# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S475
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

475

Ov. 7-24

Ov. 7-23

To Recognize and Give Thanks for Work at Selma
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has
been actively preaching and teaching the Word of God in the
American South for over 140 years; and
WHEREAS, The institution now known as Concordia College
Alabama (CCA) was founded in Selma, Ala. on Nov. 13, 1922 to
help train teachers for the various mission schools throughout the
American South; and
WHEREAS, CCA has served faithfully for nearly a century in
training thousands of Lutheran educators and lay people in their
godly vocations; and
WHEREAS, There is a time for all endeavors of man, which
blossom one day and wither the next like the flowers of the field,
but the Word of the Lord and His work of salvation endure forever
(Ecclesiastes 3; Isaiah 40; James 1); and
WHEREAS, Various factors have led to the decision to close CCA
at the end of the Spring 2018 semester; and
WHEREAS, The impact of CCA will continue in our
congregations and communities through its former students; and
WHEREAS, The LCMS, through the ongoing work of LCMS
Black Ministry and the Office of National Mission, continues to
explore many avenues for the work of sharing the Word of the Lord
in the American South and throughout the African American
community, including such efforts as the Black Clergy Caucus, the
Black Family Ministry Convocation, the Rosa Young Academies,
and the Lifehouse Mentoring Programs; therefore be it
Resolved, That we, the Central Illinois District in convention
assembled remember and recognize with thanksgiving to God the
good and godly work of the many faculty and staff throughout the
history of CCA in the training and instruction of God’s Word and
Christian life; and be it further
Resolved, That we remember and recognize with thanksgiving to
God the good and godly work of the many alumni of CCA which
they have done and will continue to do in our congregations and
communities; and be it further
Resolved, That we give voice to our thanks and praise to God for
working through CCA these past 97 years, and pray His continued
guidance, as we rise and sing the third stanza of “Lift Every Voice
and Sing” (LSB 964:3):
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who hast by Thy might
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where
we met Thee;
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world,
we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God, true to our native land.
Public Domain

and be it finally
Resolved, That we memorialize the next regular convention of
the LCMS to adopt the above resolution.
Central Illinois District

To Get a Full Report Regarding the Closure
of Concordia College Alabama
WHEREAS, Concordia College Alabama (CCA) opened in 1922
to offer a Christian education to African American students; and
WHEREAS, CCA, the only historically black college of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), served as a mission to
under-served students in Alabama’s Black Belt; and
WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.6.6.5 states: “[i]n keeping with the
objectives and the Constitution, Bylaws and resolutions of the
Synod, the Board of Directors of Concordia University System shall
...
(h) have authority, after receiving the consent of the Board of
Directors of the Synod by its two-thirds vote and also the consent
of either the Council of Presidents by its two-thirds vote or the
appropriate board of regents by its two-thirds vote, to consolidate,
relocate, separate, or divest a college or university.

and
WHEREAS, CCA was abruptly closed without any warning from
the CCA Board of Regents, the Concordia University System
(CUS) or the LCMS Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, The church-at-large has a right to know the cause of
the closure; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod President form a committee of current
or past college or university presidents to issue a full report
regarding the closure of CCA (including statements from the past
president of CCA, members of the most recent CCA Board of
Regents, the CUS Board, the Council of Presidents, and the LCMS
Board of Directors) to be prepared and distributed to all members
of the LCMS prior to the next Synod convention; and be it further
Resolved, That steps are taken to assure future closures, if any,
be done with full transparency, and that closure notices be made
well in advance, and be made available to all members of the Synod.
Board of Directors
Southeastern District
Ov. 7-25

To Get a Full Report regarding the Closure
of Concordia College Alabama
WHEREAS, Concordia College Alabama (CCA) opened in 1922
to offer a Christian education to African American students; and
WHEREAS, CCA, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s
(LCMS) only historically black Lutheran college, served as a
mission to under-served students in Alabama’s Black Belt, as well
as the larger African American community; and
WHEREAS, CCA was closed without any warning from the CCA
Board of Regents, the Concordia University System (CUS) or the
LCMS Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, There was not a Synod appeal to alert the larger
church body that the potential was present for the closure of CCA;
and
WHEREAS, The church-at-large would greatly benefit from
dialog regarding the closure of CCA; and
WHEREAS, CCA has had a significant impact upon the ministry
of the Southeastern District of the LCMS; therefore be it

2019 Convention Workbook