# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S402 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 9. SPECIAL AND SUNDRY MATTERS 9-01 Report of Armed Forces Commission The theme for the Mother’s Day Offering for 1975 for support of the Armed Forces Commission of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod will center in the concept of sharing as por- trayed by the fourth-century Christian leader St. Martin of Tours. Contributions from LCMS congregations and individuals to this annual Mother’s Day observance will provide direct financial support for all programs of the commission. Even in “peace-time’” our church provides vital ministry and care to approximately 10,000 Lutheran men and women in service in all parts of the world and in Veterans Administration hospitals. There remains a need for our church to recruit seminarians and pastors for the chaplaincy programs of all branches of the Armed Forces and the Veterans Administration. The commis- sion must continue to screen all applicants to endorse and call qualified pastors and reserve chaplains for extended active duty in the military. The Executive Secretary of the Armed Forces Commission is also a staff member of the Division of Service to Military Personnel of the Lutheran Council in the U.S. A., which is now staffed by representatives of the three major Lutheran church bodies. Military Chaplains On Jan. 1, 1975, our church had 94 military chaplains on active duty in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. A vital and impor- tant ministry is performed for our church by 148 ready reserve chaplains on inactive duty. These chaplains associate themselves with service activities in their communities, where many of their members are involved and become personally familiar with the problems and situations confronting members of their congregations in the military. Such chaplains are better pre- pared to communicate and counsel with their parishioners and are ready when called by their church for active duty in time of national emergency. Military chaplains maintain a close working relationship with military contact pastors, who are civilian Lutheran ministers located near military installations and voluntarily assist the chaplains in whatever way possible. During 1974 LCMS chaplains conducted 9,492 worship services, 415 baptisms, 137 confirmations. Veterans Administration Chaplains The call for additional chaplains from our church to serve Veterans Administration hospitals can be expected. There is an increasing need to provide pastoral care and ministries of our church to Lutheran veterans who are patients in the 166 VA hospitals in our country. Synod has 6 full-time and 18 part- time chaplains in the Veterans Administration chaplaincy. PRESENT WORDING B. ARMED FORCES COMMISSION 15.21 Personnel and Appointment of Commission An Armed Forces Commission consisting of five pastors and two laymen shall be appointed by the Presijent of the Synod after consulting with the Vice-Presidents. As emergencies arise, the per- sonnel of this commission may be increased. 15.23 General Duties The commission shall — a. provide a ministry for all of the Synod’s mili- tary personnel; dependents of military personnel overseas; civilians and their dependents overseas at 403 Civil Air Patrol Another chaplaincy program of increasing importance in religious leadership and concern in our nation is the Civil Air Patrol. The opportunity of providing spiritual ministry and con- ducting religious services for our youth is afforded our church through this program. A total of 23 of the Synod’s pastors now serve in the CAP chaplaincy. AFC, LCMS Military Records This program of the commission serves as a depository of all baptisms, confirmations, and weddings of Lutheran per- sonnel overseas who cannot forward their records to a home congregation. These people receive our Ministry-by-Mail and other devotionze materials for the entire family. When transfer to a civilian parish becomes possible, the commission forwards the records as requested to the new home congregation. Ministry-by-Mail The Armed Forces Commission Ministry-by-Mail consti- tutes the largest supportive service to our military personnel around the world. It includes an initial packet (Service Prayer Book. Lutheran identification cross, pocket calendar, roster of chaplains, directory of Lutheran worship services, and other devotional brochures) to all service personnel whose names are forwarded by LCMS congregations to the Armed Forces Commission, Ministry-by-Mail, Box 8934, Jefferson Memorial Station, St.Louis, Mo. 63102. Each month approximately 10,000 military personnel receive the worship service Loyalty — Christ and Country, Portals of Prayer. and other devotional literature. The newest addition to the program is the mailing of Lutheran Hour sermons. Patients in VA hospitals, military dependents and civilians overseas at or near military installa- tions, and cadets at military academies also receive these mail- ings provided their addresses are furnished the commission by the home congregations. Commission Members Chairman: Rev. Gerald E. Kuhn, CAPT, CHC, USNR-R: vice-chairman: Mr. W. Herbert Krieger, former CPT, USAR: secretary: Rev. Maynard R. Pollex, former Ch, CPT, Canadian Army; Rev. Howard A. Foard: Chaplain (MajGen) Gerhardt W. Hyatt; Rev. Delvin E. Ressel, Ch, Col, USAF (Ret): and Col Milton V. Seraile, USA (Ret). Staff Executive Secretary: Rev. Milton S. Ernstmeyer, CAPT, CHC, USN (Ret); program director, Ministry-by-Mail: Rev. Ernest F. Wentzel, LtCol, USA (Ret). Bylaws The commission proposes the following Bylaw revisions: PROPOSED WORDING B. ARMED FORCES COMMISSION 15.2] Personnel and Appointment of Commission An Armed Forces Commission consisting of five pastors and two laymen shall be appointed by the President of the Synod after consultation with the Vice-Presidents. As emergencies arise, the per- sonnel of this commission may be increased. 15.23 General Duties The commission shall — a. provide a ministry for all of the Synod’s mili- tary personnel; dependents of military personnel overseas; civilians and their dependents overseas at