# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1965_S157
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

PARISH EDUCATION AND SERVICES 157

local congregation with regard to the whole range of Chris-
tian education on all age levels, helping the local con-
gregation achieve the objectives and scope of Christian
education as outlined in Section 7.01.

745 Director of Education

The Districts of the Synod are advised to provide for the
systematic supervision and professional guidance and pro-
motion of Christian education and to that end, wherever
possible, establish and maintain the office of a full-time
superintendent, director, or secretary of education, who shall
be responsible to the District Board of Parish Education in
the performance of his duties.

D. CONGREGATIONAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION
7.51 Functions

Every congregation should be encouraged to elect or in
some other way create a board or committee of Christian

to deal with the educational needs of the congregation.
It concerns itself with education for all age levels and sug-
gests policies for all the educational agencies,

E. HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS
7.53 Encouragement to Form

Congregations in the same area should be encouraged to
form associations to establish and maintain secondary schools
and to seek the advice of Boards of Parish Education of the
Synod and the Districts and of the Board for Higher Educa-
tion for professional guidance in setting up the programs,
The general supervision of this program, however, shall be
provided by the District Board of Parish Education.

To Establish a Study Commission
on Parish Life and Parish Education

RESOLUTION 7-08

Report 7-01, Recommendation 8 (CW, pp. 298, 299)

Wuereas, The primary unit of the Synod is the local
congregation, and the basic strength of the organized
church is in the life of the local parish; and

Wuereas, The changes resulting from a secularistic
society call for a critical examination of existing parish
programs, experimentation with new forms or struc-
tures, and the establishment of a variety of professional
ministries for the effective carrying out of the mission
of the church in the local parish; and

Wuereas, A comprehensive and thorough survey and
analysis of our present parish programs, their practical
operations, and particularly their spiritual fruits would
provide valuable data and insights that would direct
action toward the strengthening of our parish programs
on both the synodical and the local levels; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the Synod authorize an inquiry into
the present nature and quality of the parish life of our
churches with special attention to parish education, its
structures, programs, and procedures; and be it further

Resolved, That a Study Commission on Parish Life
and Parish Education, consisting of not more than 12
people, be established by the Board of Parish Educa-
tion; and be it further

Resolved, That this study commission be authorized
to engage and guide the work of a research director, en-
gaged for a period of not more than 4 years, who would

make field studies of representative parishes, carry out
surveys, call in consultants and representatives of all
synodical departments with parish programs, and con-
duct conferences on all of our parish education agencies,
programs, materials, their use and efforts, as well as on
such specific aspects of parish life as are dependent on
a parish education program; and be it further

Resolved, That this research director be instructed
to prepare and submit to the commission, and through
the Board of Parish Education to the whole church,
the findings and implications of his studies; and that the
research director be asked to prepare a study guide for
bringing his report and recommendations to the parishes
for their discussion toward parish renewal and devel-
opment; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Board of Parish Education be
directed to place this project into its budget, the esti-
mated cost for 4 years being $80,000.

Action: This resolution was referred to the Com-
mission on Mission and Ministry in the Church.

To Request Revision of Intersynodical
Translation of Luther’s Small Catechism

RESOLUTION 7-09

(Substitute Resolution; see TB, p.306, and Minutes,
Session 21)

Report 7-01, Recommendation 9 (CW, pp. 299, 300)
Overtures 7-05, 7-06, 7-07, 7-08, 7-09, 7-10, 7-11, 7-12, 7-13
(CW, pp. 303—307)

Wuereas, In accordance with the resolution of the
Cleveland convention, the Board of Parish Education
made available for review by our pastors and teachers
the Intersynodical Translation of Luther’s Small Cate-
chism; and

Wuereas, This Intersynodical Translation of Luther’s
Small Catechism has been experimentally used and field
tested by pastors and teachers with generally favorable
reaction as a teaching tool; and

Wuenreas, It would be highly desirable to have a com-
mon translation of the catechism as a book of instruction
for all Lutheran bodies; and

Wuereas, This convention of the Synod does not feel
that the confessional integrity of the Small Catechism,
as represented by the text of 1531, is adequately pre-
served in some points; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod instruct the Board of Par-
ish Education to request the appropriate agencies of
The American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran
Church in America, upon permission of the copyright
holders, to undertake at the earliest possible date to-
gether with The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
the preparation of a revision of the present Intersyn-
odical Translation of Luther’s Small Catechism; and be
it further

Resolved, That in the event of a favorable response
to the above request, the President of the Synod be
authorized, in consultation with the Board of Parish