# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S324
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

324 PARISH FDUCATION

that congregations need help in evaluating and strengthening their
whole adult education activity.

Christian adult education is a new frontier also for the church.
It gives a new perspective to all education. It is necessary for
the development of a teaching church. Without it the priesthood
of all believers remains pretty much a “paper doctrine.” Christian
adult education has paid and will pay large spiritual dividends.

K. The Co-ordinating Council

Once a year the Board for Parish Education calls together
representatives of most synodical boards and our national organiza-~
tions, the Lutheran Laymen’s League, the Walther League, and
the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, to integrate the many
programs projected by these groups into one program under a
general theme and monthly emphases. It publishes the annual
book of plans, Parish Activities.

During the past triennium these annual themes were devel-
oped: 1953-54, “Ye Are My Disciples”; 1954—55, “More Than
Conquerors”; 1955—56, “The Church, the Body of Christ.” The
Co-ordinating Council has selected these themes for the next tri-
ennium: 1956—57, “Prayer and the Kingdom”; 1957—58, “The King
Is Coming”; 1958—59, “The Christian and His Calling.”

In 1955 Parish Activities became the June number of Advance
magazine. It enjoyed a large distribution (28,000).

The rapid growth of our church, the enlargement of its pro-
gram, the complex nature of modern life (also in the churches)
make co-ordination and group planning a necessity. There is need
(1) for still more volunteer integration and co-ordination of proj-
ects and materials on the synodical level, and (2) for training the
theological students, pastors, and congregations in the procedures
of parish planning. Each year more churches are experiencing the
practical and spiritual benefits of group planning.

L. Lutheran Education Week

The Board for Parish Education has continued the sponsorship
of Lutheran Education Week as a special promotional program in
the interest of parish education. In 1954 the emphasis was on the
theme “Make Your Home Work for God.” This highlighted the
obligation of the home to be an effective agency of Christian
education. In 1955 the slogan was “Light Your Way with Bible
Study.” This slogan called attention to the fact that every member
of the congregation has need of continued study of the Word. The

~slogan for 1956 is “Raise Your Sights in Christian Education.”

This slogan calls attention to our need to seek to measure up to

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