# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S29 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) MISSIONS 29 Directors, Missions, Special Ministry-World Relief, Parish Education, High Education, Youth, Appeals: Commissions: CTCR. World Hunger. Ministerial Health: Services: Mentally Retarded, Adjudication: Councils a nd Auviliaries: Christian Medical Work, LMMA, LWML. WRF. Lutheran Council, World Missions, Institutional Chaplaincy and Clinical Pastoral Educa- tion, LWR: plus advisers and consultants, about 6, from experts on food. population, justice, development. process people. Christian Medical Commission, and if at all possible a few select spokesmen of sister church bodies and other Third World groups. Program: Evaluation presupposes examination of past atti- tudes. as well as performance, of our call to be a healing church. Prior to the consultation. there would be a directed reading program of books, periodicals, and articles. Participants will be called upon to respond to a nonjudgmental questionnaire to assess the level of understanding that exists and programatic expression of it. At the consultation. about half the time will be assigned for worship. Bible study. and issue-paper presentation and discussion. The other half will address itself to coordination and planning. By group process, coordination will be realized—one unit will Jearn from the other how programs may support, comple- ment. and affirm each other. Un‘formity will not be a goal. but diversity of expression will contribute toward a united goal of a healing community ministering to each other and to the world, About one fourth of the time of the conference will be devoted to this task. This will lead to future planning. Toward the close of the consultation participants will be prepared to envision common strategies and goals for a realistic period of years ahead. They will be able to identify voids in their under- standing that need to be filled in future reading programs and assigned presentations. They will be able to see possibilities for enlarging their own efforts in the healing mission and communicating the Savior’s call to others to join them as part- ners in their work. Lest this sound grandiose, triumphal, and visionary, it should be stated that in 1967 some experience was gained along these lines in a consultation at Coonoor. India. Its objectives were different and its participants chosen from a narrower spectrum of the church’s functional units, but that experience lends credibility to the notion that it can be done. If it is necessary to solicit outside financing, the pilot nature of this proposal and the promise it holds should commend it to groups like AAL or Wheat Ridge Foundation for possible favor- able consideration, but it should not be relegated routinely to outside funding. There are few if any opportunities in the synodical program for board and staff leadership to share their lives and thoughts, affirm their common aspirations. and support one another in their calling to live as the body of Christ in today’s world. Individual boards meet in fragmented fashion with functional agendas dispatched under the pressure of clocks with second hands. Life and death—eternal life and eternal death—issues are discussed at church conventions with stopwatches tyranniz- ing the debate. The God who has given us time deserves better than that. When. in His name. will we follow the example of our brother, His Son. Jesus Christ. and retreat for prayer and reflection instead of gathering for frenzied decision-making, at best, or battle. at worst? O give thanks unto the Lord: for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. Louis M. Theimer. Acting Chairman Edward C. May. Secretary 2-04 Supplementary Report of Board of Directors re Mission Program of Synod (Ag indicated in its report to the convention, the Board of Directors early in 1974 appointed a special Mission Study Commission. That com- mission submitted its report to the Board of Directors in April. Since the board did not have time to study the report and to make any judg- ments, it was decided to print the recommendations of the Mission Study Commission in the Workbook as a supplement to the board’s own report, with the understanding that the Board of Directors would in its May meeting formulate its own recommendations regarding the report and recommendations of the Mission Study Commission for consideration by the floor committee. What follows, then, are the recommendations of the Mission Study Commission.) Recommendations of Mission Study Commission In response to the Commission of the Lord of the church, the Mission Study Commission reminds the church that her task is essentially evangelistic, that all activity at every level in the church’s structure and leadership must ultimately be measured by its effects on the faith and life of the individual Christian. Within the context of this great challenge, the Mission Study Commission recommends: 1. That all administrative levels of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod, beginning with the congregation, should be involved mutually in the setting of goals and their implemen- tation: A. Existing congregations need to reach out more and more to all segments of society with the Gospel of Jesus Christ: B. Existing congregations need to enlist more extensively and intensively the many gifts and talents of members, thus responding to a broad range of human needs: C. That every Christian as part of his commitment to Jesus Christ accept personal responsibility for carrying out our Lord’s directive to give witness to his faith in word and deed: Conventions of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod Board of Directors President (LCMS) Board for Missions (Appellate right to convention) Executive Director (Administrative } Director of Domestic Affairs 1 . 1, Districts Special Ministries Move: Blind, Deaf. Special Ministries to Board for Social Ministry and World Relief. to Division of Parish Services or to LCUSA [= Persons =asceee— = Functions Directors of Mission Fields Director of Administrative Services 1 Personnel - - - Liaison - - - Research Board for Missions: Nine members. Three members from the BfM to be assigned to each of the key function areas: Domestic Affairs. Mission Fields, and Adminis- trative Services, as their areas of special concern and as a subcommittee.