# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2001_S144 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 144 CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES Resolved, That dually affiliated Lutheran school association schools be encouraged to continue to depend on the wisdom of their member congregations for affiliation and RSO decisions; and be it finally Resolved, That this principle be applied to other RSO agencies currently dually affiliated with the ELCA. St. Peter, Brooklyn, NY; St. John, Holbrook, NY; Circuit 9, Atlantic District; Resurrection, Garden City, NY; Circuit 8, Atlantic District; St. Luke, Dix Hills, NY 2-33 To Encourage Support of Pan-Lutheran High Schools WuerEAS, A number of Lutheran high schools are owned and operated by Lutheran congregations who belong to different church bodies; and Wuereas, A special task force has recommended that certain pan-Lutheran high schools should be denied the Synod’s Recog- nized Service Organization status unless they first change their character as pan-Lutheran high schools, thereby denying those as- sociations certain advantages such as loan availability and official roster status of faculty members; and WHEREAS, The rationale behind this recommendation is the claim that recent ecumenical decisions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have compromised our ability to operate those high schools together; and Wuereas, LCMS congregations currently participating in such associations, in a number of cities, believe that such associations can continue to operate with full biblical and confessional integrity; and WHEREAS, Synodical policy for Recognized Service Organiza- tion status does not require that all members of the association be- Jong to churches that are in full altar and pulpit fellowship with the LCMS, but only that the organization “respects and does not act contrary to the doctrine and practice of the Synod” (Bylaw 14.03 a), a policy that is not violated by the ecumenical involvement of the ELCA; and WHEREAS, The existing standards have worked well in protect- ing appropriate LCMS interests; therefore be it Resolved, That the 2001 synodical convention decline the rec- ommendations of the task force; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod encourage the individual LCMS con- gregations who are involved in the ownership and operation of such pan-Lutheran high schools to reexamine this practice to make sure that the well-being of the students in these schools is not impaired in any way; and be it further Resolved, That whether or not the LCMS denies Recognized Service Organization status to such associations, the LCMS con- gregations involved in those associations be encouraged to con- tinue their participation and to offer their help in terms of faculty roster status and in finding alternate loan resources, if desired; and be it finally Resolved, That the congregations of the Synod involved in co- operative high school associations continue to give the Christian education and well-being of students the highest priority in consid- ering the future of Lutheran high school education. Concordia Kirkwood, MO 2-34 To Encourage All Congregations to Implement Effective Evangelism Programs Rationale The membership of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has diminished in the past several years at a time when the population surrounding many of our churches has increased dramatically. That 2001 Convention Workbook increase includes large numbers of unchurched and unsaved indi- viduals and families. God’s Word promises that His Word will not return empty. Christ, in the Great Commission, commands and em- powers us to make disciples of all nations; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage all congre- gations to implement effective, ongoing evangelism programs in their local communities in the United States; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod support congregations by making ap- propriate resources available for this evangelism effort. Abiding Savior Lake Forest, CA 2-35 To Encourage Follow-Up for Members Who Move WHEREAS, We live in an increasingly mobile society; and WHEREAS, Many of our people living in small towns or rural settings need to move to larger metropolitan areas to go to school and/or to find work; and WHEREAS, Many may have difficulty finding our churches in their new location; and WHEREAS, Many who do visit our churches do not always feel at home in their new location; therefore be it Resolved, That congregations do all they can to keep in touch with their members who have moved to new locations; and be it further Resolved, That congregations whose members move also send the names and addresses of these members to the nearest church(es) in the community in which they now live; and be it further Resolved, That congregations receiving these visitors or names do all they can to follow up with these members of the body of Christ and welcome them into the fellowship of their congregation, and be it further Resolved, That the Evangelism Board of both the sending and receiving congregations accept this as their responsibility; and be it finally Resolved, That we all remember in our prayers these members of our congregation whose lives are in transition so that they would be kept faithful to Christ and His church. St. John Wadena, MN 2-36 To Commend Church Growth Document for Guidance and Study WHEREAS, The Church Growth Study Committee has produced its report, “For the Sake of Christ’s Commission,” in response to synodical 1995 Res. 3-09; and WHEREAS, “For the Sake of Christ’s Commission” is a faithful expression of how Lutherans carry out the Great Commission; and WHEREAS, “For the Sake of Christ’s Commission” presents a model for church growth that is mindful of the role of both pastors and laypeople; and WHEREAS, “For the Sake of Christ’s Commission” points out the major flaws of the so-called “Church Growth Movement’; and WHEREAS, “For the Sake of Christ’s Commission” is a very use- ful and encouraging resource for congregations that want to be and remain genuinely Lutheran congregations; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod com- mend this document for the guidance and use of all members of the Synod, that is, all rostered church workers and congregations; and be it further Resolved, That “For the Sake of Christ's Commission” be dis- seminated widely to every rostered church worker and congrega- tion with a letter encouraging its careful study and use. Lamb of God Pleasant Prairie, WI