# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1971_S39
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION 39

There was insufficient time on the agenda to complete
discussion of the issue.

Theological Matters

After introduction by Chairman Wollenburg of the
floor committee, the convention began discussion of a
resolution to direct the Board of Control of Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis, to take appropriate action on the
basis of a fact-finding report and to report its progress
directly to the President of the Synod, who would report
on this progress to the Synod within one year (TB 318,
2-28). A motion asking that a summary of the report
be released to the convention was withdrawn after Vice-
President Streufert had been granted the privilege of
addressing the convention to express his views regard-
ing the matter. The resolution was then adopted as
originally presented.

Convention Registration

Chairman Jacobs of the Floor Committee on Con-
vention Registration reported the following figures (sub-
ject to later revision; see tabular listing in Proceedings)
to the convention: Voting delegates: 995, 504 pastoral
delegates and 491 laymen; advisory delegates: 537;
youth representatives: 45; visitors: 417; other cate-
gories: 206. The total present and registered in all
categories was 2,150. Eleven pastoral and 19 lay dele-
gates were unexcused. Three advisory delegates had
presented their excuses for absence to the committee.
Chairman Jacobs closed his report by paying tribute to
those who had assisted the committee with its work.

Offering

The convention adopted the following resolution re-
lating to a relief offering for Pakistan:

“Be it Resolved, That this convention itself become
involved in the struggle against world hunger by taking
an offering outside the doors of this hall, and further-
more that all who wish might participate in a fast for
at least one meal on Friday and give the money saved
by that fast to the offering and finally that the offering
so given be designated for the starving refugees in
Pakistan.”

Because of information received indicating that such
action would jeopardize free use of the auditorium, the
offering was not received at this time.

Communication

Martin Neeb Jr., executive secretary of the Board for
Lutheran Television, addressed the convention on the
matter of the Synod’s television ministry. He paid
tribute to the tremendous work of Dr. Herman Gockel
and Dr. Leonhard Wuerffel. It has taken foresight with
insight to accomplish what has been done. Dr. Gockel,
who will retire from his position in October 1971, was
presented to the convention. Dr. Wuerffel, who has
played a key role in the television ministry of Synod,
was also presented to the delegates. He presented Dr.
Gockel with a bound copy of the first and last scripts

of “This Is the Life” for which Dr. Gockel was responsi-
ble. Dr. Preus then led the convention in a collect of
thanksgiving for the gift of Dr. Gockel and his service
to the Synod.

Resolutions to receive the report of the Board for
Lutheran Television and to express appreciation to the
television stations for their contribution in carrying
the television programs of the Synod were adopted by
the convention (TB 263, 10-14; TB 139, 10-15). It recog-
nized the 20th anniversary of “This Is the Life” and
asked that the Synod allocate funds to expand the use
of the media of mass communication at home and abroad
(TB 141, 10-19). After resolution 10-13 (TB 114) had
been withdrawn by the floor committee, the delegates
asked that a task force be appointed to study the opera-
tion of radio station KFUO, exploring the possibility of
its ownership and operation by some agency in its geo-
graphical area (TB 255, 10-21). They authorized ex-
perimentation and possible changes in the format and
frequency of the Lutheran Witness and the Lutheran
Witness Reporter, commended CPH for hiring and
training representatives of minority groups (TB 140,
10-18; TB 111, 10-05), and asked the agencies of the
Synod to be particularly conscious of their use of Chris-
tian art for proclaiming the universality of the Gospel
(TB 111, 10-06). The delegates received the report of
the Editorial Commission for Official Periodicals and
urged continuing use of official periodicals for the pur-
pose of instruction (TB 139, 10-16; TB 139, 10-17). They
approved a resolution instructing the Division of Com-
munication to utilize the channels of the public media
to dramatize the way of life professed and practiced by
the body of Christ (TB 255, 10-20), after adding the
following resolution:

“Resolved, That the Synod also urge the film in-
dustry to devise therapeutic measures under the princi-
ple of self-regulation to deal more responsibly with the
growing problem in films of sex and violence as ex-
ploitable commodities for commercial gain.”

Elections

Chairman Bruns of the floor committee reported the
following election results: Board of Directors: Messrs.
Rupert Dunklau, Gus Melde, Carl Muhlenbruch; Board
of Youth Ministry: Martha Kaempfe and Tim Schnare.

Ballots were distributed for the remaining positions

to be filled.

Closing

The evening session closed with a devotion led by
Dr. William Buege and centered on the question “Do
you love Me?”

Session 16
July 16, Morning
Opening .
In his opening devotion for the final morning session
of the convention, Dr. Bernthal concluded his series

of devotions, centering his thought for the day on the
theme “An Endless Song,” which the Christian will