# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S77 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) | PARISH, YOUTH, AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES 77 —450th anniversary of the approximate date of the first printing of Luther’s German Bible (Oct. 1, 1534) —250th anniversary of the landing of the Salzburgers in Georgia (March 10, 1734) —125th anniversary of the birth of Synod President Friedrich Pfotenhauer (April 22, 1839) —100th anniversary of the dedication of St. Paul’s College, Concordia, Mo. (Aug. 31, 1884) —75th anniversary of the dedication of the Concordia College, Bronxville, campus (Nov. 29, 1909) —50th anniversary of the ordination of the first Chinese Lutheran pastor of the Missouri Synod (Jan. 7, 1934) 1985 —450th anniversary of the publication of the Coverdale Bible (Oct. 4, 1535) —425th anniversary of the death of Philipp Melanchthon (April 19, 1560) —300th anniversary of the birth of J. S. Bach (March 21, 1685) —175th anniversary of the birth of Johann F. Buenger, the “father of social service” in the Synod (Jan. 2, 1810) —175th anniversary of the birth of Synod President F.C. D. Wyneken, “father of home missions” in the Synod (May 13, 1810) —100th anniversary of the birth of seminary professor and dogmatician J. T. Mueller (April 5, 1885) —25th anniversary of the publication of Luther’s Small Catechism in Taiwanese (June 5, 1960) 1986 —475th anniversary of the death of Ursula Cotta (Nov. 29, 1511) —400th anniversary of the death of Lukas Cranach, Jr (Jan. 25, 1586) —400th anniversary of the death of Martin Chemnitz (April 8, 1586) —175th anniversary of the birth of Dr. C. F. W. Walther (Oct. 25, 1811) —150th anniversary of the birth of Daniel Landsmann (June 18, 1836) —125th anniversary of the opening of the preseminary in Steeden, Germany (April 7, 1861) —75th anniversary of the reception of the English Missouri Synod into the German Missouri Synod as the English District (May 15, 1911) —50th anniversary of the organization of the Armed Services Commission of the LCMS (Feb. 13, 1936) —25th anniversary of the first graduating class from Hong Kong Seminary, 7 men, (July 31, 1961) —25th anniversary of the first use of the Taiwanese Lutheran Hymnal (Dec. 3, 1961) Financial Summary There is no problem which the Institute faces which could : not be resolved by an adequate supply of funds. Our processing, _ cataloging, and inventorying is running many years behind. Our accessioning process is about two years behind. We have been enormously blessed in two aspects of our work, namely, incoming materials and ever-increasing demands for reference services. We have received enormously large collections within the past biennium which would fill several semitrailers. To process such voluminous materials, beginning with accessioning and ending with inventorying and cataloging, is no menial task. We simply need staff in order to accomplish that. The same is also true when we are in the daily mail bombarded with requests of all shades and descriptions, requests for our reference and research services. It has been impossible to remain current in both of these aspects, and we therefore ask the kind indulgence of those who would like to obtain such services. There is also a third area which has already become serious because of the lack of funds—rehabilitation and restoration. —We have priceless paintings that are several hundred years old, sketches, drawings, etc., as well as books, pamphlets, and documents which need rejuvenation and repair. A life-size oil painting of C. F. W. Walther, for example, has been damaged over the years; it would cost over $5,000 to provide professional restoration services. Other documents require deacidification, encapsulation, binding, etc. Binding continues high on the agenda. But we are most grateful for the more than 20 volunteers who are working throughout the country decipher- ing the old German Fraktur script and retyping it line by linein legible typescript. This is, indeed, areal work of love because so very few people today consulting our vast collections can read this script. The Synod is benefiting substantially in a financial way from the Institute's records management program. The present Handbook (section 2.607) indicates that all of the synodical entities, beginning with its officers, boards, commissions, Districts, colleges, seminaries, auxiliaries, agencies, and other entities affiliated with the Synod are required to deposit their records at the Institute. This provides a significant twofold advantage: (1) These agencies know that their records are receiving professional attention in preserving them for the future, and (2) all such records are deposited in one place where they can be consulted by vast numbers of researchers. This is, indeed, extrememly cost efficient. The Institute is also deeply concerned about preserving the records of defunct and dissolved congregations. If you know of any such records which may still be in attics and private homes, call them to the Institute’s attention. Not only should those records be preserved in the archives of the Synod, but family historians are constantly seeking records of the official acts in their research. The financial records of the Institute reveal the following sources of income: A. Types of Income Actual Budget 1981 1982 1. Synodical Budget ......... $161,984 $168,164 2. Membership .............. 30,389 38,386 3. LLL Microfilm support .... 2,000 2,000 Total ...............00. $194,373 $208,550 B. Projections The projected needs, without considering the inflationary increases which may be anticipated, include the following for the next triennium: 1988 1984 1985 1. Synodical Budget ......... $226,210 $252,800 $272,735 2. Membership .............. 41,460 43,000 45,400 3. LLL Microfilm support .... 2,000 2,000 2,000 Total .................. $269,670 $297,800 $320,135 A Petition for Restructuring The July 1981 convention modified the terms of office of the Board of Governors from the three 4-year terms for amaximum total of 12 years to three 3-year terms for a total of only 9 years. The concept of limiting the terms of office and thus giving a wider range of individuals the opportunity to serve the Synod has much to say for itself. However, because the Synod, at the same convention, also decided to go to a three-year convention cycle, we have now built in the possibility that all Board of Governors members could be replaced at one fell swoop. The provision for staggered elections and appointments, which had been in effect for decades, is no longer possible. Staggering provided an essential continuity to the board which, unless the Synod acts at this convention, will come to a grinding halt on Dec. 31, 1983. In the past some of the presidential appointments alter- nated with the elected positions, so that at each biennium there- were five holdover board members. The Institute Board of Governors is petitioning the Synod to extend the board’s present three three-year terms to two six-year terms in order to provide for staggered appointments and elections every three years. This would allow each board member a maximum of 12 years of service if reelected or reappointed. Perhaps it should be noted that the Commission on Consti- tutional Matters has ruled that any “hybrid” board or commis-