# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S381 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) PARISH SERVICES 381 Reduction of frequency to one issue every 2 months also meant serious compromise of the periodical as a news medium. Already in 1969 the editorial commission had determined that Der Lutheraner should be discontinued when its circulation fell below 3,500. So our commission at its Sept. 13, 1974, meeting resolved “that Der Lutheraner be discontinued at the end of the calendar year 1974, subject to acceptability within the frame- work of synodical resolutions and the Handbook of the Synod, and that the final issue of the periodical be made a commemora- tive publication.’ This commemorative issue was published in November 1974. The Council of Presidents on Dec. 5, 1974 concurred in the decision to discontinue publication of Der Lutheraner. The Presidents also adopted a resolution expressing thanks to God for the great blessings this publication has brought to the Synod through the 130 years of existence. (One of the most recent awards presented to Der Lutheraner was a "Citation of Meritorious Achievement” presented by the Society for German-American Studies in February 1974 in recognition of Der Lutheraner’s ‘‘outstanding contribution to German-American culture.’”’) The Lutheran Witness Reporter. reduced to four issues a year in 1973 and 1974, is no longer a separate publication but has been absorbed as the ‘Reporter Edition” of the Witness. This “Reporter Edition’: continues to be published four times a year and uses the tabloid format. The change from a separate publi- cation to a “Reporter Edition” of the Witness conforms to a regulation of the U.S. Postal Service requiring publications to have separate subscription lists. with subscribers ordering each publication separately. Discontinuation of Der Lutheraner and making the Lutheran Witness Reporter a tabloid edition of The Lutheran Witness means that the Synod now has but one official periodical ‘The Lutheran Witness). Handbook references to official periodicals of the Synod must therefore be revised. The Editorial Commis- sion for Official Periodicals accordingly recommends to the 51st regular convention of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod: 1, That the Synod ratify the action of the Editorial Commis- sion for Official Periodicals relative to discontinuing Der Luther- aner and making the Lutheran Witness Reporter the “Reporter Edition” of The Lutheran Witness: 2. That Paragraph 11.81 in the Synod’s Handbook be changed to read: 11.81 The Official Periodical The Lutheran Witness shall be the official periodical of the Synod and shall include official reports and notices. 3. That Paragraph 11.83 be changed to read: 11.83 The Editor a. The editor of The Lutheran Witness shall be appointed by the Editorial Commission from a list approved by the Council of Presidents. The Editorial Commission shall also appoint all other editors and staff members. 4. That the convention instruct the Commission on Constitu- tional Matters to make such other changes in the synodical Handbook as may result from the discontinuance of Der Luther- aner and of the Lutheran Witness Reporter as a separate publica- tion. Because the staff of The Lutheran Witness is salaried by Concordia Publishing House and is therefore subject to Con- cordia’s personnel policies, including mandatory retirement at 65, Dr. Martin W. Mueller, executive editor, and Rev. Albert W. Galen, Witness managing editor, both terminated full-time service on Dec. 31, 1974. The commission offered both retiring editors an opportunity to continue on modified service. From a list of candidates approved by the Council of Presi- dents the commission interviewed six men for the post of execu- tive editor of The Lutheran Witness. Each candidate was thoroughly questioned regarding his theological position, his views of the role the Witness ought to play in our Synod, and his own qualifications, both personal and professional. The commission unanimously elected Rev. Frank Starr, Witnegs associate editor since 1970, as the new executive editor. The Editorial Commission honored its two retiring editors at a reception. Dr. Mueller also received a special citation from the Council of Presidents recognizing his service of nearly 20 years on the staff of The Lutheran Witness. The members of the Editorial Commission for Official Periodicals wish to take this opportunity to thank all those who made their work easier and more enjoyable during the past biennium. The president, Dr. Ralph Reinke, the executive personnel, and employees of Concordia Publishing House are especially to be thanked for their assistance and cooperation. Frank D. Starr, Executive Editor 7-06 Report of Concordia Publishing House In September of this year Concordia Publishing House will note its 106th birthday. Through periods of prosperity or de- pression, peace or war, social calm or domestic uproar, CPH has continued to provide the people of God with the necessary tools to carry out their mission and ministry. Again we are in a period of economic disruption, but in spite of a backdrop of inflation and recession, especially in the last half of the 1973 —75 biennium, Concordia Publishing House has continued to in- crease its outreach and service in response to the challenge of using new vehicles for the communication of the Gospel within and beyond the Missouri Synod. Similar to all business, Concordia has had to deal with the rapidly rising costs of raw materials, wages. and services and the resulting increases in list prices. Spirit of Optimism But as our church moves forward in response to the Great Commission, Concordia, as the Synod's publishing arm, moves with it, equipping, nurturing, supplying hundreds of religious resources, new and old, needed for a growing church “‘in mission to all men.”’ There is a spirit of optimism and dedication among the men and women of CPH, and we face the future with the promise that the Lord will continue to “bless the work of our hands” as He has done for 106 years. Our Statement of Mission Our “Statement of Mission” serves as guide and touchstone for planning and decision-making at all levels of the organiza- tion. It reads: Our calling as the publishing arm of The Lutheran Church — Mis- souri Synod is to proclaim ‘another life” by the power of the Spirit providing effective vehicles for communicating the Christian faith and making the vehicles ever better and more abundant. Our calling means that those who use our communication vehicles find them to be more accessible. dependable, versatile, economical, and relevant. To be faithful to our calling, we must continue to refine old and to develop new resources to meet the needs of God's people and to use enlightened business practices in maintaining. modernizing. and fully utilizing the assets entrusted to our care. To fulfill our calling, the men and women of Concordia must be selected on the basis of God-given talents. well qualified, deeply dedicated. The hallmarks of our personnel practices are fair compensation and just benefits. equal opportunity to reach the fulfillment of poten- tial, appropriate training and supervision. vital challenges in our work. This is how, in broad outline, we see our calling. Our task requires integrity, dedication, and a feeling for product quality and service of the highest order. We of Concordia pledge our continued utmost effort to the mission of proclaiming another life through Christ. The Fiscal Picture Growth continues to characterize Concordia’s progress but at a slower pace than in the previous biennium. While the num- ber of persons using our book and multimedia products has in- creased, our curriculum sales have decreased, as the birth rate and church school enrollment declines. All of this reflects itself fiscally. During the biennium, net sales totaled $35,325,000, an increase of $321,000 over the prior 2-year period. This total is based on a projected $17,750,000 net sales for the 1974—75 fiscal year (May 1 to April 30). Final audited figures will be presented to the convention as a part of Concordia’s biennial report.