# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S30
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

30 MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION

Schoene, who was representing the Selbstaendige
Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche and was present at the
convention, was recognized by the delegates.

Administration

Chairman O’Shoney of the Floor Committee on
Administration introduced Res. 4-03 (TB 84), which
called for a continuation of the review and evaluation of
the Concordia Retirement Plan. This resolution called
for acontinuation of the monitoring of investments and
performance of the investment agents by the Synod’s
Board of Directors and the Board of Managers. It also
asked the Board of Managers to include in its annual
report information about the investments and perform-
ance of these investment agents and, upon request, to
provide any participant in the Plan detailed information
about the investment portfolio. The resolution was
adopted as presented. By adopting Res. 4-04 the dele-
gates commended the Board of Directors and the Board
of Managers for their careful review and monitoring of
Worker Benefit Plans in the past and for the changes
which would be made Jan. 1, 1982, and asked that every
effort be continued to make the Worker Benefit Plans
the finest available.

Announcement

President Preus announced to the delegates that Dr.
Bohlmann, President-elect of the Synod, had requested
an opportunity to address the convention on Tuesday.

Administration

The committee introduced Res. 4-05, asking that the
needs of retired workers and their dependents involved
in the pension plan be continually reviewed and that ad
hoc adjustments be made to assist in meeting these
needs as fully as possible. It further instructed the
Board of Managers to study and explore new ways of
providing additional funding in order to provide in-
creased benefits to participants in the Pension Plan for
Pastors and Teachers. An amendment asking that $1
million of the excess over the $40 million goal of
Forward in Remembrance offering not designated be
used for additional funding of the pension plan was
declined as well as an amendment asking that the
benefits of such retired workers be increased by an
additional 10 percent beginning July 31, 1981. The
convention then adopted the resolution as presented.

Elections

Dr. Wilbert Griesse, chairman of the Council of
Presidents and a member of the Floor Committee on
Elections, announced the results of the balloting for
First Vice-President of the Synod. 1,052 votes were cast
with 527 needed to elect. Results of the first ballot were
as follows: August Bernthal—44, Joseph Lavalais—77,
Walter A. Maier, Jr.—230, Charles Mueller—348, Robert
Sauer—304, Paul Zimmerman—49. Following procedure
outlined in the Handbook of the Synod, the names of
August Bernthal and Paul Zimmerman were deleted
from the second ballot. The second ballots were then

distributed and balloting was declared closed after all
ballots had been gathered.

Recognition

Presidents Teigen, Peterson, and Orwick of various
Lutheran church bodies were recognized by President
Preus as being present at the convention.

Administration

Chairman O’Shoney of the Floor Committee on
Administration introduced Res. 4-06 (7B 88), calling for
a revision of the period of years for determining benefit
requirements. By adopting this resolution the Concordia
Retirement Plan was amended by changing the period
from 15 years to 20 years for determining a worker’s
final average compensation. The convention agreed
with the floor committee in declining Overture 4-21 (Res.
4-07A, TB 235), asking for a change in the retirement
plan regulations regarding workers not covered by
Social Security. They did so since the Board of Managers
had amended the Concordia Survivor Plan, effective
Jan 1, 1982, to provide benefits without reduction for
Social Security benefits to those workers not partic-
ipating in the Social Security program, because such
benefits without reduction for Social Security exist in
the Concordia Retirement Plan, and because any other
action would involve inequity for those workers who
were participating in the Social Security program. By
adopting Res 4-08 (TB 89) they also declined Overtures
4-25A-D which called for a consideration of inflation in
determining the retirement benefits. This action was
taken because the consideration of inflation in determin-
ing these benefits would be cost prohibitive. The conven-
tion also agreed not to take action (Res. 4-09, TB 90) on
Overture 4-24, which called for a correction of pension
inequities, since recent studies have shown that there
are no inequities in policies for the providing of benefits
from the Synod’s retirement and pension plans with
regard to Black pastors and because benefits for all
retired workers and widows are being increased either
on July 1, 1981, or Jan. 1, 1982. Res. 4-12A (TB 236),
replacing Res. 4-12 (7B 93) and 4-16 (TB 94), was
introduced. The delegates adopted this resolution, there-
by accepting the invitation to Indianapolis for the 1985
(or 1986) synodical convention and directing the Board
of Directors to make a comprehensive study to deter-
mine the best method for selecting future convention
sites. They are to report on the results of this study at the
next synodical convention. By adopting Res. 4-13 (TB
93) the convention encouraged the congregations of the
Synod and individual members to increase their efforts
to alleviate human needs since hunger, malnutrition,
disease, and poverty continue to claim the lives of more
than 12 million people each year, most of whom are
under age 5.

Since they had requested transfers of their member-
ship from one District to another and since these
transfers have the necessary approval and appear to be
in the best interest of God’s kingdom, the following
transfer requests were granted (Res. 4-15, T'B 94):