# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2010_S195 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) Seminary and University Education Concordias and developing an endowment of $400 million for the support of student scholarships; and Whereas, Many Lutheran students attending a Concordia college or university are in need of financial assistance to reduce the cost of their education; and Whereas, The Lord of the Church has blessed the “For the Sake of the Church” initiative through the generous response of His people; and Whereas, The “For the Sake of the Church” initiative has helped to increase the number of Lutheran students at our Concordias and has provided over $200 million in endowment gifts and pledges over the past 10 years; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod give special thanks to the Lord of the Church for blessing these efforts to recruit Lutheran students for service to the church and society and for the stewardship gifts of His people to assist Lutheran students financially; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod encourage congregations and church leaders to assist in the recruitment of students to prepare themselves in a Lutheran Christian environment for a lifetime of service; and be it finally Resolved, That the Synod celebrate the efforts of the “For the Sake of the Church” initiative, offering special encouragement to congregations and individuals to continue their support of this ministry program. Concordia University System; Board of Regents, Concordia St. Paul; Board of Regents, Concordia Univerity Texas; Faculty, Concordia University Portland 5-20 5-19 5-21 To Encourage Pastors and Laity in Their Recruitment Role Whereas, The Lord calls pastors to the role of servants of Christ and stewards of His mysteries (1 Cor. 4:1); and Whereas, The Lord by His good order has chosen to use these men to rightly preach, teach, and administer these mysteries; and Whereas, No man should take this task upon himself, and concerning church order it is taught that no one should teach publicly in the church or administer the sacraments unless properly called (AC XIV); and Whereas, This role is thereby such an important one to be encouraged in the church; and Whereas, Countless seminary students have indicated that their encouragement to enter the seminary has come from pastor and laity alike; and Whereas, Those who play such a significant role in this encouragement often overlook this significance; therefore be it Resolved, That the 2010 LCMS convention recognize the importance of this office which the Lord has established; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod affirm the efforts of those who faithfully encourage men to consider preparation for the Office of the Ministry as highly significant; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod emphasize to pastors and laity the importance of intentionally engaging in this task; and be it finally Resolved, That the Synod give thanks to the Lord of the harvest by rising and singing the Common Doxology, knowing that He will always keep His promise to raise up workers for His harvest— His mission to seek and save the lost. Mount Calvary Brentwood, MO 195 To Increase Impact of Vicarage Program Whereas, The vicarage year of seminary formation is intended to provide a comprehensive opportunity for the student to learn to apply theology in a practical and specific context; and Whereas, There are congregations whose context and location would provide for a rich and meaningful vicarage experience, but they may not be able to afford the cost of supporting a vicar; and Whereas, It would be of great benefit to the seminaries, seminarians, and the Synod to have excellent locations for all vicars to increase the overall impact of this important year; therefore be it Resolved, That the seminaries work collaboratively to identify the characteristics of congregations best suited to be vicarage locations; and be it further Resolved, That the Council of Presidents work with both seminaries annually to identify the most suitable locations for vicars, based on the number and needs of students; and be it further Resolved, That the president of each district in which such vicarage locations are identified ascertain the willingness and the financial capacity of such congregations to support a vicar; and be it finally Resolved, That by 2012, the Synod, districts, and seminaries commit to finding and allocating financial resources to make it possible for congregations well suited to be learning environments to cover the cost of supporting a vicar. Board of Regents Concordia Seminary To Include Disabilities Awareness Training in Seminary Curricula Whereas, An estimated 30 to 40 million Americans experience disabilities to one degree or another; and Whereas, The ministry of Christ reveals a special care for people with disabilities, and the Christian Church throughout the centuries has strived to extend hospitality to all people in the spirit of Christ; and Whereas, An aging population brings to the local congregation a significant challenge of increasing disabilities; and Whereas, That number is steadily increasing as American troops serving in foreign wars return with physical, emotional, and mental disabilities; and Whereas, There is a need to equip professional church workers to minister effectively and confidently to people with disabilities; and Whereas, Ministry to people with disabilities does not appear to be articulated in the required core curricula of our seminaries and universities; and Whereas, The rich gifts of people with disabilities are thereby not being used in the Body of Christ; therefore be it Resolved, That the Northwest District in convention memorialize the Synod’s 2010 convention to encourage LCMS seminaries and universities to incorporate in their core curricula for the training of pastors and other professional church workers an emphasis on ministry to, with, and through people who have disabilities; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod’s Board for Pastoral Education together with Synod’s Board for University Education take responsibility for assisting the seminaries and universities in articulating objectives to be included in their core curricula within the next triennium; and be it finally Resolved, That the appropriate unit under the Synod’s Board for Human Care Ministries serve as consultant in the establishment of this training for professional church workers. Northwest District 2010 Convention Workbook 2010 Convention.indb 195 4/15/10 2:39 PM