# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S350 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) SPECIAL AND SUNDRY MATTERS 347 15.27 Active Military Personnel The commission shall — a. keep an accurate record of all men and women serving in the various branches of the armed forces; b. urge the pastors of the Synod to keep the commission informed concerning the men and women of their congregations who enter the armed forces; c. provide Christian literature for the men and women in the armed forces; d. advise the Synod concerning the operation of Lutheran service centers; e. serve as a repository for all records of pastoral acts performed by chaplains or pastors serving mili- tary personnel; f. undertake other responsibilities relating to the spiritual ministry to service personnel, also to their dependents, as well as to civilians overseas con- nected with or at military installations, as the Synod may direct. 15.29 The Military and Veterans in Hospitals The commission shall — a. provide for the spiritual needs of members of the congregations of the Synod and of others who desire its service in hospitals maintained by the armed forces and Veterans Administration; b. endorse chaplains for Veterans Administra- tion hospitals; c. secure the services of civilian pastors to min- ister in hospitals not served by a chaplain of the Synod; d. provide hospital chaplains and pastors with appropriate literature; e. review the reports submitted by all hospital chaplains and pastors. h. provide financial support for a reasonable length of time for chaplains who have been hon- orably discharged from the Armed Forces. 15.27 Active Military Personnel The commission shall — a. keep an accurate record of all of Synod’s per- sonnel serving in the various branches of the Armed Forces; b. urge the pastors of the Synod to keep the commission informed concerning the personnel of their congregations who enter the Armed Forces; c. provide Christian literature for personnel in the Armed Forces and refer them to the nearest chaplain or pastor and Communion service; d. advise the Synod concerning the operation of Lutheran service centers, e. undertake other responsibilities relating to the spiritual ministry to service personnel, also to their dependents, as well as to civilians overseas connected with or at military installations, as the Synod may direct. 15.29 The Military and Veterans in Hospitals The commission shall — a. provide for the spiritual needs of members of the congregations of the Synod and of others who desire its service in hospitals maintained by the Armed Forces and Veterans Administration; b. secure the services of civilian pastors to min- ister in hospitals not served by a chaplain of the Synod; c. provide hospital chaplains and pastors with appropriate devotional literature and materials. M. S. Ernstmeyer, Executive Secretary a 11-02 Report of Department of Archives and History Concordia Historical Institute During the V-2 bombings of London in World War II, Winston Churchill emphasized that a nation consistently needed to look to its past for strength and inspiration even though it was engaged in an all-out effort to preserve its very existence. The psalmist's encouragement to “remember the days of old” is as important to the Synod during its 125th anniversary observances as Churchill's was during England’s period of crisis. In fact, it is during transitional periods that the Synod must be especially attentive to its past, present, and future. Anything less than thoughtful, thorough pondering and planning will lead to chaos. The Institute exists for the very purpose of preserving the Synod’s past experiences so that competent planning may be provided for the future. The founders of the Synod considered archival-historical work important enough to provide for it at the founding convention in 1847. Ever since it has remained an integral part of synodical activities and services. Many have been the occasions during the past 125 years that the Synod has found guidance for the future by carefully considering the work of those who have gone before and the reasons for their successes or failures. During the past biennium the Institute has endeavored faithfully to carry out its synodically assigned purposes, endeavoring always to apply the principles of wise steward- ship. Its purposes may be reviewed in the Handbook in Sections 15.41 to 15.51. The Institute has cooperated closely with the 125th Anni- versary Committee and others involved in the preparation of anniversary resources, filmstrips, and movies. Also in this way the Institute has endeavored to serve by bringing the story of God's mercy at work among His people to the entire Synod. Collections The raw materials, the basis of Institute services, include 2,405,000 documents, archives, and manuscripts; 55,950 books, pamphlets, periodicals, and tracts; more than 120,000 feet of microfilm; 1,533,600 feet of tape recordings of voices, music, worship services; 121 motion picture films; 128 sets of slides and filmstrips; thousands of photographs, pictures, paintings, and museum artifacts — all giving a multidimen- sional portrayal of Lutheran history. Together such re- sources comprise a collection on American Lutheranism un- matched anywhere. The storehouse of unmined information for future research is rich and promising. New resources added during the last 2 years number more than 75,000, contributed by more than 2,000 donors. Such donors have enabled the Institute to reach its present size in spite of limited budgets for new acquisitions. Some of the most valuable records and resources re- ceived during the past biennium have come from the follow- ing agencies: