# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S332 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) tem 6; Dir. LPAA 4; Dele. Republican State Conv. 2; Pres. South Texas Geological Soc. 1. Ethel P. Lesh, 53, Clifton, NJ: Trinity (NJ); educator. S. Conv. Dele. 2. C. Sec. for Deacons 3; SS Teacher 25, Organist 26. James E. Price, 64, University City, MO: St. James (MO): public high school principal. S. BPE 3; Armed Forces Com. 2. C. Bd. of Educ. 4; Bd. of Dir. 3; Future Planning Com. 1. Maynard H. Brandt 1. IT have had an interest in Christian educa- tion for many years and worked in congre- gations with strong programs of Christian education. Served Christian Education Committee of the Iowa District West for seven years and am completing my second term on the Board of Parish Education— presently serving as chairman of this board. 2. My disappointment in the Synod was in the weakness that was shown in the years that doctrinal controversy permitted us to lose sight of our mission. My joy is that once more, by God’s grace, we are moving ahead with sound Christian doctrine. 3. I believe we need to see once more the tremendous challenge God has placed before us in a worldwide mission. Somehow we seem to have lost sight of that in recent years. While we can never meet that chal- lenge completely, and the task will never be completed, we can, under God’s grace, equip our people for the work God has placed before us. I pray that the Holy Spirit will lead us in this direction. David V. Dissen 1. Have been in the parish ministry for nearly 21 years. Serve on the President’s Advisory Council at Concordia College. Have attended all synodical conventions since 1969. Deep interest in overall growth and outreach of Synod. Concern for parish education manifested by starting Christian day school in present parish. 2. Greatest joy—continued commitment of Synod to Scripture and our Lutheran Con- fessions combined with Synod’s obvious interest in church growth in all areas of church life. Greatest disappointment—slow process of resolving some of its internal strife so that we can implement more of our Christian education and mission outreach and inreach! 3. Our mandate from the Lord is clear. We need to educate, inform, equip, and inspire our people more and more in Scriptural principles and individual involvement of church growth. God’s people need to be steeped anew in the great truths of God’s Word. We need continued faithfulness to Scripture but also a vigorous outreach to a watching and waiting world that needs to be prepared by God’s grace for a coming Lord! Raymond A. Mueller 1. After four years on Synoq’s Board of Parish Education, I now understand even better why the contacts and experience I have had on this board would enable me to serve Synod’s best interests, doctrinal and other- wise, more and more effectively if reelected for another term. 2. Thanks be to God for His marvelous miracle of rescuing the Missouri Synod from the Gospel-killing and mission-destroying doc- trinal direction in which we were headed, and also for causing us to begin to grow now toward a much mote vigorous zeal for outreach all over the world! 3. Since the Great Commission clearly com- bines vigorous mission outreach with sound doctrine and thorough Christian education, I would like to see Synod train and retrain its pastors, teachers, and laity to carry out both sides of the combination with earnest zeal and commitment to Christ as Lord. NOMINATIONS True doctrine without outreach saves almost no one. Outreach without true doc- trine saves the same number. Both must be promoted together. Allen W. Schade 1. ra 3. T have been trained in a wide variety of Lutheran education areas: small, rural parochial schools, synodical high school, trained in secondary education at Con- cordia, Seward. I have been heavily in- volved in adult education in the parish and working with training youth in our District. . I believe the goals of the Forward in Remembrance drive are focused with the Great Commission, extending the mission of the church throughout the whole world, training our people to function more effec- tively in the total Gospel ministry entrusted to us as ambassadors for Christ. As this reflects the focus of Synod, it is something to thank God for once again. . As above, I think we need to get back to some key emphases: Training our people to be effective disciples, which is a continued emphasis on solid doctrinal and practical education. That will generate a deeper commitment to serve Christ in a wide variety of ministries herein North America and around the world. The Gospel must be the heart of our motivation and the preach- ing of it must be the focus of all our efforts. Allen Herbst . Experience in parish and District worship, education, and administrative services has been broad and fairly balanced. In addition, I served one term on Synod’s nominating committee and could bring that experience to a second term. . Joy and gratitude fill my heart that our gracious