# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S794
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

CONVENTION MINUTES

Session 8
June 25, P.M.

The eighth session was opened with devotional exercises con-
ducted by Rev. Ottomar Krueger, President of the Central District. .
The minutes were read and adopted as corrected.

The ballot for the Board for Missions in North and South
America showed the following results: elected, Pastors Henry
Blanke, Arthur H. Haake, E. H. Buchheimer, Edwin E. Pieplow,
C. Thomas Spitz; Messrs. Carl Deitemeyer, E. T. Schumm, Alvin
Wulf, Oscar T. Doerr. Board for Missions in Foreign Countries:
Profs. Victor Bartling, Lorman Petersen; Pastors Eugene Berter-
mann, Paul Mehl, Walter Raedeke, Paul R. Martens; Messrs. Louis
P. Lochner, Louis Prange, Norman Graebner, Fred L. Kuhlmann,
Eugene Friedrich.

The following slates were adopted: Boards for 1. Missions for
the Blind; 2. Missions for the Deaf; 3. European Affairs; 4. Church
Extension, with the addition of the following names: Messrs. Leo
Kuhlman, A. W. Krieger, G. F. Bode, G. A. Mozeik. After elimina-

tion of the name of Rev. Walter A. Enge and the withdrawal of the
name of Rev. Martin E. Mayer, the slate proposed for the Board of
Appeals was augmented by the name of Rev. Wm. Krueger of
Fergus Falls, Minn., and Carl J. Thrun, and then referred back to
the Committee.

Upon recommendation of Committee 2 Synod encouraged the
Home Mission Board to appoint a Rural Life Commission, approved
the objectives developed, and encouraged Districts to establish
similar committees (TB:42,6). District Mission Boards were en-
couraged to participate in the self-analysis program to be completed
by the Home Mission Board (TB:42,5). Synod declined the request
for a full-time Director of Rural Life (TB:43,7). The action of the
Home Mission Board appointing an Urban Advisory Commission
was endorsed. Services of such a Commission are to be continued
according to the objectives set forth in Memorial 402. This Com-
mission is to alert churches in blighted areas to the importance
of reaching out into their communities, in which action the District
Mission Boards are to assist (TB:43,8). Where possible, strong
congregations were asked to sponsor a new Home Mission station.
A minimum goal of 1,350 new congregations was set for the coming
decade; the Fiscal Conference being asked to provide the necessary
funds and Synod to pursue recruitment needed to provide the
necessary manpower (TB:44,10). District Mission Boards were
commended for co-operating with the Home Mission Board
(TB:47, 16). The Districts were encouraged to promote the Church