# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S253
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

RESOLUTIONS
16

Family, Youth, and Young Adults
To Celebrate Ministry
of Rev. Dr. Terry K. Dittmer

Whereas, Dr. Martin Luther’s emphasis and teaching on the
household estate and the family vocations of husband and wife,
father, mother, and child was a key insight of the Reformation; and

RESOLUTION 16-01

Whereas, The unmarried and widowed also constitute an
essential and God-pleasing part of the family (1 Cor. 7:8); and

Overture 16-04 (CW, p. 477); President’s Report, Part 2 (TB,
pp. 21–31)
Whereas, Rev. Dr. Terry K. Dittmer was brought to the waters
of Holy Baptism on Sept. 5, 1948, and ordained into the Office of
the Holy Ministry on June 23, 1974; and
Whereas, Rev. Dr. Dittmer has faithfully and capably served
the Lord and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)
Youth Ministry for 37 years, with the past 15 years of service as
Director of Youth Ministry for the LCMS, and will retire from ministry following the 2016 National Youth Gathering; and

Whereas, Two demographic reports commissioned by the
Stewardship Ministry of the Office of National Mission indicate
that the biblical pattern of marriage, family, and child-rearing is
negatively impacted by the secular culture of today; and
Whereas, These same reports indicate a decline of the Lutheran
family over the past four decades in terms of accepting and nurturing God’s gift of life with joy and thanksgiving; and
Whereas, The family home is to be the place of forming Christian disciples; and

Whereas, Rev. Dr. Dittmer has strengthened the faith of many
and brought into the fellowship of our Lord an unknown number
through his Christ-centered commitment to the young people of
the LCMS; therefore be it

Whereas, The witness of our children, discipled at home and in
the church, is key to reaching those outside the faith; and

Resolved, That the 2016 LCMS convention join in thanks and
praise to God for Rev. Dr. Dittmer and his years of faithful service
and outstanding work for the LCMS; and be it further

Whereas, The Office of National Mission has begun a Lutheran
Family Initiative among its various programmatic ministries to
begin looking at ways to strengthen the Lutheran family; and

Resolved, That the LCMS extend its sincere appreciation to Rev.
Dr. Dittmer and pray God’s richest blessings on him as the Lord
guides his walk of faith in his retirement.

Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)
currently has six mission priorities, to wit:

Whereas, Children are a blessing according to the Word of God
and serve as the future of the Church; and

Action: Adopted (6)
(Res. 16-01 was adopted without discussion [Yes: 889; No: 36].)

To Make Strengthening Lutheran Families
a Mission Priority
RESOLUTION 16-02A
Overture 16-01 (CW, p. 476); President’s Report, Part 2 (TB,
pp. 21–31)
Whereas, The foundation of every human society is the family as created and sustained by God (Gen. 1:26–28; 12:13; Matt.
19:1–9); and
Whereas, The family as created and sustained by God is under
constant attack from the devil, the world, and the flesh; and
“16. Family, Youth, and Young Adults”

Committee 16 Chairman Timothy Yeadon
U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

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