# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S702
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS

X. MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS

Report of Department of Public Relations
(Report 1001)

Purpose

The Department of Public Relations serves as the arm of Synod
in promoting the right kind of relationships with individuals,
groups, and organizations outside our church body. Such groups
include the media of mass communication, governmental agencies,
and civic organizations of various kinds.

It is the settled purpose of the department to interpret The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod by identifying it in the public
mind with Jesus Christ, whom we preach and in whose name we
conduct all our work as a church.

Organization

After being organized on September 1, 1948, the department
established offices in New York (headquarters), Washington, D.C.
(governmental relations), and St. Louis (information service).
The department is administered by the director, who is responsible
to a seven-man board (three clergymen, three laymen, and a mem-
ber of the faculty of one of our teachers colleges) appointed by
the Board of Directors of Synod in consultation with the Presi-
dent and the Vice-Presidents. Members of the Board during the
past triennium were: Dr. Adolf F. Meyer, Yonkers, N. Y., chairman;
Dr. Albert G. Huegli, River Forest, Ill., secretary; Rev. Manfred E.
Reinke, La Porte, Ind.; Rev. Herman W. Gockel, St. Louis, Mo.;
Messrs. Roy C. Frank, Washington, D.C.; Fred C. Rutz, Chardon,
Ohio; and Frederick C. Strodel, Chicago, Il.

The department is responsible to the President of Synod in
matters of policy, and to the Board of Directors of Synod in other
areas of operation.

At Synod’s direction the department helped to organize Dis-
trict departments of public relations with representation on the
circuit and area levels. Five hundred fifty men and women give
freely of their spare time to make this work effective, promoting
understanding of our church on the local level and defending the
good name of Synod. The department suggests an expression of
gratitude to these people for their contributions of time and talent
for work that is important to Synod, its congregations, and its
members.

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