# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S749
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS 749

Wuereas, This affects our church and congregations directly
through continued demands on them for manpower; therefore be it

Resolved, (a) That we encourage the Armed Services Com-
mission of our church in its vital and continuing ministry to our
fellow members in uniform in their absence from the normal in
community, church, and home life; and be it furthermore

Resolved, (b) That we encourage our pastors and their con-
gregations to maintain regular and frequent contact with their
members in the Military directly by mail and indirectly through
the program of the Armed Services Commission by submitting
names and military addresses promptly to the Commission’s office
in Washington, D.C.

Resolution 11
Subject: Commendation to Contact Pastors

Wuereas, The ministry of the church to its members in the
Armed Forces of our country is most effectively carried on in
a person-to-person relationship; and

Wuereas, 96 of our pastors are on active duty in the military
chaplaincy, 342 pastors are serving military installations in their
communities as contact pastors, and 137 pastors are carrying on
a ministry to the patients in 178 Veterans Administration hospitals
of our country; therefore be it

Resolved, (a) That we express our appreciation to all these
pastors for their consecrated concern for our members in the
military and our Veteran patients and assure them of our prayers,
our moral support, and our patient understanding in their ofttimes
trying, difficult, and always unique ministry; and be it furthermore

Resolved, (b) That we urge our Armed Services Commission
to intensify its efforts in securing men willing and competent for
this ministry and to maintain constant contact with them by all
possible means to the end that they may be encouraged, strength-
ened, and supported in all their activities on behalf of the Lord
of the church.

Resolution 12
Subject: Spiritual Ministry to Dependents of Military Personnel
and Civilians at Overseas Military Installations

Wuereas, Over a million and a half of our servicemen are
presently stationed overseas in 63 different countries; and

Wuereas, 54 per cent of our servicemen are married; and

Wauereas, There are over 240,000 children of school age (indi-
cating about 2,200 children of our Synod) in overseas military
communities; and