# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1977_S25
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION 25

Board of Control, Fort Wayne
(Springfield)
PASTOR
Kenneth Gigstad

Board of Control, Seward
LAYPERSON
Kermit A. Brashear II

Thomas Olsen
Vincent J. Yurksaitis
Board of Control, Milwaukee
PASTOR

David V. Koch

The slate of nominees was then adopted as amended,
and nominations were declared closed.

Higher Education

Dr. August Mennicke, chairman of the Floor
Committee on Higher Education, introduced
resolutions from the committee. Resolution 6-01 (TB
119), encouraging congregations to recognize their
responsibility for recruiting and assisting young men
to prepare for the pastoral ministry, was adopted as
presented. Before introducing Res. 6-02 (TB 119),
calling for the provision of adequate faculty salaries for
professors, teachers, and administrators at synodical
schools, a number of changes were made in the
proposed resolution. Overture 6-72A was corrected to
become 6-27. In line 64 the phrase “2-year period” was
substituted for ‘4-year period.” In line 71 the word
“consider” was changed to “continue,” and the last five
words of line 72 were deleted. After declining an
amendment asking that the Board of Directors consider
this matter to be the top priority rather than one of the
top priority items when dealing with budget matters
and after adding the words “and Christian educators”
between the words “pastors” and “who” in line 50, the
convention adopted the resolution, which asks the
Board for Higher Education to develop a salary
schedule which would provide for an orderly means of
salary increases and benefits and which asks the Board
of Directors to consider this matter one of their top
priorities when dealing with budget matters.

Elections

Chairman Ziegler of the Floor Committee on
Elections presented the election report for the office of
President. He reported that 1,097 ballots had been cast,
of which seven were declared to be invalid. A majority
of 546 was required for election. Results of the first
ballot were as follows: Bernthal—80; Heckmann—19;
Maier—168; Mueller—279; Preus—544.

Higher Education

The Floor Committee on Higher Education con-
tinued its presentation with the introduction of Res. 6-
03A (TB 212). This resolution called for the withdrawal
of Res. 6-03 (TB 120), which asked for the continued
functioning of the present Board of Control of the
Senior College until financial and academic respon-
sibilities had been discharged. Since disposition of
these matters had been fully planned, the delegates
agreed to the withdrawal of the resolution. Resolution
604A (TB 212), calling for the regularization of
arrangements for theological education at the
Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, Sask., by
a change in the Bylaws of the Synod was introduced.

During the extended discussion which followed
delegates declined to eliminate the first resolved of Res.
6-04A. Since time for consideration of this matier had
elapsed, final action on the resolution was postponed
for a later session.

Elections

Chairman Ziegler of the Floor Committee on
Elections directed the distribution of ballots for the
second balloting for President of the Synod

Theology and Church Relations

Dr. Edmund Happel, chairman of the Floor Com-
mittee on Theology and Church Relations, addressed
the delegates briefly and presented Res. 3-01 (TB 53),
calling for promotion of concord and conciliation “That
We May Grow.” The resolution asks for efforts on the
part of all to promote such actions and to adopt the
goals of the “That We May Grow” program, so that in
this way gratitude to God may be expressed for the
precious heritage of the Sacred Scriptures and the
Lutheran Confessions in this 400th-anniversary year of
the Formula of Concord. In the discussion which
followed a motion to delete (b) of the third whereas
(lines 29—32, TB 53) was declined. However, a motion
to delete the words “(N.O. 3-09—Report of the Advisory
Committee on Doctrine and Conciliation), which has
endangered the St. Louis seminary, engendered
divisive and schismatic activities (Anaheim 3-06) and
even led some to leave the LCMS” (lines 34—37, TB 53)
was adopted. An amendment asking that the words
“and preserve the unity that they have” be substituted
for the words “and resolve the theological issues that
trouble us” (line 61, TB 53) was introduced. However,
time expired before action could be taken on the
amendment or the total resolution.

Nominations for First Vice-President

Dr. Herbert Mueller presented the slate of nominees
for First Vice-President of the Synod as found in the
Convention Workbook, page 433. The slate was adopted
as presented. However, by action of the delegates
nominations were reopened to permit amendment of
this slate to include the name of Dr. Joseph Lavalais.
The slate of candidates for First Vice-President of the
Synod was then adopted as amended.

Closing

Chaplain Paul Streufert closed the session by
leading the delegates in the singing of the table prayer
“Feed Thy Children, God Most Holy.”

Session 3
July 16, Afternoon
Opening
The third session of the convention was opened with
a devotion led by Dr. Paul Streufert, convention

chaplain. After the singing of the hymn “I Love to Tell
the Story” by the delegates, Rev. Albert Marcis,