Lord has led the Synod to reaffirm a courageous and accurate doctrinal stance based on the verbally inspired, inerrant Word. I pray that our leaders retain a pure, Biblical perspective on all levels. I rejoice at the spirited multicultural and worldwide mission thrust. Congregations need to work harder at assimilating new members rather than despond over delinquency lists. Building an aggressive program for the ‘‘new- comers” can serve to prevent them from becoming the delinquents of the future. District and Synod need to quickly face the recruitment challenge to fill pastoral and classroom vacancies. Synod must also reverse the recent “laissez faire” attitude toward a unified approach of training day school teachers and DCEs. Fay R. Richert 1. I have been a teacher and principal in the schools of LCMS for 28 years. I am familiar with many publications of the Board of Parish Education and the educational materials of Synod. I am completing my first term on the synodical Board of Parish Education. . My greatest joy is that Synod is trying to adhere to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. In particular Synod has reaffirmed its position that the Bible is the inerrant and inspired Word of God. . In our Synod we should spend much effort and money in sending missionaries, start- ing new churches, and aiding those con- gregations in need. We need to push for support of our educational program of colleges and seminaries so that pastors, teachers are well trained in His Word and using His Word. Joe Frost 1. (a) Twenty years working in various church roles. (b) Professor and visiting professor at several major universities. (c}) Lecturer and workshop director at over 100 colleges and 331 universities in the U.S. and foreign coun- tries. (d) Author ofnumerous books, articles, and research reports in the field of educa- tion. (e) President of the Association for Childhood Education International with membership in 70 countries. 2. My greatest joy is in seeing efforts toward expansion and improvement programs to serve children in educational contexts with emphasis on spiritual development and in seeing efforts to improve and expand missions throughout the world. 3. A major concern of the church must be to spread the Gospel to the young and the unchurched throughout the world. This requires an ever-growing system of Chris- tian schools at all levels, preschool through university, through which trained leaders can spread the Word. Roy H. Guess 1. It takes nearly a year for a newly elected person to become a truly effective board member. Having served one four-year term, I will, if elected, be a truly effective board member whose primary concern is the pre- servation of historical Lutheran theology in all publications. . The last two synodical conventions made great strides in returning our Synod to its former position of Bible-based theology. I thank God for bringing Missouri back to its position of eminence in the field of theology ina world where heresy abounds and people worship many gods. . I believe Synod should concentrate on aggressive mission programs, using the latest scientific technology, to bring the pure Gospel of our Savior to every person on this planet. Although blessed with unbeliev- able opportunities in the mission field, we are failing to supply the necessary funds to take advantage of these God-given oppor- tunities to spread the truly inspired and inerrant Word of God. Ethel P. Lesh 1. Having experienced the joys and frustra- tions of working in education at the parish level for so many years, I believeI can make worthwhile contributions based on that experience and my formal training in education. . The only directions in which Synod can move are closer to, or farther from, God’s will as we can determine His will from the Bible. As our stand on Scripture as the foundation of faith remains firm, I have the greatest joy. . Synod has to move in every direction, ‘‘all the world,” as opportunity and resources are found. Synod’s role is to spread the Good News by training people, using and develop- ing programs and media to that end, and seeking and channeling resources. James E. Price * 1. Thank God for the Synod’s commitment to Black Ministry. My current membership on the Board of Parish Education inspires me to recognize the need for effective Black representation. My background experience in education (public) and as a member of the Lutheran Church (LCMS), I feel strongly the urgency of the challenge. 2. The continued commitment of the Synod’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations in its efforts to bring about a unified understanding so as to minimize the number of congregations who might leave the LCMS. In addition, my personal concern, at this time, isin the area of Black mission ministry. 3. My greatest joy is the continued spiritual growth and carrying out the Synod’s mission to the church, despite the conflicts that have tended to divide it (LCMS) in recent years. Spiritual growth as a partici-