# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S388 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 388 PARISH SERVICES TV Deserves Growth By God's grace we have experienced significant success during the current biennium with programming which has not only given the Gospel virtual saturation coverage around the nation but which has also generated a great deal of positive goodwill and public impact for the Synod. Most significantly these nationally distributed programs have opened doors for the further witness and evangelism of our lay people and for the preaching of the Gospel which we dare not shut! We cannot keep ‘This Is the Life” vital and energetic, we cannot produce family specials like ‘‘Freedom Is, we cannot serve as consultant and clearinghouse for growing local tele- vision opportunities, we cannot stimulate an evangelism min- istry dynamically tying television to the local parish, we cannot develop further aids like ‘“Tension-Point’ from our already produced product, we cannot produce the Glumpf for congre- gations to take fuller advantage of multimedia evangelism Opportunities — without a substantial budget. We began in 1951 with $750,000: $1,050,000 in 1975, 23 years later (during a period of unprecedented inflation) does not provide sustenance, does not do justice to the rich potentials our Lord places before us, to say nothing of the dynamic growth of this medium in the future. We commend this report, our plans, and the future of this ministry to your earnest consideration. The fields are ripe for harvest! The Lord has called us into this medium, enlightened us with His gifts! More than 23 years of blessing are behind us and we stand on new thresholds. We go forward with His prom- ise that the Word will not return void but will bear rich fruit. Dr. Leonhard C. Wuerffel The board on Dec. 7, 1973, observed the retirement of the second of three of the pioneers of this ministry. Dr. Leonhard C. Wuerffel, member of the Board for Lutheran Television from 1951 to 1973, served as its chairman for the majority of this time. Appointed by Pres. John W. Behnken to the first committee for television, Leonhard Wuerffel served with Dr. Herman W. Gockel, who served the board as program director for 20 years, from 1951 until his retirement in 1971. Dr. Wuerffel to- gether with Dr. Gockel and Rev. Elmer Knoernschild, whose service began on the first “This Is the Life’ script committee and extends to the present, are the men most responsible for the founding and development of the powerful ministry of “This Is the Life,” which grew from four stations at inception to be- come the longest-running dramatic program in television his- tory, entering a 24th season in the fall of 1975. The Television Board, and indeed all the members of the Synod, are thankful to God for the rich talents and blessing provided to the tele- vision ministry through the leadership of Dr. Leonhard C. Wuerffel. Television Staff The Television Board is served through three executives. Dr. Martin J. Neeb Jr. serves as Executive Secretary; Rev. Ardon D. Albrecht, as Program Director: J. Michael Vincent, in Distribution and Evangelism. Board for Lutheran Television Fred L. Kuhlmann, Chairman Robert G. Baal, Vice-Chairman Al H. Senske, Secretary Oswald H. Bertram Walter Stine Isenhower Belno R. Lange Jr. Tom D. McDougall William E. Moschell Charles G. Richman Victor C. Rickman Ed Scott 7-10 Report of Board for Lutheran Radio The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod Marks 50 Years in Radio Ministry During the last biennium KFUO completed 50 years in radio ministry. We take this opportunity to praise Almighty God for the many blessings bestowed on His church through this special endeavor. We remember Dr. Walter A. Maier, Dr. H. C. Fritz. and Rev. Richard Kretzschmar, whose vision led to the founding of KFUO. We remember the efforts of members of the Lutheran Laymen's League, the Lutheran Publicity Organization. the Walther League. and the students and faculty of Concordia Seminary that in total resulted in the erection of a broadcast facility and the beginning of radio broadcasting Dec. 14, 1924. Having become an official property of The Lutheran Church —Missouri Synod in 1926, KFUO has contributed significantly to the total ministry of the church body. In addition to its broad- cast endeavors in the Midwest. the KFUO Radio Committee and subsequent Operating Boards began such international radio programs as the Lutheran Hour and ‘Portals of Prayer" in addition to specialized religious radio programs and resource materials. During its 50-year radio ministry KFUO has been served by three directors: Dr. Herman Hohenstein, Mr. Emerson Russell, and Mr. O. H. Spath. who retired Dec. 31. 1973, and whose contribution to the radio ministry of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod we gratefully acknowledge. Radio Ministry Carried On Without Synod Funds KFUO has been enabled to carry on an active radio min- istry through the voluntary contributions of individuals and organizations. As in the past, KFUO has not received synodically budgeted funds for its operation. KFUO and the Board for Lutheran Radio are grateful for the continuing financial support from these sources. Although the total of gifts received showed a steady decrease in the years prior, the total increased during this biennium (up 10.7% in 1974 from the 1973 total). This has been coupled with a significant decrease in operating expendi- tures for the first time in over a decade (down 6.3% in 1974 from the 1973 amount). And finally, new methods of securing additional support have been introduced by the board. As a result, the board is confident it will be able not only to continue an active radio mipistry but to expand that ministry without subsidy from the Synod. Worldwide KFUO Radio Ministry Continues During the biennium KFUO/Lutheran Radio provided pro- grams and resource materials to congregations throughout the Synod for use in their own locality. KFUO’s major world- wide radio program is ‘‘Portals of Prayer.” “Portals of Prayer" and other KFUO-produced programs are heard in over 800 different places throughout the world everyday. During the biennium KFUO/Lutheran Radio secured over 27,000 hours of broadcast time throughout the world for Lutheran radio programs it produced and distributed. Modern and Powerful Broadcast Facilities During the biennium a major KFUO broadcast equipment and facility renovation was completed. The project included replacement of both AM and FM transmitters, the addition of new, highly sophisticated broadcast equipment, and the general modernization of broadcast facilities. KFUO-FM is now a stereo broadcast facility as powerful as any in the United States. Expanded KFUO Operation While KFUO has had AM and FM frequency since 1948, the same programs were broadcast on both prior to 1975. In 1975 KFUO began broadcasting separate programs on its AM and FM frequencies (programing time has increased from 110 hours per week to nearly 170). This has enabled KFUO to increase its service to its listening community as well as provide additional broadcast time for the field-testing of the new religious pro- grams it continues to produce. Board for Lutheran Radio Pursues Purpose and Objectives The Board for Lutheran Radio began to operate during the biennium in accord with its revised bylaws adopted at the 50th regular convention of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (Res. 10-09, New Orleans, 1973). The Operating Board of KFUO, now known as the Board for Lutheran Radio, studied and de- fined its understanding of its purpose and objectives and its place in the total ministry of The Lutheran Church~— Missouri Synod. To communicate this understanding, it adopted a “‘State-