IL: Trinity (CI); principal. 8. CPH Music Editorial Com. 5; Fort Wayne Bd. of Control 1; Nom. Com. 2; Synod Conv. Dele. 1. D. Fdr. & Dir. CID Music Camp 5; Pres. CID Camp Bad. 3; Worship Com. Chm. 9; Educ. Com. Chm. 4; River Forest’s Pres. Council 4. C. Yth. Dir. 2; Music Dir. 22; Teacher 15; Principal 4; Bd. of Dir. 3. Fay R. Richert, 48, New Haven, IN: Martini (IN); teacher/ principal. S. Bd. Parish Educ. 3. D. Miss. Bd. 6. C. Educ. Com. 6; Evang. Com. 3; Teacher 28. O. IN Dis. Luth. Teachers Sec. 4. LAYPERSONS Joe Frost, 47, Austin, TX: Redeemer (TX); educator-professor. D. Bd. of Dir. 2. C. Bd. of Educ. 6; Bd. of Elders 2. Roy H. Guess, 61, Casper, WY: Mount Hope (WY); geologist & rancher. 8S. BPE 4; Conv. Dele. 2; Convoc. Dele. 1. D. Bd. of Dir. 4; Bd. of Adj. 1, Conv. Dele. 2; LLL Pres. 1. C. Pres. 2; Bd. of Elders 4; Bd. Evang. 9; Chm. Council 1. O. City Councilman & Mayor pro-