# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S148 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 148 ADMINISTRATION Fraternal Discussions between Board and Staff for Missions One day of each of several Board for Missions meetings has been devoted to fraternal discussions between the board and staff on problems between them. The subjects discussed have been authority in the church and missions and the Mission Affirmations. Discussions will be continued at future meetings until the board and staff fee] their concerns have been resolved. A Missions board member has said, ‘‘These discussions have gone a long way in laying out board and staff concerns. I pray that we will continue to have our heart and minds open to each other through future forum discussions, with God’s direction.” Mission Study Commission The Mission Study Commission, which was appointed by the Board of Directors and reports to the Board of Directors, has been meeting on an average of 2 days every other week since early June. The commission consists of the following: Walter Beran, of Beverly Hills, Calif., a certified public accoun- tant in charge of West Coast operations of Ernst and Ernst. William J. Harbeck, of Lake Forest, Ill., a lawyer who has spent most of his business career with Montgomery Ward & Co., where he is a vice-president of facilities development. Rev. Louis Meyer, chairman, pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Mahwah, N. J., and former executive secretary of Stewardship, Evangelism and Parish Services of the Atlantic District. Rev. Edward Westcott, pastor of Church of the Holy Cross, Scottsdale, Ariz., and former missionary to Nigeria. Dr. Eugene Linse Jr., executive secretary of the Mission Study Commission, on loan from Concordia College, St. Paul, Minn., where he is chairman of the Division of Social Sciences. The task assigned the Mission Study Commission by the Board of Directors is exceedingly broad: to make a thorough study of the entire mission operations for the purpose of assess- ing the efficacy of its present operation and further to propose to the Board of Directors and the Board for Missions recommen- dations as to objectives, purposes, goals, structure, operations, and any other aspect necessary to determine how the church’s mission can best be served. To do this, the commission has to receive input from many people. “Committee of 20° The work of this committee in the seminary matter has been quite extensively reported. The members of the Executive Committee have attended the two meetings as observers. Five and Five The board joined the President in inviting five representa- tives of ELIM to meet with five members of the Board of Direc- tors. Two meetings have been held to date. Theological Convocation The Board has agreed to cosponsor the theological convoca- tion of some 300 individuals during April. The results of this additional effort will be known by the time this report is read. * * * It is self-evident from this report that much time, work, and effort have been expended during this time to help our Synod in its day of trouble. At times progress seems to have been slow: nevertheless, progress is being made. It appears that discussions between the Board of Control, former faculty members, and others may be productive. The Executive Committee whole- heartedly supports these discussions. Although the goal of putting “801” back together the way it once was is no longer a realistic one because of the passage of time, the bigger goal of bringing peace and reconciliation to the Synod is still with us. We hope that all parties to the discussions genuinely want rec- onciliation and are willing to do what is necessary to achieve it. The Board of Directors is confident that the results of the Mis- sion Study Commission efforts will be very helpful to the mis- sions program of our Synod for the North American and over- seas ministry of bringing Christ to men, women, and children who need Him more than they need anything else. In the process our church will find in greater measure the joy of sharing salvation. The Board prays that the other consultations now going on, including the meetings of the Advisory Council for Doctrine and Conciliation, in which it is not directly involved, and of regular standing boards and commissions, which are devoting much of their time and energies to the problems of the Synod, will be productive. Let all our prayers be to this end: that with the help of God we can together bring reconciliation and peace to our church and better carry out the Great Commission of our Lord to bring the Gospel to all nations. App. 4-04C Possible Transfer of Television Ministry to Lutheran Laymen’s League (In the January 1975 meeting of the Board of Directors an ad hoc committee was appointed to negotiate with the LLL on the potential transfer of the TV ministry to the League. The report of the combined committees of the Synod and the League was presented to the board at its April 4 meeting and is being printed in the Workbook. The report will be considered by the Board at its May meeting, and a recommenda- tion will be made to the floor committee). Report of Negotiating Committee A number of meetings have been held with representatives from the Lutheran Laymen’s League concerning the future of Television Ministry in the LCMS. The following resolution at- tempts to detail the rationale and future relationships for trans- ferring the administration of the Television Ministry to the Lutheran Laymen’s League. WHEREAS, The Lutheran Laymen's League sponsorship of mass communications programing of the Lutheran Hour is now in its 42d year: and WHEREAS, The Lutheran Hour broadcasts provide the Gos- pel message to millions of persons around the world: and WHEREAS, The Lutheran Laymen’s League has long had an interest in expanding their mass-communication broadcasting: and WHEREAS, The Lutheran Laymen's League has subsidized the Lutheran Television Ministry, ‘‘This Is the Life,” since 1967 and is currently providing $625,000, nearly 70% of the expendi- tures for this ministry: and WHEREAS, The Lutheran Laymen’s League, on request, has determined that the League can effectively administer the Television Ministry on behalf of The Lutheran Church ~ Mis- souri Synod: therefore be it Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod trans- fer the administration of Lutheran Television to the Lutheran Laymen’s League, effective Feb. 1, 1976; and be it further Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod sub- sidize the Lutheran Laymen’s League for Television Ministry in the years 1976, 1977, and 1978 in a decreasing amount starting with $300,000 in 1976. Starting in the fiscal year 1979 the Televi- sion Ministry of ‘This Is the Life,’ and all special mass com- munications productions, shall be the financial and administra- tive responsibility of the Lutheran Laymen’s League: and be it further Resolved. That the Lutheran Laymen’s League provide coordination, production, distribution, and follow-up capa- bilities of various Television Ministry programs of synodical departments, such as Evangelism and Education: and be it further Resolved. That the mission outreach and public service potential of television be fully developed by the various synodical departments in coordination with the Lutheran Laymen's League: and be it further Resolved, That effective Feb. 1, 1976, two members of the Lutheran Laymen’s League Television Committee be appointed by the synodical Board of Directors, provided however that cur- rent synodical members of the Board for Lutheran Television continue to serve until expiration of their present terms. During the interim period the Lutheran Laymen’s League Television Committee membership would consist of more than seven mem- bers. Additionally the Board of Directors shall appoint a liaison