# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S219 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) STRUCTURE AND CONSTITUTION 219 5-26 To Grant Synodical Membership to Lay Ministers WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod estab- lished the lay ministry program at the San Francisco conven- tion in 1959 and has trained lay ministers as professional church workers since the first class of students in 1961; and WHEREAS, Since 1969 the Synod has referred to the gradu- ates of this program as “lay ministers” (Res. 6-25 in 1969, and Res. 6-10 in 1971) and the graduates prefer that title to any other designation; and WHEREAS, The training program increasingly culminates in a four-year B.A. degree with a major in theology; and WHEREAS, The graduates enter full-time professional po- sitions in the church and are placed there through the Board of Assignments; and WHEREAS, A consistency of practice for reception into office is desired for graduates of the Synod’s professional church work programs; and WHEREAS, Inclusion of lay ministers on the synodical roster would bring them more directly under the pastoral supervision of the District Presidents; therefore be it Resolved, That the term ‘‘lay minister” continue to be used for graduates of the Concordia College—Wisconsin program; and be it further Resolved, That the synodical definition of ‘‘minister of religion” include graduates of the lay ministry program; and be it further Resolved, That holders of this auxiliary office be com- missioned and installed into office; and be it finally Resolved, That lay ministers be listed on the roster as members of the Synod. Faculty Concordia College Milwaukee, Wis. Walter Jennrich, Secretary 5-27 To Establish Uniform Requirements and Practices in Teacher Colloquy Programs WHEREAS, The number of synodical colleges having a colloquy program for teachers has risen rapidly in the past decade; and WHEREAS, Colloquy requirements and practices are not uniform and consistent among synodical colleges with teacher colloquy programs; and WHEREAS, Uniformity and consistency in colloquy pro- grams are desirable to prepare well-qualified teachers for Lutheran schools; therefore be it Resolved, That the Board for Professional Education Ser- vices appoint a committee to study present teacher colloquy requirements and practices and to recommend uniform guide- lines for this program to participating synodical colleges. Faculty Concordia teachers College Seward, Nebr. M. J. Stelmachowicz, President William Billow, Secretary 5-28 To Classify Female Teachers in the Synod WHEREAS, Female and male teacher training students at the Synod’s colleges receive identical training and follow an identical course of study; and WHEREAS, Female and male teacher candidates are placed into positions of similar responsiblity in the Synod; and WHEREAS, The Synod at the 1973 New Orleans convention resolved ‘That all teachers, male or female, who have met all requirements for inclusion in the official roster of theSynod be considered eligible for membership under the terms of Articles Vv and VI of the Constitution” (Res. 7-05, Proceedings, p.190); an WHEREAS, Male teachers in the Synod are classified as ministers of religion; and WHEREAS, The question of ordination to the pastoral office is distinct and separate from the point of this resolution (male teachers currently are identified as ministers of religion, but are not ordained to the pastoral office); therefore be it Resolved, That female teachers also be classified as minis- ters of religion in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Faculty Concordia Teachers College Seward, Nebr. M. J. Stelmachowicz, President William Billow, Secretary 5-29 To Urge Synod to Delineate Status and Training of Synod’s Directors of Christian Education WHEREAS, Directors of Christian education certified by our synodical schools for director of Christian education ministry graduate from a synodically approved program; and WHEREAS, Directors of Christian education from a synodi- cally approved program receive basic training in classroom teaching in our schools; and WuereEas, Although some directors of Christian education lack sufficient courses for state certification for teaching secular subjects, all directors of Christian education who have graduated from a synodically approved program are eligible for teaching religion in our schools; and WueEreEas, Directors of Christian education who graduate from asynodically approved program receive training for their profession that is at least equivalent to that for classroom teachers in our schools; and WuerEas, Directors of Christian education who graduate from asynodically approved program demonstrate their inten- tion of devoting their lives to the Christian education of the people of God in our churches; therefore be it Resolved: 1. That the convention include in Art. V of the Synod's Constitution directors of Christian education whoare certified for their ministry, either through a regular course of study or through colloquy procedures, by a synodical school authorized to do so by the Board for Professional Education Services, thereby making such directors of Christian education eligible for advisory membership in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and 2. That the Synod instruct those synodical schools offering a synodically approved director of Christian education train- ing program to continue to encourage all director of Christian education students to take sufficient work to become eligible for certification both as directors of Christian education and as classroom teachers also of secular subjects in order to provide these students with more career options in the church. Board of Directors Northwest District D.C. Schroeder, Secretary 5-30 To Grant Directors of Evangelism Synodical Church Worker Status WHEREAS, Evangelism is a direct response to our Lord's Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20): and