# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1989_S124 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 124 RESOLUTIONS has decreased from 6.2 percent to 3.9 percent in the past 10 years. Had the 6.2 percent level been retained, over $17 million more from 1988 congregational contributions of $768 million would have been available for the current synodical budget. While the committee is concerned about the reductions in the 1989/90 budget for virtually all departments, it is particularly concerned about the inability to go through open doors on the mission field, the level of support for colleges and seminaries in a period of rising costs, and cutbacks in the stewardship budget and other services to support missions and higher education, as well as services to parishes and their members. Resolved, That the Synod in convention support the Board of Directors’ budget decisions; and be it further Resolved, That the convention commend the Board of Directors for its fiscal responsibility and diligent efforts over the years to maintain the level of support for missions and higher education. Action: Adopted (15). To Increase Seminary Funding RESOLUTION 4-054 Report R4-02 (CW, pp. 74-79); Overtures 4-25~-29C, 4- 36, 4-42-43, 4-45, 4-48-49 (CW, pp. 210-11, 213-16) Wuereas, The Synod in previous conventions (1981 and 1986) encouraged increased funding for seminaries (1981 Proceedings, 6-18A and 1986 Proceedings, 6-16B) toward a goal of providing 65 percent support for the educational and general budget of the two seminaries; and Wuereas, The synodical financial income level has not significantly increased to meet this objective; and Wuereas, The patterns according to which Christian people make their tithes and offerings available for the Kingdom work have changed; and Wuereas, The Joint Seminary Development Program administered by the Department of Stewardship and Fi- nancial Support was initiated to meet the needs of the people and the seminaries; and Wuereas, Projections for fiscal year 1988-89 reflect that 55.4 percent for St. Louis and 59.2 percent for Fort Wayne of educational and general expenses of the semi- naries will be met by synodical subsidy and unrestricted gifts through the joint seminary program (CW, p. 76); and WueErEAs, In addition, restricted gifts from the Adopt- A-Student programs, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Foundation and Seminary Endowments, and in- come from congregations and Districts provide approxi- mately one-half of the tuition paid by the seminary students as part of funding the seminaries, (CW, p. 249); and Wuereas, Combining these various sources of funding means that students on average are responsible for ap- proximately 20 percent of their educational expenses (cf. Standing Committee on Pastoral Ministry Report, CW, pp. 297-300); therefore be it Resolved, That we thank God for and commend the co- operative achievements of the Board for Higher Education Services (BHES), the Department of Stewardship and Fi- nancial Support, the seminaries, the Joint Seminary De- velopment Program, and the Board of Directors for the progress made in funding the educational and general bud- get of the two seminaries; and be it further Resolved, That congregations through their Districts be encouraged to increase their support to the Synod so that the Synod might have the necessary income to provide. more subsidy to seminary education; and be it further Resolved, That we request Districts and congregations to share mailing lists with the Joint Seminary Develop- ment Program and encourage individuals to participate and increase their support in the program; and be it finally Resolved, That the BHES, the Department of Steward- ship and Financial Support, the seminaries, the Joint Sem- inary Development Program, and the Board of Directors be encouraged to increase the funding of educational and general seminary support from both subsidy and devel- opment programs. Action: Adopted (11). (A motion to substitute Overture 4-13A for the proposed res- olution was defeated by a vote of 384-581.) To Assist in Repayment of Loans for Church Workers RESOLUTION 4-06 Overtures 4-46—47, 4-53 (CW, pp. 215, 217-18) Wuereas, Our Lord Jesus Christ commissioned his Church to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19); and Wuereas, Our Synod is currently facing a shortage of candidates for the pastoral and teaching ministry; and Wuereas, This shortage is aggravated by the high cost of college and seminary education, which causes some stu- dents to assume substantial debt during their preparation for church-work professions (Standing Committee on Pas- toral Ministry Report, CW, p. 298); and Wueneas, There is current concern and abiding gen- erosity among the people of The Lutheran Church—Mis- souri Synod for support of church work students at colleges and seminaries (Stewardship Department Report 4-02, CW, pp. 74-79 and Standing Committee on Pastoral Min- istry report, CW, pp. 291-97); therefore be it Resolved, That the Department of Stewardship and Fi- nancial Support and the Board for Higher Education Ser- vices be directed to study the feasibility of providing grants to church-work graduates for educational loan repayments and report the results of the study to the Board of Directors by June 30, 1990; and be it further Resolved, That synodical congregations make an effort to become aware of the nature of any outstanding educa- tional debt incurred by their workers while attending a synodical institution; and be it finally Resolved, That congregations and Districts be strongly