# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S1111
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

480 MISSIONS

w Resolution 35
HEREAS, Synod in 1950 authorized the B
Warn oard Dea
Affairs “to create an advisory council or council ta”
composed of clergy and lay members of sister churche he
duty it shall be to counsel with the Board for Eur S aqose
in all matters given under i », epean Affairs
F er its care”; and
Wuereas, Such a council would
, serve to mak
Churches of Europe all the more an indigenous Church
Wuergas, The Board for European Affairs instructed
pean Survey Commission to discuss this matter with
of the several Free Churches in Europe; and
WHEREAS, Unsettled political conditions make it
establish such a council at this time; therefore be it
Resolved, That this plan be taken i
u sas
economic conditions in Europe have become ane Povical and

. ; become more
which time this plan mi Settled (at
it further p might find more general support); and be

the Free
> and

the Euro-
the Officials

Resolved, That the Board for European Affairs be en

to keep the above resolution in mind. Couraged

IX. Resident Representative

to serve in this capacity. He would be requi

city. quired to be

well-trained, and Biblically sound theologian. He would alse hove

to Possess excellent administrative abilities and the know-how of

practical church work, Further, he should be equally familiar ith

the Church in America and in Europe. ™
“His place of residence would also consti

i mstitute a problem. If h

lived in Germany, this would arouse prejudices on.the part of the

country, such as Switzerland, he would find it difficult to

for himself and his family the spiritual ministrations re uired, since
he would not be near a church of his own persuasion, “_

In view of these difficulties and the further fact that the prob

lems of the Church in European countries are constant! chan ing
with the ongoing events of history, and since they are of a widely
varying nature, sometimes being of a theological, sometimes of an
administrative, sometimes of a financial nature it might be wi
and less costly to continue functioning as we have in the past. When

_ our Synod be sent to Europe.”

MISSIONS 431

plem of a-certain nature arises, a representative of our Church,
is peculiarly qualified to handle that problem, can be sent.
an if we had a permanent resident representative in Europe, it
e Jd still be necessary to bring him back home at fairly frequent
arvals so as to keep him in touch with the home Church. Other-
, he would almost inevitably become the spokesman for the
pean churches, and it would then still be necessary to send
n from here to discover how a given situation would look to

Te resentative of our Synod and what in the judgment of Synod

eeht to be done under the circumstances.

“We, therefore, recommend that no resident representative of

ComMENT: 1. Your Board is cognizant of the difficulties which
the establishment of the office of resident commissioner in Europe
will entail and, in general, is in agreement with the argumentation
of the European Survey Commission.

-" 9 However, this recommendation does not exclude the estab-
lishment of the office of executive secretary for the Board for
European Affairs, which our Board considers necessary and essen-
tial for the effective prosecution of the work assigned to it by Synod.

X. Bad Boll

“Tt is the opinion of the Commission that the Bad Boll meet-
ings have been richly blessed by God. Not a few of the men who
attended these meetings as the guests of our Synod were grateful
‘to God for the light and the inspiration which they gained from
them.

“Tt is the opinion of the Commission that these meetings should
be continued, but that with the improvement of the economic sit-
uation, particularly in western Germany, the persons who attend
should begin to share in the costs, probably by paying for their
own transportation while we continue to provide food and lodging.

XI. The Lutheran World Federation

“The Commission met with the late Dr. S.C. Michelfelder, then
Executive Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, and two
leading members of his staff. The Lutheran World Federation now
embraces in its membership virtually all the Lutherans in the world
except those affiliated with our Synod.

“The Lutheran World Federation engaged in organized relief
work among refugees both in Europe and in Arab countries. With
its. offices at Geneva, Switzerland, it was able, with the assistance
ef Swiss government representatives, to act as trustees for church
properties and institutions which came into jeopardy as a result of
war or other processes of history in various parts of the globe.

“The Lutheran World Federation pursued the policy of carry-
ing on its work through the established churches and of utilizing