# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S291 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) PARISH SERVICES AND YOUTH 291 So when we speak of a ministry to families, we include every person, whether married or unmarried. While we recognize and revere the husband-wife-child concept of family, we do not exclude any person who may find himself or herself presently outside of these categories. Everyone is, insome way, amember of a family. For this reason, we prefer talking about our ministry to Christians in families. One of the strengths of our Synod has been its emphasis on a ministry to people in families. More parishes are giving this a higher priority than ever before. For example, Trinity Con- gregation, Utica, Mich., has a full-time pastor to families. Par- ishes are experimenting with intergenerational study groups and family clusters to keep the present and future shock from destroying the blessings which are derived only from the close- ness of family. Under the leadership of the Synod’s Board of Parish Education 36 Districts have established family life com- mittees and provide a consultative service to the parishes. The requests are on the increase from pastors, teachers, and di- rectors of Christian education for additional training in marriage and family counseling, and ongoing family life education pro- grams. The Commitment of the Board of Parish Education The Board of Parish Education is committed to the ap- proximately 750,000 families of our Synod to provide leadership, study materials, and research toward helping God’s people enjoy the fullness of life for which Christ came. Therefore, we give attention to such subjects as marriage readiness, money management, the nonmarried, abortion, death, the single- parent, child-parent relationships, divorce, remarriage, sexuality appreciation, retirement, wanted children, staying married, the early, middle, and later years of marriage, and alternative family styles. Each of these issues needs to be studied in the light of the Scriptures to show how today’s Christian can live out his life with the assurance of God's love in Christ and with the confi- dence of His Spirit. The Board of Parish Education is committed to the principle that the family is a basic teaching and nurturing unit. We believe this because of the high priority God gives to people in families and especially because the family is a God-created human insti- tution. Efforts to improve family life are essential because the life-style of the family affects. for good or ill, the lives of the individuals in that family, as well as the community of which the family forms a part. The mid-1970s provide a demanding challenge for the parish as it attempts to prevent family tragedies as well as to provide therapy centered in the redemption of Christ for those who are already suffering the ill effects of an unstable home. Leadership Development for Family Life Consultants An efficient ministry to 750,000 families in the Synod’s parishes cannot be served adequately from one office. There- fore, the Board of Parish Education has asked each District education committee to select a District family life consultant to be trained as a local resource person and a chairman of a family life committee. The Synod’s Director of Family Life Edu- cation is committed to a program of leadership development with these 36 people. Six area meetings were conducted in the biennium with six District consultants attending each meeting. The objectives of the leadership development meetings were: 1. to allow the District family life consultant to become ac- quainted with his colleagues. 2. to provide an opportunity for a Christian ministry to one another. 3. to recognize and develop leadership ability in the district family life consultant. 4. to share new family life education ideas, plans, and models with the District family life consultant so his committee may become more effective in its ministry to the parishes of the District. 5. to identify the resources available to the District family life consultant and his committee and to the parishes of the District. District consultants want this type of training to continue annually. The number of requests for materials and for personal services indicate clearly that these consultants are effective in their Districts. Ontario, South Wisconsin, North Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, and Central Illinois are among the Districts which have conducted workshops specifi- cally for people in families. Twenty-three Districts have held 8-day seminars for ministers of religion and their wives relating to marriage and family ministry. Parishes are encouraged to call upon their respective District family life committees when assistance is needed for the plan- ning and implementation of a family life education program. Study Materials for Personal Growth The Board of Parish Education continues to provide a variety of study materials for youth and adults who desire to strengthen their family relationships around God's Word. Recent Mission: Life courses include: Love and the Family, Marriage. Money and Human Relationships. Abortion. Focus on Marriage. Family and children’s devotional materials produced by the Synod, used properly, also help to strengthen Christian family rela- tionships. Workbooks, bibliographies. and other printed items are available to the parishes who wish to plan their own specific family programs. Ideas for experimental ministries are offered to the District consultants who, in turn. make these available to the parishes. Requests for a more complete family life education curricu- lum are under study by the Board of Parish Education, as are the need for an adult family magazine and additional helps for parents, the latter related to the Mission: Life curriculum. A renewed interest in the study of sexuality has increased requests for parish and District assistance. The South Wisconsin District education committee offered a 1-day workshop to parish leaders on sexuality, using the Concordia Sex Education Series as a resource. Most family conferences see this subject as an integral part of the individual’s appreciation of himself and others as God-created sexual beings. Pastoral Training in Marriage and Family Counseling The program of pastoral training in marriage counseling. instituted by resolution of the 1969 Denver convention, has been in progress since March 1970 when the Project Director assumed office. As of June 15, 1973, 22 District seminars have been com- pleted. Interested pastors, teachers. directors of Christian edu- cation, District executives and their wives participate. The seminars are so conducted that during a first 4-day period only the ministers of religion attend. During a second period, 5 weeks later, these same persons and as many wives as are able, attend. The program is so arranged that. during the first session, the participants concentrate on knowledge and skills in counseling, and, during the second week, emphasis is placed on marriage relationships as well as on a program of family ministry in the congregation. Encounter group activities, led by clinically trained pastors, are an integral part of both sessions. The seminars are usually held in retreat facilities or colleges where costs can be kept at a minimum as compared with com- mercial facilities such as hotels or motels. Already scheduled and yet to be conducted are seminars in five Districts with the last ore finishing 7 days before the termi- nation of the project. March 1, 1974, according to the Denver resolution. The response to these seminars attended by ministers of re- ligion, their wives, and District officials, has been gratifyingly enthusiastic, appreciative, and exhilarating. Requests have been overwhelming among the vast majority of both men and women that this project be continued and that another such seminar be conducted in the respective district in another 1 to 3 years. Other Family Life Services Directors of Christian Education have requested assistance in their ministry to families. A family life kit was prepared and distributed through the Lutheran Education Association office. This kit contains numerous models of family life programs that have been attempted in parishes, Districts, and circuits. A regular feature in the Director of Christian Education newsletter entitled— A Line on Family Life Education provides another avenue to this person who is vitally involved in the parish ministry to families. The National Lutheran Parent-Teacher League and the Board of Parish Education continue to maintain their relation- ship with a common commitment to parent education. The